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Vegan Gluten-Free Vanilla Wafers

Bowl of Gluten-Free Vanilla Wafer dough and completed cookies on a scale

Stacks of sweet and crisp Vegan Gluten Free Vanilla Wafers perched on a vintage scale

Did you ever eat vanilla wafers as a kid? You know I did. They were a favorite in our house, especially for snacking, dipping in milk, and layering in things like banana cream pie and pudding. Mmm, pudding.

As you might’ve guessed, I’ve recreated this childhood classic with real, whole food ingredients so they’re now vegan and gluten-free! Let’s do this!

Mixing gluten-free flour into wet ingredients for easy homemade gluten-free Vanilla Wafers

This 9-ingredient recipe starts with a mix of organic cane sugar (or coconut sugar), coconut oil, and a hefty pour of vanilla. I relied on aquafaba for an egg replacer that is colorless, helps bind, and also contributes to a little rise when baking.

For flours, I went with a mix of almond flour, guten-free flour blend, and cornstarch (or arrowroot starch). This keeps the cookies light and provides a slight crunch.

Mixing bowl with freshly stirred Vegan Gluten Free Vanilla Wafer dough

Once you roll out your dough, simply cut into tiny circles (35 to be exact) and bake until crisp and slightly golden brown.

Using a small round cookie cutter to create vanilla wafers shapesParchment-lined baking sheet with a batch of our Vegan Gluten Free Vanilla Wafers recipe

We hope you LOVE these vanilla wafers! They’re:

Crisp
Perfectly sweet
Vanilla-infused
Easy to make
& Delicious

These vanilla wafers would make an easy sweet treat to have around the house when cravings hit or to crumble into things like banana cream pie filling and even banana blizzards! I could even see these working well blitzed up and mixed with a little coconut oil as a pie crust.

If you’re into cookies, also be sure to check out our Fluffy Vegan GF Sugar Cookies, Fudgy Vegan Brownie Cookies, Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Peanut Butter Cup Cookies.

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Happy baking, friends!

Perfectly sweet and crisp Gluten Free Vanilla Wafers resting on a vintage scale

Print
Batch of Vegan Vanilla Wafer Cookies resting on a vintage scale
4.82 from 11 votes

Vegan Gluten-Free Vanilla Wafers

Easy-to-make, fluffy vegan vanilla wafers that are also gluten-free! Simple ingredients, minimal prep time, and perfectly crisp and sweet. The perfect snack-sized cookie to enjoy with hot drinks or add to desserts!
Author: Minimalist Baker
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 35 (cookies)
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 1 month
Does it keep? 5 Days

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil* (scoopable, not melted // or sub softened vegan butter)
  • 1/3 cup organic cane sugar (or sub coconut sugar for a deeper color and earthier flavor // sub stevia to taste to keep sugar-free)
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 3 Tbsp aquafaba (chickpea brine)
  • 1 Tbsp almond milk, unsweetened
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/3 cup almond flour (we tried subbing coconut flour* but the cookies didn't turn out as crisp - see notes for details)
  • 2 Tbsp cornstarch (or arrowroot starch)
  • 1 1/4 cup gluten-free flour blend* (use our blend for best results)

Instructions

  1. Line a large baking sheet (or more as needed) with parchment paper. Set aside.

  2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk or beat coconut oil until light and fluffy in texture, similar to how you could cream butter - about 30 seconds. Then add sugar and vanilla and whisk/beat for 1 minute more.
  3. Add chickpea brine and whisk vigorously or beat for 30 seconds. Then add almond milk and mix once more. It may look a little congealed, but that is okay. Keep going.
  4. Add salt, almond flour, and cornstarch and whisk/beat to combine. Lastly, add gluten-free flour blend and stir with a wooden spoon until a loose batter is formed. It should look like cookie batter but slightly softer. If too thin, add a mix of more almond flour and gluten-free blend until a dough consistency is reached. If too thick, add a splash of almond milk. 

  5. Chill batter for 15 minutes (uncovered) while preheating oven to 350 degrees F (176 C).
  6. Once chilled, roll out into a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle between two pieces of wax paper and use a small circle cookie cutter to cut out cookie shapes. Reform dough as needed until it's all used up.

  7. Gently transfer cookies to your parchment-lined baking sheet. They won’t spread while cooking, so they can go pretty close together. However, you may need to bake these in two batches depending on the size of your baking sheet.
  8. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom and dry on the top. For crunchier cookies, bake longer. Just be careful not to burn. For more tender cookies, bake less.
  9. Let cool completely before removing from the pan. Store leftovers loosely covered at room temperature up to 5 days or well-sealed in the freezer up to 1 month.

Notes

*If using vegan butter in this recipe, make sure it’s softened before use. And you will likely need 1-2 Tbsp less each of the cornstarch, almond flour, and gluten-free flour as the coconut oil is more wet and requires more. Lastly, know that using coconut oil makes these a little crunchier and the vegan butter makes them softer and more tender, like a sugar cookie. Both work - it just depends on which you prefer!
*Using coconut flour tends to make the cookies more tender and slightly less crisp the next day after baking, which is why it wasn't our ideal but still a decent option to keep these nut-free.
*If using coconut flour in place of almond flour, (as the original recipe is written) consider starting with 1 cup + 3 Tbsp gluten-free flour blend, as coconut flour can tend to dry out the dough a bit.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated using coconut sugar, almond flour, and cornstarch.

Nutrition Per Serving (1 of 35)

  • Calories: 53.6
  • Fat: 2.6g
  • Saturated fat: 1.7g
  • Sodium: 18.6mg
  • Carbohydrates: 6.8g
  • Fiber: 0.3g
  • Sugar: 1.9g
  • Protein: 0.5g
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55 Comments 10 ingredients or less, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Fall, Gluten Free, One Bowl, Recipes, Soy-Free, Spring, Summer, Sweet (dessert), Vegan, Vegetarian, Winter

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danaHi, I'm Dana! I am a food stylist, photographer, creator of Food Photography School and author of Everyday Cooking.

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All commentsI made thisQuestions
  1. Avatar for PreethaPreetha says

    July 20, 2019 at 4:52 am

    Hi
    Can I use organic spelt flour ? I am trying to avoid white rice (or anything that is refined) to keep the glycemic index low
    Thanks
    Preetha

    Reply
    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      July 20, 2019 at 8:47 am

      We’re not sure but let us know if you give it a try!

      Reply
  2. Avatar for KellyKelly says

    July 15, 2019 at 2:34 pm

    My husband and I are just recently on a vegan diet for health reasons and I was lamenting the loss of cookies — real cookies. I have tried other recipes on your site that have all been delicious, so I popped “cookies” into the search engine and found these Vegan Gluten Free Vanilla Wafers! They were so easy to make and absolutely delicious! I used Earth Balance instead of the coconut oil, Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer, and Bob’s Red Mill GF 1 for 1 Flour. Thank you for the recipe – this will be a standard! You have made going vegan for me a little easier!

    Reply
    • Avatar for Support @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      July 16, 2019 at 9:59 am

      Thanks for sharing, Kelly! So glad you enjoyed them! xo

      Reply
  3. Avatar for LL says

    June 8, 2019 at 3:21 pm

    These were SO delicious. I cut the sugar down to 1/4 cup, swapped out cornstarch for tapioca starch, and used one egg instead of the chickpea brine. Kept everything else the same and they came out amazing. ?

    Reply
  4. Avatar for MavisMavis says

    April 26, 2019 at 12:54 pm

    Can these be used in making banana pudding? I recently realized that my favorite vanilla wafers from Trader Joe’s aren’t vegan (don’t know how I missed the word Butter all these years), so I’m looking for a replacement wafer, and if I can make my own that would be even better.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Support @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      April 26, 2019 at 2:38 pm

      Hi Mavis, yes it can! Here is our banana pudding recipe.

      Reply
  5. Avatar for Stephanie SStephanie S says

    February 20, 2019 at 12:27 pm

    I used Namaste gf flour versus blend recommended (soy and legume allergy). I substituted a small amount of Teff flour (2Tbsp) for the 1-1/4 cup total. I also added 1Tbsp ground blend of Hempseed, chia seed, and flaxseed. I did use medium egg also. My almond flour was clumping since I store in freezer. The coconut oil wanted to stick to bottom of mixer bowl, so I had to scrape it and remix. My resulting dough was stiff and easy to handle. I rolled dough in small balls and pressed on parchment paper with greased glass. Once baked I placed frosting inside two cookies to make a gf vanilla creme cookie for my son. I was happy with result- texture, sweetness, crispness, and flavor.

    Reply
  6. Avatar for Stephanie SStephanie S says

    February 20, 2019 at 12:26 pm

    I used Namaste gf flour versus blend recommended (soy and legume allergy). I substituted a small amount of Teff flour (2Tbsp) for the 1-1/4 cup total. I also added 1Tbsp ground blend of Hempseed, chia seed, and flaxseed. I did use medium egg also. My almond flour was clumping since I store in freezer. The coconut oil wanted to stick to bottom of mixer bowl, so I had to scrape it and remix. My resulting dough was stiff and easy to handle. I rolled dough in small balls and pressed on parchment paper with greased glass. Once baked I placed frosting inside two cookies to make a gf vanilla crepe cookie for my son. I was happy with result- texture, sweetness, crispness, and flavor.

    Reply
  7. Avatar for AndreaAndrea says

    January 15, 2019 at 6:24 pm

    I can’t eat nuts, so I swapped the almond flour for oat flour and used flax milk, I did have to use a bit more milk. I also subbed 1tbls of the coconut oil for vegan butter to lower the fat. Anyhow, they turned out great! I love that they aren’t overwhelmingly sweet.

    Reply
  8. Avatar for PriyaPriya says

    January 5, 2019 at 1:58 pm

    The vanilla wafers look delicious.

    What could I use as a substitute for arrowroot or cornstarch? (I have psyllium husk) could that work?

    Thank-you

    Reply
    • Avatar for Support @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      January 6, 2019 at 7:49 am

      We haven’t tried psyllium husk and can’t say for sure! Potato or tapioca starch may work? If you experiment with any of these substitutions, report back on how it goes. Good luck!

      Reply
  9. Avatar for Margaret LMargaret L says

    November 7, 2018 at 12:38 pm

    Can I use whole wheat flour for these? Or another non-gf flour?

    Reply
  10. Avatar for ErinErin says

    October 2, 2018 at 5:21 am

    What could be used instead of coconut oil or any oil at all? I’m trying to eliminate oil from my diet (whole food plant based).

    Reply
    • Avatar for Support @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      October 2, 2018 at 8:31 am

      Hi Erin! I wouldn’t recommend skipping the oil for this recipe, but you could use olive oil or vegan butter in place of coconut oil.

      Reply
  11. Avatar for Tonja ScottTonja Scott says

    September 6, 2018 at 3:19 am

    Hello,
    Just wondering what I can substitute the aquafaba with, as my daughter is allergic to chickpeas.

    Thank you,

    Tonja

    Reply
    • Avatar for Support @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      September 6, 2018 at 6:09 am

      If not vegan, you could try using an egg in place of the aquafaba? Otherwise a flax egg should work as well.

      Reply
  12. Avatar for Ashley MAshley M says

    August 24, 2018 at 8:33 pm

    I made no changes to the recipe other than using a vanilla bean instead of extract because I had one, so why not? The cookies came out great. I preferred them slightly crisper and brown at the edges. I made them tonight and I think I’m going to have to make them again tomorrow.

    I like these better than the store bought ones by a long shot. No weird aftertaste, not too sweet and the texture with the almond flour was great!

    Thanks for taking the time to write this up!

    Reply
  13. Avatar for Allison MieraAllison Miera says

    August 8, 2018 at 10:43 pm

    These cookies taste great! The dough was super oily and kind of hard to handle, but in the end not too bad. Some of them burnt just a little. My suggestion is to make them more on the thick side. I am super excited to put these together with your banana blizzard recipe!! The mixture is in the freezer as I’m typing this out!

    Reply
  14. Avatar for BrandyBrandy says

    July 30, 2018 at 10:11 am

    Thank you for this recipe.
    We are assembling the peanut butter banana pudding tomorrow.
    I used the coconut flour substitute. I flipped the cookies over during baking to help crisp them.
    Usually I have to make a separate banana pudding for myself without cookies do to being GF.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Support @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      July 30, 2018 at 2:59 pm

      We hope you enjoy it, Brandy!

      Reply
  15. Avatar for EvalataEvalata says

    July 26, 2018 at 6:55 pm

    I just made these and I they turned out nice. I made them very thin and still got about 26. The ones in the photo look very thick not sure how you would get 35 from that ?. Delicious nonetheless and the recipe is a keeper. I like how they were slightly sweet and the house smelled amazing while baking.
    P.S. why are you guys asking to sub the aquafaba for an egg? You are in the wrong website.

    Reply
    • Avatar for NatalieNatalie says

      October 12, 2018 at 5:31 pm

      There are many of us who suffer multiple allergies. Dana’s website has saved our ability to not only feed our children, but make food that we can all sit down and enjoy together as a family – key to helping our children develop positive and social associations with food. Unfortunately, when a person is allergic to pea protein, nuts, soy, corn, wheat, whey, psuedo grains like millet and amaranth, or in our children’s cases – all of these – it becomes important to keep an open mind about what goes back into the diet since so much of what others take for granted is no longer an option. Thank you, Dana, for your amazing recipes and what’s more, how your website opens the world up to all kinds of people and diets, rather than narrowing them.

      Reply
  16. Avatar for MunaMuna says

    July 21, 2018 at 1:58 pm

    I didn’t have ingredients to make the gf flour so I subbed all purpose flour and added to the almond flour. I took them out at about 16 minutes for a softer cookie. They turned out wonderfully! The dough was addicting. I could see adding some of the batter to some (n)ice cream. :) If being able to eat cookie batter safely isn’t reason enough to go vegan… ;) Great recipe!

    Reply
    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      July 25, 2018 at 12:57 pm

      Great! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    • Avatar for AnabelAnabel says

      April 24, 2019 at 11:14 am

      Not necessarily – raw flour can make a person sick and may contain e.coli.
      Anyway – Will be trying this recipe tonight, don’t have aquafaba so I will be using a chia egg, wish me luck <3

      Reply
  17. Avatar for MunaMuna says

    July 20, 2018 at 10:13 am

    I was wondering the same. Can this be made without a GF flour mix? Such as Almond flour and all purpose flour?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      July 20, 2018 at 11:40 am

      I think that should work! Let us know if you try it!

      Reply
  18. Avatar for DianeDiane says

    July 19, 2018 at 7:47 pm

    I made this recipe exactly as written with my GF blend being 3/4 oat flour, 1/4 garbanzo bean flour. I wanted the cookies crispy and had to bake longer than suggested, 24 minutes, until the edges got barely golden and the cookies seemed like they would get crisp as they cooled. Blended them and used as a delicious cheesecake crust!

    Reply
    • Avatar for Support @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      July 20, 2018 at 6:22 am

      Glad you enjoyed them, Diane!

      Reply
  19. Avatar for Linda AltafferLinda Altaffer says

    July 19, 2018 at 1:59 pm

    I don’t need to have gluten free so what flour can I use?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      July 20, 2018 at 1:20 pm

      Probably just unbleached all purpose or white spelt!

      Reply
      • Avatar for Linda AltafferLinda Altaffer says

        July 20, 2018 at 2:36 pm

        Thank you!?

        Reply
  20. Avatar for LouLou says

    July 19, 2018 at 11:44 am

    Looks great! Is it possible to make this recipe without the GF flour blend? I’m trying to avoid flours like tapioca etc. Is it possible to use only the almond flour?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Riyana Rebecca SangRiyana Rebecca Sang says

      July 19, 2018 at 11:59 am

      Wondering this too!

      Reply
    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      July 19, 2018 at 12:00 pm

      If I were you I’d use almond flour mixed with some other gluten free (if needed) flour. Almond flour on its own can be too tender.

      Reply
  21. Avatar for Christina CoburnChristina Coburn says

    July 19, 2018 at 11:35 am

    If using your GF flour blend for this recipe – is there a substitute for potato starch and tapioca flour? I am nightshade and tapioca intolerant.

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      July 20, 2018 at 1:19 pm

      Hmm, thats tough. If you can try oat flour. Otherwise, perhaps a blend of almond, arrowroot, and buckwheat?

      Reply
  22. Avatar for JoeJoe says

    July 19, 2018 at 11:26 am

    Like several others, I’d prefer to not use the vegan substitutes. For the chickpea brine, would you use a whole egg, or one or two egg whites? I’m assuming you can do a straight one-to-one sub real butter for coconut oil, since that’s worked in other recipes (room temp solid fat for solid fat, as opposed to trying to work out subbing some liquid oil for solid fat)

    Reply
    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      July 20, 2018 at 1:18 pm

      I’d recommend 1 small egg!

      Reply
  23. Avatar for CindyCindy says

    July 19, 2018 at 9:15 am

    Hi! What can replace coconut oil? Olive oil? Unfortunately, coconut oil raises my cholesterol.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      July 19, 2018 at 11:21 am

      Olive oil should work. Either that or vegan butter.

      Reply
  24. Avatar for MaryMary says

    July 19, 2018 at 8:19 am

    So I can use one egg instead of the chick pea brine? I am allergic to beans and pulses.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      July 19, 2018 at 11:20 am

      Yes, I’d recommend one small egg.

      Reply
  25. Avatar for Jana EverettJana Everett says

    July 19, 2018 at 8:10 am

    I’d also love to know how to sub eggs! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Avatar for LatishaLatisha says

      July 19, 2018 at 9:12 am

      I agree with Barbara, most plant-based/vegan recipes you would sub 1 egg as you would with recipes that use animal by-products. To be sure you may want to compare it with another recipe that isn’t plant-based and gluten-free.

      Reply
  26. Avatar for Barbara ThompsonBarbara Thompson says

    July 19, 2018 at 7:22 am

    I would go with one egg since the recipe calls for 3 tbsp aquafaba, you just need it to bind.

    Reply
  27. Avatar for VanVan says

    July 18, 2018 at 12:38 pm

    What if this recipe was made with eggs…how many would it call for?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      July 19, 2018 at 11:20 am

      probably one – let us know if you give it a try!

      Reply
  28. Avatar for Sarah | Well and FullSarah | Well and Full says

    July 18, 2018 at 12:07 pm

    I love ‘nilla wafers! These look fab, Dana!

    Reply
  29. Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

    July 18, 2018 at 11:19 am

    Coconut or rice milk for the almond milk. As for the almond flour, I’d say your best bet is subbing 1-2 Tbsp coconut flour OR just additional gluten free flour blend. Let us know if you try it!

    Reply
    • Avatar for Miriam VannMiriam Vann says

      July 19, 2018 at 3:05 am

      If you don’t mind green than make sunflower seed flour, you could also add some cocoa to take the green colour out

      Reply
  30. Avatar for Lora RileyLora Riley says

    July 18, 2018 at 9:50 am

    What can I use in sub to all ingredients that are nut based for I am allergic to all nuts ? Thank you for your time

    Reply
  31. Avatar for KikiKiki says

    July 18, 2018 at 9:24 am

    Looks Delisch! Would love to try this weekend!

    Have you tried it with a liquid sweetener? e.g. Maple/date syrup…I am not a big fan of coconut sugar nor stevia.

    thanks in advance <3

    Reply
    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      July 18, 2018 at 11:18 am

      I haven’t! But if you do, let us know how it goes!

      Reply

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