These Paleo Snickerdoodles are an easy, wholesome treat! A sweet, buttery cookie is rolled in cinnamon sugar and then baked until tender and chewy. And they’re naturally gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free!
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Why this recipe works
Snickerdoodle cookies are typically buttery cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar. But the traditional version uses flour, butter, white sugar and other ingredients some of us can’t tolerate or try to avoid.
So I wanted to create Paleo snickerdoodle cookies that anyone and everyone would like, no matter what they can or can’t eat.
So first I subbed in almond flour instead of regular flour. And since it retains all the oil in the almonds, you don’t need a lot of a dairy-free butter substitute. I tried using a ¼ cup of palm shortening as it’s a great dairy-free substitute for butter but the dough was too wet, making me add much more almond flour than I wanted to. So instead all we need here is a bit of coconut oil.
And out goes the white sugar and in goes pure, wholesome honey.
Finally, the dough is scooped into balls and rolled in a combination of cinnamon and coconut sugar instead of white sugar.
But we’re keeping some things the same. The traditional version uses cream of tartar with baking soda to give the cookies their rise and add a bit of tangy flavor. Both of those ingredients are Paleo-friendly so I kept them in the recipe.
What you need
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil – This adds an extra touch of buttery texture to the cookies.
- 1 large egg, room temperature – If your egg is cold, submerge it in a bowl of very warm water for 5 minutes.
- ⅓ cup honey – You don’t need anything too expensive or fancy here. Basic, runny honey is just fine.
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract – You barely taste it but it keeps the dough from being too bland.
- 1¾ cups superfine blanched almond flour – Use the “scoop and level” method to measure, do not pack down. Do not use almond meal.
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot flour/starch – This helps absorb some of the almond flour’s oils so the cookies aren’t too moist.
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar – This will react with the baking soda to give the cookies their rise.
- ½ teaspoon baking soda – See above.
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt – Even desserts need salt to bring out the flavors!
- ¼ cup coconut sugar – This will be used for the coating.
- 4½ teaspoons ground cinnamon – I tried 4 teaspoons (not enough flavor) and 5 teaspoons (too much flavor) and found that 4½ teaspoons is just right.
Equipment
- a baking sheet
- parchment paper
- a large mixing bowl, microwave-safe
- a small mixing bowl
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups
- a whisk
- a spatula (the kind for stirring, not flipping)
- a fine-mesh sieve
- a 2-tablespoon sized ice cream/cookie scoop with lever, or a regular tablespoon
How to make Paleo Snickerdoodles
Step 1: In a large, microwave-safe bowl, melt the coconut oil. Let cool.
Step 2: Add the egg, honey and vanilla extract to the cooled oil. Whisk until completely combined.
Step 3: Set a fine-mesh sieve over the bowl and sift in the almond flour, pushing through any clumps. You might have to do this in batches. Remove the sieve and add the arrowroot, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt to the bowl. Stir with a spatula until completely combined, with no dry bits of almond flour visible.
Step 4: Chill the dough for an hour or up to 24 hours (this step isn’t absolutely necessary but it’ll make the dough much easier to roll into neat balls).
Step 5: Heat the oven to 350°.
Step 6: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 7: In a small bowl, mix the coconut sugar and cinnamon.
Step 8: Using an ice cream/cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop the dough into roughly 2-tablespoon-sized balls. Roll the balls in the sugar/cinnamon mixture, then place on the parchment-lined sheet, about 2 inches apart. (The dough shouldn’t stick to your hands if it’s been chilled, but if it does, get your palms slightly damp with water.) No need to press the balls down. The cookies will spread somewhat as they bake.
Step 9: Bake for 14-16 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through cooking time. The cookies will puff up and spread, with cracks along the top. The dough inside the cracks should look dry. Let cool completely, then enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
You can use maple syrup in place of the honey.
You can use tapioca flour/starch in place of the arrowroot.
You can add ¼ teaspoon almond extract instead of or in addition to the vanilla extract.
You can add the zest of 1 lemon or 1 orange to the wet ingredients.
You can add other spices with the cinnamon and coconut sugar, such as ginger or cardamom.
Before rolling into balls, the dough can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Once rolled in the cinnamon sugar and placed on the baking sheet, gently press them down into a thick puck shape to help them puff up and spread in the oven. There is no need to add more baking time if you bake them straight from the fridge.
Once baked and cool, store the cookies in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Once the balls are rolled in the sugar cinnamon mixture, place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the sheet in the freezer for at least 4 hours, until the balls are frozen through, then transfer the balls to a freezer-safe container or baggie.
When you’re ready to bake, place the balls 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet and gently press them down into a thick puck shape to help them puff up and spread in the oven. Bake for about 16-18 minutes, then let cool completely.
Other recipes you might like:
- Paleo Shortbread
- Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Paleo Chocolate Chunk Cookies
- Paleo “Peanut” Butter Cookies
- Paleo “Oatmeal” Cookies
Paleo Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ⅓ cup honey
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups superfine blanched almond flour, not almond meal
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot flour/starch
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 4½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a large, microwave-safe bowl, melt the coconut oil. Let cool.
- Add the egg, honey and vanilla extract to the cooled oil. Whisk until completely combined.
- Set a fine-mesh sieve over the bowl and sift in the almond flour, pushing through any clumps. You might have to do this in batches. Remove the sieve and add the arrowroot, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt to the bowl. Stir with a spatula until completely combined, with no dry bits of almond flour visible.
- Chill the dough for an hour or up to 24 hours (this step isn't absolutely necessary but it'll make the dough much easier to roll into neat balls).
- Heat the oven to 350°.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, mix the coconut sugar and cinnamon.
- Using an ice cream/cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop the dough into roughly 2-tablespoon-sized balls. Roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture, then place on the parchment-lined sheet, about 2 inches apart. (The dough shouldn't stick to your hands if it's been chilled, but if it does, get your palms slightly damp with water.) No need to press the balls down. The cookies will spread somewhat as they bake.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through cooking time. The cookies will puff up and spread, with cracks along the top. The dough inside the cracks should look dry. Let cool completely, then enjoy!
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