Vegan Pumpkin Snickerdoodles are the pumpkin version of the classic snickerdoodle cookie. These cinnamon covered cookies are plant-based and gluten-free!
Christmas cookies are here early with these delicious snickerdoodles!
Jump to:
I can't tell you how excited I am to share this recipe with you. Last year I made Maple Snickerdoodles. They were incredible, so I decided to switch it up again this year with some pumpkin!
Vegan Pumpkin Snickerdoodles are sooo incredibly soft. They are subtly sweet, allowing the pumpkin to shine through. And, in traditional snickerdoodle style, they're loaded with cinnamon.
What are snickerdoodles?
I don't want to go on without outlining what snickerdoodles actually are. I think it's important to understand what your baking and why it works.
Snickerdoodles are different from sugar cookies in that you use cream of tartar. Regular sugar cookies don't have cream of tartar.
The name suggests that cream of tartar isn't vegan, but I'm happy to say that cream of tartar is completely vegan. It is just a chemical of sorts, similar to baking powder or baking soda. The scientific name is potassium bitartrate.
When baking, what we should care about is what cream of tartar actually does. And the answer is that it makes sooooffft cookies. It also provides a slight tang.
Bottom line: snickerdoodles = sugar cookies + cream of tartar.
Why I love these Vegan Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
- Dietary needs - these pumpkin snickerdoodles are plant-based, gluten-free, oil-free, and refined sugar-free.
- Whole foods ingredients - no refined sugar here! We use date sugar for sweetness. And no eggs or butter. Just ground flax and nut butter.
- Perfect easy dessert - these cookies are pretty simple. Whip them up anytime for a dose of sweet cinnamon.
- Fall version of a classic - no need to wait until Christmas cookie season. Pumpkin snickerdoodles are perfect for fall
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough Ingredients
- Date Sugar: Every cookie dough has sugar. We're using date sugar because it is healthy -- it's high in fiber, which prevents a spike in blood sugar. If you're wondering why these cookies are a slightly darker color than traditional sugar cookies, it's from the date sugar!
- Pumpkin Puree: Because we're using date sugar, we need to use a bit more liquid OR a bit less flour. This works out perfectly because we need to add pumpkin to a traditional snickerdoodle recipe. We don't have to worry about adjusting the four because the date sugar will absorb any extra moisture from the pumpkin.
- Maple Syrup: maple syrup helps add a little extra sweetness. If you want to keep this recipe completely fruit-sweetened use date syrup instead. Though, this will change the color of the cookies.
- Nut Butter: like almond butter or cashew butter
- Ground Flaxseed: ground flaxseed acts as a binding agent, just like an egg would
- Vanilla
- Oat Flour: My flour of choice -- I like to use homemade because it's fluffier but you can also buy it, especially if you need it to be certified gluten-free.
- Cream of Tartar: The special ingredient. Cream of tartar helps make these cookies super soft.
- Baking Soda
- Cinnamon: there's plenty of cinnamon in these cookies for a classic snickerdoodle flavor
- Salt
Cinnamon-Sugar Coating Ingredients
- Date Sugar: It makes another appearance! We'll use date sugar to coat the outside of the cookies, just like a traditional snickerdoodle.
- Cinnamon: We'll mix the date sugar with cinnamon for that classic snickerdoodle taste.
How to make Plant-Based Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2. In a small bowl, mix the date sugar and cinnamon for the cinnamon coating. Set aside.
Step 3. In a large bowl, whisk the date sugar, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, nut butter, flaxseeds, and vanilla.
Step 4. Add the oat flour, cream of tartar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Stir until a dough is formed.
Step 5. Scoop two-tablespoon-sized balls and shape into spheres. Place on the baking sheet and use a wet hand to flatten.
Step 6. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture onto each cookie.
Step 7. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until the cookies are set. Remove from the oven and let cool. Serve and enjoy!
FAQ & Expert Tips
I recommend using sugar from fruits as much as possible, which is why there's date sugar in this recipe. But if you'd like to sub the date sugar for coconut sugar or even table sugar, decrease the amount of sugar to ⅓ cup.
Oats are naturally gluten-free, but if you have an allergy, be sure to buy certified gluten-free oats or oat flour to avoid cross contamination during processing.
Recipe Prayer
Praise Jesus for pumpkin. Help us enter into the moment during the fall season. Amen.
Related Recipes
Looking for more vegan cookies? Try these next:
Tried this recipe?
Please leave a review in the comments section below. You can also stay in touch with me on social media by following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok or by subscribing to my newsletter.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Equipment
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- ½ Cup Date Sugar
- ½ Cup Pumpkin Puree
- ⅓ Cup Maple Syrup
- ⅓ Cup Cashew or Almond Butter
- 1 Tablespoon Ground Flaxseeds
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 ½ Cups Finely Ground Oat Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar
- ¾ Teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 2 Tablespoons Date Sugar
- 1 ½ Teaspoons Cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, mix the date sugar and cinnamon for the cinnamon coating. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the date sugar, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, nut butter, flaxseeds, and vanilla.
- Add the oat flour, cream of tartar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Stir until a dough is formed.
- Scoop two-tablespoon-sized balls and shape into spheres. Place on the baking sheet and use a wet hand to flatten.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture onto each cookie.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes, until the cookies are set. Remove from the oven and let cool. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Comments
No Comments