Easy Snickerdoodles Without Cream of Tartar
These easy snickerdoodles without cream of tartar have a cinnamon sugar coating and soft, chewy texture. They are ready to enjoy in less than 30 minutes and taste just like traditional snickerdoodles but without cream of tartar! This is the perfect holiday cookie recipe that everyone will love.
Equipment
- 1 Electric Mixer or Stand Mixer
- 2 Mixing Bowls
- 2 Large Baking Sheets
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
Snickerdoodle Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature *see notes for DF version
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour *see notes for GF version
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the room temperature butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. This usually takes 1-2 minutes.1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and evenly combined.2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Mix on low speed until the ingredients are just combined. The dough will be thick and sticky, be careful not to over mix!2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a separate small bowl, stir together the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon for the cinnamon sugar topping.¼ cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- Use a 1-inch or 1.5-inch cookie scoop to form evenly-sized balls of cookie dough. Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture until they are fully and evenly coated.
- Place the sugar-coated cookie dough balls on a baking sheet 2-3 inches apart, leaving plenty of room for spreading.
- Bake the snickerdoodles for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are slightly firm and the centers remain soft. They should be golden in color, but be very careful not to over bake them or they won't be as chewy.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the tray for 10-15 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Enjoy!
Notes
Storage: Store leftover snickerdoodle cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 5-7 days. This will keep them from drying out. To freeze the cookies, place them in an airtight container in the freezer for 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Gluten-Free: For a gluten-free snickerdoodle, you can replace the all-purpose flour with gluten-free all-purpose flour or a similar 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend.
Dairy-Free: Use dairy-free or vegan stick butter instead. I do not recommend using a vegan butter spread; the stick butter works better. Make sure it is room temperature.
Cookies will spread! Make sure you leave a few inches of room between the cookie dough balls before baking so they have room to spread in the oven without morphing together.