Gluten Free Snickerdoodles
December 1, 2020 by Amethyst Ganaway
Sweet, soft, and crunchy are the perfect way to describe these snickerdoodles. Fonio Flour is a great gluten-free alternative. It is light and fluffy with a slightly nutty taste and makes doughs and batters that are very similar to the consistency of all-purpose flour.
For me, the holidays bring nostalgic memories of the smell of freshly baked cookies wafting through the house. The scent of cinnamon and vanilla always create warm feelings. I live near the mountains now, with lots of snow, so the smells are even more welcome. But to be honest, I’ve never considered myself a baker! Moving from Charleston to Albuquerque, a place with high elevation has changed that. It comes with its own set of challenges, but I figured there was no better time to learn to bake some basics and cookies were first on my list.
This recipe can be made pretty quickly and with very little mess, making it a great activity to get kids involved in. The cookies retain the distinct flavor and texture of a snickerdoodle, and can even be made with plant based dairy alternatives for a vegan option. If you can’t find cream of tartar (which provides texture and the signature tart tang of a snickerdoodle), feel free to omit it. You’ll end up with cookies that are closer to cinnamon-sugar cookies— different, but still great!
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ⅛ cup (22 grams) granulated white sugar
- 1 ¼ cup (200g) Yolélé fonio flour
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
- 01 .
Preheat oven to 375°F and line a metal baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 02 .
In a small bowl, mix 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon and white sugar together and set aside.
- 03 .
In a separate bowl, whisk together the fonio flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and remaining ground cinnamon until they are well incorporated and then set aside.
- 04 .
With a stand or hand mixer, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes on medium speed. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix well, about an additional 2 minutes.
- 05 .
Reduce mixer speed to low, and slowly incorporate the fonio flour mixture until everything is well incorporated, about 5 minutes. Halfway through the process, turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of your mixing bowl so that everything gets well mixed.
- 06 .
With a small scoop or teaspoon, form dough balls that are around 1 ½ inches in diameter (about 2 teaspoons). Dip the dough balls into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place each ball on the lined sheet tray with about 2 inches of space between each. Gently press down on them so that they become cookie shaped.
- 07 .
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until light golden brown and still slightly soft.
- 08 .
Let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes on the sheet tray, then carefully move to a wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!
