There are a few things I look for in an out of this world snickerdoodle. The first is the bite. When I come across a snickerdoodle I am looking for that thick, chewy almost oily bite. These cookies have some heart to them! These gluten-free snickerdoodles are amazing. And they're my ultimate favorite!
I bring myself back to high school with the images of snickerdoodles sold in the cafeteria of Lawrence Central high school. They were glorious. Big and round, flat and strong, with the coating of sugar and cinnamon. When bitten into, your teeth almost stuck to the cookie and there was a moist texture to it. You had to chew these puppies up and you could taste every incredible part of decadent flavor. It was really difficult to eat only one. So, we didn't. We ate alot.
Random Note: Did you know that the word snickerdoodle apparently is the German phrase referring to 'snail dumpling?' Ok, random thought done.
So the texture of a snickerdoodle is very important. This recipe gives you the perfect texture and then some. Mixing brown sugar and almond flour really enhances the true flavor of snickerdoodles. I’m telling you!
The other part of this awesome cookies that makes or breaks the flavor is the coating. Now, I’m not talking about the amount of cinnamon and sugar that’s coated on the outside of this treat. I’m talking about the actual ingredients used to coat this cookie.
It’s simple right? Cinnamon and sugar! But not so fast...remember this: the real stuff is best! Look for raw sugar cane, preferably organic. The sugar doesn’t look white and it’s not fine, fine grained. It has a tannish tint to it and the grains are a bit larger than you're used to. This is pure sugar cane and you need to use it for this recipe. Zulka is always available in Kroger stores in my area, so you can use this brand.
Also, real vanilla bean makes this cookie shine. I mean, it makes ANY baked good shine! A 2 inch piece of vanilla (bean) equals about 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.
For the cinnamon, using real cinnamon sticks really makes a difference here. You’ll need a coffee grinder. It gets loud and you feel like you might break the grinder because the sticks are so hard to chop up! But it will be fine 🙂 Grind those suckers up. You can try and break the cinnamon sticks in half, set them in the coffee grinder, then grind away.
This method is what you’ll want to use for the best ever snickerdoodle cookie. You want the outside of the cookie to taste of cinnamon, but have the texture of sugar.
And there you have it! This is the ultimate, best ever gluten-free snickerdoodle recipe you will ever make. AND it's dairy-free. AND it tastes better than the real thing. Best ever. I promise.
The fact that it is dairy-free and gluten-free will literally blow your mind. I’m telling you! I make my holiday cookies this way. But without the cinnamon coating. I shape them a bit differently, but the recipe is almost identical. I was so happy when I developed this family cookie recipe last year and honestly, it’s the best cookie I’ve ever eaten. My kids always want more. And my gluten eating daughter can’t even get enough of these.
So make really big batches of these for Easter! They are so so easy to make! It will blow your mind how east they are!
How do you like my gluten-free snickerdoodles recipe? Let me nnowbknbthebcomments below and if you make them, I’d love to see using the hashtag #glutenfreethyme!
Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles (Dairy-Free too!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Earth Balance butter spread for a dairy-free cookie, almost room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar cane
- 4 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg almost room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 2- inch piece of vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of Kosher salt
- 2 ½ cups good almond flour Kirkland almond flour is certified gluten-free
- ¼ cup sugar cane for coating
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground cinnamon sticks for coating, it is best to use fresh. So, you can use about 6 to 7 cinnamon sticks if using fresh, then grind them in a coffee grinder.
Instructions
- In a large glass or metal mixing bowl and using a hand mixer, mix butter spread and sugars until very creamy.
- Add egg, baking soda, vanilla and a pinch of Kosher salt, then mix some more until blended in.
- Slowly add almond flour in sections, preferably per ½ cup at a time.
- A sticky dough will form. Scrape dough off and center it in bowl.
- Plop dough onto a large piece of parchment paper.
- Roll parchment paper tightly into a long log, closing the ends by twisting parchment slightly.
- Place in freezer for approximately 30 minutes.
- While dough cools, grind about 6 cinnamon sticks in a coffee grinder until powder forms. This makes about 1 tablespoon of cinnamon.
- In a small bowl, mix cinnamon with about ¼ cup of sugar cane and mix thoroughly. This is your coating.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Take out dough log from freezer, then cut off pieces that would equal an overstuffed tablespoon size.
- Roll pieces of dough in hands to form a rough ball, then roll and coat each piece of cookie dough in sugar and cinnamon mixture.
- Press down on tops of all the cookies slightly then place on sided baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- The cookies will spread, so leave room between each. About a couple of inches if possible.
- Bake for approximately 8 minutes, or until cookie sides have begun to golden.
- Take out and let cool before eating.
- Note: When you take the cookies out of the oven, they will deflate. Don't worry! This is normal when using almond flour and the dairy free butter spread.
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