These Vegan Snickerdoodle Cookies Are Cinnamon Sugar Heaven

In my opinion, there is nothing better than cinnamon and sugar in a dessert. These two star ingredients remind me of the classic snickerdoodle cookie. While these are typically known for their flakey and buttery taste and texture, I decided to make vegan snickerdoodles for all of those people who cannot eat dairy and eggs. 

These cookies taste unbelievable whether I'm just eating the dough, or the cookies straight from the oven. They are also fairly simple to make, even with a few substitutions. 

Vegan Snickerdoodles

• Prep Time:15 mins
• Cook Time:8 mins
• Total Time:23 mins
• Servings:20
• Easy

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup Crisco
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 Tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons cream tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

• Step 1

  Cream together the Crisco, sugar, water, and oil.

  

• Step 2

  Add in the baking powder, baking soda, flour, cream of tartar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.

  

• Step 3

  Once the dough is done, form small one inch round balls with your hands and place them on a baking sheet.

  

• Step 4

  Bake the cookies for about 8 minutes at 350°F until slightly hard on the outside.

  

I highly recommend baking these cookies for less time than you think you might need to. I put them in for 8 minutes because the edges began to look crispy, but nothing began to brown.

Since these cookies don't have eggs, they do not need to bake for very long. This will ensure that they remain chewy and soft, rather than crispy and brown. I am a firm believer in the idea that cookies will continue to bake on the hot baking sheet as they cool. 

Changes

In order to substitute eggs, I used an equation I found online. This helped a lot because sometimes when I bake vegan desserts, I just refrain from putting in the eggs. However, they are a binding ingredient, so the dessert comes out tasting and looking sort of flat. 

This equation of vegetable oil, water, and baking powder worked perfectly. Along with the Crisco and water substitution for butter, these cookies are flakey, soft, and surprisingly buttery. 

Another slight change I made to a classic snickerdoodle recipe is I added nutmeg. I think since there is no true butter flavor in these vegan snickerdoodles, there needed to be some sort of a stand out touch. Between the cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg, there is tons of true cinnamon sugar flavor with a hint of warmth. 

The Classic Cookie

I actually didn't even add vanilla extract to this recipe, which is usually included in classic snickerdoodles. However, I think there is plenty of sweetness with two whole cups of sugar. 

One ingredient that I felt like I absolutely had to stick to is cream of tartar. I rarely use this ingredient, but in my research, it was included in every single reputable recipe. According to the Huffington Post, it gives off that "signature snickerdoodle taste."

As it turns out, cinnamon and sugar are not the only two vital ingredients in vegan snickerdoodles. With a few of my vegan substitutions and flavor tricks, this recipe is fairly easy to throw together for a delicious twist on a classic cookie. 

I personally recommend setting aside some of the cookie dough to munch on before the cookies are done baking. This way, you can enjoy vegan cookie dough and vegan cookies all in one simple recipe.