Soft-Baked Paleo Cinnamon Roll Snickerdoodles

Ingredients

For the Soft-Baked Snickerdoodle Dough:

• 1.75 cups superfine blanched almond flour
• 0.33 cup tapioca starch or arrowroot flour (creates signature chewy stretch)
• 2 tbsp organic coconut flour (absorbs excess moisture)
• 0.5 tsp cream of tartar (essential for authentic snickerdoodle tang)
• 0.5 tsp baking soda and 0.5 tsp coarse Celtic sea salt
• 0.33 cup melted grass-fed ghee or solid virgin coconut oil
• 0.33 cup pure Grade A dark maple syrup
• 1 large pasture-raised egg, room temperature
• 2 tsp pure Madagascar vanilla extract

For the Cinnamon Sugar Rolling Coating:

• 3 tbsp unrefined coconut sugar or maple sugar
• 1.5 tsp ground Ceylon cinnamon

For the Dairy-Free Cinnamon Roll Glaze:

• 3 tbsp culinary coconut cream or melted coconut butter
• 1.5 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 0.5 tsp pure vanilla extract and pinch of cinnamon

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat Oven & Prep Sheet: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together almond flour, tapioca starch, coconut flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and Celtic sea salt until lump-free.
3. Mix Wet Dough: In a separate bowl, whisk together melted grass-fed ghee, pure maple syrup, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients. Stir with a silicone spatula until a thick, soft dough comes together.
4. Quick Dough Rest (Flour Hydration Secret): Let dough rest at room temperature for 5 minutes (this allows coconut flour and tapioca to hydrate, making dough easy to roll into balls).
5. Roll in Cinnamon Sugar: In a small bowl, combine coconut sugar and ground Ceylon cinnamon. Using a 1.5-tbsp cookie scoop, scoop dough and roll between your palms into 14 smooth balls. Roll each ball generously in the cinnamon sugar coating until completely covered.
6. Arrange & Flatten: Place coated dough balls onto the parchment-lined baking sheet 2 inches apart. Gently press down on each ball with your palm to flatten into a 0.5-inch thick disc (these cookies will puff slightly but won't spread excessively). Sprinkle any remaining cinnamon sugar over top.
7. Bake to Soft Perfection: Bake at 350°F for 9 to 11 minutes until edges are set and lightly golden, but centers remain soft and pillowy. (Do not overbake!).
8. Glaze & Serve: Remove baking sheet to a wire rack. Let cookies cool on the sheet for 10 minutes to firm up. In a small ramekin, whisk coconut cream, maple syrup, and vanilla for the glaze. Drizzle warm glaze in a cinnamon roll spiral over each cookie. Serve warm with almond milk!

Nutritional Breakdown (Per Cookie)

Chef's Paleo Nutritional Science

Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) contains bioactive cinnamaldehyde that enhances cellular insulin receptor sensitivity and glucose disposal. Superfine almond flour supplies Vitamin E alpha-tocopherol and magnesium, while unrefined coconut sugar provides inulin prebiotic fibers for gut microbiome nourishment.

Frequently Asked Questions