Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles

This easy recipe makes gluten-free snickerdoodles that are crisp on the edges and soft in the center. Before baking, they’re rolled in cinnamon-sugar. The coating gives the cookies a lovely flavor and a pretty “crackled” appearance. But the best part might be how easy they are to make. From start to finish, a batch takes about 30 minutes.

Snickerdoodles look and taste a lot like sugar cookies. But there’s one important difference: classic snickerdoodles are made with cream of tartar. Since cream of tartar is acidic, it gives the cookies a subtle and lovely tangy flavor. This one ingredient sets them apart from classic sugar cookies. 

Just like gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodles are a “drop” cookie. All you need to do is mix the dough, roll it in the coating, drop it onto a prepared baking sheet, and bake. No chilling or rolling is required. This means not only are these cookies tasty, but they’re easy to make too!

Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make a batch of gluten-free snickerdoodles. It’s always a good idea to measure all your ingredients before you start mixing the dough. This way you know you’ve got everything you need to make the cookies.

• Gluten-free Flour. Use a gluten-free flour that contains xanthan or guar gum. Without it, the cookies spread too much. I tested the recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. 
• Cream of tartar. This works with the baking soda to give the cookies a slightly puffy texture and a very subtle tangy flavor. You can replace the cream of tartar and baking soda with one teaspoon baking powder. Snickerdoodles made with baking powder instead of cream of tartar taste similar to sugar cookies. Different but still delicious. 
• Baking soda. Combines with the cream of tartar to give the cookies lift. 
• Salt. Use fine (table) salt. It blends easily into the dough and enhances the flavor. 
• Cinnamon. There’s ground cinnamon in the dough and in the coating.
• Butter. Softened butter gives these cookies a rich flavor and tender texture. For a dairy-free version, use a dairy-free butter that’s suitable for baking. 
• Sugar. Use granulated sugar for the classic snickerdoodle texture. If you want your cookies extra soft and chewy, use brown sugar. 
• Egg. One egg brings the dough together. 
• Vanilla Extract. A teaspoon of vanilla extract adds flavor. 

How to Make Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles.

If you’ve ever made gluten-free sugar cookies or chocolate chip cookie dough, you’ll recognize these steps. It’s a simple dough to make. The key to success? Start with softened butter.

1. Cream the batter and sugar. Mix softened butter with the sugar until it’s smooth and creamy. This step gives the cookies a nice light texture. 
2. Scrape the bowl. After mixing the butter and sugar with the egg, stop the mixer. Scrape it down. This removes the thick layer of butter that clings to the bowl. After you give the bowl a good scrape, run the mixer again. This blends everything together. 
3. Use a cookie scoop. My favorite tool for making cookies is a cookie scoop. It makes shaping the dough so easy. And every cookie is the same size! This means they all take the same time to bake. 
4. Press the dough down. After you put the dough on the pan, press it down. Do this with your hand or the bottom of a glass. This step helps the cookies spread evenly.
5. Don’t over bake! If you love cookies that are tender in the center, bake until the edges just start to turn golden brown. For crisp cookies, bake them an extra minute or two.

Storage Tips

Store the cooled cookies on the counter in a container with a lid for up to five days. 

How to Freeze Baked Cookies.

Place the cooled cookies in a freezer container. To keep the cookies from sticking, place a layer of wax or parchment paper between each layer. Freeze for up to three months. 

How to Freeze Cookie Dough.

Gluten-free snickerdoodle dough freezes very well.

• Prepare the cookie dough as directed.
• After rolling it in cinnamon-sugar, place the cookies on a pan.
• Space the cookies apart so the dough doesn’t stick together.
• Freeze for about an hour. Once the cookie balls are frozen, transfer them to a freezer container or bag. 
• When you’re ready to bake: preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the frozen cookie dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake until set, about 12 minutes. 

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Easy Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle Recipe

Easy recipe for gluten-free snickerdoodles. These buttery sugar cookies are rolled in cinnamon-sugar before baking. Making the cookies tasty and pretty! (Dairy-free variation included.)

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Total Time 22 minutes

Servings 24 cookies

Ingredients

For the Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle Dough

• 1 ⅓ cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free Baking Flour (6 ⅔ ounces; 185 grams)
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, see note 1
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick butter, softened (4 ounces; 113 grams)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar (5 ¼ ounces; 150 grams)
• 1 large egg

For the Cinnamon-Sugar Coating

• ¼ cup granulated sugar (1 ¾ ounces; 50 grams)
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375℉. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or grease lightly.

2. Whisk the gluten-free flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.

3. In a large bowl, mix the butter and sugar together until smooth. Add the egg. Mix on medium-high speed. Stop the mixer once and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.

4. Stop the mixer. Add the gluten-free flour mixture. Blend until the dough comes together.

5. Prepare Cinnamon-Sugar Coating: stir together cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. 

6. Scoop the dough, about one tablespoon each, into balls. Roll in cinnamon-sugar. Place on baking sheet, about an inch apart to allow for spreading. If you want, sprinkle a little extra cinnamon-sugar on each cookie. Flatten the dough a little with your hand or the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in gluten-free flour.

7. Bake until edges are golden brown and cookies have set, about 12 minutes.

8. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for five minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
9. Store cookies wrapped on the counter for up to five days or freeze cooled cookies in a freezer bag for up to four months.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Cream of Tartar. If you don’t have cream of tartar, replace it and the baking soda with 1 teaspoon baking powder.

Dairy-Free Variation: To make these cookies dairy-free, replace the softened butter with your favorite dairy-free buttery spread. Be sure to use one that’s suitable for baking.