Soft + thick Snickerdoodle cookie recipe that is perfectly spiced! These classic cookies are easy to make with a gluten free and dairy free option.
These soft and thick snickerdoodle cookies are maybe the best you’ll ever eat! Buttery cookies with a crunchy sugar and spice coating that have the softest middle. They come together in almost no time at all, making them perfect for last minute cookie baking!
Ingredients
Since these cookies are made with only a few ingredients, making sure the ingredients are high quality is super important.
Butter - High quality is sooo important! I prefer salt free butter when possible so I can control exactly the amount of salt I add to the cookies. For a dairy free option, use your favorite plant-based butter. Mine are Earth Balance baking sticks!
Cream Cheese - Shh! This is a secret ingredient to gluten free baking. Just a little bit added to the dough helps keep the dough moist and results in a better bake on the cookies. For a dairy free option, use your favorite plant-based cream cheese, or an equal amount of your favorite non-dairy yogurt. Just make sure it is plain flavored!
Sugar - Classic snickerdoodle uses both cinnamon and sugar to get the coating before going into the oven, but there is sugar in the dough as well.
Eggs - This recipe uses 2 whole eggs to help bind the dough together as well as give it rise and moisture. I haven’t tried these cookies egg free (yet).
Gluten Free Flour - Use your favorite brand of gluten free flour to make these cookies. Make sure that it is a good blend made for baking (don’t try this with heavy flours) and has xanthan gum in the blend.
Baking Powder - This helps the cookies rise to get their soft and fluffy texture.
Cream of Tartar - This ingredient is an acidic leavener that helps cookies rise, binds and stabilizes the dough (which is important in gluten free baking!), and prevents the sugar from crystalizing. That means you get a softer cookie!
Vanilla - Never forget the vanilla.
Cinnamon - The other main ingredient for snickerdoodle flavor! Whatever cinnamon you have on hand will do. I love Saigon cinnamon for it’s more intense flavor profile. Saigon cinnamon is also said to have a few health benefits, like anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Making a cookie healthy? I’m so in!
How to Make a Snickerdoodle Cookie
Start by grabbing a large bowl with a hand mixer, or your stand mixer. Place your butter and cream cheese in and give it a good whip until it is light and fluffy. Add the sugar and mix again.
Next, add the vanilla extract and eggs one at a time and making sure to blend well after each addition.
In a medium sized bowl, sift together the gluten free flour of your choice, cream of tartar, baking powder, and salt.
Now, in two additions, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Make sure to combine it well before adding more flour. Mix on medium until a soft dough forms. Don’t be afraid to turn the mixer up because we don’t need to worry about over developing the gluten!
After the dough has come together, it’s time to roll the dough into balls and then into the cinnamon sugar combo! Aka the best part of these cookies.
First, prepare a few cookie sheets with parchment paper. This helps to prevent the cookies from sticking, as well as makes clean up even easier.
In a cereal bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon. I like to use 1 part cinnamon to 3 parts sugar, but you can make these more or less spicy depending on how you like your cookie!
Using a tablespoon, roll the dough into balls and then roll those balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Then transfer to the prepared cookie sheet. Gently press them into a flattened disc to help them get their shape before baking.
Bake them in the oven at 350F for 11-13 minutes, depending on how hot your oven runs. I recommend a lighter colored cookie sheet as I’ve discovered the dark cookie sheets tend to make my gluten free cookies a bit overdone.
Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.
How to Store
These will keep in an airtight container on the countertop for up to a week and still stay soft and delicious! If you’re making them ahead of time, you can freeze the cookies for up to 3 months.
Snickerdoodle Variations
To make them dairy free, replace butter and cream cheese with your safe products. Earth Balance buttery sticks are my go-to plant based butter! If you can’t find a cream cheese that works for you, plain or vanilla yogurt can also work perfectly in this recipe.
I haven’t tried these cookies egg free yet but plan on it soon!
Ginger Snickerdoodle - Replace the white sugar with brown sugar in the recipe and add ½ teaspoon of ground ginger to the cookie dough. Roll in a cinnamon, ginger, sugar mixture.
Want more cookie recipes? Make sure you check these out!
Spritz Cookies (gluten free + dairy free)
Chocolate Spritz Cookies (gluten free, vegan, top 8 free)
Chocolate Chip Cookies (gluten free, vegan, top 14 free)
Did you make this recipe?
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Recipe
Ingredients
Cookies
- ½ cup butter of choice
- 2 tablespoon cream cheese of choice
- 1 ¼ cup white sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups flour of choice
- ½ tsp cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Coating
- 4 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 tsp a cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix 4 tablespoon white sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or in a stand mixer, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add sugar and mix again, for about 3 minutes.
- Add vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time. Blend well after each addition.
- In a medium sized bowl, sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in two additions. Mix on medium until a smooth cookie dough forms.
- Using a tablespoon, roll dough between hands to make a small ball. Roll the ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture we made in step one. Place each cookie ball onto the prepared baking sheet. Flatted slightly with hand. Repeat until no dough remains.
- Bake each tray for 11-13 minutes or until cookies are set and slightly golden brown on the bottoms.
- Let cool on tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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