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Almond Flour Snickerdoodles are naturally gluten-free, and have the perfect chewy texture. I love how they are made with protein-rich almond flour, to help keep you feeling satisfied.
What’s the difference between a Snickerdoodle and a sugar cookie? Snickerdoodles are closely related to sugar cookies, only they are rolled in cinnamon sugar mix and have an extra ingredient added in for a hint of tangy flavor. (Psst… it’s cream of tartar!)
The resulting cookie has a lightly sweet and spicy flavor, without using any white flour or sugar.
Ingredients You’ll Need
What’s in Paleo Snickerdoodles?
- Almond flour (here’s how to make almond flour)
- Maple syrup
- Cream of tartar
- Arrowroot starch
- Cinnamon
- Coconut oil
- Baking soda & salt
Similar to my Almond Flour Sugar Cookies, this recipe uses arrowroot starch as a binder instead of an egg to keep these vegan and more allergy-friendly. If you would prefer to use an egg instead of the arrowroot, feel free to experiment with it!
How to Make Almond Flour Snickerdoodles
1. Mix the dough. Add the almond flour, arrowroot, cream or tartar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl. Whisk well to combine the dry ingredients and break up any clumps in the flour.
Add in the melted oil, maple syrup, and vanilla, and stir again, until the dough sticks together and looks uniform in texture.
2. Roll. Mix together the coconut sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Use a tablespoon or 1-ounce cookie scoop to scoop the dough and roll it into balls. (The mixture will be slightly sticky, so don’t be alarmed by that!) Roll each ball in the cinnamon mixture, then place the balls on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Repeat the process with the remaining batter, rolling each ball in the cinnamon sugar.
3. Bake. Flatten the balls with your hands to help them spread evenly, then bake at 350ºF for 9 to 10 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden.
Let them cool completely on the pan, to help them firm up, then enjoy!
Storage Tips
Almond flour cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container, or you can store them in the fridge for up to 10 days.
For an even longer shelf life, store cookies in an airtight container in the freezer, for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use honey? Yes, you can swap the maple syrup for 1/4 cup of honey in this recipe, if you prefer to use that sweetener. In that case, these cookies will no longer be vegan.
Can I use butter instead of coconut oil? Yes! Almond flour doesn’t need much added fat, since almonds are already loaded with healthy fats, but if you’d rather not use coconut oil, then butter will work, too. Just keep in mind that cookies made with butter will not be dairy-free or vegan, if you are trying to accommodate someone with food allergies.
Can I leave out the arrowroot? You can swap the arrowroot starch for tapioca starch or corn starch, with similar results. If you’d like to use no starch, my guess is that an egg will also work as a binder for this recipe, but I haven’t had the chance to test that yet to be sure. Let me know if you experiment with it!
What is cream of tartar? Cream of tartar is a powdery byproduct of fermenting grapes to make wine. As far as I can tell, it’s dairy-free and vegan friendly, despite the “cream” in the name. It adds a tang to baked goods and also acts as a leavening agent in this recipe, similar to baking soda.
Can I skip the coconut sugar? If you don’t want to add extra sugar to the outside of these cookies, you can simply sprinkle the tops with cinnamon, instead.
I hope you’ll enjoy these almond flour snickerdoodles as much as I do!
Ingredients
Almond Flour Snickerdoodles
- 1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
- 1/4 cup arrowroot starch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil (or butter, if not vegan)
- 5 tablespoons maple syrup
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, arrowroot, cinnamon, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Whisk well, to break up any lumps in the flour.
- Add in the coconut oil and maple syrup, and stir well until the batter is thick and sticky. Use a tablespoon to scoop the dough and roll it between your hands. (You should get roughly 14 balls when you use a tablespoon measurement.)
- In a small bowl, stir together the coconut sugar and cinnamon. Roll each ball in the mixture, coating it evenly, then place the balls on the prepared pan. Use your hands to lightly flatten each cookie, to help them spread. Bake at 350ºF for 9 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the cookies start to crack on top.
- Let the cookies cool completely on the pan, to help them firm up. Then they are ready to serve! Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 10 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Update note: This recipe was originally posted in November of 2012, but has been updated in Dec 2021 to give you better results. Here’s the original recipe ingredients if you prefer it:
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1/4 cup grass-fed butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ground cinnamon, for topping
Mix the dough together and bake at 350ºF for 8 to 10 minutes, with cinnamon sprinkled on top.
If you try these healthy snickerdoodles, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like them!
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Reader Feedback: Are you a fan of Snickerdoodle cookies? What’s your favorite holiday cookie?
These are fantastic!!!!!!!! Thank-you Megan. 🙂
This is a great recipe for those of us missing the Snickerdoodles of old (flour and sugar). Since eggs are not a problem in our household, I substituted one egg for the arrowroot starch, 1 tbs ghee instead of the coconut oil, and 3 tbs maple syrup instead of the 5 in the recipe as that sounded too sweet for me. I was right. Since there was no blanched almond flour in my pantry, I used regular almond flour and the cookies turned out just fine, just a little browner than a normal Snickerdoodle. My husband (who doesn’t worry about flour or sugar) gives this recipe a thumbs up. So do I.
Just put these in the oven and realized I didn’t add any vanilla, as it’s not listed in the recipe list, though it is in the picture and in the instructions. How much vanilla is supposed to go in?
I tried these and they turned out great. I used cornstarch instead of arrow root. I didn’t coat as in cinnamon and sugar and they still provided the right amount of sweetness.