Soft and tangy, these vegan snickerdoodles are so delicious, and I promise you won't be able to tell they're vegan!
Ever since I was little, snickerdoodles have been my favorite cookies. Whenever I pass by a bakery that sells them, I can't resist grabbing one (or two... or three).
Every once in a while, I like to make plant-based versions of my favorite recipes, and I thought I would take a stab at perfecting some vegan snickerdoodles. And honestly, I might prefer these more than normal snickerdoodles!
But don't just take my word for it — give them a try for yourself and tell me what you think.
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What You'll Need
Here's a quick overview of some of the key ingredients and tools needed to make these cookies. The full recipe can be found at the bottom of the post.
Key Ingredients
- Coconut oil - Since these cookies are vegan, we're swapping butter for coconut oil. You want to be sure that the coconut oil is solid (not melted) when using it for this recipe. Coconut oil does have a tendency to melt when exposed to hot temperatures.
- Plant-based milk - This recipe calls for 6 tablespoons of plant-based milk, and I have had success making it with both almond milk and oat milk. However, I think any plant-based milk would work well in this recipe! Since it's not a large amount of milk, it doesn't really change the overall taste of the cookies.
- Cream of tartar - Cream of tartar is traditionally used when making snickerdoodles. It helps make the cookies light and fluffy and gives them a distinct tangy flavor.
Equipment
- Mixer - Personally, I like to use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment when making this recipe. However, an electric hand mixer will also work.
- Baking sheet - This recipe calls for 2 medium baking sheets or 1 large baking sheet.
- Cookie scoop - I like using a cookie scoop to portion out the cookies. That way, it's easy to get them all the same size.
How to Make These Cookies
Got everything ready? Let me show you how to make these vegan snickerdoodles!
Start making the cookie dough. In a stand mixer or large bowl, cream together the packed coconut oil and light brown sugar. Once combined, add in the pure maple syrup, plant-based milk, and vanilla extract. At this point, the mixture might look a bit clumpy, but do not worry! (Image 1)
Whisk together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. (Image 2)
Finish making the dough. Add the dry ingredients into the rest of the mixture and mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. (Image 3)
Make the cinnamon-sugar mixture. In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon. Remove the dough from the fridge and roll the dough into 1-inch balls until round and smooth. Then, drop the balls into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and coat the entire surface evenly. (Image 4)
Time to bake! Bake the cookies at 350°F for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned and the edges are starting to set. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. (Image 5 and Image 6)
Tips to Perfect This Recipe
- After adding in the dry ingredients, make sure to mix only until just combined. If you overmix at this point, the cookies will turn out tough and chewy. Mix just until the dry ingredients have completely been incorporated, then scrape the bowl well.
- Chill the cookie dough before scooping. Through lots of trial and error, I have found that these cookies spread quite a bit in the oven if you don't chill the dough before baking. You can even refrigerate the dough overnight if you want!
- Remove the cookies from the oven while they're still a bit soft. These cookies will harden up once they are out of the oven, so make sure to remove them around the 10-12 minute mark. Once they have cooled slightly, I recommend transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Common Questions About These Cookies
These are some questions I frequently hear about these cookies. If you have a question that isn't answered below, feel free to leave it in the comments.
Absolutely! Tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, this dough can be refrigerated for up to 2-3 days. Alternatively, you can freeze the dough for up to 2 months. Just let it thaw to room temperature before scooping the cookies.
Personally, I have had success making these cookies with both almond milk and oat milk. However, I believe any plant-based milk would work just fine. If you do try another kind of milk, let me know how it works out in the comments below.
Stored in an airtight container, these snickerdoodles usually stay fresh for about a week. After that, you can wrap them firmly in a plastic bag and freeze them for up to two months. When you are ready to eat the cookies, let them thaw at room temperature or even warm them up for a few minutes in the oven.
How to Store & Freeze
To store: You can store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
To freeze: Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 2 months. Wrap them in plastic wrap and place them in a frozen-safe zip-top bag before freezing. You can also freeze the cookie dough for up to 2 months. I'd recommend shaping the dough into balls before freezing, and then you can actually just bake them from frozen. Just be sure to bake them a few more minutes than the recipe calls for.
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Print
Vegan Snickerdoodles
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 20 cookies 1x
Description
Soft and tangy, these vegan snickerdoodles are so delicious, and I promise you won't be able to tell they're vegan!
Ingredients
Snickerdoodle Cookies:
- ½ cup (113g) packed coconut oil
- ¾ cup (160g) light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 6 tablespoons plant-based milk (I used almond milk)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture:
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a stand mixer or large bowl, cream together the packed coconut oil and light brown sugar. Once combined, add in the maple syrup, plant-based milk, and vanilla extract. At this point, the mixture might look a bit clumpy, but do not worry!
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Add the dry ingredients into the rest of the mixture and mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- In a small bowl, prepare the cinnamon-sugar mixture by mixing together the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a large sheet tray with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- After chilling for at least 30 minutes, remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll into 1-inch balls until round and smooth. Then, drop the balls into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and coat the entire surface evenly.
- Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned and the edges are starting to set. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Stored in an airtight container, these cookies will usually last for about a week at room temperature. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 2 months and let them thaw to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- Plant-Based Milk: I used almond milk for this recipe, but I have also had success with using oat milk in the past. However, I think any plant-based milk would work well.
- Storage: Stored in an airtight container, these cookies will usually last for about a week at room temperature. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 2 months and let them thaw to room temperature before serving.
- Inspiration: Recipe adapted from Pick Up Limes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Chill Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
These cookies are wonderful. I made the dough yesterday and left it in the fridge overnight. I used a large cookie scoop so they ended up a bit bigger than yours, but they tasted so divine.
I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Lori! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
Since all purpose flour is used, could half to 2/3 of the flour be oat flour? It gives a richer flavor to some baked goods.
Mainly, I want to know whether oat flour would "behave" in much the same way as wheat flour.
Hi, Sara! I personally haven't baked with oat flour much, so I couldn't say for certain. However, I did a bit of research, and it looks like you'd probably be able to swap oat flour for all-purpose flour in a 1:1 weight ratio. This article has more information about swapping it in, and it even has some tips to keep in mind when doing so!
YUM! With an egg allergy, I have eaten only Whole Foods vegan cookies, and although they are delicious, I look forward to be able to make my own. Thank you. I will let you know what I think when a have made them a couple of times - the second time to correct my first batch mistakes.
Definitely try these out and let me know what you think! My all-time favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe is actually vegan, and you might enjoy it as well:
https://www.pickuplimes.com/single-post/2017/09/08/One-Bowl-Soft-Vegan-Chocolate-Chip-Cookies
My boyfriend swears these are the best chocolate chip cookies ever (vegan or not)!