The only snickerdoodle recipe you need is right here! These Chewy Snickerdoodles Without Cream of Tartar have perfect crisp edges and are chewy in the middle, which is the ultimate texture combination for a cookie! They are simple to make, quick to bake and don't have that cream of tartar taste!

Traditional snickerdoodles cookies contain cream of tartar but this one is made without. If you enjoy snickerdoodles but don't appreciate the tangy flavor of the cream of tartar, then this is the recipe for you!
These are quick to whip up and easy to make with just a few simple ingredients and no chill time. From start to finish, you can have these chewy cookies on the table in about 20 minutes!
If you are looking for more chewy cookie recipes, try these: Brown Butter Pecan Spice Cookies, Brown Butter Brown Sugar Maple Glazed Cookies or Chocolate Cookies with Buttercream Frosting
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Why You Will Love These
- They are simple to make. You can make these quickly with minimal equipment and skill using a few basic ingredients. A very easy recipe for any baking skill level!
- There is no cream of tartar. You will not taste the tang of cream of tartar while eating these cookies, allowing you to enjoy the sweet, cinnamon flavor.
- The texture. The chewy texture in the middle and crunchy edges make these cookies irresistible.
Ingredients Needed
Here are notes about some of the ingredients needed to make this easy snickerdoodle cookie recipe. All of the ingredients can be found at your local grocery store or at an online retailer like Amazon.
- Sugar: Use granulated white sugar.
- Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar will work for these cookies.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is best when baking to allow you the ability to control the salt.
- Vanilla Extract: Use pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
- Egg: One egg at room temperature
- Flour: All purpose flour will be best for these.
- Baking powder
- Cinnamon: Use ground cinnamon.
- Salt
Step by Step Instructions
Here is how you make these easy snickerdoodles without cream of tartar. For the full ingredient list and instructions, see the recipe card below.
STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or a baking mat.
STEP 2: In the bowl of your mixer or in a medium bowl, combine ¾ cup sugar, brown sugar, and butter. You will mix this at a medium speed until it is light and fluffy, using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer or a hand mixer.
STEP 3: Add the vanilla and egg to the butter mixture and beat at a medium speed until combined and you can no longer see the egg yolk. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl.
STEP 4: In another medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and salt.) Stir with a whisk until combined.
STEP 5: Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and beat on low just until combined.
STEP 6: In a small bowl, combine the remaining ¼ cup sugar and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon. Stir to combine.
STEP 7: Using a small cookie scoop (1 ½ tablespoons), place cookie dough balls onto baking sheet.
STEP 8: Working with one cookie dough ball at a time, roll into a ball in the palms of your hands and then roll the ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
STEP 9: Place the dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets and bake them in the preheated oven for about 8-10 minutes or until they are just starting to turn goldn brown around the edges.
STEP 10: Once you remove them from the oven, allow them to cool for 5 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Expert Tips
- These delicious cookies don't spread much, but if you find that they come out an irregular shape and you would like to round them out, follow these instructions. Find a biscuit cutter or a bowl that fits around your baked cookies. Immediately after you remove them from the oven, put the biscuit cutter or bowl over each cooke and slide it around the cookie in a circular motion. Allow the cookie to move around inside to form into a nice round circle.
FAQ
Sure. You could use salted butter, but I would then reduce the amount of salt by ¼ teaspoon.
No. A cookie scoop is just convenient and helps to create a uniform batch of cookies. You are aiming for dough balls around 1 ½ tablespoons. You could easily scoop dough with a spoon instead.
Yes. Feel free to add more or less cinnamon to the cinnamon-sugar mixture based on your specific preference.
Storing and Freezing
Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
To have frozen dough that you can pull out and bake whenever you please, make the dough, roll it in the cinnamon and sugar and then place the dough balls on a cookie sheet. Put the cookie sheet in the freezer for 30 minutes before placing dough balls in freezer safe container or bag. When you are ready to bake them, take them out of the freezer, place them on a lined cookie sheet and cook for 8-10 minutes at 400° or until just beginning to brown.
To freeze completely cooled cookies, place them in a freezer safe container or bag and put them in the freezer until you are ready to eat them! Let them come to room temperature before eating.
Other Recipes to Try
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Recipe
Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookies Without Cream of Tartar
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar, divided
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.
- In a medium bowl or the bowl of your mixer, combine ¾ cup sugar, brown sugar, and butter. Beat at a medium speed for 2 minutes or light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and egg and mix until you no longer see the egg yolk.1 cup sugar, divided, ⅓ cup brown sugar, ½ cup unsalted butter, softened, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 egg
- In a separate medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and salt. Stir with a whisk to combine. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and beat on low just until combined.1 ½ cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 3 teaspoon cinnamon, divided, ¼ teaspoon salt
- In a small bowl, combine the remaining ¼ cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Stir to combine.1 cup sugar, divided, 3 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
- Using a small cookie scoop (1 ½ tablespoons), scoop dough and place on baking sheet. Working with one dough ball at a time, roll the dough into a ball and then roll in the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
- Place cookies about 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Bake on middle rack of oven for 8-10 minutes or until just starting to brown around the edges. Cool on pans for 5 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Liz says
My all time favorite cookie!
Ashlyn says
Mine too! Let me know if you try these ones out!
Kathy says
Raised on Snickerdoodles. Then raised my children in them. They are now raising our grandchildren on them. Without the Cream of Tartar however they are no longer SNICKERDOODLES!!! 🥲
Ashlyn Meredith says
Thank you for commenting, Kathy! I've come to realize this is a topic that people feel very passionate about and I can appreciate that! As someone who loves Snickerdoodles but has grown to dislike the tang of the cream of tartar, I wanted to create a cookie that tasted almost the same but didn't have that cream of tartar aftertaste. I thought it would be helpful to name it this in case anyone else was out there on Google trying to find this exact option. I know that technically these aren't a traditional Snickerdoodle and I appreciate you letting me know. How cool that you've got generations of Snickerdoodle loving family members! Snickerdoodles are for sure delicious and one of the best cookie varieties out there!
Iris Puppe says
Mein Backofen hat keine 400 Grad Celsius?!
Ist es Fahrenheit?
Ashlyn Meredith says
This is in Fahrenheit. Thank you for asking!
Gaye Davis says
My husband made these cookies a few days ago. I'm telling you...BEST. SNICKERDOODLES. EVER!! Thank you for the recipe!
Paul Davis says
I love a chewy snickerdoodle but nice and light at the same time. It will be on my cookie making list from now on!