Vegan Snickerdoodles Make a Great Christmas Gift!
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Cinnamon is the first scent most of us imagine when we think about how the holidays smell. It’s warm, sweet, and cozy. So, even if you’re no longer eating eggs or dairy, I’ve got a yummy vegan snickerdoodles recipe just for you!
What Makes Vegan Snickerdoodles Special
This recipe uses my favorite vegan substitutions, coconut oil for butter, almond milk, a flax egg, pure cane sugar, and whole wheat flour. These are simple, unprocessed options and generally cost less than getting good vegan butter or egg substitutes.
Use Pure Cane Sugar for Vegan Bakes
I’ve made a note of this before, you really do need to check the sugar you use when you make the switch to vegan (or if you’re baking for a vegan). Standard granulated sugar is bleached using bone char, so it’s no good.
Instead, pick up a bag of Morena pure cane sugar, if you can find it (I’ve found it at Aldi and Kroger, but you can also use this link). Even if I’m not vegan, I still like it better than granulated sugar in all my recipes.
Wheat Flour is Just Better for You
Now, you may be confused about why I’m using whole wheat flour. Bleached flour is not made using animal products or causing harm to any animals in the process. However, whole wheat flour is a generally healthier option, so we’re leaning into it.
Coconut Oil vs. Vegetable Shortening
As for coconut oil, this is what I have on hand, but in the past, I’ve used butter-flavored vegetable shortening for a similar outcome. In that case, you do get a bit of buttery flavor. With coconut oil, it rounds out the flavor of the wheat and flax.
If you choose to go with vegetable shortening, you’ll still use 1/2 cup. The result may look different than the pictures here. The result may be slightly more crackly looking, but the interior should still be soft and gooey.
The Texture of Vegan Snickerdoodles
The texture of the dough from my most successful batch gave me pause because it is very grainy. By this, I mean it will form a ball and roll up in your hands just fine. However, in the bowl, it may not come together like your standard cookie dough.
Think Play-doh…
Once you portion out a dough ball, squeeze it in your fist to form it together. Then, roll the ball between your palms until you have a smooth, even ball.
From here, roll the balls in cinnamon sugar and set them on your sheet tray to bake. It’s still 350ºF for 12 minutes, but when they come out, you’ll want to give them just a light press with your spatula to deflate them and get those pretty cracks.
I didn’t smash mine a lot because I like them gooey in the middle. Mine came out about 1/2 inch thick with a soft, chewy center, a crisp, crackly exterior, and all the cinnamon flavor you want from a snickerdoodle.
More Treats for Vegans
If you’re looking for more ideas to treat that special vegan in your life, give some of these recipes a try:
Things You’ll Need for Vegan Snickerdoodles
Here are a few things you’ll need to make your vegan snickerdoodle making experience a lot easier.
- Good Coconut Oil
- Vegan Pure Cane Sugar
- Stand Mixer with a Paddle Attachment
- Small Bowl for Cinnamon Sugar
- Sheet Pan
- Silicone Baking Liner
And if you’re baking these cookies for a friend, don’t forget to think happy thoughts so they’re baked with love. They definitely turn out better.
Comment below if you have questions, concerns, or opinions. And tag me @ellejayathome on Instagram or Twitter if you share pictures from any of my recipes. I love to hear from you!
Vegan Snickerdoodles
Equipment
- Stand mixer with a paddle attachment
- Sheet pan and cooling rack
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
- Small Bowl for Cinnamon Sugar
Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut oil
- 1 cup pure cane sugar
- 4-5 Tbsp almond milk
- 1 Tbsp ground flax
- 2 Tbsp water
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp pink himalayan sea salt
- ¼ cup pure cane sugar
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a small bowl, combine 1 Tbsp flax meal with 2 Tbsp water and let it sit.
- Using your mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the coconut oil and cane sugar for about 5 minutes.
- Mix in the flax mixture, 4 Tbsp almond milk, and vanilla extract.
- Sift in the flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Mix to combine. If it's too dry, add in another 1 Tbsp of almond milk.
- In a small bowl, combine the remaining suguar and cinnamon.
- Form 2 Tbsp sized balls. You'll need to squeeze them in your hand and roll to form a smooth ball. Then, roll the balls in your cinnamon sugar and set on your baking sheet.
- You should be able to fit 12 cookies on a sheet, and bake 2 batches.
- Bake for 12 minutes. When they come out of the oven, gently press them with your spatula so they deflate to ½-in thick. They'll crack a bit more.
