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No cream of tartar? No problem! It’s easy to make Snickerdoodles without cream of tartar and they bake up so soft and perfectly chewy after being rolled in cinnamon sugar.
I’m definitely something of a cookie connoisseur and going to a bakery with me is a bit of an event, because I want one of everything. Like, everything. Give me one of each. I’m not kidding.
My husband loves spending all of our hard earned money on the single bite I will take from every single cookie at every single bakery we visit. Loves it. 😉
And one thing I’ve learned is that snickerdoodles are either my favorite or I hate them. It 100% depends on how much cream of tartar is used.
So, we came up with a snickerdoodle recipe without cream of tartar, mostly because I was out the day I wanted to bake snickerdoodles, but also because I was curious how they’d taste without any at all.
Hello – I think I like these better than the ones made with cream of tartar and that’s nice because now I don’t have to keep that little jar in my spice drawer solely for snickerdoodle cookies!
What is a Snickerdoodle Cookie?
Traditional snickerdoodle cookies are known for their distinctive flavor, partly from the cinnamon and sugar coating but also from the tanginess that cream of tartar adds.
They have a crinkly exterior and a perfectly soft and chewy interior and they’re rolled in lots of cinnamon and sugar which makes them a bit like a sugar cookie.
These snickerdoodles without cream of tartar are also perfectly soft and chewy and are coated in cinnamon and sugar. They don’t have quite the same tangy flavor but the texture and cinnamon sugar flavor is spot on!
Snickerdoodle Cookies without Cream of Tartar
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- ½ cup butter room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For topping:
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the butter and sugar to a mixing bowl and mix with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined.
- Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the butter mixture and beat until well combined.
- Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop out dough. Roll the dough into balls in the palm of your hands.
- Whisk the topping ingredients together in a small bowl and roll each cookie dough ball in the topping to coat.
- Place cookies on the prepared baking sheet about 3 inches apart.
- Bake cookies for 10 minutes. Cookies should be thick and puffy and sink a bit as they cool.
- Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Information:
What We Love About THIS SNICKERDOODLE Recipe:
- Texture: A good snickerdoodle cookie has a pillowy soft and chewy interior and these won’t disappoint! The baking powder will do the same job that the cream of tartar does so these come out just right!
- Holiday Cookies: These snickerdoodles can be enjoyed all year long but they also make great cookies for the holidays!
- Mild: Classic snickerdoodles have a bit of tang to them. I like that these have a more mild flavor so the cinnamon sugar coating can shine. If you like that tang, just add lemon juice to the recipe! See the recipe notes.
Ingredient Notes:
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For the cookies:
Cornstarch – This helps make for an ultra soft cookie.
Baking Powder – This is the key ingredient replacing the Cream of Tartar!
Vanilla Extract – For flavor. We like to use a good quality vanilla extract in all our recipes to get the best flavor!
Lemon Juice – This one is optional but if you’re missing that tangy flavor from the cream of tartar you can add a teaspoon of lemon juice with the egg and vanilla. It’ll put the tanginess back in the snickerdoodles!
Other – You’ll also need room temperature butter, an egg, sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt to prepare the snickerdoodle cookie dough.
For the topping:
Cinnamon & Sugar – It’s not a snickerdoodle if it’s not rolled in cinnamon and sugar.
Helpful TipS!
- Still want that tangy taste but don’t have the Cream of Tartar? Try using a teaspoon of lemon juice!
- The white sugar can be replaced with brown sugar for a slightly different flavor and a chewier texture.
- Love cinnamon? Add a bit to your dough to add extra spice.
How to Make Snickerdoodles:
Mix: This is a classic cookie dough – beat the butter and sugar with a mixer, add in the eggs and vanilla, and then beat in the dry ingredients until well combined.
My Favorite Hand Mixer!
It’s so easy to whip up dessert with this cute hand mixer. It doesn’t take up much space and is a must for any kitchen!
Scoop: Use a cookie scoop to evenly portion your dough and then roll it into a ball. This will ensure that each cookie is the same size, which means they should all be finished at the same time.
Roll: In a small bowl mix together the sugar and cinnamon topping, then roll the balls of dough in the mixture until they are well coated. This will give the exterior of the cookies the sweet, cinnamon taste they are known for!
Bake: Place each cookie dough ball on a parchment lined baking sheet, leaving space for the cookies to spread a bit. They’ll take about 10 minutes in the oven and should have puffy centers and crisp edges.
Cool & Serve: Let the snickerdoodles cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to finish cooling completely before serving.
COOKIE ACCESSORIES!
Here are a couple helpful tools that every baker could use when making these or any other cookies!
- Check out this set of cookie scoops!
- A quality baking sheet is a must. We love USA Pans.
- This three-tiered cooling rack has plenty of room and folds up for easy storage!
FAQ’s:
You can keep these snickerdoodles without cream of tartar stored in an airtight container at room temperature just like you would with any other cookie recipe. They’ll last about 5 days. They will last a bit longer in the fridge.
Yep, these can be frozen! Keep them in a freezer safe bag or container and they can last for about 3 to 4 months.
Traditional snickerdoodles use baking soda and cream of tartar to help the cookies puff up and rise in the oven. Our recipe skips the cream of tartar in favor of baking powder which makes them a bit less tangy.
margaret divelbiss says
love this recipe, thanks for putting it on here, love the cookies
Karly says
Thanks, Margaret!