Vegan snickerdoodle cookies are soft and chewy, full of that classic sugar + spice flavor and perfect for Christmas cookie trays! 5 ingredients, gluten and grain free, and naturally sweet.
Happy day after thanksgiving, also known as FULL TILT CHRISTMAS TIME, BABY.
I’m only a little excited.
You guys know I’m all about this festive season, and one of the BEST parts is the Christmas sweets. Snickerdoodles are such a classic and I’ve had several requests for a simple, healthy recipe. I am so, so happy with how these gems came out!
Plus, you’ll need just 5 ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. So enough with the chit chat, let’s bake cookies!!
Ingredients for vegan snickerdoodle cookies
- Almond flour: almond flour keeps the cookies really soft and gives a great chewy texture.
- Date sugar: date sugar is simply dried dates that have been ground up, and it gives the cookies natural sweetness all from fruit.
- Cinnamon: the warming spice help bring out the classic fall snickerdoodle flavor.
- Applesauce: unsweetened applesauce helps the cookies maintain a soft, moist texture.
- Vanilla extract: a bit of vanilla helps round out the flavor of the cookies.
- Cinnamon + date sugar: you’ll mix cinnamon and date sugar to roll the cookies in before baking, which gives a great crisp, sweet texture to the outside of the cookies.
Tips for making vegan snickerdoodle cookies
- Mix the dry ingredients first. Depending on the almond flour and date sugar you use, there may be lumps to work out with a fork before mixing in the other ingredients to make sure everything in the cookie dough is incorporated.
- Use clean hands to work the cookie dough together. The dough isn’t super wet, so after using a spoon or spatula for a bit, using clean hands makes it easier to get everything mixed together.
- Don’t forget to roll in cinnamon + date sugar before baking. This extra step is so worth it, as the result is a pretty sparkly exterior and an incredible crunchy texture on the outside of the cookies. Plus, more cinnamon + sugar flavor that’s essential for a snickerdoodle.
- Let the cookies cool on the sheet after baking. These are incredible straight out of the oven, but be sure to let them cool for at least 10 minutes so that they don’t fall apart when you move them from the baking sheet.
Vegan snickerdoodle cookies are slightly crisp on the outside from the cinnamon + date sugar mixture, and so soft and chewy on the inside. They’re full with cinnamon spice flavor, so simple to make and you need them in your life this Christmas season. Plus, you guys know I’m all about gingerbread or chocolate this time of year, so if I’m loving something this much that has neither of those things, they MUST to be good.
Happy Christmas cookie baking, friends!!
Xo,
Sara
Vegan Snickerdoodle Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1 cup date sugar – something like coconut sugar would probably also work but I haven't tested that swap myself
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp each – cinnamon + date sugar to roll the cookies in before baking
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, mix the almond flour and date sugar. Be sure to break up any lumps in the almond flour or date sugar before measuring – you can use a sifter if you have one! I just use a fork and make sure there are no large clumps in the mixture.
- Add the cinnamon, applesauce, and vanilla extract, and stir to combine into a thick dough. I start mixing with a spatula or spoon, then use clean hands to squeeze/mix the dough and make sure everything is incorporated.
- Portion about 2 tablespoons for each cookie, roll it into a ball, and roll it in the cinnamon + date sugar mixture before pressing them gently with your hands to get them into a circular, even shape on the baking sheet.
- Bake the cookies for 20 minutes, then let them cool on the pan for 10 minutes before carefully removing.
- Store in a tupperware in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Due to the moisture and natural oil in the cookies, they will soften a bit when stored.
I have everything but the applesauce. Heading out to the grocery store in a few so I can make these!
Haha YAY so excited to hear what you think of them!!
Can I sub the almond flour for oat flour or GF flour?? 🙂 My brother has to have nut-free snacks!! Thank you!!
Hi, Connie! I haven’t tried this recipe with a different flour, so I can’t say for sure. It would change the texture a bit, but I’m sure they’d still taste great! Let me know how it goes if you try that swap????
Okies!! I was thinking oat flour!!
I used oat flour and it turned out okay!! Probably not as moist and soft as almond flour due to the lack of oil/fat. But the cinnamon-date sugar combo was so good 😀
Yes that definitely makes sense that they’d be a bit more dense/chewy with oat flour rather than almond. Glad you liked the flavor though!!????