Nothing says cozy season quite like apple butter and snickerdoodle cookies. But combined into ONE? These apple butter snickerdoodles are ultra COZY! They’re soft, fluffy, cinnamon-filled, packed with apple flavor, and dare we say they rival apple cider donuts!?
These fall-filled treats are vegan, gluten-free, and come together with just 10 ingredients. Preheat your oven and let’s bake some cookies!
How to Make Apple Butter Snickerdoodles
These cookies begin like any good fluffy cookie: with creaming (vegan) butter and sugar. Then we add vanilla extract and apple butter to round out the wet ingredients.
If you haven’t already had the privilege of apple butter blessing your palette, allow us to introduce you to the ultimate fall spread! Apple butter is essentially apples that have been cooked down with warming spices into a caramelized, sweet spread filled with bold apple flavor. Hubba hubba!
After the apple butter is mixed into the wet ingredients to achieve apple flavor in every bite, it’s time for the flours. Almond flour, potato starch, and arrowroot starch combine to make a light, cakey cookie that’s gluten-free and grain-free!
A generous dose of cinnamon gives these cookies BIG snickerdoodle flavor while baking powder makes them fluffy and salt ensures balance.
Then apple butter comes back into the picture again as we stir some in (briefly!) to create apple butter swirls throughout the dough.
Cinnamon comes back, too, in the form of a cinnamon sugar coating just like you get on a classic snickerdoodle. One bite into these cookies and you’ll know it’s FALL!
Once coated in cinnamon sugar, add the cookie dough balls to a baking sheet and press down to flatten. Transfer to the oven, and cookie time will soon be yours!
We have a feeling you’ll LOVE these cookies! They’re:
Soft
Cakey
Apple-filled
Cinnamony
Easy to make
& SO delicious!
Though standouts on their own, these cookies would also be amazing paired with a cozy cup of chai, a glass of dairy-free milk, or crumbled over vanilla ice cream.
More Fall Cookie Recipes
- Pillowy Pumpkin Snickerdoodles (V + GF)
- 1-Bowl Ginger Cookies (V/GF)
- Vegan Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
- Chai-Spiced Oatmeal Cookies (Flourless)
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Apple Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies (Vegan + GF)
Ingredients
COOKIES
- 1/2 cup softened vegan butter (we like Miyoko’s)
- 2/3 cup cane sugar (ensure organic for vegan-friendly)
- 1/2 cup apple butter (plus more to swirl into the dough in step 2 // for store-bought we like Eden)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups almond flour (we like Wellbee’s)
- 2/3 cup potato starch (NOT potato flour)
- 1/2 cup arrowroot starch (also called arrowroot flour)
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
TOPPING
- 1/4 cup cane sugar (ensure organic for vegan-friendly)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- COOKIES: In a medium mixing bowl using an electric mixer, beat together the softened vegan butter and cane sugar until light and fluffy. Next, add the apple butter and vanilla extract. Beat again until fluffy and fully combined. Add the almond flour, potato starch, arrowroot starch, cinnamon, baking powder, and sea salt. Mix on low until the flour is fully incorporated.
- Use a spatula to gently fold in 2 Tbsp (30 g) of apple butter (adjust amount if altering the default number of servings) leaving some streaks to create a swirl throughout the cookie dough. Refrigerate the dough for at least 20 minutes while you preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- When your oven is preheated and your cookie dough has chilled, add 1/4 cup (50 g) of cane sugar to a small bowl with 1 tsp of cinnamon (adjust amounts if altering the default number of servings) and stir to combine.
- Use a cookie scoop (like this one) or tablespoon to scoop out 1 ½ Tbsp amounts of cookie dough and roll into balls. Roll the cookie dough into the cinnamon sugar to fully coat. Place ball onto the baking sheet and gently press down with the palm of your hand. Repeat with the remaining dough, placing the cookies 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Your hands might get a little messy from the apple butter swirl, but trust us, it's worth it!
- Bake in the preheated oven for 13-15 minutes until the cookies have spread, puffed up, and have golden edges.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy! Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days or freeze flattened cookie dough balls for up to 1 month. To bake cookies from frozen, add 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
Video
Notes
*Loosely adapted from our Grain-Free Cut Out Sugar Cookies.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with Eden Apple Butter and the cinnamon sugar topping.
Michelle Hlubinka says
These are yummy, and great for this egg shortage holiday season.
I also used less SUGAR than the original (like someone said they’d done in an earlier comment—1/2 c. will try 1/3 c. next time as these were plenty sweet!).
No potato STARCH on hand, so sweet rice flour worked well instead — I had that
Coconut oil instead of the vegan BUTTER (thanks for that tip in the comments.)
So 3 subs and they worked out fine. It’s a flexible recipe, for sure! Thank you!
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Michelle!
Isabelle says
Oh boy, these were fantastic! I made them for the first time last night for a small Christmas gathering. I followed the recipe exactly. I was worried they were going to be too sweet but they were fantastic! Everyone loved them. The apple butter gave them a bit of tanginess that snickerdoodles don’t usually have that was really yummy. They were slightly chewy but a little soft in the middle and the outsides were decidedly chewy, which I loved.
I’ve been using country crock plant butter sticks and those seemed to work well in this recipe. The oven I was baking in runs a little cool so baking time was a bit longer than the recipe called for but the cookies did a good job of letting me know when they were done.
Will most definitely make these again!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed these cookies, Isabelle. Thank you for sharing your experience! xo
Rachel says
Would you take out the potato starch and arrowroot if you’re using Bobs Red Mill 1:1 GF substitute flour?
Hey Rachel! Are you trying to substitute all the flours (almond, potato, and arrowroot) with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 GF flour?
Tiffany says
This recipe was amazing…my favorite so far on this adventure of gluten free/vegan cooking. Only thing I changed was…I used 1/2 cup sugar vs. 2/3 cup…and I used brown rice flour vs. potato starch b/c we are trying to lessen potato consumption for my husband.
Thank you for sharing. These were incredibly moist and delish.
Yay! We’re so glad these have been a favorite so far. We hope you find many more vegan + gluten-free baked goods to enjoy :) Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Rachel says
Made this for a girl’s night, and audible MMMMs were heard from every single person. This will be a “go to” for me from now on!
I subbed tapioca starch since I didn’t have arrowroot starch. The first batch looked more pancake-y, but they were still deliciously soft.
Yay! We’re so glad these cookies were a hit at girl’s night! Thank you for sharing, Rachel! xo
The Vegan Goddess says
Ooh, delish!!!! Fluffy and tasty!
I used coconut oil instead of vegan butter, 1/3 coconut sugar in the cookie and 1/4 c. coconut sugar in the topping and it turned out great!
I love the apple bites from your wonderful apple butter recipe that I made the other day — a great tribute to autumn!
Thanks for another great recipe!
Amazing! Thanks so much for sharing your experience with those modifications! xo
Karen says
Happy Fall!
I have a little apple tree and made your apple butter from some of my harvest, primarily to use in the recipe.
Besides that, I also followed your ingredient list and instructions exactly. I’m glad I didn’t add an egg. I think the texture would change too much.
They taste so appley-y! Little tasty pillows of tastiness to celebrate the season!
Thank you, MB!
Yay! Thank you for the lovely review, Karen! We’re so glad you enjoy these cookies! xo
Lisa Woodruff says
I don’t have arrowroot starch. What is a good gluten free substitute?
Hi Lisa, tapioca starch would be the next best option, but we haven’t tested it in this recipe ourselves. Let us know if you try it!
Merrill says
Hi! I am not vegan but am GF. So I usually add an egg or two (for lighter fluffy texture) to your vegan cookie and dessert recipes. I love your recipes!
If adding an egg would you recommend less flours? I’ve had mixed results adding the eggs!
Hi Merrill, These cookies are already quite fluffy, but you could maybe get away with 1 egg in this recipe if you used slightly less of the flours. Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Sydney says
Ok..we made these and they are our most favorite cookies! Fall, our favorite season and the aroma of these through the house, actually puts everyone in the happiest mood!
They are pillowy soft, fluffy and delicious!! Easy to make and I love that they make a lot of cookies, so we didn’t have to double the batch.
Thank you for this recipe. I know it will be one we make over and over again. My son knew there was some leftover batter and said..”will you pleaser make the rest of those?” lol
A big hit in our house! ;)
Awh! We are SO glad you and your family are enjoying them, Sydney! Thank you so much for the lovely review. xo
n says
Love at first bite! Perfect fall cookie!
Yay! We’re so glad you love these cookies! xoxo
prashanthi says
Amazing! Its been a long time since y’all have introduced another apple butter recipe! I think I’m in love. Pls add some pumpkin butter stuff too!!!!
Excited for you to try this one! Pumpkin butter recipes is now on the requests list :)
Tali says
Should the vegan butter be salted or unsalted?
Either works! We like salted.
Gemma says
Would coconut sugar work in place of cane sugar? I don’t mind if the colour/taste is off a little.
Hi Gemma, We haven’t tested coconut sugar in this recipe but think it would yield a more crumbly cookie with a darker color. It would likely work in the topping!
Maggie says
Can we substitute all cassava flour for the potato starch for those of us that can’t do potatoes (lectins, sigh)?
Hi Maggie, we think the cookies would turn out dense and dry because cassava flour is quite absorbent. Potato starch is really unique in its ability to make gluten-free baked goods light and fluffy. The next best option would be a combination of corn starch + more arrowroot starch, or perhaps a small amount of cassava flour mixed with those two. Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Eatmoreplants says
You have been steered awry with the lectins. There is literally no scientific evidence that eating lectins in foods, especially in normal amounts, interferes with nutrient absorption. I hope you see a real allergist or dietitian who can help clear this up for you further. The internet can really be an evil thing. I promise you that a tbsp or two of potato starch in a recipe will not hurt you. And btw, lectin containing foods are so nutritious and will help you achieve all your health (and longevity) goals. By leaving them out of your diet you are losing out.
Signed,
Frustrated RD
Sasha says
Would these work if using regular butter?
Yes!
Vic says
These look amazing! Is there a way to sub in regular flour?
Hi Vic, all-purpose flour should work well 1-1 in place of the potato starch and arrowroot starch, but we’d recommend keeping the almond flour. Otherwise, the ratios will be thrown off too much because all purpose flour is more absorbent. Let us know if you try it!
Jess says
These look so yummy! Can I make these with regular flour??
Hi Jess, all-purpose flour should work well 1-1 in place of the potato starch and arrowroot starch, but we’d recommend keeping the almond flour. Otherwise, the ratios will be thrown off too much because all purpose flour is more absorbent. Let us know if you try it!