Snickerdoodles are one of the most classic cookies of all time! Essentially sugar cookies rolled in brown sugar, these cookies are nostalgic for all of the people who made them in home economics class as a child.
These vegan snickerdoodles have that signature crackly top and soft, chewy interior you’re used to in a classic snickerdoodle cookie. Every time we make them, we struggle to not eat the entire batch in one night!
Table of Contents
What is a Snickerdoodle?
Snickerdoodles are basically sugar cookies rolled in a cinnamon sugar mixture, except there’s one key difference: cream of tartar.
Cream of tartar is the secret ingredient in snickerdoodles that gives the cookies their signature tang and fluffy texture. The cream of tartar reacts with the baking soda, increasing the amount of leavening once cooked. The result is a taller, fluffier cookie.
Ingredients for Vegan Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Vegan butter. Our favorite brand for baking is Country Crock.
- Sugar.
- Nondairy yogurt. Contributes to the soft texture of the cookies.
- Vanilla extract.
- All-purpose flour.
- Baking soda.
- Cream of tartar. The key ingredient in snickerdoodles, this helps the cookies rise and stay soft while contributing a slight tangy flavor.
- Salt.
- Cinnamon. They wouldn’t be snickerdoodles without the cinnamon!
How to Make the Best Vegan Snickerdoodles
- In a mixing bowl, cream together softened vegan butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add in nondairy yogurt and vanilla extract and blend until combined.
- Add in all-purpose flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Blend together on a low speed until about 80% combined. Switch to a rubber spatula to finish folding ingredients together.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 days.
- When the dough is almost done chilling, preheat oven to 350°F. Optionally, line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
- Roll dough into roughly 1″ sized balls. For even portions, I use an OXO Medium Cookie Scoop which measures 1 1/2 tablespoons per cookie.
- In a small bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar. Roll each dough ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture until evenly coated.
- Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until cookies are puffy and appear set around the edges. For soft cookies, I usually take mine out at 11 minutes. If you prefer slightly crisp edges, you can extend the cook time until you see slight browning around the edges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. For that signature soft and chewy snickerdoodle texture, cream of tartar is necessary.
No. While easier with a hand mixer, you can absolutely mix these by hand. Just make sure to vigorously whisk the butter and sugar in order to cream it. Then you can switch to a rubber spatula to incorporate the rest of the ingredients.
I have not personally tested this, but generally I have good results when making cookies with Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (the one in the blue bag). It’s a simple 1:1 substitution. Let us know if you give it a try!
Storing Leftover Cookies
Your leftover vegan snickerdoodles can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
You can also freeze the dough and bake the cookies at a later date. Just portion them out and roll them into cookie dough balls before freezing. Then when you’re ready to bake, roll in cinnamon sugar and pop in the oven.
More Vegan Sweets
- Banana Bread – Soft and moist banana bread. Add your favorite mix-ins, such as chocolate chips or walnuts.
- Ginger Molasses Cookies – Chewy, soft cookies, perfectly spiced with ginger and cinnamon.
- Pumpkin Coffee Cake – An autumn-inspired twist on a perfectly light and fluffy vegan coffee cake.
Vegan Snickerdoodles
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegan butter (1 stick) softened at room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 2 tablespoons nondairy yogurt (30g) I like Forager brand
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (163g) spooned and leveled
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
For Rolling
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon add extra if you like!
Instructions
- Cream butter: In a mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together softened vegan butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. (If working by hand, use a whisk and vigorously beat ingredients until fluffy.)
- Add wet ingredients: Add in nondairy yogurt and vanilla extract and blend until combined.
- Add dry ingredients: Add in all-purpose flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Blend together on a low speed until about 80% combined. Then switch to a rubber spatula and finish folding ingredients together. (This will help to avoid over-mixing.)
- Chill dough: Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 days.
- Prep for baking: When the dough is almost done chilling, preheat oven to 350°F. Optionally, line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
- Roll cookies: Roll dough into roughly 1" sized balls. For even portions, I use an OXO Medium Cookie Scoop which measures 1 1/2 tablespoons per cookie. For me this recipe yields 12 cookies of this size.
- Coat in cinnamon sugar: Combine cinnamon and sugar in a bowl. Roll each dough ball in cinnamon sugar until evenly coated.
- Bake: Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until cookies are puffy and appear set around the edges. For soft cookies, I usually take mine out at 11 minutes. If you prefer slightly crisp edges, you can extend the cook time until you see slight browning around the edges.
Notes
- Butter: This recipe was tested with our favorite butter, the Country Crock Unsalted Plant Butter.
- Gluten-free: I have not personally tested this, but generally I have good results when making cookies with Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (the one in the blue bag). It’s a simple 1:1 substitution. Let us know if you give it a try!
- Cream of tartar: Cream of tartar is what gives snickerdoodles their characteristic soft texture and slightly tangy flavor. It also reacts with baking soda to help the cookies rise. If you don’t have any, you can still make this recipe, but I recommend adding 1/2 teaspoon baking powder.
I made a double batch of these cookies last night to bring to work for my colleagues for the holidays and they were a huge hit! This is by far the best vegan snickerdoodle recipe I’ve made. I really appreciate the weight measurements–gives me much more confidence. Thank you for another great recipe!