Hundreds of reviewers agree these cookies are the most delicious almond flour snickerdoodles around! They are crisp, chewy and easy-to-make!
This tried-and-true recipe was originally published in 2013. It was republished with new photos in 2023, but the same reader-favorite recipe!
After the huge success of my almond flour chocolate chip cookies, I was excited to try more almond-flour-based cookies!
My friends and family tell me all the time that they like my almond flour chocolate chip cookies even more than traditional chocolate chip cookies made with regular white flour. I’d say that’s a win!
Like I’ve said before, almond flour is wonderful for baking.
It is even healthier (with more fiber and protein) than whole wheat flour, and bakes up beautifully. In cookies, quick breads, cakes, and muffins it is easier to use than complicated grain-based, gluten-free flour blends.
These snickerdoodles are absolutely delicious! I had high expectations for this classic cookie, and the end result did not disappoint. They are crispy on the outside and soft in the center. They’re the real deal!
These sugar cookies are definitely a welcome addition to our regular repertoire of recipes.
Try making these for your friends and family any time of year. They’re great for the holiday season, cookie exchanges, birthday parties, and summertime alike. And I’m willing to bet your guests will never guess these are gluten-free. They really do taste just as delicious as traditional snickerdoodle cookies!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make
- Chewy center and crisp edges
- Paleo and gluten-free
- Delicious cinnamon sugar flavor
For more almond flour recipes, try these almond flour sugar cookies, almond flour blondies, and almond flour oatmeal cookies.
You also might like these gluten-free snickerdoodles, gluten-free almond cookies, gluten-free ginger snaps and gluten-free biscotti.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Cookie Dough
- Almond flour: Any almond flour will work for this recipe. It gives these cookies a delicious chew and flavor, and it’s easy to bake with! *Note that almond meal is slightly courser than almond flour and will not give you quite the same texture. Look for a label that specifically says almond flour!
- Butter: I like to use a combination of salted butter and palm shortening for this recipe. It makes all the difference in giving these cookies a perfectly chewy texture!
- Eggs: Use large eggs for this recipe. Room temperature is best!
- Organic Shortening: If you’re like me, when you hear palm shortening you probably think of regular shortening with trans fat. Do not be scared off though! Palm shortening has no trans fat and has some of its unsaturated fat removed. It helps these cookies hold their shape, making them a bit crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle. I like this brand!
- White/brown sugar: Brown and white sugar are both important for achieving the desired consistency of these cookies. I like to use Domino brand white granulated sugar.
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon is what makes snickerdoodles so unique and delicious, so don’t skip this ingredient! The cookies have cinnamon in the dough and a cinnamon-sugar coating.
- Salt: I like to use fine sea salt for these cookies.
- Baking soda: Baking soda helps the cookies rise when baking, so they’re nice and chewy!
- Vanilla: I like to use real vanilla extract for all of my baking.
For the Sugar Topping
- White sugar: I like to use Domino brand white granulated sugar for rolling over the cookie dough balls.
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon is what gives snickerdoodles their familiar and classic flavor!
How to Make Almond Flour Snickerdoodles
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the butter, shortening, white sugar and brown sugar until very creamy.
- Add the vanilla and eggs, mixing until well incorporated.
- Mix in the dry ingredients, including the baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add the almond flour, 1 cup at a time, into the wet ingredients. Beat well after each addition.
- Mix together the remaining sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl or shallow dish. Roll the cookie dough into 1 1/2 tablespoon rounds in the palm of your hand, or using a large cookie scoop. Then roll to coat in the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Drop the coated dough onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet, about 3 inches apart.
- Bake cookies for 11-13 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. Allow the almond flour snickerdoodles to cool for a couple of minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!
Storage Instructions
Store almond flour snickerdoodles in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days, or store in the freezer for up to three months.
FAQs
Almond flour is a key ingredient in French macarons, and it can be used as an alternative to all-purpose flour in other baked goods, including cookies, cakes, biscuits, and muffins. You can also use almond flour as a gluten-free breading for chicken, fish, and more.
Yes, you can substitute gluten-free flour for almond flour. Just keep in mind that gluten-free flour and almond flour have different properties, and may result in a slightly different texture. The general guideline is to substitute one cup of gluten-free flour for every two cups of almond flour.
Almond flour doesn’t contain a leavening agent, so it’s important to add one to help your baked goods rise and have a fluffy texture. Baking powder or baking soda are common leavening agents for almond flour, or eggs can also be used to help almond flour recipes rise and bind the dough together.
Expert Tips & Tricks
- These almond flour snickerdoodles turn out best when you allow them to cool for a couple of minutes on the baking sheet. They will continue cooking a bit, so it’s okay if they aren’t fully set up. Then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Note that almond meal is slightly courser than almond flour and will not give you quite the same texture for these almond flour snickerdoodles. Look for a label that specifically says almond flour!
- Organic palm shortening gives these cookies an amazing texture. I like to use it in combination with some butter for flavor.
- Brown and white sugar are both important for achieving the desired consistency of these almond flour snickerdoodles. I like to use Domino brand white granulated sugar.
MORE ALMOND FLOUR RECIPES
I hope you love this cookie recipe as much as we do! If you try these almond flour snickerdoodles, be sure to leave me a comment/rating below. I’d love to hear from you!
Almond Flour Snickerdoodles (Grain-Free)
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/4 cup palm shortening or regular shortening
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 cups blanched almond flour see note below
For the Topping:
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the butter, shortening, white sugar and brown sugar until very creamy. Add the vanilla and eggs, mixing until well incorporated. Mix in the baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add the almond flour, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Mix together the remaining sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl or shallow dish. Roll the cookie dough into 1 1/2 tablespoon rounds, then roll to coat in the sugar mixture. Drop the coated dough onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet, about 3 inches apart.
- Bake 11-13 minutes, or until golden brown around edges. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!
Notes
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- These almond flour snickerdoodles turn out best when you allow them to cool for a couple of minutes on the baking sheet. They will continue cooking a bit, so it’s okay if they aren’t fully set up. Then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
-
- Note that almond meal is slightly courser than almond flour and will not give you quite the same texture for these almond flour snickerdoodles. Look for a label that specifically says almond flour!
-
- Organic palm shortening gives these cookies an amazing texture. I like to use it in combination with some butter for flavor.
-
- Brown and white sugar are both important for achieving the desired consistency of these almond flour snickerdoodles. I like to use Domino brand white granulated sugar.
What could I substitute palm shortening with in case I can’t find it? I’m from Mexico and sometimes I can’t find the same brands here
Hi Andrea, besides palm shortening we would recommend using regular shortening. Some readers have successfully used coconut oil (not melted), but we haven’t tested that ourselves. We hope you enjoy the cookies!
Hi, I was wondering if this recipe would work with regular flour? I love the og recipe and make it for my mom but am doing a potluck and am worried about nut allergies.
Hi Melody, we haven’t tried this recipe with regular flour—just almond flour. If you try it, a 1:1 swap is probably best. We’d love to hear how it turns out!
Hi- I haven’t made snickerdoodles since going gluten-free and am looking forward to trying these. One question- why no cream of tartar? All my wheat flour snickerdoodle recipes include it and thought it was key to the recipe. I see the ingredients include baking soda, so I’m wondering why there’s no C-O-T in this recipe.
Hi there, while cream of tartar is a classic ingredient in traditional snickerdoodles, it is unnecessary in this almond flour version. It’s typically used to ensure a chewy texture, however the almond flour in this recipe already creates a chewy texture to where the baking soda alone is enough as the leaving agent. We hope this helps! Happy baking!