A traditional holiday recipe, these Vegan Snickerdoodles are pillowy soft and extra fluffy. Bursting with sweet cinnamon flavor, they’re an easy dessert you’ll crave all year long.
Why Are Snickerdoodle Cookies Called Snickerdoodles?
A seemingly made-up name, legend has it that the term snickerdoodle was actually based on the German pastry known as Schneckennudel. When translated, it means snail noodle and is more similar to a cinnamon roll than a cookie. Weird, right?
However, the name made more sense once I learned that snickerdoodle cookies didn’t actually start out as cookies at all! Instead, they began their journey of creation as a coffee cake known as a snipdoodle. Given its name by the Dutch and German immigrants in Pennsylvania, the dessert started out as a cake baked into a large pan. Then, it was sliced into bars and topped with a cinnamon sugar mixture. Somewhere along the line, the recipe developed into the snickerdoodles we all know and love today. Given that it’s one of my faves, you’ll find no complaints from me!
If you’re interested, read more about the history here. Then, scroll down to find the vegan snickerdoodles recipe of your dreams!
What’s the Difference Between Snickerdoodle Cookies and Sugar Cookies?
Snickerdoodle cookies contain many of the same ingredients as sugar cookies such as sugar, flour, and butter. However, the key difference between the two is the cream of tartar found in traditional snickerdoodles. It’s the secret ingredient that transforms the dough, creating the tangy flavor and chewy texture we love.
Ingredient Notes
While the ingredients for these cookies are simple, there are a few things to note.
Lemon Juice or Apple Cider Vinegar – It might sound odd, but just trust me, okay? When combined with the baking soda, it creates the softest cookies you’ll ever taste.
All-Purpose Flour – If you need a gluten-free option, you should be able to use gluten-free all-purpose flour in its place. However, I haven’t tested it yet. So, I can’t absolutely guarantee your results.
Granulated Sugar and Ground Cinnamon – This mixture literally has me drooling just thinking about it! Used in addition to the cinnamon and sugar included in the dough, it makes these vegan snickerdoodles absolutely to-die-for delicious.
How to Make an Easy Vegan Snickerdoodles Recipe
Okay, I know that snickerdoodles are typically thought of as holiday food. However, this recipe is so simple to make, that it feels like a shame to stuff it away for eight months out of the year. So, go ahead and bake a batch in June. You deserve it.
- Preheat the oven to 375° Fahrenheit.
- Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl.
- Add the lemon juice, milk, and vanilla extract, and whisk until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet, blending with an electric mixer. Don’t overmix!
- Split the dough into fourths, and roll each portion into a ball.
- Coat each ball in the cinnamon and sugar mixture, and place them on a lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes.
- Cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before stuffing them into your face.
Make Ahead Options
Honestly, who’s not a fan of cookie dough? It’s perfect to make ahead of time for warm cookies whenever the craving strikes. Plus, this recipe is vegan so that means it’s safe to eat raw. Do with that information what you will.
However, once made the dough can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. Or, freeze it for up to 2 months. If you want to freeze it, I recommend rolling the balls of dough first. Then, place them in the freezer for a couple of hours until hard and transfer them to an airtight container or sealable bag.
When you’re ready to bake, you don’t even have to thaw the dough! Just add an extra few minutes to the cooking time, and your snickerdoodles will be good to go.
How to Store Baked Snickerdoodle Cookies
Of course, if you want to go ahead and bake your cookies, you can totally do that, too!
Room Temperature: Stored in an airtight container, they’ll stay fresh on the counter for up to 3 days.
Refrigerator: They’ll keep for up to 10 days!
Freezer: The longest-lasting option, baked vegan snickerdoodles can be frozen for up to 2 months. Just be sure to thaw them before eating!
More Vegan Cookie Recipes You Won’t Want to Miss
- Out-of-this-world delicious, these Vegan Cookies and Cream Cookies are giant and stuffed full of Oreo cookies in every soft, satisfying bite.
- Pumpkin spice and everything nice, this Single Serve Pumpkin Spice Cookie is high-protein, gluten-free, and guaranteed to satisfy your sweet tooth.
- All the flavor of apple pie with none of the hassle, these Flourless Apple Pie Sugar Cookies are the perfect cozy recipe for fall.
- Part peanut butter, part chocolate chip, these PB Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies are the best of both worlds and so easy to make!
Easy Vegan Snickerdoodle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegan butter room temp
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp lemon juice apple cider vinegar would work too
- 1 tbsp plant-based milk
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
for rolling:
- 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.
- In the bowl of an electric mixture, cream the butter and sugar together until the butter becomes light and fluffy – about 30 seconds.
- Add the lemon juice, plant-based milk and vanilla extract and whisk once more.
- Next, you’ll add the remaining dry ingredients for the batter. Turn on your electric mixture to incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet. Be careful not to over mix!
- Roughly divide the batter into 4 sections and using your hands, roll each section into a cookie dough ball and place each dough ball onto the lined baking sheet.
- Once all four dough balls are formed, it’s time to roll them in the remaining cinnamon and sugar. To do so, add the remaining sugar + cinnamon in a small bowl. Carefully roll each dough ball in the mixture until it’s well coated and place them bake on the baking sheet. Try to do this step as quickly as possible.
- After the cookies are rolled in cinnamon and sugar, bake the cookies for 18-20 minutes. Let them cool for at least 10 minutes on the baking sheet to continue cooking before enjoying.
