Chewy Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe

My gluten free snickerdoodles have crisp edges, chewy centers, and a warm cinnamon flavor that makes them a favorite in autumn and winter — and really, any time of year.

I’ve been making these gluten-free cinnamon-sugar Snickerdoodles for years. This is my tested, reliable recipe that I return to every fall and winter.

They’re always popular wherever I bring them — people often say they can’t tell these are gluten-free. These cookies deliver the classic snickerdoodle flavor and texture that everyone expects.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Here’s what you need to make these gluten-free snickerdoodle cookies, plus notes on substitutions:

• Gluten-free flour: Use your preferred all-purpose gluten-free blend. Good options include gfJules, Authentic Foods Multi-Blend, King Arthur Measure for Measure, or an almond-based blend depending on preference.
• Xanthan gum: Omit this if your flour blend already includes xanthan or guar gum. If not included, add the xanthan gum specified in the recipe to give structure and chew.
• Cream of tartar: Essential for snickerdoodles — it gives the cookies their slight tang and helps create a chewy texture. Check the freshness of your cream of tartar for best results.
• Cinnamon: Use a flavorful cinnamon; higher-quality cinnamon makes a noticeable difference in the cookie’s taste.

Dairy Free

Can these be dairy free?

Yes. You can substitute a dairy-free butter alternative, though some plant-based spreads behave differently when melted or at room temperature. If you try a dairy-free version, note whether the cookies spread less and adjust chilling or flattening the dough balls accordingly. If you experiment, please share what worked for you.

You can also make these as small two-bite cookies for potlucks. Using a small cookie scoop yields about four dozen small cookies from one batch; they spread less when made with some dairy-free alternatives.

How to make gluten-free Snickerdoodles

• Whisk together the gluten-free flour, xanthan gum (if needed), cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
• In a mixer, beat the sugar and melted butter together until combined. Add the eggs and vanilla, then beat until smooth.
• Stir in the dry ingredients on low speed just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing.

I used to recommend chilling the dough, but with some gluten-free blends that can make the dough very firm. Chill the dough only if it’s too sticky to roll. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour, or chill briefly if a test cookie spreads too much.

For the coating, combine 2 tablespoons sugar with 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl and whisk together.

Roll each dough ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and place them on parchment-lined baking sheets. I recommend parchment instead of spray; sprayed pans can cause more spreading.

Space dough balls about 2 inches apart. After placing them on the sheet, press each ball slightly to flatten the dome unless you prefer a more rounded cookie.

Bake in a fully preheated 400°F oven. I recommend using an oven thermometer to ensure accurate temperature. After baking, transfer the hot sheet to a cooling rack.

While warm cookies are tempting, snickerdoodles often reach their best texture at room temperature — the centers firm up and become pleasantly chewy, perfect for dipping in milk.

The cookie texture will depend on your flour blend and the butter or alternative you use. Bake a test cookie first and adjust: if it’s too thick and puffy, press the dough balls flatter; if it’s too thin, chill the dough a bit before baking. Environmental factors like heat and humidity can affect dough consistency, so a short chill (30–60 minutes) may help if the dough seems loose.

Cookie sizes and bake times:

• Small cookies (using a #60 scoop, about 19 g dough): bake 7–8 minutes; one batch yields about 4 dozen.
• Medium cookies (using a #40 scoop, about 34 g dough): bake 9–10 minutes; one batch yields about 2 dozen.

I hope you try these and enjoy them — please leave a comment if you test a variation or substitution. I’d love to hear how they turn out!

Yield: 3 dozen

Gluten-free Snickerdoodles

Crisp edges, chewy centers, and warm cinnamon make these gluten-free snickerdoodles a year-round favorite. They’re great for gatherings and easy to adapt to dietary needs.

Prep Time
10 minutes

Cook Time
8 minutes

Additional Time
1 hour

Total Time
1 hour 18 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups (325 grams) good all-purpose gluten-free flour
• 3/4 tsp. xanthan gum *(see note)
• 1 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup (=8 Tbsp. or 1 stick) butter or dairy-free alternative, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

for rolling:

• 2 Tbsp. white sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, xanthan gum (if needed), cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
2. In the bowl of your mixer, beat the sugar and melted butter until combined, about 20–30 seconds.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well mixed, about 20–30 seconds.
4. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Do not overmix.
5. If the dough is too sticky to roll, cover and chill for about one hour.
6. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
7. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon.
8. Scoop dough with a small or medium cookie scoop (small ≈19 g; medium ≈34 g).
9. Roll dough balls in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and place 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets. Press down slightly if you want less dome and more crackled tops.
10. Bake small cookies 7–8 minutes or medium cookies 9–10 minutes. For chewy cookies, remove while cracks still look slightly wet but edges are set.
11. Slide the parchment sheet onto a cooling rack to cool.

Notes

*If your gluten-free flour blend already contains xanthan or guar gum, omit the added xanthan gum. The texture of the cookies will vary with different flours and butter alternatives — bake a test cookie and adjust: press the dough flatter if too puffy, or chill briefly if too thin.

Recent testing led to reducing the flour to 2 1/2 cups and using melted butter for best results with many gluten-free blends. Chill the dough only if necessary.

Pin these to your gluten-free cookies board on Pinterest:

I hope you and your loved ones enjoy this recipe as much as we do!