Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles

close up of gluten free snickerdoodle cookie stack.

5 from 1 vote

These gluten-free snickerdoodles are pillowy soft and coated in crispy cinnamon sugar. This recipe is gluten-free, easily dairy-free, and the best part is you don't need cream of tartar! Make these classic holiday cookies in under 30 minutes.

Prep Time15

Cook Time12

Total Time27

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegetarian

Servings: large cookies

Calories: 235kcal

Author: Olivia Parsons

Ingredients

For the cookie dough

½ cup salted butter softened, see note below about using brown butter
⅔ cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 ⅓ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum I like Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour (blue bag)
¾ teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ teaspoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter, add an extra pinch

For coating the cookies

2 tablespoon white sugar
2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Use a mixer with beaters or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment to beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. If you don't have an electric mixer, use a wooden spoon or your hands to ensure the sugar gets dissolved.
Beat in the egg, vanilla, and lemon juice.
Place the gluten-free flour, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt in the bowl. Lightly stir them together on top, then gently mix together until there are no dry spots. The dough will be quite sticky.
Use a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the dough, one at a time. Place the scoop of cookie dough in a small bowl filled with the mixed sugar and cinnamon. Gently roll the dough ball until it is fully coated in cinnamon sugar. Place on the parchment lined baking sheet and gently push down to flatten it slightly. Repeat with all the cookie dough.
Bake the cookies on the middle rack for 10-12 minutes until the edges are just firm and they are still soft in the middle. For perfectly round cookies, take a large cookie cutter or the top of a glass and gently run it around each cookie immediately after removing it from the oven. This will reinforce a circular shape as the cookie cools.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes until they have set, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling. Enjoy warm or allow to come to room temperature.

Notes

Use brown butter for a nutty flavour: Cube the butter and place it into a saucepan. Turn the heat to medium and allow the butter to melt, stirring occasionally. Once melted, it will begin to bubble, foam, and brown. When the butter is an amber colour, pour it into a heatproof bowl, scraping all the brown bits with it. This whole process should take 6-10 minutes. Allow the butter to cool in the fridge until a softened texture, about 3+ hours. Then proceed with the recipe.
For smaller cookies: Use a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop and bake for 8-11 minutes. You will yield about 16-20 cookies.
Dairy-Free: Use your favourite plant based butter sticks.
Storage: Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Freeze cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Nutrition facts are an estimation.

Nutrition