Gluten-free Pumpkin Snickerdoodles (Keto Option)
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If you love pumpkin and snickerdoodles, you've come to the right place. These Healthy Pumpkin Snickerdoodles are not only gluten-free & sugar-free with AIP, vegan, and keto options, but they're super delicious too.
These Gluten-free Snickerdoodles are so good, our boys ask for whenever I'm in a baking mood. They like them better than store bought “healthy cookies” too. Win for mom and win for kids!
This is one of our all-time favorite cookie recipes.
Pumpkin recipes are just one of my favorite things no matter what time of year it is. We have a few of our favorites on the blog like these Soft Pumpkin Cookies, and homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice, and even a Dairy-free Pumpkin Creamer, but these Pumpkin Snickerdoodles are something special.
And for a cookie, these are quite healthy and adaptable to almost any special diet. Not only are they gluten-free, but these fabulous cookies can also be made grain-free and low-carb.
Literally, every time I talk about baking cookies, my sons ask for these.
And if you're in the mood for snickerdoodles now, but don't feel like baking, try these Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough Balls.
Ingredients
Following are the ingredients you'll need for the recipe. For more details and amounts needed, scroll down to the recipe card.
- flour – most gluten-free blends should work well for this or make your own blend. See the Keto Version section for low-carb directions.
- pumpkin puree – make sure to not buy pumpkin pie filling for this. You want plain pumpkin puree only.
- coconut oil – butter can also be used.
- sweetener – I use a low-carb sweetener, but really any granulated sweetener should work out as long as it's a one for one substitute for sugar.
- egg or egg substitute – either one works well. I use this Powdered Egg Replacer all the time for this recipe.
- spices
Directions
- Preheat oven.
- Combine ingredients for Cinnamon Coating and set aside.
- Combine flour, salt, baking soda and spices in a medium-sized bowl.
- If coconut oil is not soft enough to mix easily, melt in pan and place in a bowl.
- Add sweetener and egg (or substitute) to the softened oil. Beat well. Add pumpkin puree and vanilla. Beat again.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix thoroughly.
- Take a small amount of dough, roll into balls, drop in cinnamon sugar topping, and roll to coat.
- Place on a baking stone or cookie sheet, flattening a bit.
- Bake until slightly golden brown.
- Cool a bit before removing from baking sheet to completely cook on cooling rack.
Keto Version Instructions
There are other options of low-carb flours that you could try, but using almond flour is the most obvious version. As mentioned in the Recipe Notes above, here is how you can do that.
Use the same amount of almond flour as the gluten-free flour amount.
Increase the baking soda by 50% and use only 1/4 cup coconut oil.
This version is great. We actually like it even better than the regular gluten-free pumpkin snickerdoodle version.
Recipe Notes and Substitutions
- Sweetener: Although I use xylitol for a candida-friendly option, you can substitute any healthy sweetener.
- Egg Substitute: My Homemade Powdered Egg Replacer is a great homemade option for an egg substitute. A flax egg or chia egg would be great as well.
- Flour: See my Gluten-Free Baking Tips for gluten-free flour blend info. For a grain free or paleo version, use either organic tiger nut flour, which is also AIP, or 2 cups organic almond flour, for low carb. If using almond flour, increase the baking soda by 50% and use only 1/4 cup coconut oil. These work out GREAT this way. I haven't tried the AIP option, but we love the keto version.
- THM: For those on the Trim Healthy Mama plan, this recipe is a crossover unless you use the almond flour option, which will make these snickerdoodles qualify as an “S.”
- Topping: You could also use my Healthy Cinnamon Sugar as a topping for these cookies.
- Soaking Option: For better digestibility, you could also soak the flours overnight, per instructions in my post on How and Why to Soak Grains. Be warned, however, that you will get quite a workout mixing a batter this thick after it soaks. Note that for some reason, the fermenting process doesn't seem to work so well with these cookies so it's up to you if you want to try it.
- Cookie Spread: These cookies don't spread out much when baking, so as much as you press them down, that is the size that the baked cookie will be.
Other Healthy Fall Recipes
- Nut Butter Fruit Dip (perfect for apples, pears, whatever). Great drizzled on the cake, cookies, ice cream, or warm cereal.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice – perfect for all of your pumpkin recipes.
- Paleo Shepherd's Pie – low-carb with roasted veggies
- Healthy Gourmet Caramel Apples
- Pumpkin Pecan Cookies – the perfect fall combo!
- Healthy Pumpkin Custard – like an easy crustless pumpkin pie.
Healthy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Snickerdoodles (Sugar-Free with Keto Option)
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1/2 cup coconut oil (or healthy fat alternative like butter)
- 3/4 cup low carb sweetener
- 1 large egg (or egg substitute like this Powdered Egg Replacer)
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups gluten-free flour (whole grain preferred. Use Almond Flour for grain-free. See Recipe Notes)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Cinnamon Coating
- 1/2 cup granulated sweetener (as healthy as possible–use low-carb sweetener)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Combine ingredients for Cinnamon Coating and set aside for later use.
- Combine flour, salt, baking soda and spices in a medium-sized bowl.
- If coconut oil is not soft enough to mix easily, melt in a pan over low heat. Place in a bowl.
- Add sweetener and egg (or substitute) to the softened oil. Beat well. Add pumpkin puree and vanilla. Beat well again.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Mix thoroughly, but do not over-mix.
- Take a small amount of dough (I use a small cookie scoop for this process), roll into balls, drop in cinnamon sugar topping, and roll to coat. (NOTE: For gluten-free cookies, the smaller the cookie the better as they will crumble more easily than those made with gluten flours.)
- Place on a baking stone or cookie sheet (I highly recommend baking stones) about 2 inches apart, flattening a bit with your hand (or the bottom of a glass).
- Bake for about 10 minutes, or until slightly golden brown.
- Cool for approximately 5 minutes before removing from baking sheet to cool on a cooling rack.
- Try not to eat them all at once :-).
Notes
- Sweetener: Although I use xylitol for a candida-friendly option, you can substitute any healthy sweetener.
- Egg Substitute: My Homemade Powdered Egg Replacer is a great homemade option for an egg substitute. A flax egg or chia egg would be great as well.
- Flour: See my Gluten-Free Baking Tips for gluten-free flour blend info. For a grain free or paleo version, use either organic tiger nut flour, which is also AIP, or 2 cups organic almond flour, for low carb. If using almond flour, increase the baking soda by 50% and use only 1/4 cup coconut oil. These work out GREAT this way. I haven't tried the AIP option, but we love the keto version.
- THM: For those on the Trim Healthy Mama plan, this recipe is a crossover unless you use the almond flour option, which will make these snickerdoodles qualify as an “S.”
- Topping: You could also use my Healthy Cinnamon Sugar as a topping for these cookies.
- Soaking Option: For better digestibility, you could also soak the flours overnight, per instructions in my post on How and Why to Soak Grains. Be warned, however…you will get quite a workout mixing a batter this thick after it soaks :-). Note that for some reason, the fermenting process doesn't seem to work so well with these cookies so it's up to you if you want to try it.
- Cookie Spread: These cookies don't spread out much when baking, so as much as you press them down, that is the size that the baked cookie will be.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may vary depending on ingredient brands, substitutions, and preparation methods. Optional ingredients are not included. Net carbs are typically calculated by subtracting fiber and sugar alcohols (such as erythritol) from total carbohydrates. This information should not be relied upon for medical or nutritional purposes.
I'd love to hear what you think about these cookies once you try them!
Do you think you could use 1 c almond flour and 1 c oat flour and it still work well? Thanks
Not sure but it sounds like a delish combo. I think you need less oat flour in recipes so maybe go a little lighter on that at first.
This are so so so good. The flavor is amazing. I made the gfree version and they are incredibly crumbly but still delicious. Maybe I’ll try xanthum gum next time? Thank you for the treat! Will be making these again!
Yea!!!
I can’t thank you enough for this recipe! I have tweaked it a bit to adapt to our specific diet but these are wonderful! My boys and myself love them! Super easy, super quick and oh so yummy!
These look so good. I have been reading your gluten free tips. Do your recipes already have the added 25% baking soda/powder or do I need to add the extra?
Yes -that’s for converting recipes that use gluten.
This recipe looks great except for the artificial sweetener. I have little tolerance for any type I’ve found so far (though I do have Nectresse in the house). Anyway, I may try to make these without the sugar or maybe add some unsweetened coconut and vanilla. I’m also thinking to substitute almond or coconut flour. Any comments or suggestions for these modifications?
Almond flour might work – not coconut. It’s a totally different animal. I don’t consider xylitol to be totally artificial but I hear you. You can try veggie glycerine, jerusalem artichoke, yacon and stevia.
Just remember when using Xylitol that it is a death sentence for dogs and other pets if they accidentally or purposely get a cookie or human treat. It is a sweetener usually used in diet gum and as little as one stick of the gum can kill a small dog. I don’t touch the stuff. Gonna try the recipe but not with Xylitol
I know about xylitol – and I am concerned about the sugar alcohols a little – I need to do more research about them. But one thing to remember is that dogs can’t have chocolate or raisins or grapes either and I don’t typically see folks up in arms about them. It’s a good thing to know about but I don’t think that is should be vilified b/c it isn’t good for dogs. Thanks for commenting :)!
What is your ratio/flour recipe for the gluten free option? I can’t wait to try these!
I just put a link in the post – hope it helps!
THANKS!!!!
What a perfect cookie for the autumn season! Thanks for highlighting the recipe on Facebook!
Thanks! Hi Julia!
These look good. The kids love snickerdooles and I had to open a can of pumpkin this morning when I made pumpkin pie dip for their lunches. I was wondering what I would make with the pumpkin I didn’t use. I think I will make these today for when they come home from school.
Pumpkin Pie Dip? Recipe please :)! Let me know how they turn out :)!
Pumpkin Pie dip is easy. Dairy and wheat are not an issue in my house we have peanut and nut allergies here.
1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt (I use Stonyefield organic) If I am using plain yogurt I do add a sweetner not necessary with the vanilla yogurt. 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon (I used Trader Joe’s pumpkin pie spice this morning because I had it in the house and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla. That’s it pretty easy and the kids like it to dip their apples and graham crackers in it.
I made these tonight with sucanat as the sugar. I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Flour Blend and some white rice flour with the amount of xthantham (however that is spelled) gum the flour bag called for. I also used homemade pumpkin puree. The texture of these cookies was GREAT. Soft and fluffy. The problem I had was with the taste, they had a weird after taste. I think it was the homemade pumpkin puree. I would try these again but with a canned pumpkin. I roasted my pumpkins so they have a heavier flavor probably better suited for a savory dish. I just wanted to say that this is the first gluten free cookie I have made that was not a disaster!
Yea! So glad. I used canned so I hope that was the issue. I used no gums. 🙂