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Chewy, soft, sugar-coated, vegan snickerdoodles are dipped in white chocolate and dusted with sprinkles to create a fun and festive treat. Super easy to make and guaranteed to be the best snickerdoodles you will ever eat!
One bite of these soft and puffy vegan snickerdoodles will bring you back to your childhood.
With the holidays quickly approaching, these cookies are exactly what you need to bring a little holiday cheer.
This classic snickerdoodle recipe is simple to make, easy to modify, and perfect to bring along to a holiday gathering, or to make anytime for the whole family to enjoy!
What is a Snickerdoodle Cookie?
Snickerdoodles are different from other sugar cookies, with three main distinctions:
- Cream of tartar is added to the cookie batter to give these cookies their distinct tang and chewy texture.
- Unlike regular sugar cookies, snickerdoodles are rolled in cinnamon sugar.
- Snickerdoodles have a distinct cracked top, vs. the smooth surface of a sugar cookie.
Tools and Equipment You'll Need
Recipe Ingredients and Notes
- Whole Wheat Pastry Flour: For some added whole grains, but with a similar light texture as all purpose flour
- Vegan Butter: I recommend Earth Balance or Miyokos vegan butters for baking.
- Ground Flax: Flax combined with water creates a consistency like an egg, and makes for a suitable egg substitute in baking, especially in cookies.
- Cream of Tartar: Cream of tartar is what makes snickerdoodles chewy, and adds a bit of tangy flavor.
- Vegan White Chocolate: Most white chocolate is not vegan. Check the ingredients label of the white chocolate you find at the store. I recommend Kind David Lactose Free Kosher Non-Dairy white chocolate.
- Other Ingredients You'll Need: Sugar, Brown Sugar, Vanilla Extract, Baking Soda, Salt, Cinnamon, Sprinkles
How to Make Vegan Snickerdoodles - Step by Step
Cream Together The Butter and Sugar: In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, place the softened butter, sugar, and brown sugar, and mix together until smooth and creamy. Add the flax eggs, and vanilla, and mix until well blended.
Mix Your Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, and cinnamon.
Combine Wet + Dry Ingredients: Add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl, and blend on low until all ingredients are well blended.
Make the Cinnamon Sugar: In a small dish, mix together 1/3 cup of sugar, and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon until well blended.
Make Your Cookie Dough Balls: Roll the cookie dough into 1 inch balls, and roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
Place the Cookie Dough Balls on a Baking Sheet: Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, and place the cookies on the parchment paper.
Bake the Cookies: Bake at 350 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes, or until cookies are light golden brown around the edges. Remove cookies to a wire rack, and let cool, completely.
Decorate Your Cookies: When cookies are cooled, melt 8 ounces of white Chocolate in the microwave at 15 second intervals, and stir until smooth. Dip the bottom, and sides of the cooled cookies in the white chocolate, and immediately dip in sprinkles, or nonpareils and place on parchment paper to set. Allow the chocolate to completely cool before serving.
Will Kids Like These Vegan Snickerdoodles?
Kids will love these vegan snickerdoodle cookies. They're made extra special with white chocolate and sprinkles, but you can make them plain and they'll be a hit either way!
This is a fun recipe to get the kids involved in the kitchen. They will enjoy rolling the dough into balls, and roll the balls in cinnamon sugar. My kids love adding the colorful sprinkles once the cookies have cooled.
Recipe FAQS
Can I skip cream of tartar in snickerdoodles?
Cream of tartar is what makes snickerdoodles chewy and tangy. However if you don't have cream of tartar there are several substitutions you can try.
I recommend using baking powder as a substitute in this recipe. Use 1.5 tsp of baking powder to replace the 1 tsp of cream of tartar.
Why did my snickerdoodles not flatten?
If you change the amount of butter in the recipe the cookies will not spread and flatten.
Some recipes call for flattening the cookies before putting them in the oven. These cookies do not need flattening since the ratio of butter allows for them to flatten on their own, as long as you don't reduce the amount of butter the recipe calls for.
Can I use Coconut Oil instead of Vegan Butter in this recipe?
I haven't tested this recipe with coconut oil (or any other oil) - but my guess is it would alter the recipe and texture of the cookie. For the best snickerdoodle cookie, use vegan butter.
How to Store and Keep
Store cookies at room temperature in a an air tight container after cookies have cooled and chocolate has set. They will keep for 4-5 days. It is helpful to place a layer of parchment paper between each layer of cookies so they don't stick together.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Leave off the Chocolate: If you're in the mood for simple snickerdoodles, simply leave off the chocolate.
- Add Dark Chocolate: If you can't find vegan white chocolate, use dairy free dark chocolate.
- Use Different Sprinkles: Depending on the holiday, you can change out the sprinkles. Use heart sprinkles for Valentine's Day, or pastel sprinkles for Easter. You could even make these for a birthday by using rainbow sprinkles.
Top Tips for Making Vegan Snickerdoodles
- Don't skip the cream of tartar if possible. It helps to leaven the cookies and also creates that signature snickerdoodle tang!
- Make sure that the vegan butter is softened at room temperature. It will help the sugar and butter cream which results in a lighter fluffier cookie.
- If you have time, chill the dough for at least an hour. This will help give the cookies a chewier texture.
- Under bake the cookies just a bit. This will help the cookies stay chewy, light and fluffy for a longer period of time. The longer you keep your cookies in the oven, the more crispy they'll be in texture.
- The cookies are done when the edges are slightly golden and the center is still soft. They should be puffy when they come out of the oven, and as they cool they will flatten and very slightly harden.
