Soft and Fluffy Healthy Snickerdoodles [Small Batch]

Pillow-soft cookies with the perfect hint of festive cinnamon and a sweet sugary coating, all for less than 100 calories each. Can you believe it? After you try this healthy snickerdoodles recipe, you'll never go back to ordinary high-fat, high-sugar snickerdoodles ever again!

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A stack of healthy snickerdoodles with a plate of cookies in the background

Hello. I'm Nicola, I'm 26 and I've never had a snickerdoodle cookie before.

How insane is that?!

But you can cut me a little slack. I'm British and I live in Spain, so it's not like I pass snickerdoodles every time I'm in the supermarket. I've heard of snickerdoodles before (the first time was on The Big Bang Theory, if you're interested!) but I've never been inclined to make them myself. Until now.

Balls of raw healthy snickerdoodle cookie dough on a baking tray

I've been trying to ditch the sugar as much as possible and I've been "sweetening" my coffee with cinnamon. I read online that just a tiny shake of ground cinnamon is enough to sweeten coffee and make it enjoyable to my sugar-loving taste buds. Wrong. But it's still better than drinking black coffee made from the crazy cheap coffee beans we've got.

Since I've been sprinkling cinnamon on absolutely everything that I'd normally use sugar or sweetener in (I even tried adding a little extra cinnamon and omitting the sugar in my gingerbread overnight oats! Tip: don't do it) I've really been getting a taste for it and decided to give these cookies a go. And oh man, I'm so glad I did!

Freshly baked healthy snickerdoodles on a baking tray

I swear I say this every time I make a Christmas recipe, but the smell from these cookies when they're baking? Ah-maz-zing! Forget about homemade potpourri. If you really want your house to smell of Christmas over the holidays, just make this healthy snickerdoodles recipe again and again and again. The recipe only makes 6 small cookies, so you really could bake a fresh batch every day without having an insane amount of cookies all over the place.

A healthy snickerdoodle cookie with a bite taken out of it

P.S. What's your favourite Christmas cookie?

[social_warfare]

📖 Recipe

Overhead shot of a cookie made from my healthy snickerdoodles recipe with a bite taken out of it

Healthy Snickerdoodles Recipe

Light and pillow-soft healthy snickerdoodles that come in at less than 100 calories each! Make them for your friends and family this holiday season and no one will have the slightest idea these cookies are healthy.
5 from 9 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 6 cookies
Calories: 85kcal

Ingredients

for the cookies

  • 7 tablespoons whole wheat flour
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • â…› teaspoon baking powder
  • â…› teaspoon baking soda
  • â…› teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons butter melted
  • 2 teaspoons skimmed milk (you can substitute any type of milk)
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

for the cinnamon sugar coating

  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

  • Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in a medium-size bowl.
  • Pour in the melted butter, milk and vanilla. Stir everything together until you get a thick, sticky dough. Leave the dough to chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, make the cinnamon sugar coating. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and set to one side. Preheat the oven to 330F/165C 15 minutes before you're ready to bake and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
  • After 30 minutes of chilling, scoop out 1 tablespoon-size portions of the cookie dough and shape them into balls. (You should get 5 full-size balls and 1 ball just a little smaller.) 
  • Roll each ball into the cinnamon sugar mix, place on the lined baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, until the cookies have puffed up and turned light brown.
  • Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the baking tray to room temperature before eating.

Notes

Inspired by Chocolate Covered Katie's Skinny Snickerdoodles.

Nutrition

Calories: 85kcal

About Nicola

I’m Nicola, the face behind Happy Healthy Motivated – your go-to guide to becoming your best you!
Read my story

Reader Interactions

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy

    The perfect batch size for anyone who doesn't want/need to make lots of cookies. The classic flavour is always a hit.

    • Nicola

      Thanks so much, Gloria! I always find smaller batches work best for me 🙂

  2. Abby @ WinsteadWandering

    I love small batch recipes, I love how you've lightened up these cookies. Yum!

    • Nicola

      Thanks so much, Abby. I'm always a fan of lightened up desserts!

  3. Jessica Robinson

    These cookies remind me of growing up on a small farm. Snickerdoodles were a must each holiday season! Thanks for sharing a healthy version!

    • Nicola

      Thanks so much, Jessica! Glad they brought back positive memories for you 🙂

  4. Analida @ ethnicspoon.com

    My husband's grandmother always brought the snickerdoodles to family gatherings and I have such fond memories of these. I love the lightened up version! Thanks for sharing a great recipe!

    • Nicola

      Awww! I'm so glad my cookies brought back happy memories for you 🙂

  5. Helene

    Love the fact that you use wholewheat flour for your healthier snickerdoodles. One more excuse to eat more of them and nothing will stop me. =D I can see myself making them the whole year round.

    • Nicola

      Thanks, Helen! I'm always up for making any recipe a little healthier 🙂

  6. Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago

    These are always such a great cookie. I love that you make them a bit healthier!

    • Nicola

      Thanks so much, Kathryn! You'd never guess they're healthy! 🙂

      • Alexia

        Can I use all purpose flour? I have flour that says all purpose but underneath it says bleached wheat flour is that okay?

        • Nicola

          Hi Alexia. Sorry for the late reply - I've been on vacation! If you still want to try the recipe, your flour should work out fine 🙂

  7. Amanda Mason

    Yeah for snickerdoodles! I love these cookies and my favorite part is the cinnamon! Full of flavor!! thanks fo posting!

    • Nicola

      I'm a big cinnamon lover, too, Amanda!

  8. Julie

    I'm 34, and I've never had a snickerdoodle before! I think it's because I always see them as a Christmas cookie, and I don't celebrate Christmas?

    • Nicola

      Glad to see I'm not the only one, Julie! You should definitely give them a go, though. You'll be very glad you did! 😀

  9. lauren

    You're not alone! I'm 31, live in Boston, MA and have never had a snickerdoodle. But after seeing these, that might have to change! They look delicious, warm, and comforting.

    • Nicola

      I really thought I was the only one!! Glad to see I'm not. And the cookies are exactly as you say, and more! 🙂

  10. Amy Nash

    Snickerdoodles are one of my husband's favorite cookies! These look so yummy and I love that they are on the healthier side as far as cookies go!

    • Nicola

      Thanks, Amy! I hope he enjoys them if you bake them for him 🙂

  11. Monica | Nourish & Fete

    I love that these are little healthier and in a small batch - just the thing for little cravings!

    • Nicola

      Thanks, Monica! Healthy and small-batch - that's my forte!

  12. Sara

    These look perfect! I can't resist a good snickerdoodle. A healthy one is a major bonus!

    • Nicola

      Thanks so much, Sara! 🙂

  13. Alexia

    Can you substitute the wheat flour for regular flour? Or would that be less healthy haha

    • Nicola

      Honestly? There isn't much difference between regular and whole wheat flour. Go ahead and switch! 🙂

  14. jj

    hey, can I use coconut oil and sugar instead of butter and granulated sugar?

  15. Christina L Dean

    Can these be made Gluten-free or have a Gluten-free version?

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