Easy Snickerdoodle Cookies Without Cream Of Tartar - Crave The Good (2024)

Snickerdoodles are a quintessential American cookie. They are crispy on the outside, soft and chewy in the inside, with cinnamon sugar coating them. Their taste is so addicting that they’re usually gone before you know it! But what if I told you that they can be made without cream of tartar?

Snickerdoodle cookies are one of the most popular cookie recipes on the internet. They’re easy to make, and they taste great. But it sucks when you run through the ingredient list and realize you’re without a main ingredient!

No worries! This recipe is perfect for those who can’t find their cream of tartar in the back of the spice cupboard. Save yourself a trip to the grocery store, because you can make snickerdoodle cookies without cream of tartar!

These cookies are soft and chewy with a hint of cinnamon sugar flavor that will leave you wanting more.

This snickerdoodles without cream of tartar recipe is dedicated to you!

Tips + Tricks

No. 1 –> To bake soft and tender snickerdoodles, bake your cookies only until the tops are just set and the edges just start to brown. The middle should still be soft and gooey. They will continue to cook on the pan.

No. 2 –> These cookies won’t have the exact same flavor profile as regular snickerdoodles but they’re still delicious, even without zingy cream of tartar.

No. 3 –> I like to bake only one cookie sheet worth of cookies at a time to get the best results. When baking with multiple sheets, it can give inconsistent baking results.

No. 4 –> This recipe recommends chilling the dough for at least 1 hour. This is negotiable, they can be baked immediately after mixing, but you’ll end up with a better cookie with less spread if you can wait!

No. 5 –> If you’re making your own extracts these days, use homemade vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon extract for extra cinnamon goodness!

Key Ingredients

Butter: When it comes to cookies, you just gotta get the butter in there! Room temperature butter is easily creamed with the sugar to incorporate air and helps to prevent gluten development leading to a more cake-like cookie. Always start with room temperature butter and ensure to cream the butter and sugar for at least 3 minutes. This ensures a fluffy, tender texture.

Vanilla: This is used to give snickerdoodles a rich vanilla flavor, as well as an added sweet aroma, and also, vanilla plus cinnamon = heaven!

How To Make Snickerdoodles Without Cream of Tartar

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle cream together the softened butter and sugars until light and fluffy. This takes about 3 minutes at medium-high speed.
2. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Then add the vanilla extract.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients and whisk them together.
4. Add dry ingredients to the mixing bowl, and beat until completely combined.
5. Transfer the mixing bowl the fridge and chill, covered, for 60 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, prepare the cinnamon sugar topping, line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat, and preheat the oven to 350f.
7. Once the dough has been chilled, remove it from the fridge and roll into balls before tossing in the cinnamon-sugar coating.
8. Place the balls 12 to a cookie sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes at 350f. The cookies are done when they look slightly underbaked – the edges are set and the middle looks gooey. Allow the cookies to rest on the cookie sheet for 5 or so minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.

Batch + Storage Information

Batch:

I scooped out my cookies using my #40 cookie scooper before rolling into cookie balls, this gave me 36 delicious little snickerdoodles!

This recipe can easily be doubled or halved, if halving, use 1 cup + 6 tablespoons of flour.

Storage:

These snickerdoodles cookies without cream of tartar can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They can also be cooled completely, then stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Freezing:

If you’re like me, you’ll bake 1 cookie sheet worth, then scoop the remainder of the dough into balls, roll them in the sugar topping, then spread into a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze solid before transferring them into a freezer friendly container. The frozen dough will keep up to 12 months! Simply remove the desired amount of cookies from the container, and thaw before baking as directed.

Some of the sugar on the topping dissolves when you freeze then thaw the cookies, to mitigate that, you can roll them after they’ve thawed! I noticed this happens a lot with my ginger snap cookies, but I’ve never noticed a taste difference!

Substitutions + Variations

Get creative with your cookie!

• Add in some ginger or a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg to the dough for some extra flavor.
• Sub the cinnamon for chai spice in the sugar roll!
• Use apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon in the dough and in the sugar topping!

More cookie recipes to try:

Recommended Equipment

Stand mixer:I use myKITCHENAID MIXERfor so many things. It makes everything much easier – I couldn’t live without it for my baking! I’ve got a bum wrist on my dominant hand which makes kneading quite difficult, having my stand mixer is such a blessing.

Heavy baking sheet: As a collector of all things kitchen, I have to say, my preference for cookie baking sheets is ALWAYS a heavy pan. A lightweight pan does not bake the same way, transfer heat the same way, and actually prevent over-browning the same. If you’re a big cookie baker, get yourself a quality, heavyweight baking sheet.

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See Also

Quick and Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

📖 Printable Recipe

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