The BEST and most PERFECT vegan snickerdoodles ever! Soft, thick and oh-so puffy, these cookies are sure to be a hit! They are easy to make and turn out perfect every time.
Snickerdoodles have always been my favorite cookie. The soft, pillowy texture; the cinnamon sugar coating; they are completely irresistible! I actually prefer this cookie to my Perfect Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies.
The one ingredient that makes a snickerdoodle different from a sugar cookie is cream of tartar. It’s what gives the cookies their traditional “tang” and soft chewiness. So don’t leave it out, or you will simply have sugar cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar. Which doesn’t really sound all that bad, but they won’t be snickerdoodles.
How do you make vegan snickerdoodles?
- Cream together vegan butter (I used Earth Balance) and sugar until creamy and smooth.
- Add the flax egg and vanilla and mix until combined.
- Now add the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Stir with a mixer or spoon until just combined.
- Roll into 2 tablespoon sized balls, coat in cinnamon sugar and place on baking pan. Bake for 11 minutes. The cookies will be very soft but will firm up as they cool.
Want more vegan cookies?
- Perfect Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Classic Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
- Ultimate Vegan Chocolate Cookies
- Vegan Shortbread Cookies
- The Best Vegan Sugar Cookies
Recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction.
Vegan Snickerdoodles - Soft, Thick & Puffy
Ingredients
Flax Egg:
- 1 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 2.5 tablespoons water
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup earth balance vegan butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Topping:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly spray with oil.
- Make the flax egg: Combine ground flaxseed and water in a small bowl and set aside to thicken.
- Make the topping: In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon and stir. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the vegan butter and sugar for about 1-2 minutes using a handheld mixer, stand mixer, or even just a wooden spoon. Mix in the flax egg and vanilla, scraping the sides as needed.
- To the bowl with the wet ingredients, add the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Turn on the mixer (or mix by hand) and mix until just combined. Do not over mix.
- The dough will be quite thick and not too wet or dry. You should be able to roll the dough in balls. If you added too much flour and the dough is crumbly, add a tablespoon or two of non-dairy milk. If too wet for some reason, add a tablespoon of flour. This is a good way to troubleshoot any cookie recipe.
- Take about 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball. Repeat, and roll the balls in the cinnamon-sugar topping. Place on baking sheets and bake for 11 minutes. The cookies will be very soft. Let them cool for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Notes
- Cookies will keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container at room temperature.
- I have not tried these cookies with coconut oil or any other oil. For best results use vegan butter, such as Earth Balance or Miyokos.
- Don't leave out the cream of tartar unless you need to, or they won't really be snickerdoodles! It's what makes them soft, chewy and have that traditional "tang".
Nutrition
*This post has been updated with new photos and some improved writing. Was first published November 2018.
YUM. These are so good. I’m not a fan of cream of tartar in cookies but these were great. Also I accidentally melted my Earth Balance in the microwave instead of softening, but the cookies were phenomenal – craggy cracks and just the right amount of chew. I’m going to use melted “butter” in the future – no mixer to get out and clean. Anyway, thank you for another delicious recipe!
Hi Erin. You are welcome! How wonderful that the cookies turned out just right for you! I hope you continue to enjoy the vegan snickerdoodle cookies! Thank you for sharing your recipe experience, and for your fantastic feedback!
Alright well I substituted peanut butter for butter so what I made are not snickerdoodles but they were delicious and the recipe is going in the box! Thank you!
LOL! Sounds very delicious! I’m glad you loved the recipe and will be making them again! Will you stick w with peanut butter? : ). Thanks for sharing your wonderful and very fun feedback!
The peanut butter has everyone stumped in the best way! Will definitely have to try the original recipe but this is my bake sale secret weapon now.
Delicious! I used coconut oil 1:1, and it was fine. Also halved the recipe and did not need to alter the bake time. And subbed baking powder for the cream of tartar. And reduced the sugar a bit. SO GOOD! My non-vegan family loved them 🙂
I’m so happy you all loved the snickerdoodles! Thank you for your great feedback and review!
These turned out absolutely perfect! Even when making and forming the dough, it was the perfect consistency and once baked, couldn’t be better. Thank you!
Another perfect recipe from Nora! So easy to make and delicious!
I’m so glad you loved them, and that you found them easy to make! Thank you for sharing your great feedback!
I made these tonight and my husband said they are just like his mother used to make!
My niece is vegan so I made these to send to her at college. I didn’t expect to like them as much as I do, they are delicious! Chewy, puffy – everything I love in a cookie. Will be making them for us to eat, too!
I’m so glad you love the snickerdoodles! I appreciate your positive words! How kind for you to send cookies to your niece! Thank you for sharing your terrific feedback and review!
Cut the recipe in half and tossed the dough in a 9×9 pan. The bars are thin (as expected) but perfect for the grand total of 15 minutes it took to make them. I baked for about 12 minutes on 375 (my oven runs hot). Sprinkled the topping over the bars in the pan. Highly recommend if you need a quick and easy recipe to bring to a potluck or you’re like me and just craving sugar with limited time/ingredients!
THESE WERE AMAZING!!! I recently went vegan and was looking for a dessert that wasn’t ice cream and tried these out and I’m obsessed with them! They did turn out more flat than fluffy, but I think it was due to over mixing.
Thank you! I’m so glad you love the snickerdoodles! Good luck on your new journey! I have lots of recipes, and hope you will enjoy checking them out! I appreciate you sharing your wonderful feedback, and wish you lots of happy cooking!
I made these for a woman in our Bible study. I always bring baked treats and she would never eat them. I found out she has egg and dairy allergies. I found this recipe and it was a hit. Everyone absolutely LOVED them. I even had one man order some for his daughter with similar allergies.
Great recipe. Thank you
Hi Dawn. How wonderful the the cookies were a hit with your group! I’m glad everyone was able to enjoy them! Thank you for your wonderful feedback! Happy baking!
I have loved Snickerdoodles my whole life and these are the best Snickerdoodles I have ever made including those before I went vegan! Just wonderful! Thank you for sharing this awesome recipe.
I am honored by your wonderful feedback and review! I am thrilled that you love the snickerdoodles! Thank you for taking your time to share!
I just made these for the first time and they are absolutely fabulous! It’s taking some serious self control not to eat them ALL immediately. Nora, your recipes are a godsend!
Thank you for your feedback, it sure makes my day! I’m so glad you love the snickerdoodles! I appreciate your wonderful review!
These are delicious every time. I made them this week for the umpteenth time, and multiple non-vegans said they’d try a bite, then went for another bite, then asked for more to take home. You are a genius! Happy New Year!
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! I’m so glad you love the cookies! Happy New Year to you as well!
I made these with my young niece who is not vegan and who is very particular about food. She tried one (flax egg and all) and said she liked it and then asked for another 🙂 I got a text later that night from my sister saying the whole family loved them! Thanks so much for such a great recipe and for creating recipes that can be shared with everyone. I’ve made your banana bread for the family too and they loved it and were shocked it was vegan.
I am so glad the cookies turned out delicious for you, and that you are loving my recipes! Thank you for sharing your great review and feedback! Happy cooking!
Nora, these vegan snickerdoodles are amazing! No cream of tartar, so I subbed with baking powder and it worked magically. They’re wonderful and beautiful. Thank you for this recipe, my coworkers will love them!
Perfect. Just like non vegan ones. Btw, the room temperature butter is important for good creaming with sugar
My family and I agreed these are the best snickerdoodle cookies we’ve ever had- vegan or not ????
Hi some of mine puffed and didn’t crack or spread out, some did. Same batch, pan and Poked at the same time. What do you think happened?
It’s hard for me to say what happened. Make sure to bake in the center rack of your oven. They may have needed just a few more minutes in the oven, depending on how large you made them. Also make sure to measure everything accurately. This is so important with cookies, as a bit too much or too little flour can result in either flat cookies or cookies that will not spread properly.