Easy Snickerdoodles (No Cream of Tartar)

January 25, 2021

This is my first recipe of 2021 and I decided to keep things reaaaalllll simple with an easy, but oh-so-comforting snickerdoodle. Buttery, with a soft center and edges that are chewy and crispy, these are a classic for a reason. This is my go-to recipe for any dinner party or group hang-out (remember those?!). 

For these snickerdoodles, I made a version without cream of tartar (which is the leavener traditionally used in snickerdoodles). Cream of tartar is one of those ingredients that you may not have on hand, and I don’t want you to make a special trip to the store just for one ingredient. But here’s the secret: baking powder is just a mix of cream of tartar and baking soda, so it’s still in there - don’t worry, these are legit snickerdoodles. 

Since cinnamon is the dominant flavor, you should use whatever variety you prefer. For these, I used ceylon cinnamon (also known as canela or Mexican cinnamon), which has a mild but distinct flavor. But you can also use the traditional cinnamon variety we all know and love, or Saigon cinnamon (also known as Vietnamese cinnamon), which tastes like those little red hot candy hearts. Use whatever you prefer - you do you!

recipe

Adapted from Everyday Annie’s Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies

Quantity: ~30 cookies

Time: ~2 hours

Ingredients: 

Cookies

• 360 g (3 cups) all purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 225 g (1 cup or 2 sticks) butter, room temp

• 198 g (1 cup) granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 3 tablespoons vanilla 

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Cinnamon Sugar Coating 

• 2 tablespoons cinnamon

• 49 g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar

Process:

Mix Dough

1. Line baking sheets with parchment paper (or silicone baking mats).

2. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or in medium bowl with a hand mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until soft and fluffy (2-3 minutes).  

3. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix to combine. 

4. Add salt, baking powder and baking soda and mix until just combined. 

5. Add in the flour and mix in your stand mixer (or mix with a rubber spatula), until just combined, being careful not to over-mix.  

Assemble

1. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl 

2. Scoop dough into balls using 2 tablespoon cookie scoop and drop directly into the bowl of cinnamon sugar. 

3. Roll the ball of cookie dough until completely covered. Transfer to a tray or plate. 

4. Chill the dough for 30-60 minutes.

Bake

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. 

2. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. In my oven, I bake for 11.5 minutes. The cookies will be puffed up and slightly golden around the edges. 

3. Allow cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before enjoying. They will deflate a bit as they cool, creating the signature crinkles. 

Tips: 

• You can use whatever cinnamon variety you prefer. Traditional, ceylon / Mexican or Saigon / Vietnamese are all delicious options. 

• You may have left over cinnamon sugar. You can store it in a small container and use it for your coffee that week, but I don’t recommend keeping it for longer than that since it’s come in contact with the oils in the dough batter. 

• This dough freezes really well. Just roll your dough balls in cinnamon sugar freeze on a tray. Once the balls have frozen, you can transfer them to a ziploc bag and store in your freezer for 2-3 months. When you’re ready to bake, remove however many cookies you want to bake and let them defrost for 10-15 minutes before baking (usually I just defrost the cookies while my oven preheats). 

• This recipe works great as a half batch or a 1.5 batch.