Description
These Gluten Free Snickerdoodle Cookies offer a delightful twist on the classic treat, featuring a tender, soft texture with the perfect cinnamon-sugar coating. Made with gluten-free all-purpose flour, cream of tartar, and a hint of almond extract, these cookies maintain their traditional tangy flavor and chewy bite without gluten, making them suitable for those with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease. Easy to prepare and baked to golden perfection, they’re perfect for any occasion or as a comforting homemade snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (with xanthan gum)
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Cinnamon-Sugar Coating
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even browning at the bottoms.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and packed light brown sugar together using a mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. The butter should be soft enough to leave an indent for ideal cookie texture.
- Add Eggs and Extracts: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then mix in the pure vanilla extract and almond extract, blending until smooth and fully incorporated for enhanced flavor.
- Add Dry Leavening Ingredients: Carefully add the cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon to the wet ingredients, mixing until fully combined. The cream of tartar gives snickerdoodles their signature tang.
- Incorporate Gluten-Free Flour: Gradually add the gluten-free all-purpose flour while mixing at low speed until just combined. The dough should feel soft and not sticky. Spoon and level the flour for accuracy to avoid dry cookies.
- Make Cinnamon-Sugar Coating: In a small bowl, blend the 1/4 cup granulated sugar with 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon thoroughly to prepare the coating.
- Shape and Coat Dough Balls: Use a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough, then roll each portion into a ball. Thoroughly coat each ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture to ensure even coverage.
- Arrange and Flatten Cookies: Place the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Gently press down the center of each ball to slightly flatten them, allowing even spreading during baking and preventing excessive puffing.
- Bake Cookies: Bake on the middle rack for 9 to 11 minutes. The cookies should appear slightly underdone in the center with set edges. For softer cookies bake closer to 9 minutes; for crisper edges bake closer to 11 minutes.
- Cool Cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. They will firm up as they cool.
Notes
- Ensure the butter and eggs are at room temperature for better mixing and cookie texture.
- Spoon and level the gluten-free flour instead of scooping directly to avoid dry and dense cookies.
- The cream of tartar is essential to achieve the classic snickerdoodle tangy flavor.
- Almond extract adds a subtle depth to the flavor but can be omitted if unavailable.
- Cookies will be soft when taken out but will firm up as they cool completely.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute butter with a plant-based alternative but expect slight changes in texture.
