Paleo Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle Cookies

These gluten free snickerdoodles are a simple, holiday-ready cookie that swaps traditional wheat flour for almond and coconut flours and uses natural sweeteners. The recipe yields tender, slightly chewy cookies with the characteristic cinnamon-sugar coating. Because they rely on almond flour, they have a naturally rich, nutty flavor and a delicate texture. This version keeps ingredients straightforward—almond flour, a bit of coconut flour for structure, baking soda and cream of tartar for lift, and a choice of grass-fed butter or coconut oil for moisture. Coconut sugar provides caramel-like sweetness and browning while remaining less refined than white sugar. The method is easy: mix dry ingredients, cream the fat and sugar, combine, chill the dough briefly, roll in cinnamon sugar, flatten, and bake. Chill time helps the dough firm up so the cookies spread less and keep a soft center. These cookies are great for people following gluten-free or paleo-inspired eating patterns, and they’re easy to customize—see tips below for variations and storage.

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Molly Thompson

Ingredients

• Combine the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, and cinnamon in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk the dry ingredients together until evenly distributed and free of lumps.
• In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter or coconut oil and the coconut sugar. If using butter, beat until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes with an electric mixer; if using coconut oil, mix until well combined and smooth. Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue beating on medium speed until the mixture is homogeneous, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, folding or mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. The dough should hold together but may be slightly sticky; if it seems too wet, allow it to rest for a few minutes to let the coconut flour absorb moisture. Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Chilling helps the dough firm up so the cookies keep their shape and develop a tender texture.
• While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine the 3 tablespoons coconut sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon for the topping. Use a large tablespoon or a cookie scoop to portion the chilled dough into 18–20 balls.
• Roll each dough ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until evenly coated. Place the coated balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Gently flatten each ball with the bottom of a cup or your palm to form a disk about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 9–11 minutes, or until the cookies are set on top and the edges are lightly golden. Because almond flour browns more quickly than wheat flour, watch them closely during the last few minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for several minutes so they firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

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