This classic cookie is a cross between sugar cookies with cinnamon roll flavours all rolled into one yummy cookie. It’s the perfect cookie to snack on with a tall glass of milk, or dunked into a mug of hot chocolate! No cream of tartar? Don't fret, we're making Easy Snickerdoodle Cookies without Cream of Tartar!
Oh, that feeling when you’re ready to bake cookies and discover that you’re missing an ingredient. You want to make Snickerdoodles, but you don’t have cream of tartar (or can’t find it because you rarely use it)?
Not to worry! I have a traditional snickerdoodles recipe without cream of tartar!
Cream of tartar is a leavening agent, and today, we’re going to replace it with baking powder. We could also use lemon juice, but it’s more likely that you have baking powder on hand, right? While traditional snickerdoodles have cream of tartar, you won’t even miss it in flavour in these classic cookies.
This easy snickerdoodle recipe is a breeze and will be done in 30 minutes from start to finish.
If you love this recipe, then you will want to check out my oatmeal cookies too!
Ingredients

For a full list of ingredients and amounts, see the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Ground cinnamon - you'll be using it twice; in the cookie dough and to sprinkle on top of the dough balls before baking.
- White sugar - used in the cookie and the cinnamon sugar mixture as well.
- Butter - use room temperature butter. Take it out of the refrigerator on hour before you start the recipe.
- Vanilla extract - please, if you can get it, use pure vanilla extract. It adds delicious flavour to these cookies.
- Eggs - Since we’re not using the cream of tartar, we’ll use one egg plus one egg yolk. Eggs should be at room temperature. Take them out of the refrigerator one hour before you start the recipe.

step-by-step instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Make the cinnamon-sugar topping: In a small bowl, whisk together cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

Make the cookie dough: In a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer, or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar for two minutes until light and fluffy.
Add in egg, egg yolk and vanilla and beat on medium speed until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to combine thoroughly.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix at low speed until combined.

Use a small cookie scoop to scoop out about 1 and ½ tablespoons of cookie dough and roll into a ball.
Roll the cookie balls into the cinnamon sugar mixture and place on prepared baking sheets, 12 dough balls to a sheet. Sprinkle tops with a little more cinnamon-sugar.

Bake in 375°F oven for 10 to 11 minutes until light golden brown on the edges. The cookies will appear a little under baked when they are done. You want that nice chewy texture when they cool down.
For best results, cool on wire rack (and test one shortly after they come out of the oven)!
storage instructions
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to one week.

faq's
You can substitute baking powder for cream of tartar in Snickerdoodles. The baking powder acts as a leavening agent. Substitute the baking powder using a 3:2 ratio with 3 parts baking powder to 2 parts cream of tartar.
When snickerdoodles are done, they will be a light golden colour on the edges and will appear slightly under baked in the middle.
For best results place the rack in the centre of the oven and bake cookies one sheet at a time.
other cookie recipes you might enjoy
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Easy Snickerdoodle Cookies (no cream of tartar)
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 24
Description
This classic cookie is a cross between sugar cookies with cinnamon roll flavours all rolled into one yummy cookie. It’s the perfect cookie to snack on with a tall glass of milk, or dunked into a mug of hot chocolate! No cream of tartar? Don't fret, we're making Easy Snickerdoodle Cookies without Cream of Tartar!
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 and ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
1 cup butter
1 and ⅓ cup sugar
1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk
1 and ½ tsp. vanilla extract
For topping:
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F oven.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Make the cinnamon-sugar topping: In a small bowl, whisk together cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
- Make the cookie dough: In a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer, or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar for two minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add in egg, egg yolk & vanilla and beat on medium speed until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to combine thoroughly.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix at low speed until combined.
- Use a small cookie scoop to scoop out about 1 and ½ tablespoons of cookie dough and roll into a ball.
- Roll the cookie balls into the cinnamon sugar mixture and place on prepared baking sheets, 12 dough balls to a sheet. Sprinkle tops with a little more cinnamon-sugar.
- Bake in 375°F oven to 10 to 11 minutes, until light golden brown on the edges. The cookies will appear a little under baked when they are done.
- Cool on wire rack.
Notes
Storage instructions: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to one week.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 14.7 g
- Sodium: 108.2 mg
- Fat: 8.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27.1 g
- Fiber: 0.6 g
- Protein: 2.1 g
- Cholesterol: 28.1 mg
Keywords: Snickerdoodles without cream of tartar
Tavo
Fantastic cookies! They turned out delicious!
★★★★★
Gina
This recipe is perfect because I never have cream of tartar on hand!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you! I love snickerdoodles but didn't want to go to the grocery store just for cream of tartar!
★★★★★
Sadia Malik
Love this easy recipe of snickerdoodles and good tip sometimes you just run out of an ingredient and then you are stuck
★★★★★
Tayler Ross
These cookies were amazing! So full of cinnamon flavor and perfectly sweet!
★★★★★
Tim
One of my favourite cookies and would never know it is missing the cream of tartar!
★★★★★