This Vegan Macadamia Snickerdoodle Cookie recipe utilizes a soft, buttery dough that's designed to leaven fast in the oven then fall. This results in the trademark crackly top that some say give this cookie the origins of it's name; schneckennudeln which means snail noodle in German. Snickerdoodle dough is similar to sugar cookie dough but there is more leavening power and the dough is rolled in cinnamon sugar prior to baking in the snickerdoodle version. The result is a tender cookie that is slightly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside accompanied by rich cinnamon notes.

Vegan Macadamia Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe

For the rolling mixture

3 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon cinnamon

For the dough

¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons non-dairy milk
2 Tablespoons golden flax meal
2 teaspoons cream of tartar

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups sugar
¾ cups (161 grams) Regular Vegan Butter or non-hydrogenated stick margarine (1 ½ sticks, softened but cool)
¼ cup (54 grams) Vegan Shortening or store bought shortening

½ cup macadamia nuts, toasted

1) Prepare your oven, baking sheets and rolling mixture

Preheat your oven to 400F (204C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Prepare your rolling mixture by whisking together the 3 Tablespoons sugar and 1 Tablespoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.

2) Curdle the non-dairy milk mixture

In a small mixing bowl, whisk the non-dairy milk, flax meal and cream of tartar until smooth. Set aside for about 10 minutes so the mixture gets thick and curdles.

3) Whisk together the dry ingredients

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt.

4) Cream the fats and beat in the flax mixture

In another medium mixing bowl, cream together the 1 ½ cups sugar, Vegan Butter and shortening until well combined which should take about 1 to 1 ½ minutes. Add the flax mixture from Step 2 and beat until well combined, about 30 seconds.

5) Build the cookie dough

Add half of the dry ingredients and mix with a spoon until the mixture comes together. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix with your hands until just combined. Add the macadamia nuts and mix until they're evenly distributed.

6) Bake the vegan snickerdoodles to perfection

Roll the dough into 1 ½ inch diameter balls and roll them in the Rolling Mixture until coated. Transfer  to the baking sheet, making sure they're spaced about 2 inches apart. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to squish each cookie to ¾ inch. Use a slight twisting motion after squishing to allow the drinking glass to release from the cookie. Bake for about 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through the baking duration.
Store in a tightly sealed freezer bag at room temperature for up to ten days. This recipe makes about 30 Vegan Macadamia Snickerdoodle Cookies.