Snickerdoodles without Cream of Tartar

Indulge in the warm and comforting flavors of cinnamon and sugar with this classic Snickerdoodles without Cream of Tartar recipe. Featuring soft and chewy cookies made with simple ingredients of butter, sugar, flour, and baking powder and coated in a delicious cinnamon-sugar blend for an extra sweet and crunchy finish.

This step-by-step guide takes you through the process of making the perfect snickerdoodle dough, adding the ideal amount of spice, and achieving the perfect texture and flavor. Plus, we've included expert tips and tricks for customizing your cookies with unique variations and creative toppings, so you can enjoy the ultimate snickerdoodle experience.

Why you'll love these

Chewy and lightly spiced

When it comes to cookies that perfectly capture the essence of the cooler months, there is one delightful treat that stands out above the rest: Snickerdoodles. These delectable cookies are a must-have during autumn and winter, thanks to their warm cinnamon sugar coating that adds a touch of coziness and comfort to every bite. Snickerdoodles have a long and cherished history that adds to their allure.

Quick prep

These cookies are quick to prepare and bursting with flavors that will surely make them your favorite choice whenever you have a craving. Simply scoop the dough onto a prepared baking sheet and bake.

History of Snickerdoodles

The origins of this popular dish are unclear, but it is believed to have originated from German immigrants in the 19th Century into the United States. Over time, the cookies came to be known as "Schneckennoodles" or "Snickerdoodles." The reason for the name change is unknown, but it is thought to be influenced by the Dutch word "Snekrad," which means "little sweet cake." The recipe's popularity spread widely and it eventually found its way into cookbooks, solidifying its place in American culinary culture.

Ingredients and substitutions for Snickerdoodles without Cream of Tartar

• Butter: Unsalted butter is used for the cookie, but if all you have on hand is salted, that works as a fine substitute, just leave out any salt suggested in the recipe.
• Sugar: The brown sugar helps to make the cookies chewy, whilst the superfine or caster sugar helps to give our cookies sweetness. You could substitute with superfine completely. It is not recommended to completely substitute with brown sugar as this result in more of a caramel undertone.
• Eggs: The room temperature egg binds and adds structure, resulting in that soft interior.
• Flour: Plain or all purpose flour is best for a nice light cookie crumb.
• Baking powder: This helps our cookies rise quickly giving them their signature crinkle appearance. Additionally cream of tartar is included in the baking powder helping to give them their signature slightly tart flavor.
• Ground cinnamon: The ground cinnamon in our sugar coating also gives our cookies their signature flavor.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to make Snickerdoodles without Cream of Tartar:

Preheat your oven to 190C/375F and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.

Place the butter, brown and superfine sugars into a bowl and beat on medium until pale and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes with an electric mixer.

Add the egg and continue to beat until well combined, beating for a further minute.

Toss in the flour, baking powder and salt and combine until no dry portions remain in your bowl.

Place your sugar and cinnamon into a shallow bowl and stir together.

Scoop up a portion of dough and roll it in your hands.

Place into the sugar spice coating and coat evenly.

Lightly press onto your baking tray as you place it down.

Allow 2 1 ½ inches space between your cookies on your tray.

Bake for 10 minutes or until golden at the edges.

Allow to sit on your baking tray for 3 minutes before placing on a cooling rack.

Serve with a glass of milk.

Dig in and enjoy!

Variations

You can definitely change up the dish by changing the following:

Pumpkin butter - you could add a tablespoon or 2 of pumpkin butter to add a Fall flavor to the cookies. However, the result might mean your cookies are slightly more moist in their dough and whilst baking so it is recommended to add 10 grams / 1 tablespoon of plain flour for any moisture you add in to create a dough similar to the ones below.

Spices - instead of simply placing ground cinnamon into your coating you could add pumpkin spice or a dash of ground cardamom or allspice.

Equipment needed to make a batch

Mixing bowl: You’ll need a medium mixing bowl to make the cookie dough.

Greaseproof paper: Lining your baking tray will make getting the soft cookies off easy.

Hand or stand mixer: To whip the dough, this is best done with a mixer to get as much air as possible into the moist ingredients.

Ice Cream Scoop: The scoop used here creates large cookies with a diameter of 6 centimeters / 2.36 inches.

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