These vegan snickerdoodles taste just like the classic cookie! They’re soft and chewy cinnamon sugar cookies, perfect for any occasion.  These egg-free and dairy-free snickerdoodles are easy to make, and they bake up soft and delicious every time!

A stack of vegan snikerdoodle cookies on a wire rack.

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Why make snickerdoodles

This classic cookie recipe has been a family favorite for as long as I can remember.  Whenever I ask my family what cookies they want, they always choose snickerdoodles!  There is just something about the cinnamon and sugar flavor, combined with a pillowy, soft, and chewy cookie, that can’t be beaten!

The classic tangy flavor of a snickerdoodle comes from the cream of tartar, a key ingredient in its distinctive taste.  Cream of tartar is tartaric acid (derived from the winemaking process) and conditions and softens the gluten in the flour to give the cookies a chewy texture.  Cream of tartar is the thing that makes a Snickerdoodle cookie different from a basic sugar cookie.

Ingredients and substitutions

  • Flour – Regular all-purpose flour works best in these cookies, but whole wheat flour can also be used.  The interaction between the protein from the gluten in the flour and the cream of tartar is what gives these cookies their classic taste.  If you need these cookies to be gluten-free, use a flour mix that contains chickpea flour or replace 1/4 cup of the flour with soy or pea protein to achieve a chewy texture.
  • Cream of Tartar – This is a key ingredient that gives snickerdoodles their classic taste.  You can leave it out, but you will have a crunchy sugar cookie instead.  They will still be delicious, just different.
  • Baking Soda – to help them rise and get puffy.
  • Salt – for flavor.
  • Vegan Butter – this can be Earth Balance, Miyoko’s, or any other high-quality vegan margarine.  You should avoid using cheap margarine that has a high water content.  You can also use the sick version of my homemade vegan butter.
  • Refined Coconut Oil – Be sure to use refined coconut oil, as it will have a distinct coconut flavor if not.  You can also use Crisco in equal amounts.  These have a higher fat content than vegan butter, therefore making the cookie more tender. If you prefer not to use these oils, you can simply substitute 1 cup of vegan butter for half butter and half coconut oil.
  • Sugar – this can be any variety of white sugar.  If you use coconut sugar or any other dark sugar, your cookies will be dark.
  • Vegan Egg Replacer – You can use any vegan egg replacer of your choice for baking, equivalent to 2 eggs.  I like to use a chickpea flour egg (simply chickpea flour mixed with water) for the most authentic texture and flavor. You can read more about each type of vegan egg replacer in my egg substitute guide for baking.
  • Cinnamon and Sugar – the cinnamon-sugar mixture is used to roll the cookie dough in before baking.

Helpful tools

  • Baking Sheet – A heavy, high-quality cookie sheet will help prevent your cookies from burning on the bottom.
  • Parchment Paper – optional for making easy cleanup, but not necessary.
A top view of a plate of snickerdoodle cookies on a blue plate.

How to make vegan snickerdoodles

Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 400° F.  (Take your vegan butter out of the fridge and allow it to soften.  Warm up your coconut oil so it is soft but not melted.)

Step 2 – In a small bowl, stir together any vegan egg replacement that is equivalent to 2 eggs.

Step 3 – Mix the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set it aside.

Step 4 – Cream the softened vegan butter, softened coconut oil, and sugar with an electric mixer for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.

Step 5 – Add the chickpea egg to the butter and sugar mixture and beat for an additional 30 seconds.

A college of 4 pictures showing the process steps of creaming the butter and sugar, adding the dry ingredients, rolling the dough into balls, and rolling the balls in cinnamon and sugar.

Step 6 – Turn the mixer to low and add the dry ingredients about 1/2 cup at a time until a stiff dough is formed.

Step 7 – Mix 1/3 cup of sugar and 2 tsp of cinnamon in a shallow bowl or plate.

Step 8 – Roll the dough into small balls about the size of a walnut.

Step 9 – Roll the cookie dough balls in the cinnamon and sugar and place them on a cookie sheet about 3 inches apart (they will expand).

A collage of to pictures showing the dough balls on a cookie sheet before baking and the cookies after they have been baked.

Step 10 – Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until they flatten out and begin to form cracks on the tops.

Step 11 – Let them cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack or a flat surface.

Pro Tips

  • Cream the vegan butter, coconut oil, and sugar for a full 3 minutes before adding the other ingredients.  This will trap air inside the dough, making your cookies puffier.
  • Use vegan butter and coconut oil that is soft but not melted; otherwise, it will not mix correctly with the sugar.  If you take it out of the fridge about 1/2 hour before baking, it should be at an ideal temperature.  If you don’t have time to wait, you can microwave it for just a few seconds to soften it.
  • Use a high-quality cookie sheet, such as an Air Bake brand or a thick, sturdy one.  Thin cookie sheets don’t distribute the heat correctly and can burn the bottoms of your cookies.
  • After about 8 minutes in the oven, keep an eye on your cookies.  Remove them when they have flattened and cracks begin to form on the tops.

Are you making these for a holiday or a special event?  Swap out white sugar for vegan-colored sugar and make these cookies colorful and festive for any occasion.

Storing and freezing

Vegan snickerdoodles will stay good for about 2 weeks on the countertop in a sealed airtight container.  (Cookies never last that long in my house, though.)

You can freeze the cookies in a sealed freezer bag for up to 3 months.

A blue plate filled with vegan snickerdoodles.

More vegan cookies

I love baking cookies, and I have a ton of vegan cookie recipes on my site, but here are a few of my family’s all-time favorites.

Vegan Snickerdoodle recipe

A blue plate filled with vegan Snickerdoodles.
5 from 5 rating

Vegan Snickerdoodles

Yield: 36 cookies
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
A soft and chewy sugar cookie with a slight tang that's rolled in cinnamon and sugar.
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Ingredients

To roll the dough ball in:

  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400° F.  (Take your vegan butter out of the fridge and allow it to soften.  Warm up your coconut oil so it is soft but not melted.)
  • Mix together 2 tablespoons of egg replacement powder with 4 tablespoons of water until smooth and set aside for at least 5 minutes. You can also use any other vegan egg replacement that is equivalent to 2 eggs.
  • Mix 2 3/4 cups of flour, 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a bowl and set it aside.
  • Cream the 1/2 cup softened vegan butter, 1/2 cup soft coconut oil, and 1 1/2 cups sugar with an electric mixer for 3 minutes until it's light and fluffy.
  • Add the chickpea egg to the butter and sugar mixture and beat for an additional 30 seconds.
  • Turn the mixer to low and add the dry ingredients about 1/2 cup at a time until a stiff dough is formed.
  • Mix 1/3 cup of sugar and 2 tsp of cinnamon in a shallow bowl or plate.
  • Roll the dough into small balls about the size of a walnut.
  • Roll the balls of cookie dough in the cinnamon and sugar and place them on a cookie sheet about 3 inches apart (they will expand).
  • Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes until they flatten out and begin to form cracks on top.
  • Let them cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack or a flat surface.

Notes

  • Cream the vegan butter, coconut oil, and sugar for a full 3 minutes before adding the other ingredients. This will trap air inside the dough, making your cookies puffier.
  • Use vegan butter that is soft, but not melted.  If your butter is too melty, it will not mix correctly with the sugar.  If you take it out of the fridge about 1/2 hour before you make them, it should be at a good temperature.  If you don’t have time to wait, you can microwave it for a few seconds to soften it.
  • Use a high-quality cookie sheet, such as an Air Bake brand or a thick, sturdy one.  Thin cookie sheets don’t distribute heat correctly and can cause the bottoms of your cookies to burn.
  • After about 8 minutes in the oven, keep an eye on your cookies.  Remove them when they have flattened and cracks begin to form on the tops.
  • Making these for a holiday or special event?  Swap out white sugar for vegan colored sugar and make these cookies colorful and festive for any occasion.
Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 139kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 191mg, Potassium: 55mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 120IU, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 1mg
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