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Perfectly chewy, sweet, and packed with warm cinnamon. Only 6 ingredients and 15 minutes needed to make these quick and easy, gluten free Vegan Cinnamon Cookies cookies! Betcha can’t eat just one!
Who doesn’t love sugar cookies? They’re sweet, crispy, chewy – pretty much the perfect treat any time of the year. And they’re even better with cinnamon!
These Vegan Cinnamon Cookies are the perfect cookie. A little crispy bite on the outside, dense and chewy on the inside, just sweet enough with a little bit of spice…so yum! And despite tasting like sugar cookies, there is actually no refined sugar at all in this recipe!
With just 6 ingredients and 15 minutes, they’re sure to be your favorite cookie, too!
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
Almond flour ~Just like in my Edible Sugar Cookie Dough, the base of this vegan sugar cookie recipe is almond flour. It makes for a moist cookie and works with the other ingredients perfectly.
Almond flour is made from peeled blanched almonds. It is not the same as almond meal, which is made by grinding raw almonds with their skins on. Almond flour is finer than almond meal and is preferred here.
Do not sub for another flour! It will not work!
Maple syrup ~ Pure maple syrup, with notes of vanilla and caramel, stands in for traditional refined white sugar, bringing a nice depth of flavor. Be sure to use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup.
Agave may be substituted in equal amounts. Note that agave is not as flavorful as maple syrup and will create a less flavorful cookie.
Almond butter ~ Raw almond butter lends a bit of fat and moisture which, working with the almond flour, allows these cookies to be oil and butter free.
Almond butter is typically thinner than other nut butters and that’s exactly what you want for these cinnamon sugar cookies. I prefer Trader Joe’s Raw Almond Butter. You’ll need to mix the container well before using as the oils will separate to the top. Even after mixing, it has a nice runny consistency that works perfectly in this recipe.
If your almond butter seems a bit thick, pop it in the microwave (in a microwave safe bowl!) for 20 to 30 seconds to warm it up a bit.
Cinnamon ~ The cinnamon flavor is prominent in these cookies…they are Vegan Cinnamon Cookies, after all. If you find cinnamon to be a very strong flavor for your palate, start with just 1-2 teaspoons and add more after tasting the batter, if desired.
If you love cinnamon as much as I do, don’t miss these other vegan recipes featuring cinnamon:
How to make the recipe
Please scroll down to the recipe card for exact ingredient measurements and instructions.
Place all of the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl (1). Whisk well to combine (2).
Pour all of the wet ingredients into a separate mixing bowl (3) or large measuring cup and whisk well until smooth (4).
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients (5) and stir well to combine (6). Be sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to fully incorporate and moisten all of the flour.
Form 1 heaping tablespoon of dough into a round ball and place on a parchment lined baking sheet, leaving at least 2 inches in between each one (7).
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden and firm (8). Let cool on the baking sheet for 1 to 2 minutes before carefully transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. They will continue to firm up as they cool.
Storage and freezing
These vegan cinnamon sugar cookies are best eaten fresh on the day they are made.
Counter: To store leftovers, store them loosely covered in foil or plastic wrap on the counter for 2 to 3 days.
Freezer: These cookies can be frozen! Place the baked and cooled cookies in a single layer on a parchment-lined cookie sheet or large plate and place flat in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours. Once the cookies are frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or plastic bag. They should keep well for up to 3 months.
Pro tips and tricks
~ Gently scoop the almond flour and level off, but do not pack it down into the measuring cup or you’ll end up with too much flour.
~ Do not sub the almond flour for another flour – it will not work.
~ Any nut or seed butter will work in place of the almond butter, but make sure it’s very runny. If it’s too thick, the cookies won’t spread…you can heat the nut butter in the microwave (in a microwave safe bowl!) for 20 to 30 seconds to loosen it up. Please note that the flavor of the cookies will change depending on what you choose.
~ Agave can replace the maple syrup if desired at a 1:1 ratio.
~ If you don’t have ground cinnamon, you can grind cinnamon sticks in a small coffee or spice grinder. If you don’t like cinnamon (gasp!), you can leave it out. Or try a pinch of ground ginger or nutmeg instead.
~ Almond extract can be used instead of vanilla if you like that flavor. Please note that almond extract is very potent, so start with ¼ teaspoon and taste before adding more.
~ Mix the batter really well, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure the flour gets full incorporated and moistened. Do not worry about over mixing.
~ The dough is quite sticky. Slightly dampen your hands when forming the cookies to prevent sticking.
~ For an extra pop of sweetness, try rolling the dough in a cinnamon-sugar mixture before baking.
~ Try baking 1 or 2 test cookies before forming the rest of the dough. If they don’t spread out when baking, when forming the rest of cookie dough gently press down on each one to flatten them a bit before baking. They will still be delicious!
FAQs
These vegan cinnamon cookies are secretly healthy. Well, ok, they aren’t exactly health food, but they are certainly healthier than standard cookies.
My version contains no oil, no butter, no dairy, no eggs, no gluten, and no refined sugar! That’s right! Sugar cookies with no refined sugar…or granulated sugar of any kind! But, trust me, they are every bit as mouthwatering!
If your nut butter is too thick, the cookies won’t spread much. Almond butter is generally much thinner than peanut butter, cashew butter or sunflower seed butter. If yours seems thick, try warming it for 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave to thin it out.
This can also happen if you have used too much flour. Don’t pack the almond flour into the measuring cup, just scoop gently and level off.
The dough should be fairly sticky and glossy, not like traditional cookie dough that is more firm.
If your dough is thick and dry, gently press down on each cookie dough ball before baking. They will still be delicious!
There are two common types of cinnamon, Cassia and Ceylon.
Ceylon cinnamon is considered true cinnamon and is more expensive and possibly harder to find in grocery stores. It has a delicate, mildly sweet flavor and is of higher quality than cassia cinnamon.
If you can find it and can afford it, Ceylon is what I would recommend. Cassia cinnamon will work as well. Since it has a stronger, more bitter flavor, consider starting with less and add more as needed after tasting the dough.
Obviously, the answer here is…cinnamon! It’s a strong, slightly bitter warming spice that imparts a sweet taste in baked goods. The perfect complement to these vegan sugar cookies.
You could also try experimenting with different flavor extracts. In addition to or instead of the vanilla, try almond, lemon, or even mint! These extracts are generally quite strong in flavor. Start with just ¼ teaspoon and increase only after tasting.
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment below with your feedback.
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For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!
Vegan Cinnamon Cookies
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups almond flour gently scoop and level off, do not pack down
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon ground Ceylon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup raw creamy almond butter I like Trader Joe's brand; it's thin and runny
- ¾ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
- In a small mixing bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the almond butter, maple syrup and vanilla extract.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir well to thoroughly combine. The dough will be sticky, but this is what you want.
- Using your hands, roll the dough, about 1 tablespoon at a time, into a ball and place on the parchment lined baking sheet. Dampen your hands slightly to make the dough easier to work with. Continue until all the dough has been used. Be sure to space the balls of dough out on the baking sheet with a few inches in between because they will spread out into perfectly round cookies.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until they are starting to firm up on the outside.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to continue cooling completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.
Scott Johnson says
These are great! We didn’t need them to be Paleo, so we used a Bob’s Red Mill GF flour blend. Also my wife is sensitive to almonds, so we subbed cashew butter. And we used honey instead of maple syrup. Lots of subs! But our whole large family loved them. And only one person is gluten free! Will definitely make these again.
Jenn S. says
Thank you, Scott! I’m so glad you loved them! And, also great to know they work with those subs. Have a great week!
Richard Leake says
Love the photos look very tasty just before I make them can I check it’s a 1 tablespoon of cinnamon not a teaspoon – is tablespoon it seems like a lot of cinnamon?
Richard, UK
Jenn S. says
Hi, Richard. It’s a tablespoon – but if you are worried it will be too much for you, you can start with a tsp or 2. Enjoy!
Ashley says
Love this healthier version of cinnamon sugar cookies! Crazy delicious. 🙂
Jenn S. says
Thank you, Ashley! So glad you liked them!
Lisa says
These are AMAZING!!!!!! So simple, so delicious!! Thank you! I have unfortunately found out I am severely allergic to gluten and eggs! 😔 I love to bake and have had a heck of a time trying to find gf recipes that don’t require eggs. Every time o make these cookies people go nuts over them! We like to make cashew ice cream sandwiches with them. So amazing!
Jenn S. says
Thank you so much, Lisa! I’m thrilled to hear you love them! I make ice cream sandwiches out of them too and actually have a recipe on the blog! Great minds!!
Kim says
Maybe I’m not use to gf, df but I made these for a friend and I’m disappointed. I bake all the time and these did not work. They didn’t flatten at all and were texturally weird. Taste is ok but I will see what she says.
Jenn S. says
Bummer – let’s see if we can figure out what went wrong. Did you follow the recipe exactly without any subs? And was your almond butter runny?
Cassidy says
Hi Jenn,
Just wondering, is it okay to sub plain wheat flour for almond flour?
Jenn S. says
No, that won’t work in this recipe. Sorry. 🙁
Patty says
My boyfriend was craving chocolate chip cookies but I didn’t feel like making traditional ones because I hate all the butter and sugar etc etc – these are my absolute favorite cookies so I figured I’d give it a try just by omitting the cinnamon and adding chcocolate chips and I was right- they’re awesome! I just ate three and don’t feel half as bad as I would if I used a different recipe! I also always make these cookies with only a half cup of maple syrup instead of 3/4 cup and they are perfect!
I still personally like them better as they are intended to be with the cinnamon, but know that if you’re craving choc chip cookies you can easily use this recipe. The consistency of these cookies can’t be beat.
Jenn S. says
This is great feedback, Patty! Thank you! So glad you love them and I love idea of swapping the cinnamon with chocolate chips when the craving strikes. Also, love that they are still plenty sweet enough with less maple syrup. I will be trying that next time! Thanks again!!
Deryn from Running on Real Food says
Wow, the texture of these looks incredible! And almond butter sweetened with maple syrup? yes, girl, yes. I love how simple that ingredient list is too…although I really shouldn’t have looked at this at 7 am, now I need to go make these for breakfast. I actually haven’t used almond flour in my kitchen before, I always skip buying it because of the p[rice tag but I guess I’ll finally give it a go. Can’t wait to try these!!
Jenn S. says
Cookies for breakfast is ok in my book!! Thanks, Deryn! Almond flour is pricey for sure, but you’ll find so many uses for it. I make a lot of cookies with it and lately, I’ve been breading eggplant slices with it and baking them in the oven and then serving over zucchini noodles with marinara – so good! Let me know how the cookies turn out!
Emma says
Hi Jenn, these sound good – what could I use instead of almond flour, since Im allergic to almonds? For the butter I’d use peanut butter instead, but for the flour I’m not sure, I’m not experienced with gluten free baking yet. Thanks!
Jenn S. says
Hi, Emma. Honestly, I’m not sure. I have to admit I’m not a gluten free baking guru either. I’ve got the almond flour down, but I haven’t experimented much with other flours and they all work so differently. I’ve got a Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe that doesn’t use almond flour if you’re interested in that – though they are certainly nothing like this sugar cookie. I may do some more experimenting soon though – do you need it to be gluten free or is wheat flour ok for you?
Emma says
Ok, no worries. Yes, I need it to be glutenfree. I will try a Chestnut flour mix with this recipe today. We will see 😉
Jenn S. says
Ok, if I come up with anything else I’ll let you know. Let me know how the chestnut flour works out (I didn’t even know that existed!).
Maia says
I used white rice and it still tasted really good. Didn’t flatten out, which was weird, but tasted perfectly fine.
Jenn S. says
White rice flour instead of almond flour? I’ve never tried white rice flour – good to know. It probably doesn’t have as much moisture in it which is why they didn’t flatten out…but that’s just a guess. Glad you liked the flavor! Thanks, Maia!
Caitlin says
I made these and loved the taste, but for some reason my cookies turned out fluffier and rounder than what is pictured…they didn’t spread too much and didn’t really get crisp/chewy. They were still delicious, so it’s no big deal, but I wonder if you know what might’ve happened…? I used TJ’s almond flour and almond butter, my baking soda was fresh, and my oven was correctly calibrated to the right temp. Hm.
Jenn S. says
Hi, Caitlin. I’m so glad you liked the taste. As for the texture, did you use the Raw Almond Butter? And did you bake them right away after mixing without letting the dough sit (which would make it thicken up some. The dough should be fairly sticky. Also, where do you live? I know that high altitude baking is much different than where I’m at, but generally things turn out denser at high altitude and it doesn’t sound like that was a problem. Thanks for stopping by with your feedback and questions. I hope we can get this figured out for you!
Jane says
Am I able to use Cinnamon PB? I don’t have almond butter?
What can I use instead of maple syrup? Sorry minimal stuff in pantry
Jenn S. says
Well, the cinnamon peanut butter sounds fabulous to me! You may need to heat the pb a bit or even add just a tbsp of plant milk or water to thin it out a bit. Almond butter tends to be runnier than peanut butter, but I’m not sure what the consistency of yours is like. It should be thick, but slowly pourable. Unfortunately, I’m not sure what to tell you about the maple syrup. As I haven’t tested it this way, I’m not sure what would work. You could replace the maple syrup with agave 1:1, but I’m not a huge fan of agave. I think it’s too sweet with a funny aftertaste, so I wouldn’t recommend that. Possibly date syrup – you could look up online how to make your own if you have dates in the pantry. Sorry, I can’t be more help there. If you give it a go, let me know how it turns out and what you end up trying.
Patty says
Hi Jenn,
I made these cookies yesterday and was SO pleased with the outcome. I also used very runny almond butter and even warmed it up to make sure it was runny enough after reading some of the comments.
They are just so delicious. I was worried they would taste like every other vegan dessert recipe that uses almond butter and maple syrup (they all tend to taste the same blah to me) But they are just awesome.
The tip for wetting your hands while rolling the dough was clutch!
Thanks for the awesome recipe! Will be making again and again!
Jenn S. says
Thank you so much, Patty!! I am thrilled to hear you loved them so much. Makes my day! 🙂 Glad the tips helped too. Thank you for stopping by to leave me your feedback and say hello. Happy Holidays!
Patty says
Jenn,
I want to make these again tonight or tomorrow but would LOVE to spice them like a gingerbread cookie- any ideas on how to do that? Since they’re so chewy and moist I think it’d be perfect with this cookie!!
Please help!
Patty
Jenn S. says
Hey, Patty! I actually have a Chocolate Gingerbread Cookie on the blog that is basically just like these. If you don’t want the cocoa powder in there just add an extra 1/4 cup of almond flour. https://www.veggieinspired.com/chewy-gluten-free-chocolate-gingerbread-cookies/ Enjoy!
Patty says
Thank you so much! Happy Holidays!!!
Morgan says
I agree made these tonight and they are amazing !! Best vegan cookies I have had . Thank you !
Jenn S. says
Hi, Morgan! That is awesome to hear. Thank you so much for making them and stopping by to leave your comment. Perhaps another batch for the holidays is in order! 🙂
Trang says
I just made these and they turned out fluffy and soft instead of flat and chewy that I was hoping for. Followed the recipe to the T. And I made sure I used baking soda, not powder. Help! Cookie SOS
Jenn S. says
Hi, Trang. The only thing I can think of is maybe a difference in brands of almond flour and almond butter, but honestly, I don’t think it would make that big of a difference. I used Bob’s Red Mill almond flour and Trader Joe’s almond butter (which is very runny and perfect for this recipe…not thick and creamy). Did the cookies spread?? If not, you may need to cook them a minute or two longer. Every oven is different, so that could be a factor too.
Emily says
Same here 🙁 next time I try I think I will use less flour
Camila says
These sound so amazing! But will the taste be different if I use peanut butter intead of almond butter? I don’t have any almond butter at the moment but once I get some I’ll definitely try it out again. Thank you so much for sharing this!
Jenn S. says
Hi, Camila. Yes, I’m sure the peanut butter would be more pronounced. But that’s not to say they wouldn’t still be delicious. I love peanut butter in cookies. You might need to warm it up a bit to make it more runny though as peanut butter is much thicker than almond butter. Let me know how it works out if you try it.
Veggiesouls says
I love cinnamon! and these cookies look awesome! I will definitely try them 🙂
Jenn S. says
Thanks! I hope you love them as much as we did!