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These Gluten Free Snickerdoodles are perfectly soft and chewy cookies, with warming cinnamon flavours. The centres stay super soft while the cinnamon sugar coating gives them a satisfying crunch on the outside. Plus they’re so easy to make.

A pile of gluten free snickerdoodles on a cooling rack.

Notes On This Gluten Free Snickerdoodles Recipe

🍂 You only need a handful of gluten free storecupboard essentials to make these Snickerdoodles, plus the secret weapon – cream of tartar!
🍂 This raising agent is what gives these gluten free cookies their unmistakably soft textures, while the cinnamon sugar coating gives them gorgeous, crunchy edges.
🍂 Contrary to what we UK bakers might think, a Snickerdoodle is a classic, American cinnamon cookie – and nothing to do with a Snickers chocolate bar!
🍂 My top tip is to make sure you chill the dough well. If you can, I recommend making it the night before and chilling overnight, but a good 1-2 hours should suffice.

Table of Contents

Hands holding a gluten free snickerdoodle cookie.

Ingredients and Substitutions

There’s a printable recipe card below for these gluten free Snickerdoodles with the full quantities. But here are the main ingredients and ideas for any swaps.

  • Butter: You could swap this for a vegan margarine for a dairy free recipe, but the cookies may end up being softer and spread more.
  • Sugar: I use a mixture of granulated and light brown sugar in the cookies, and granulated sugar for the coating.
  • Gluten Free Flour: I use the FREEEE plain gluten free flour, but any plain gluten free flour blend or all purpose gluten free flour should work.
  • Xanthan Gum: You can omit this if your flour blend already contains it. It is essential for the cookies holding their shape and having a good texture.
  • Cream of Tartar: This raising agent is what gives Snickerdoodles their unique texture.
  • Bicarbonate of Soda: Or baking soda in the US. I use a combination of this with the cream of tartar instead of baking powder, like in my other gluten free cookies recipes.
  • Cinnamon: This is used in the cookies and the coating. You could swap for ginger, pumpkin spice, or your favourite warming spice, if you don’t like cinnamon.
  • You’ll also need eggs, vanilla extract and a little salt.
Ingredients for gluten free snickerdoodles with text labels.

How to Make Gluten Free Snickerdoodles

There’s a printable recipe card below with the method. But here are some step-by-step photos to show you how easy this gluten free snickerdoodles cookies are to make.

Process shot of gluten free snickerdoodles showing the butter and sugars creamed together.
Step 1: Cream together the butter and sugars.
Process shot of gluten free snickerdoodles showing the egg added to the butter and sugars.
Step 2: Mix in the egg
Process shot of gluten free snickerdoodles showing the dry ingredients added to the cookie dough mix.
Step 3: Add the dry ingredients to the wet.
Process shot of gluten free snickerdoodles showing the cookie dough batter in clingwrap.
Step 4: Chill the dough for at least 1-2 hours.
Process shot of gluten free snickerdoodles showing the cookie dough balls rolling in cinnamon sugar.
Step 5: Divide the cookie dough into balls and roll in the cinnamon sugar.
Process shot of gluten free snickerdoodles showing the cookie dough balls spaced out on a baking sheet.
Step 6: Bake the cookies on a tray with plenty of space between them.
Process shot of gluten free snickerdoodles showing the cookies on a cooling rack.
Step 6: Allow the cookies to cool and firm up before removing from the tray onto a rack.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

TO STORE: These gluten free Snickerdoodles will keep in an airtight container for up to a week. Keep them at room temperature and they shouldn’t soften too much.

TO FREEZE: You can either freeze the balls of dough to bake at a later date from frozen (just add an extra few minutes to the cooking time) or freeze the finish cookies and defrost whenever you need a treat!

A pile of gluten free snickerdoodles on a cooling rack.
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Gluten Free Snickerdoodles Recipe

By: Sarah Howells
Soft and chewy cinnamon cookies with a gorgeous, crunchy cinnamon sugar coating. PLEASE NOTE: Ideally, make the cookie dough the night before – it will need at least 1-2 hours chilling time at a minimum.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Chilling Time: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 16 cookies
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Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 175 g unsalted butter
  • 100 g granulated sugar
  • 125 g light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 275 g plain gluten free flour
  • 0.5 tsp xanthan gum
  • 1.5 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp sea salt

For The Coating:

  • 50 g granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Metric – US Customary

Instructions 

  • Add the butter and sugar to a mixing bowl and cream together using an electric whisk.
  • Add the egg and vanilla and mix again to combine.
  • Add the plain gluten free flour, xanthan gum, cream of tartar, bicarbonate of soda, sea salt and cinnamon and mix again with a wooden spoon until it forms a sticky dough.
  • Wrap the cookie dough in clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours, ideally overnight if you can.
  • When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 200C / Fan 180C. Line two large baking trays with baking paper.
  • Add the granulated sugar and cinnamon to a tub and shake well to mix. Pour out onto a plate or small bowl.
  • Portion the cookies into around 16 balls – you can either do this using a 5cm ice-cream/cookie scoop, or break off pieces around 45g each. Roll into balls.
  • Roll the balls into the sugar mix, then place onto the lined baking trays. I recommend baking in batches as they will need some room to spread.
  • Bake for 12-13 minutes and then remove from the oven. Leave on the tray for 10-15 minutes before moving to firm up, as they will be very soft when they first come out of the oven.

Notes

  • These gluten free cookies will keep at room temp in a sealed container for up to a week, and shouldn’t soften too much.
  • If you don’t want to make them all at once, you can freeze the cookie dough balls and then bake from frozen. Just add an extra few minutes in the oven.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cookie | Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g
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More Gluten Free Cookies Recipes

If you like this gluten free Snickerdoodles recipe, then make sure you check out these other gluten free cookie recipes too…

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About Sarah Howells

Hi, I'm Sarah! Diagnosed with coeliac disease 20 years ago, I'm on a mission to create the best gluten free recipes since sliced bread. No fruit salads or dry brownies here.

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