Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: I highly recommend using a good-quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that is made up of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch or potato starch), as this will result in a lighter texture. I do NOT recommend flour blends that use heavier flours such as bean flours as that will result in a denser texture.

Xanthan Gum: In this case, xanthan gum replaced the role of gluten in a gluten-free flour blend. If your blend already includes xanthan gum, you can leave it out completely.

Cream of Tartar/Baking Soda: Cream of tartar is the powdered form of tartaric acid, and despite the word “cream” in its name, it does not have any dairy at all. Cream of tartar is essential in a snickerdoodle cookie because it prevents the sugar from crystallizing to get a light and fluffy and chewier texture, and also gives the snickerdoodles the traditional tangy taste, which is what sets it apart from a typical sugar cookie. However, if you don’t have cream of tartar, simple replace the cream of tartar and the baking soda with 2 teaspoons of baking powder instead.

Sugar: I’ve used light brown sugar in this recipe, but feel free to swap it out for equal amounts of normal white sugar, cane sugar, dark brown sugar, or even coconut sugar if you prefer. If you are diabetic or insulin-resistant, I highly recommend that you use granulated monkfruit sweetener (a 1:1 sugar substitute with zero glycemic index and will not raise your blood sugar).

Coconut Oil: I prefer using refined coconut oil in my baking because it has a neutral flavor (as opposed to extra virgin coconut oil which has a strong coconut taste and smell). If you don’t have coconut oil, feel free to use palm shortening or dairy-free butter (vegan butter) in equal quantities instead. Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, go ahead of use butter if you prefer.

Egg: I personally haven’t tried this without an egg, but I believe it should work with aquafaba or an egg-replacer.

Vanilla Extract: I like adding a little bit of vanilla extract for extra flavor. However, if you prefer not to, or if you don’t have it on hand, feel free to leave it out.

Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon is essentially what sets snickerdoodles apart from normal sugar cookies, so I would not omit this.

Storing/Freezing the Cookies: Once cooled, store the snickerdoodle cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Alternatively, you can freeze the cookies in a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before eating. 

Freezing the Dough: If you wish to freeze the cookie dough, simply follow the instructions up till step 8, then place the coated dough balls in single layers in freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 2 months. Let the dough thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking as instructed. 

This recipe was originally posted in December 2020, but has since been republished to include better text, clearer instructions, recipe notes/substitutions.

Adapted from: All Recipes