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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.
Cathy says
My batter is very thin and runny and I have no more almond flour
Can I use tapioca flour
Jenn Sebestyen says
Hi, Cathy. The batter should be sticky and thinner than traditional cookie batter, but shouldn’t be runny. I would test 1 or 2 first and see if they come out before tweaking the batter. I don’t generally use tapioca flour, so I can’t speak to that.
Lisa says
Should i flatten the balls a bit before baking? They turned out thick and small instead of thin and big
Jenn Sebestyen says
You definitely can! I think that happens if the almond butter isn’t runny enough. The one I use is very thin and pourable. Hopefully, the taste was delicious!
Grace T. says
Does it matter whether the almond butter is salted or unsalted? I plan to make these for a Halloween party but I think the almond butter I have in the fridge is salted. Thank you!
Jenn Sebestyen says
Oooh, good catch. I’ll fix that. It should be unsalted. However, if you have salted, just leave out the salt called for in the recipe. It’s more important that the almond butter be pretty runny.
Amanda J. says
I have a friend who has gluten, egg, corn, and refined sugar issues, but she can do nuts and maple syrup. For a gathering tonight, I made these cookies. Pro-tip: Have a small dish of water and lightly re-wet hands between rolling each cookie. I made mine a little smaller to have them stretch and ended up making 29 cookies. Tried one to make sure it passed muster. Although they cracked on the tops, they are pretty and surprisingly tasty. And they are gently chewy with a nutty flavor. Good texture. I was really surprised by their subtlety. Overall good cookie. Would make a good counter-point to a fruit dish with a high acidity level like raspberries.
Jenn Sebestyen says
So happy you like them, Amanda. They should crack on the tops…that is normal. Thanks for your comment!
Amanda says
Can I sub gluten free flour for almond flour?
Jenn Sebestyen says
I’ve tried making them with other flours and they don’t work out. Definitely stick with almond flour.
Marc says
I made them with GF flour, and substituted the raw creamy almond butter with a mix of peanut butter and tahini. Also, instead of maple syrup I used honey. It was clear it needed mosture, so added almond milk a bit at a time to get the right consistency. They turned out great, albeit didn’t flatten – they are more like tiny breadrolls… and delicious!
Jenn Sebestyen says
HaHa! That’s a lot of substitutions, but so glad they turned out! Thanks, Marc!
Patty says
I love the cookies but mine don’t spread much. Am I missing something? Thank you!
Jenn Sebestyen says
Your almond butter may have been too thick. I use the Trader Joe’s Raw Almond Butter which is very runny. If it’s thick, you can heat it up a bit with the maple syrup to make it runny, or you may need a bit more maple syrup. Glad you loved the flavor! Thanks, Patty.
Amy says
Can you sub honey for maple syrup?
Jenn Sebestyen says
I would think that would work just fine.
Elizabeth says
Awesome Cinnamon Sugar cookie. Followed the recipe as written and they turned out like the picture and tasted great! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Jenn S. says
Thank you, Elizabeth! So happy you loved them!
Mia says
Thank you for this recipe! My son is gluten/dairy/refined sugar free so these are perfect! Mine didn’t flatten out like yours pictured but they were still delicious!
Jenn S. says
So happy you loved them, Mia!
Monica says
Hi! Can these be rolled out and cut into shapes? Thinking this could be great for my restricted friends come Christmas time. Thanks!
Jenn S. says
Hi, Monica. This cookie dough is very wet and sticky – not suitable for rolling. Sorry.
Amy says
Too late for this year, but maybe you could decorate them with some red and green sugar!
Regina says
Hi Jenn! Can’t wait to try this recipe. Just a question, would I be able to use less maple syrup? I don’t have too much of a sweet tooth… thanks!
Jenn S. says
Hi, Regina. They aren’t super sweet as is. I have never tried using less since this ratio works perfectly, but you can certainly try. Maybe try using 1/4 cup less – I wouldn’t leave out too much because then the ratio of dry/wet would be off. The dough should be pretty sticky, so if it’s not, the texture might turn out wrong. Good luck!
Regina says
Thanks so much!
Kristi says
Thank you for this recipe! I made these tonight and absolutely love them! So easy and taste so good! I didn’t have enough almond flour to make a full batch so I had to 1/2 the recipe. I’m so sad now. Lol.
Jenn S. says
Having only half of these delicious cookies is definitely sad. LOL! Sooo glad you loved them! Time for a trip to the store! 🙂
Pansy says
Mmm, just made these tonight, they are a little crunchy on the outside and nice and soft on the inside, just the way I like it. I used homemade almond butter in this recipe which was not “runny”, so based on the other reviews about the cookies not flattening out, I kept an eye on them because they did not spread out for me on their own either, so at 4 minutes, I used a fork to flatten them (and it added a nice design on them too). Even though these are refined sugar free, I am still looking for a really good sugar free (including no maple syrup) recipe. Still 5 stars though!
Jenn S. says
So happy you loved them, Pansy! Thank you for your great review!
Joao says
I just made these and they were great! Thanks for the tip on flattening them at 4 minutes! Also, and following on your idea for the sugar free recipe, I made the cookies with “raw date syrup” and it worked wonders!! I soaked a cup of dates on water for a couple of hours, then blended them with a cup of water until it was smooth and that’s it. It should be a healthy alternative to maple syrup as it is just the whole dates blended with water. The dough might turn out thicker and slightly less sweet, but we all loved the cookies anyway!
Jenn S. says
Thank you, Joao! I’m so glad you loved them and happy to hear the date syrup worked wonderfully as well! Cheers to delicious healthy cookies!
Kimberly V. says
I made these last year for my friend with dietary restrictions, she loved them! She shared them with our office and even the staunchest anti-vegan meat eaters thought they tasted good and had no idea they were “vegan” cookies. I am making another batch for my new office today, a perfect cookie for everyone! : )
Jenn S. says
I love that, Kimberly! Happy cookie eating! Thanks for your comment!
Caitlin says
Or could these perhaps be made with peanut flour? I’m not very experienced with non-wheat flours.
Jenn S. says
Hi, Caitlin. I have never used peanut flour before and I really know nothing about it, so I can’t say for sure. Definitely do not sub wheat flour – almond flour is much different.
Renée says
What type of flour would you suggest for those with peanut/nut allergies?
Jenn S. says
Unfortunately, this won’t work with any other flour. Almond flour works very differently than traditional wheat flours. You might try these…I haven’t personally made these, but Mel knows what she’s doing when it comes to recipes, so I’m sure they are great: https://avirtualvegan.com/perfect-vegan-snickerdoodles/