Here’s how to make the best vegan snickerdoodles, a holiday classic cookie recipe that both vegans and non vegans will love.
Soft vegan snickerdoodles
You would absolutely never guess these are vegan!
The recipe uses the same basic ingredients as traditional cookies, meaning these soft and chewy snickerdoodles taste exactly like the non vegan version everyone loves.
There are no flax eggs, no specialty flours, and just one bowl to clean!
Also try these Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Egg free snickerdoodle cookies
If you’ve missed snickerdoodle cookies since going vegan, definitely give these buttery snickerdoodles a try.
Or if you are not a vegan, it is still always useful to keep an easy and egg free cookie recipe on hand, for those times where you run out of eggs and do not want to make a special trip to the grocery store.
Serve them for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any time you are craving a fantastic vegan dessert packed with Fall cinnamon sugar flavor.
You know a recipe is good when all of your omnivore friends eat so many, there are barely any cookies left for you!
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Ingredients for the recipe
To make the plant based snickerdoodles, you need flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, sugar, oil or vegan butter, nondairy milk, pure vanilla extract, and cinnamon.
Flour – My preference here is to use whole grain spelt flour. All purpose white flour and oat flour work too.
For a gluten free option, I have successfully made the recipe with loosely packed Bob’s Red Mill all purpose gluten free flour.
Sugar – Choose either traditional white sugar or unrefined coconut sugar.
Or for sugar free cookies, granulated xylitol is a great swap. I have not tried erythritol and do not recommend stevia because it will change the texture of the cookies.
If you experiment with pure maple syrup or agave, let me know how it goes.
Spices – The cookies are coated in spicy sweet cinnamon. As a fun flavor variation, you can also throw in a pinch of ground ginger or nutmeg.
Unlike many other snickerdoodle recipes, this one needs no cream of tartar because baking soda adds the perfect amount of chewiness on its own.
Oil – I love using coconut oil because it gives a slight coconutty taste. If you want to avoid this, use your favorite plant based butter instead.
Dairy free milk – Go with whatever milk you have on hand. Almond milk, soy milk, oat milk, or coconut milk all work well.
No milk in your refrigerator? Simply use an equal amount of water in place of the milk.
Vegan pumpkin snickerdoodles
If you want to do a pumpkin flavored version of the vegan snickerdoodles, use one and a half tablespoons of canned pumpkin puree in place of the nondairy milk.
Then replace about a fourth of the cinnamon in the coating with pumpkin pie spice.
Leftover cinnamon? Make Vegan Cinnamon Rolls
Vegan snickerdoodle recipe video
Above, watch the step by step video.
How to make vegan snickerdoodles
Start by combining all of the dry ingredients (excluding the cinnamon sugar coating) in a large mixing bowl.
Stir well, then add the liquid ingredients to form a cookie dough.
Smush the dough into one giant ball with your hands, or transfer to a Ziploc gallon bag and smush into a ball from inside the bag.
Roll into smaller cookie dough sized balls.
For soft cookies, chill the unbaked balls in the fridge until cool to the touch or overnight. Or for crunchy cookies, you may skip this step.
(The dough balls can also be frozen to bake another day.)
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Stir the cinnamon and remaining sugar in a medium bowl, then roll the cookie balls in the cinnamon sugar, coating the entire surface.
Place on a cookie baking tray, and bake on the oven’s center rack for eleven minutes. They will look underdone when you remove the tray from the oven.
Let the dairy free snickerdoodles cool at least ten minutes before handling, during which time they will firm up considerably.
Store leftover cookies in a covered container on the counter for up to four days. Or freeze cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to three months.
Vegan Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour (spelt, white, or oat)
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup sugar or unrefined sugar or xylitol
- 6 tbsp coconut oil or vegan butter
- 1 1/2 tbsp nondairy milk of choice
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 1/4 cup sugar or unrefined sugar or xylitol
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- To make vegan snickerdoodles, combine dry ingredients (excluding coating). Stir well. Add liquid ingredients to form a dough. Only add additional milk if it's still too dry after a full minute of stirring. (I've never had to add more than the 1 1/2 tbsp.) Smush into a big ball with your hands, or transfer dough to a ziploc and smush into a ball once the dough is inside the bag. Now roll into balls. For softer cookies, chill 30 minutes (or up to a day – dough balls can also be frozen to bake later). Preheat oven to 325 F. Roll balls in cinnamon sugar, place on a cookie tray, and bake 11 minutes. They should look underdone, so let cool 10 minutes on the tray, as they'll firm up while they cool. View Nutrition Facts
Notes
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More Vegan Holiday Cookies
Roberta says
Snickerdoodles have been my favourite cookie for many years! This recipe was absolutely perfect! I never thought I could have a snickerdoodle without animal products and here it is! Thank you for this recipe. Greetings from Peterborough Ontario Canada and happy 2022!
CCK Media Team says
Thank you so much for making them!
Kate Scott says
These are DELICIOUS!!! I could eat an entire batch all by myself! (So I’m glad they’re so easy and quick!) YUM!!!
Ami says
Tried this recipe and cookies turned out amazing. Thank you!
CCK Media Team says
Thank you for trying them 🙂
Cindy says
Really great! The non-vegans loved them too. Thank you!
Divya Marwaha says
Are you able to use coconut sugar instead of the regular? Thanks in advance.
Mary Lane says
When I make these with oat flour, they flatten completely and lose their shape. I tried baking right after forming the dough and also after refrigerating but they still came out of the oven flat. How do you keep their shape with oat flour?
CCK Media Team says
Hi! We have never had this issue in all the times of making them, but perhaps it is due to climate, humidity, or specific ingredients/brands you are using. Try making smaller cookies and see if that works!
Nora says
The cookies turned out absolutely delicious!
Emily says
Are these supposed to flatten on their own while baking? Mine certainly didn’t, but the instructions don’t say to flatten them. I had added an extra tablespoon of milk and didn’t think my dough was too dry at all. Otherwise I followed the recipe exactly. Any suggestions? Should I just flatten them with a fork next time? Thanks!
CCK Media Team says
Hi! Depending on climate/humidity, oven calibration (or if yours is not calibrated), specific ingredients used, etc. they may not flatten on their own. If they do not, you can absolutely flatten them with a fork or spoon.
Sweetu says
I’ve made these a few times, usually with white flour but today’s with oat flour. Always, so good! Crispy edges and soft inside, even with oats, which surprised me. They’re also great rolled in chai spice if you’ve got it.
B says
Just made these last night and ate them outside by our campfire. They are delicious! So soft and puffy like a cinnamon sugar cloud that melts in your mouth! Delicious!
Marla says
Hi! Interested in what the milk sub does in this recipe. I’d like to make them as an apple cider snickerdoodle and replace the milk (or some of it) with boiled cider and roll in a sugar/apple pie spice blend. Would boiled cider work here?
Prem says
Can I substitute oil/butter with apple sauce ?
Kim says
These didn’t appeal to me, but my kids loved them! We made them along with CCK’s healthy sugar cookies, and they liked both, but preferred this one. We didn’t do the cinnamon sugar coating, but rolled them out, used cookie cutters, and then added sprinkles and royal icing. My son just said that he hopes I will make them again soon. 🙂