These healthy snickerdoodle cookies are so soft they could be pillows.
Snickerdoodle cookie pillows.
And then we could have a snickerdoodle pillow fight, with sugary cookie dough flying in every direction. Mmm yes, a snickerdoodle pillow fight. How yummy would that be?!
Sweet and buttery pillow cookies…
I promise the snickerdoodles do not taste healthy. But don’t take my word for it; try them for yourself. My friends couldn’t get enough of these!
Skinny Snickerdoodles
- 3/4 cup ww pastry flour or white flour (See below for notes on a gluten-free option)
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt (just under level)
- 1/4 tsp cream of tarter (optional)
- 1/4 tsp plus 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup sugar or sucanat or evaporated cane juice (xylitol might work, but I haven’t tried)
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons milk of choice
- 1/4 cup “butter” of choice, such as Earth Balance (I haven’t tried a lower-fat butter sub in this recipe, so I don’t know if that would work.)
Preheat oven to 330 F. Combine dry ingredients and mix very, very well. In a separate bowl, melt the butter of choice, then stir in vanilla and milk. Pour dry into wet and mix again. Form balls. For true snickerdoodles, roll each ball in a mix of cinnamon and sugar (either equal parts OR two parts sugar to one part cinnamon, depending on how cinnamon-y you want your cookies). If you want soft cookies, you’ll need to get the balls very cold. (So roll the balls, cover in the cinnamon-sugar, then fridge until cold.) Cook for 9-10 minutes. They’ll look way underdone when you take them out, but that’s ok.
I haven’t tried these with a gf mix, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. (Edit: if you read the comments, many commenters have successfully tried different gf versions.) In the meantime…
These are gluten-free: Snickerdoodle Blondies.
As for the vegan snickerdoodles: they will keep at least four days, in a lidded plastic container. (As a general rule, you should store soft cookies in plastic containers and crispy cookies in glass ones.)
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I made these, they are delicious! When i rolled them into balls, the dough was a little crumbly but I didn’t use cream of tartar, and i used Earth Balance Mediteranian spread. I’ve never made snickerdoodles before so maybe the dough is a little crumbly normally? Also mine didn’t flatten out. Delicious regardless though! I love your recipes Katie!
Hmmm… what flour did you use?
I had the same problem! With the crumbIiness and not flattening out. I used all purpose flour. Does the type of flour make that much of a difference? They’re still delicious and VERY addictive.
I usually add an extra splash of milk until the dough is smoother, and it works perfectly!
I used white whole wheat flour. I used coconut oil vs the earth balance and mine were far from crumbly. I used my cookie scooper and I have to say it was the easiest batter I’ve worked with to date! I did warm my almond milk first so when I added the coconut oil it wouldn’t get little hard flecks.
Katie,these are amazing! I’ve never actually had one before, I used to think they had snickers bars in them, not a big fan of those. I never had much interest in buying them, I am into chocolate more than cinnamon too. I just couldn’t resist trying these though and wow, I have a new addition to my favorite home made cookies! Just like you said, little pillows! My dough was a bit dry and crumbly I just added a few teaspoons of water and mushed the dough together and they came out perfect. I flattened them slightly before baking and they came out in the exact same shape as they went in. I used spenda, my boyfriend is diabetic. Super yum! I think I’m going to have a hard time resisting making these often!
Aw so happy! Hmmm… maybe there needs to be a chocolate version!
Hi Katie!
I am SOOO excited to try these out! I am hypoglycemic though so I was wondering if maybe stevia or xylitol would work in this recipe? Or if they would work in microwave? I am confined to the dorms with only a microwave so I have to improvise haha 🙂
All of your recipes look delish, you have an amazing blog! And thanks to how deliciously fudgy and scrumptious your brownies look, I am going to be brave and try it with tofu–something I have avoided before honestly!!
Sorry, I don’t know 😕
Dude! You are my life-saver, my husband is deployed ( I have commented before, so forgive me if I am repetitive) and I want to look super sexy when he returns, but like you, love cooking and sweets! I can still kick some major booty at the gym and still have a treat once a week! After making them ( not gunna lie was a bit skeptical if they would taste good since you make healthier versions of stuff), but I figured, hey, why not… Fabulouso!
Healthy living is totally doable with your website and beyond amazing recipes, I think I am going to try agave syrup next time and whole wheat flour, just to see how it works out! Keep up the good work!
BEST. Snickerdoodle. Recipe. EVER. And I love to bake like no other! My very picky friend who doesn’t care at all for sweets scarfed down a half dozen within minutes!! Thank you! I’ve already got this recipe memorized, that’s how often I use it 🙂
Wow, this put a huge smile on my face! 🙂
Wow! Amazing and *gasp* guilt-free recipe! I actually used regular sugar and substituted 1/4 C. of pumpkin purée for the vegan butter because i had it on hand and open. The recipe made 13 silver dollar sized cookies that were very fluffy and soft! I had to cook for a few extra minutes because of either the pumpkin or my old-ish oven. Overall 49 calories per cookie and .1 gram of fat. Thank you!
I just baked these, subbing applesauce for the butter. This made them super thick (1 inch) and chewy, but delicious nonetheless. I also added 1 tbsp of cinnamon, which tasted nice. I wish I’d added more sugar, but these would be nice with coffee as is (:
These were AMAZING! I subbed 1/4cup vanilla whey protein for 1/4cup of the flour, and all I had was regular ww flour so I used that. Instead of the vegan butter I used half apple sauce, half 0% Greek yogurt (to make 1/4 cup). They were so airy and light! I may sub more protein next time, and see how it works. And by next time, I mean in about 20 minutes.
Another hit! I ate too many…they were delicious! Next is the snickerdoodle “bean pie”. And the chocolate raspberry fudge cake! Can’t wait 🙂
What does the cream of tartar do? Would I have to compensate with another ingredient if I leave that out?
You can just leave it out! It’s just for taste.
Katie, these are AMAZING!! My first time actually eating snickerdoodles too. I went food shopping today so I got to add the cream of tartar. Thanks so much for the recipe!