Homemade Chewy Gluten Free Snickerdoodle Cookies are perfectly soft and so chewy with a crispy cinnamon sugar coating. This classic crinkle-top cookie recipe has been around for years. And the recipe's simple, inexpensive ingredient list make this a hit with bakers everywhere.
These cookies are widely enjoyed by family and friends any time of the year.
Who can turn down a cookie rolled in cinnamon sugar and baked until the edges are crispy and centers chewy?
No one, that is who. So add these homemade chewy snickerdoodle cookies to your baking list now.
Loaded with great cinnamon sugar flavor and a ting of tang, these homemade cookies are the real deal.
And these are definitely one of the more easy, affordable free from cookies to bake.
You won't find any expensive add-ins or fancy ingredients you cannot find locally.
Why Make Homemade Cookies
- These easy cookies have the perfect chewy center
- Our kids love these gluten free and dairy free cookies
- The cinnamon sugar mixture really makes these the perfect, balanced amount of sweetness
- These are the perfect cookie for Christmas baking or other holiday season baking needs, yet simple enough for a regular weeknight dessert idea
What our kids love the most about these cinnamon sugar cookies are the crispy edges with the tender, chewy texture in the center!
Cookie ingredient notes and brand suggestions
Get more info on these simple pantry staple ingredients to make gluten-free snickerdoodles in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Here, below are our brand recommendations that we like to use and notes on ingredients.
- gluten free all-purpose flour-- use the spoon and level method mentioned below. We use the Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour. We purchase it in bulk as it keeps for quite awhile. If you want to use a gluten-free flour blend, try using Beth Blends or King Arthur's flour blend.
- xanthan gum-- omit this xanthan gum if your gluten free all-purpose flour blend contains this or guar gum.
- cream of tartar-- this is the star ingredient for these cookies to have their classic look and taste; you don't wanna skip this! It's what makes this a Snickerdoodle cookie and not just a cinnamon sugar cookie.
- baking soda--keep in mind this loses its potency after it has been opened for more than 6 months. We suggest writing the date you open the container so you always know if you have fresh baking soda to work with.
- kosher salt
- dairy free butter-- at room temperature for 20 minutes. We use the vegan and soy free Earth's Balance Buttery Sticks. Most importantly, please do not melt the butter as it will significantly change the cookies. The dough will be super soft and harder to work with, plus the cookies will spread out across the baking sheet.
- granulated sugar- white sugar is all you need
- large eggs
- vanilla extract
- ground cinnamon- always check your spices to make sure they are gluten free and dairy free. We have found that some manufacturers are hiding unnecessary ingredients in spice mixes.
kitchen baking utensils for this recipe
- large bowl
- whisk
- stand mixer with the paddle attachment or large bowl with a handheld mixer
- parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- small cookie scoop-- this scoop will give you the perfect size cookie for this recipe; however, if you don't have one, you can also use your hand and roll the dough into a ball
- 2-3 cookie baking sheets - these are really helpful when you are making multiple batches of cookies. You don't want to put raw cookie dough on a hot cookie sheet and then try to bake it. They won't turn out properly.
How to Make Gluten Free Snickerdoodles
- Preheat oven to 400°F and place parchment paper or baking mats on cookie baking sheets; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, xanthan gum if needed, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt; set the bowl of dry ingredients aside.
- With a stand mixer and paddle attachment or large bowl and handheld mixer, cream the butter and 1½ c sugar until combined and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
- Then add in the eggs one at time. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add in the vanilla extract to the rest of the wet ingredients and then the dry ingredients until just blended.
- In a small bowl, combine the ¼ c sugar and ground cinnamon.
- Using your hand or a small cookie scoop, gather about 1 tablespoon of dough and drop it into the bowl. Roll it around the cinnamon sugar mixture until the entire ball is well covered. Place 12 balls on a cookie baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes. Watch the cookies very carefully as they can easily burn if accidentally left in the oven longer than 8 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool for 3-4 minutes on the pan, then remove to a cooling rack.
Storage
Leftover gluten free snickerdoodle cookies should be stored in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.
These homemade dairy free snickerdoodle cookies are so good, it wouldn’t surprise us if your cookies do not last that long!
Can I freeze gluten-free snickerdoodle cookies?
Sure thing. You can either freeze the cookie dough or you can bake the classic snickerdoodles and then flash freeze them before placing them in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
frequently asked questions
No, not as it is. The cookie dough will be largely impacted by melted butter and the cookies will run on the cooking baking sheets.
Instead, if you accidentally melt your butter (yes, I have done this many times too), pop it into the refrigerator to make it more firm.
Cream of tartar is slightly more acidic than baking powder, so it gives the cookies a slight sour-flavored tang, making these classic, delicious cookies a favorite of many.
This recipe does not call for chilling the dough.
However, if your dough seems extra soft from high humidity, etc. you can chill it for 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
The spoon and level method is considered the most accurate method for measuring flour.
Use a spoon to scoop the flour into your measuring cup.
Then, you will level off the top with the back of a knife so the flour is level with the top of the measuring cup.
If you scoop your dry measuring cup into the flour bag, you can end up packing the flour and surprisingly increase the flour in recipes by ¼ cup. Yeeks!
We have been guilty of this over the years, but now that we know, you won’t find us making that mistake again.
It is always worth it to take the extra step and grab a large spoon and knife.
Cream of tartar is what gives the cookies the tangy flavor that you know and love.
If you don't have it, they won't taste the same, but you can still make these cookies.
In place of the cream of tartar, you can add 2 of baking powder for instead of the cream of tartar AND you can omit the baking soda since you're using baking powder.
Yes, you can make the dough ahead of time.
Feel free to whip up a batch of the dough and place it in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before baking the cookies.
It may be helpful to roll your dough in plastic wrap before storing so it really prevents the fridge from drying it out.
We adapted this recipe from a traditional recipe found on the Life, Love, and Sugar website.
You would not even guess these cookies are gluten free, dairy free, and soy free.
Tips and Variations
- When making this gluten-free snickerdoodles recipe, you can make them all similar in size by using a cookie scoop. A cookie scoop helps make the same size Snickerdoodle cookie dough balls and this is an easy way to freeze the uncooked dough if desired.
- If you want to make vegan snickerdoodles, use an egg replacer for the eggs in this cookie recipe.
- We have found that using the stand mixer is the easiest way to mix the dough together without overmixing. But you can use the old fashioned electric hand mixer if needed. It may just take a little bit longer to make the dough.
- This recipe makes 4 dozen cookies. If you wish to make less, you can half the recipe.
- If you remove the cream of tartar, you're making more of a cinnamon sugar cookie rather than snickerdoodle.
more must-try cookie recipes
- chewy chocolate chip cookies-- perfectly buttery chewy cookies loaded with melty semisweet chocolate chips
- oatmeal chocolate chip cookies-- thick cookies loaded with oats and semi-sweet chocolate chips
- caramel apple cookies--baked with apple pie spice, shredded fresh apple, sweet apple juice, and topped with a thick, brown sugar frosting and roasted pecans
- pecan snowball cookies-- aka Mexican wedding cookies feature toasted pecans in a cookie that melts in your mouth
You will find more delicious gluten free and dairy free cookies like this Homemade Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookie recipe on our website!
get our cookbook
In our recipe book, The Classics, we share several of our favorite family recipes. These are not only delicious recipes but also easy to make.
It is a win-win idea! So let us take the stress out of cooking and baking by using our recipes today for easy, safe meals and desserts. Click HERE for the digital copy.
And, click here for the print version.
lastly
Here are Homemade Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookies that taste delicious, chewy, and are so satisfying.
Plus these cookies are gluten and dairy free. You can even transform these cookies into an ice cream sandwich by adding a thick layer of dairy free ice cream to the middle of two cookies.
Homemade Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookies Gluten Free & Dairy Free
Ingredients
- 2¾ cups gluten free all-purpose flour spoon and level method
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your gf all-purpose flour blend contains this or guar gum
- 2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup dairy free butter room temperature for 20 minutes, not melted
- 1½ plus ¼ c up granulated sugar divided
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and place parchment paper or baking mats on cookie baking sheets; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, xanthan gum if needed, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- With a stand mixer and paddle attachment or large bowl and handheld mixer, cream the butter and 1½ c sugar until combined and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
- Then add in the eggs one at time. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add in the vanilla extract and dry ingredients until just blended.
- In a small bowl, combine the ¼ c sugar and ground cinnamon.
- Using your hand or a small cookie scoop, gather about 1 tablespoon of dough and drop it into the bowl. Roll it around the cinnamon sugar mixture until the entire ball is well covered. Place 12 balls on a cookie baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes. Watch the cookies very carefully as they can easily burn if accidently left in the oven longer than 8 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool for 3-4 minutes on the pan, then remove to a cooling rack.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container on the countertop up to a week or freeze for 2 months.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to a 4-5 days.
- You can freeze cookies baked, or as raw cookie dough.
- This recipe makes 48 cookies, if you need less, you can half the recipe or make the dough and then bake half and freeze the other half for later.
Nutritional Disclaimer
These Nutritional Facts are ESTIMATED. Your actual nutritional info with this recipe may vary depending on the brands you choose. “Eating Gluten and Dairy Free” is not a registered dietician or nutritionist. The provided nutritional info above is based on a generic calculator, if you want more accurate info, use your nutritional calculator of choice where you can choose brands and get more info that way.
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