Grandma’s 6 Ingredient Snickerdoodle Cookies (No Cream of Tartar)

These are my husband’s grandmothers cookies, and a FAVORITE cookie in our house! Just six ingredients, no cream of tartar and no chilling time needed.

I think that this family recipe is the perfect easy snickerdoodle recipe without cream of tartar. These snickerdoodle cookies are soft and buttery, with the perfect crackly cinnamon shell made with lots of cinnamon. They have just a few ingredients, making them the perfect cookie for a beginner baker.

“Just made these — my first time to bake cookies from scratch. They remind me of my mom’s cinnamon rolls, which are like a pan of soft buttery cinnamon biscuits. These are SO GOOD!! I am definitely going to make them again!” – Marcie, blog reader

This blog is about to get REAL dessert heavy over the next few weeks. I try to limit it to 2 to 3 new dessert recipes a month, but I just have WAY too many amazing holiday desserts to share in December!

I thought I’d kick things off with these super simple snickerdoodle cookies without cream of tartar that are a tradition in my husband’s family.

These snickerdoodle cookies are soft and chewy, with the perfect ratio of buttery cookie to crunchy cinnamon sugar coating. They are soft but still very sturdy, so would ship well, or work well for any cookie exchange! Let’s all give a collective “thank you” to wonderful Grandma Carolyn for this perfect snickerdoodle cookie recipe. Thank you! 

Recipe Inspiration

The woman behind these cookies is my husband’s paternal Grandmother, Carolyn. I really love this woman. I lost all of my grandparents when I was still in school, so I never got to form an adult relationship with any of them. Grandma Carolyn has helped fill that void for me, and I love her dearly for it.

She is a very special lady, with a unique way for appreciating people just the way they are, and encouraging people to live their lives just the way they want to.

Grandma Carolyn loves food, and has been a big supporter of my cooking adventures. I remember visiting their home when her husband was still alive, and chowing down on smoked ribs and steaks. When they had family over, she did it up right, using the heated sizzling steak plates, and fancy wooden salad bowls and tongs.

Needless to say, Grandma Carolyn isn’t playing when it comes to her cookies. I’m not sure how long she’s been making these classic cookies, but I think it’s been at least 50 years! I can count on her to find a way to make snickerdoodles less taxing, by using self rising flour. 

This cuts out the need to keep cream of tartar on hand, which let’s be honest, most people have don’t have it. It also eliminates the need for a separate leaving agent like baking soda or powder, and salt. So, there’s much less room for error overall! 

Recipe Substitutions

As always, I want you to use what you have on hand. Here are a few substitution ideas for this cookie recipe:

• Yes, you can substitute softened unsalted butter for the shortening. It will have a slightly different texture and make for a flatter cookie, but it will still taste delicious! 
• Consider adding a teaspoon of vanilla extract for extra cozy flavor. 
• If you don’t have self rising flour, you can make your own by adding leaving agent and salt to flour. Check my notes in the recipe card below.
• I do not recommend substituting brown sugar for the white sugar because it alters the flavor of a traditional snickerdoodle, but it can certainly work in a pinch!  

Storing Leftover Cookies

These cookies store wonderfully on the counter or in the freezer! Make sure they are in an airtight container and store on the counter for 3-4 days.

I actually think the delicious flavor of the sugar cookie pops even more after these cookies have been frozen and thawed.

Let’s give a round of applause to Grandma Carolyn for these awesome snickerdoodles! If you make them, I’d love to hear how they turn out in the comments below.
 

Grandma’s 6 Ingredient Snickerdoodle Cookies (No Cream of Tartar)

Yield: 24 cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 10 minutes mins

Author: Michelle Goth

Search no further, these are the snickerdoodle cookies you've been looking for! Just six ingredients.

4.86 from 7 ratings

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Ingredients

 

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For the Cookie Dough:

• ▢ 1.5 cups sugar, white
• ▢ 1/2 cup vegetable shortening, Crisco
• ▢ 1/2 cup butter, original recipe calls for margarine
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 2.75 cups self rising flour, this is different than all purpose flour, but readily available

For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating

• ▢ 1/4 cup sugar, white
• ▢ 3 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare baking sheets or a tray by spraying with cooking spray, or lining with parchment paper.
• Cream together sugar, shortening, margarine and eggs in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium-high speed, making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, until well combined.
• Slowly add in self rising flour to the butter mixture until well combined.
• For cinnamon sugar mixture, mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
• Use a cookie scoop to form 1.25 inch cookie dough balls. Roll cookie dough balls in cinnamon-sugar mixture, and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes until cookies are glistening, puffy and a very light golden brown. Let them sit on the sheet for 3-4 minutes to harden, then transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature.

Notes

**If you have to use regular flour, use use the following combination of flour, salt, and leavener: 

• 2 and 3/4 cups flour
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

You are welcome to chill the batter in the fridge for about 20 minutes, but it isn’t necessary. Using the vegetable shortening helps keep these cookies from spreading without being chilled.

Calories: 134kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 14mg, Sodium: 50mg, Potassium: 8mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin A: 190IU, Vitamin C: 0.02mg, Calcium: 6mg, Iron: 0.1mg

Did you make this recipe?Please leave a review or share a photo on Instagram.

If you love this Snickerdoodle Recipe without Cream of Tartar:

• Easy Mint Frosting for Sugar Cookies
• Easy Butterfinger Brownie Cookies
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip
• Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies