Last autumn, I found myself staring into my nearly bare pantry, hoping for a miracle. The only thing I had left in the spice drawer was a lonely tin of cinnamon, and in my baking cabinet? Just plain old baking powder. No cream of tartar to be found—what a drama! But you know what? That little kitchen kerfuffle led me to my new favorite spin on a classic family treat: snickerdoodles without cream of tartar. These cookies have a soft, pillowy center, a crackly cinnamon sugar crust, and all the cozy comfort you crave, with zero panicked grocery runs.
It was the perfect afternoon pick-me-up—fluffy dough in one bowl, cinnamon sugar flirting in another, and the warm scent of vanilla dancing through the air. My husband wandered in saying, “What smells so good?” and before I knew it, we were dunking snickerdoodles into hot cocoa by the fireside. Trust me, these are the kind of cookies you’ll want to stash in your lunchbox, tie up with a ribbon for a friend, or gobble up straight from the cooling rack (I won’t tell!).
Why You’ll Love These Cream-Free Snickerdoodles
- No cream of tartar needed—just trusty baking powder for perfect lift.
- Soft, chewy centers meet crackly, cinnamon-speckled edges.
- Pantry-staple ingredients you probably already have.
- Ready in under an hour (including chill time)—so quick, so satisfying.
- Kid-approved crowd-pleasers for school snacks or holiday swaps.
- Totally adaptable: gluten-free, vegan, or extra-spiced, your choice!
- Doubles or halves like a breeze—bake just what you need.
- I mean, who doesn’t love a cookie that feels fancy but is seriously simple?
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Unsalted Butter (1 cup / 227 g): I’m partial to Kerrygold or Land O Lakes. Make sure it’s room temperature so it creams just right.
- Granulated Sugar (1½ cups / 300 g) + 2 Tbsp reserved: That extra sugar gets tossed with cinnamon for the best crackly crust.
- Eggs (2 large): Room temp is your friend—pop them out of the fridge 30 minutes before baking for lighter, fluffier cookies.
- Vanilla Extract (2 tsp): Use pure if you can (Nielsen-Massey is dreamy), but imitation works fine in a pinch.
- All-Purpose Flour (3¾ cups / 470 g): Spoon and level for accuracy—too much flour can lead to dry cookies.
- Baking Powder (2 tsp): The unsung hero replacing cream of tartar + baking soda combo. Twice the lift, extra tenderness.
- Fine Sea Salt (1 tsp): Balances the sweetness. If you only have Morton’s table salt, go easy—start with ¾ tsp.
- Ground Cinnamon (1 Tbsp) + 2 tsp extra: Double duty in the dough and coating for maximum warmth and spice.
Pro tip: For an even chewier bite, swap half the butter for vegetable shortening or slip in an extra egg yolk (just one!).
Directions
- Preheat & Prep: Heat your oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats—this little trick means no sticky mess and perfect bottoms. Seriously, don’t skip this part!
- Cream Butter & Sugar: In a large bowl (or stand mixer with paddle), beat the butter and 1½ cups sugar on medium speed until it’s pale, fluffy, and smells like a dream—about 3–4 minutes. Scrape down the sides so everything mixes evenly (your future self will thank you).
- Add Eggs & Vanilla: Crack in the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl in between. Pour in that vanilla and mix until silky smooth. Your kitchen should smell downright irresistible now.
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and the extra 2 tsp cinnamon. This helps spread the spice and leavening magic evenly through every bite.
- Combine: On low speed, add the dry mix to the wet—just enough until you see no more flour streaks. Over-mixing = tough cookies, so stop early and let the mixer rest.
- Chill the Dough: Pop the dough into the fridge for 20 minutes. I know it’s tempting to skip, but this rest is key for puffy, perfectly round cookies instead of sad, flat discs.
- Roll in Cinnamon Sugar: In a shallow dish, stir your reserved 2 Tbsp sugar with 2 tsp cinnamon. Scoop dough with a 1½-Tbsp cookie scoop (or roll by hand) into balls, then roll each one in the cinnamon sugar until coated.
- Bake: Arrange dough balls about 2 inches apart on your prepared sheets. Bake 9–11 minutes, rotating halfway if your oven is quirky. Look for set edges and slightly underbaked centers (they’ll finish cooking on the hot pan).
- Cool: Let cookies rest on the sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Don’t rush—those first few seconds let the crust crisp just right while the inside stays tender.
Yield: about 24 classic snickerdoodles
Total Time: roughly 45 minutes (including a quick chill)
Variations & Flavor Twists
- Pumpkin-Spice Snickerdoodles: Stir in ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice to the dough and skip the extra cinnamon sugar—that autumn vibe is real.
- Ginger-Cinnamon Kick: Add ½ tsp ground ginger and a pinch of cloves for a warm, slightly spicy bite (a holiday favorite!).
- Vegan Version: Swap butter for plant-based margarine and eggs for flax “eggs” (1 Tbsp flaxseed + 3 Tbsp water per egg), and you’re golden.
- Gluten-Free Swap: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. It works like a charm—no one will guess they’re GF!
- Lemon-Zest Brightener: Stir 1 tsp lemon zest into the cinnamon sugar coating for a zesty pop that’s surprisingly refreshing.
- Brown Butter Upgrade: Gently brown your butter before creaming for a nutty depth of flavor. Just watch it like a hawk!
Storage & Reheating Tips
These cookies keep their magic for days if you store them in an airtight container at room temperature—up to 5 days, if they last that long. Want to freeze? Pop the cooled cookies in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. To refresh, warm in a 300 °F oven for 3–4 minutes or let them sit at room temp for a few minutes to thaw.
If you’re freezing dough balls (genius move!), freeze them on a tray first, then stash in a bag. When you’re ready to bake, just drop them straight onto the sheet from the freezer and add a minute or two to the bake time—cookie magic is right at your fingertips!
Let’s Chat!
And there you have it—my cozy, irresistibly soft snickerdoodles without cream of tartar. I promise, once you try these, you’ll never stress about that missing pantry staple again. Got questions, secret tips, or a quarantine cookie war story? Drop a comment below—I love hearing from you! If you’re on a cookie binge, you might also swoon over my Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie or Triple Ginger Biscotti. Until next time, happy baking and stay cozy!
Snickerdoodles Without Cream Of Tartar
Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar plus 2 Tbsp reserved for rolling
- 2 large eggs eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 ¾ cups (470 g) all-purpose flour spoon and level for accuracy
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon plus an extra 2 tsp in the sugar mix
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Beat butter with 1 ½ cups sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a separate bowl.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Chill the dough for 20 minutes.
- Roll dough into balls and coat with cinnamon sugar. Place on baking sheets.
- Bake for 9–11 minutes, until edges are set and centers look slightly underbaked.
