These gluten free snickerdoodles are the classic, super-soft cookies you remember, with that classic, crisp cinnamon-sugar crackle outside. The perfect cookie!
What makes this the best recipe for gluten free snickerdoodles
If you have childhood memories of snickerdoodles, then I bet your mom’s recipe is The Best (says you). I had never even heard of these perfect cookies with the funny name until sometime in the 2000s. Crazy, right?
I don’t have anything to compare them to. Yet I’m still certain that this recipe for gluten free snickerdoodles is, in fact, The Best.
That means that I don’t have anything to compare them to. Yet I’m still certain that this recipe for gluten free snickerdoodles is, in fact, The Best.
And not for nothing, but they make amazing ice cream sandwich cookies in the summertime. ☀️ Try my 3 ingredient no churn vanilla ice cream for the perfect treat.
The cinnamon-sugar on the outside is kind of crunchy, and the inside is a bit chewy and almost cakey but smooth. The trick is to get the cookies to crackle, but not to brown much at all.
You want the color to come mostly from the cinnamon-sugar mixture. This gluten free snickerdoodles recipe gets the job done.
Gluten free snickerdoodle cookies ingredient notes
- Butter – Take your butter out of the fridge about an hour before starting this recipe so that it’s soft when you’re ready for it.
- Sugar – It adds sweetness, but it’s also in the cinnamon-sugar blend that goes on top of the cookie for that amazingly crispy shell.
- Pure vanilla extract – I always recommend using the real stuff for the best flavor.
- Gluten-free flour blend – My recommended gluten free flour blend is Better Batter. When you make your selection, please be sure to learn about the available blends, and the ones you can make yourself, on our all purpose gluten free flour blends page.
- Salt – A tiny bit of salt goes a long way in bringing out the other flavors in this gf snickerdoodles cookies recipe.
- Ground cinnamon — If you can spring for something a little nicer, I highly recommend it — you won’t believe the difference.
- Baking soda – A leavening agent and an acid neutralizer, baking soda contributes to the cookie’s perfect texture.
- Cream of tartar – This is the ingredient that transforms a gluten free cinnamon cookie into a snickerdoodle. If you have a jar of cream of tartar in your pantry, be sure to double-check the expiration date — fresh works best!
Tricks and tips for making nailing this gluten free snickerdoodle cookie recipe
Measure the gluten free flour correctly
When people ask me why their gluten free baked goods didn’t come out right, I usually point to the gf flour. Typically, they used the wrong kind or they used too much. The latter is actually easier to do than you might think.
When measuring your gluten free flour blend for these gluten free snickerdoodles, I always recommend that you use a kitchen scale rather than the scoop and dump method. Measuring your flour by weight is so much more accurate than assuming you’ve scooped enough (or wondering if you’ve scooped too much).
Don’t skip the cream of tartar
Whatever you do, don’t skip the cream of tartar in this recipe. It gives the cookies their iconic tang and chewiness, transforming them from butter cookies to, well, snickerdoodle cookies.
Cream of tartar is a dry, white acidic powder that’s made when grapes are fermented into wine. You’ll find it in the spice aisle of most regular grocery stores, and it’s super useful for lots of things like stabilizing beaten egg whites instead of using lemon juice.
Use a cookie scoop for easy portioning
To ensure even baking, you want your raw cookie dough balls to be as close in size as possible. This can be hard to do by eyeballing them, which is why I recommend you use a cookie scoop.
With a cookie scoop, you can be sure that each cookie dough ball bakes into a perfect, medium-sized cookie.
Coating snickerdoodle cookie dough balls in cinnamon sugar
A proper snickerdoodle has a thick layer of cinnamon sugar that caramelizes slightly in the oven as the cookies bake and crackles as they spread. The key to getting that thick-enough layer of cinnamon sugar is the double coat.
Simply toss the disks of raw cookie dough in the cinnamon sugar mixture once, and chill the dough. Some coating will absorb into the cookies. Toss them again, and that extra layer of goodness is insurance that it’ll crackle in the oven.
How to get thicker, fluffier cookies
If you’re a fan of big, thick cookies, this tip is for you. Rather than flatten your cookie dough balls on the baking pan, leave them rolled. The dough will naturally flatten as it bakes, but it will retain some of its girth so that you can enjoy extra-thick, chewy cookies.
You can also shape the dough as directed in the recipe, but chill the shaped and dipped dough before baking it. They’ll bake up way thicker that way.
Bake longer for extra crisp
Prefer your gluten free snickerdoodles cookies on the super-crispy side? Leave them in the oven for just another minute or two. Watch them carefully as they bake as it’s a thin line from extra-crispy to overcooked.
How to store your gluten free snickerdoodles cookies
You can keep your gf snickerdoodle cookies fresh and crispy for about three days by storing them in an airtight container at room temperature.
Storing snickerdoodle cookie dough
If you’re looking for ways to save time when preparing for a big event like a birthday party or holiday celebration, I’ve got one for you. Simply prepare this cookie dough as instructed, and then leave it the fridge until you’re ready to bake. The raw dough will stay good in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
You also have the option of freezing gluten free snickerdoodles cookie dough for later use. In the freezer, the dough will last up to three months, so it’s easy to prepare a batch or two so that freshly baked cookies are always within reach.
The easiest way to freeze cookie dough is to prepare your dough as if you were going to bake cookies. Except, rather than pop them in the oven, place the baking sheet and dough in the freezer instead. Once the dough balls are frozen, transfer them to a heavy-duty, zip-top bag.
Gluten free snickerdoodles: substitutions
Gluten free, dairy free snickerdoodles
At one point or another in their young lives, 2 of my children have had to be dairy free. For that reason, I’ve made these cookies with Earth Balance buttery spread in place of the butter.
I made a gram for gram substitution of the dairy free buttery spread, and the recipe worked perfectly. I did find that they didn’t brown as quickly, so the cookies turned out more pale. No biggie.
I’d recommend, instead, using vegan butter in place of butter in this recipe for a more perfect result. My favorite brands are Melt and Miyoko’s Kitchen.
Gluten free, egg free snickerdoodles
I haven’t tried this recipe with an egg substitute, but there’s only one egg. I think the recipe would work fine with a “chia egg” (1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, mixed and allowed to gel).
Gluten free, vegan snickerdoodles
You’ll enjoy vegan-friendly snickerdoodle cookies when you combine my dairy free and egg freee suggestions above, and ensure that your sugars are not made with bone char.
Even more gluten free snickerdoodle goodness
If you really love snickerdoodles, I have a recipe for Gluten Free Snickerdoodle Cookie Chips, a crispy and crunchy, bet-you-can’t-eat-just-one type of cookie.
There’s also Brown Butter Gluten Free Snickerdoodles, which are extra chewy, and have that nutty, warm flavor of browned butter.
FAQs
What’s the difference between gluten free cinnamon sugar cookies and snickerdoodle cookies?
Simply put, the difference between gluten free cinnamon cookies and snickerdoodle cookies is cream of tartar. This special ingredient is what gives snickerdoodles the tanginess for which they’re known.
Can I make these gluten free snickerdoodles with almond flour?
While almond flour is one of many types of gluten free flours, it’s not the right one for this specific recipe. I highly recommend that you use a flour blend for a softer, lighter cookie — almond flour is just too heavy for a recipe that isn’t developed to be made with it.
How do you know when snickerdoodles are done?
The best way to judge whether your gf snickerdoodle cookies are ready is to take a peek at them. For a softer cookie, you want to remove the cookies when they’re still pale with just a hint of a golden coating. For crisper cookies, bake a few minutes more or until you’ve got crispy edges.
Why did my snickerdoodles go flat?
There are two reasons why your gluten free snickerdoodles may have gone flat while baking: Your dough wasn’t chilled so it lost its shape faster while baking or you used out-of-date baking soda or cream of tartar.
Why are my gf snickerdoodle cookies so puffy?
Puffy cookies typically result when you don’t flatten your cookie dough balls or when you’ve used too much flour. Be sure to read my tip on properly measuring gluten free flour to prevent the latter from happening.
Why are my gf snickerdoodle cookies so dry?
Assuming you used the right amount of each ingredient, dry snickerdoodle cookies are probably the result of overbaking. Remember, baking for a moment longer will give you a crisper cookie, but anything beyond that will give you a dry, hard cookie.
How to make the perfect gluten free snickerdoodles, step by step
Gluten Free Snickerdoodles
Equipment
- Hand or stand mixer
Ingredients
For the cookie dough
- 6 ½ tablespoons (91 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups (175 g) all purpose gluten-free flour blend (I like Better Batter here; click thru for appropriate blends)
- ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
For the cinnamon sugar mixture, for rolling
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
- In a large bowl, place the butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla. Beat with a handheld mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add the flour, xanthan gum, salt, 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, baking soda, and cream of tartar to the wet ingredients, mixing to combine after each addition.
- Divide the dough into 18 pieces of roughly equal size. Roll each piece of dough between your palms until it forms a ball, and then press into a disk.
- Combine the cinnamon and sugar for the rolling mixture in a small bowl. Toss each disk in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until it is well-coated. Allow the dough to sit for 5 minutes to absorb the coating.
- Roll each ball of dough in the cinnamon-sugar mixture once more, and arrange them about 2 inches apart on the lined baking sheets.
- Place the rimmed baking sheets in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or they are either pale but flat (8 minutes), or a tiny bit crisp around the edges (10 minutes).
- Cool on the baking sheets for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Gluten Free Snickerdoodles
Equipment
- Hand or stand mixer
Ingredients
For the cookie dough
- 6 ½ tablespoons (91 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups (175 g) all purpose gluten-free flour blend (I like Better Batter here; click thru for appropriate blends)
- ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
For the cinnamon sugar mixture, for rolling
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
- In a large bowl, place the butter, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla. Beat with a handheld mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add the flour, xanthan gum, salt, 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, baking soda, and cream of tartar to the wet ingredients, mixing to combine after each addition.
- Divide the dough into 18 pieces of roughly equal size. Roll each piece of dough between your palms until it forms a ball, and then press into a disk.
- Combine the cinnamon and sugar for the rolling mixture in a small bowl. Toss each disk in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until it is well-coated. Allow the dough to sit for 5 minutes to absorb the coating.
- Roll each ball of dough in the cinnamon-sugar mixture once more, and arrange them about 2 inches apart on the lined baking sheets.
- Place the rimmed baking sheets in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or they are either pale but flat (8 minutes), or a tiny bit crisp around the edges (10 minutes).
- Cool on the baking sheets for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Mare says
Snickerdoodle ice cream sandwiches will be made at my house! I bought some in the supermarket for hubby and have every intention of making these so I can eat them too. I am no longer totally grain free. I just had to have bread and made the English Muffin bread one in the oven and the last one in the crock. We’re experiencing record heat here. Time to only use oven sparingly. TIme for crock pot and Instant pot.
Nicole Hunn says
I’m so happy that you’re not totally grain free! Mare, I’m so happy you stuck around all this time even when you were totally grain free. I know you love bread in the crock. Love you, Mare!
Liz S. says
I’m like you…I did not grow up eating Snickerdoodles. My husband, on the other hand, did. He is not GF and he is incredibly supportive of my choice to go GF. There are some recipes and products that I have made that he enjoys although there are many times that he tries something and says “give me my gluten.” :)
I made these cookies yesterday. Followed your recipe precisely (used Better Batter flour and refrigerated overnight)… and they are wonderful. More importantly…my husband loves them!
BTW…love your website and cookbook…thank you!!!!!!!!
PS Going to order your new cookbook today
Liz S. says
I’m like you…I did not grow up eating Snickerdoodles. My husband, on the other hand, did. He is not GF and he is incredibly supportive of my choice to go GF. There are some recipes and products that I have made that he enjoys although there are many times that he tries something and says “give me my gluten.” :)
I made these cookies yesterday. Followed your recipe precisely (used Better Batter flour and refrigerated overnight)… and they are wonderful. More importantly…my husband loves them!
BTW…love your website and cookbook…thank you!!!!!!!!
PS Going to order your new cookbook today
Nicole says
Cheers to satisfying your husband’s nostalgia, Liz! Thank you for your support with the cookbooks. It means a lot to me!
xoxo Nicole
Peggy Ford on Facebook says
Love love Snickerdoodies…got to try these…maybe make them for our Friday night quilting group this week!
Janet Slater on Facebook says
These look awesome Nicole! Thanks so much :D!
Cam Milleson says
I love you, too. If someone asked me what I miss most in the past 3 years of gf-ness, it would hands down be Snickerdoodles. In fact, it is a holiday tradition in my family, and each year, my mother-in-law continues to bake them for the family. Last year, I actually cried once I caught a whiff. Ha! I’ll show them! Next year the best Snickerdoodles will be mine… I mean, yours. Well, you get the idea! Thanks again!
Nicole says
Hi, Cam,
It’s settled then. We’re B.F.F. ;)
That is what it is all about – sticking it to people who eat gluten! Seriously, though, there is zero zip nada nothin’ you can’t have … except gluten. And your cooking can and should be the envy of everyone else. My heart breaks when I think about your crying at a whiff of Snickerdoodles. I HATE that feeling, and it is my purpose to make sure that never happens to anyone ever again. Even people who never actually bake anything GF should rest assured that they can if they want to. The sense of possibility is what keeps away the heartbreak.
Anything else you’re dying to have – maybe your #2? I’m always looking for inspiration….
Thank you so much for posting. I really appreciate your thoughts.
xoxo
Nicole
Linda says
What? Your mama didn’t make you snickerdoodles when you were a young-un? I woulda if you had been my kid.
Nicole says
Hi, Linda,
Nope. It’s never too late, though. Feel free to make them for me any time!
xoxo
Nicole
Anonymous says
You never know–I keep hearing from S.F. friends to get out there for a visit.
Anonymous says
You never know–I keep hearing from S.F. friends to get out there for a visit.
oops–that’s me (Linda). Don’t know how to get my name added to a Reply…will noodle around some more here…
Nicole says
Hi, Linda,
I’m in NY! I wish I lived in San Francisco – or anywhere in California for that matter. :)
xo
Nicole
Kelsey Ann Miller via Facebook says
I can’t wait to try these out!! I LOVE Snickerdoodles!!
Another Carrie says
I cannot wait to try these! May have to stop by the store tonight to pick up the ingredients (running out of flour anyway ). We are supposed to bring something for the end of semester class party on Wednesday and I think these will fit the bill perfectly!
Nicole says
That’s great, Carrie. These are a real crowd pleaser!
xoxo
Nicole
aseafish out of water says
I don’t have a memory to share, never had them as a child, though it sure seems most others have. The recipe looks great though, will have to try them soon.
Nicole says
Me either, aseafish. We can just both steal one from someone else. No one will know. I won’t tell.
xoxo
Nicole
Valerie says
Yay!!!! I have been drooling over these since you put the picture up on Facebook. I swear Nicole, you make being gluten-free (and egg-free and dairy-free) worth living for. I think you are my new best friend! ;)
Nicole says
Hi, Valerie,
We’re B.F.F. We are. Can I come over? Are you thanking your lucky stars that I don’t know where you live? If I came, I would come bearing cookies or something, fer sure. Don’t worry. I only have your first time. The fact that it is tattooed on my lower back is just a coincidence. ;)
Enjoy the cookies – let us know how they turn out!
xoxo
Nicole
Valerie says
Oh, my gosh- you have me in tears laughing! I don’t really have a specific childhood memory attached to these cookies either, other than stealing the dough directly from the pan and being lovingly threatened with a wooden spoon. They were my favorite dough to eat raw- dunked in extra cinnamon and sugar after each bite! I am excited about them now because they aren’t a cookie that I feel I need to dunk into milk to make them complete (like a chocolate chip cookie, for instance.) It makes the whole “no cow’s milk” thing a little easier. I’m hopeful that I can restrain myself enough to actually get some of the dough into cookie form. I make no promises!
Nicole says
Hi, Valerie,
That’s the beauty of being a grown-up. You could eat all the cookie dough raw, if you wanted, and there’s nothing anybody could do about it. :)
xoxo
Nicole
Sarah Dean says
I can’t wait to try these when my BB flour comes today. I’ve never been a huge fan myself, but these are my husband’s absolute favorite cookie and I’d love to have a plate of them for him when he gets home from his current deployment.
Nicole says
Hi, Sarah,
I didn’t know that your husband was deployed. So you’re going it alone for now, but baking and cooking up a storm! You’re superwoman. Thank you and your family for your sacrifice. I’m so glad they’re his favorite (too bad they’re not yours, but I guess you’ll take one for the team). :)
xoxo
Nicole
carrie @ gingerlemongirl.com says
I remember making these awesome cookies more times than I can count for my youth group on Sunday nights! LOVE snickerdoodles!! Yours are beautiful! These are also the first cookies that I remember learning how to make! :-)
Nicole says
Hi, Carrie,
Youth group! That’s a blast from the past. I guess you’re all tripping down memory lane. I have ZERO memory of any particular cookie. I’m so deprived. ;)
xoxo
Nicole