Old-Fashioned Snickerdoodle Cookies are tender, chewy, and dusted with cinnamon and sugar. They’re simple, tasty, and best of all, gluten free!
These cookies have the same great flavor as the Snickerdoodles I remember from my childhood. Now with this easy gluten free recipe, those classic cinnamon-sugar flavored cookies can be enjoyed any time.
Old-Fashioned Snickerdoodle Cookies {Gluten Free}
If cinnamon and sugar isn’t the flavor you’re looking for, you’ll want to try my Double Chocolate Pecan Chip Cookies instead. The flavors are totally different, but the cookies are still easy to make and gluten free.
It’s really pretty simple to make these Old-Fashioned Snickerdoodle Cookies. Once you’ve started pre-heating the oven and lined your baking pans, you’re ready to begin.
Stirring together the cinnamon and sugar is an easy, but important step. It’s the cinnamon-sugar combo that gives these cookies the classic Snickerdoodle flavor.
Combining the remaining sugar, shortening, butter and eggs can easily be done with a wooden spoon. You could use an electric mixer, but a wooden spoon means less clean up and a chance to relieve a little stress. I’ve mentioned before how I prefer to hand mix when possible to get rid of any work-related stress.
Once you’ve stirred in the gluten free flour and remaining dry ingredients, you’re ready to get the dough on the baking pans. Rolling the dough into 1 1/4 inch balls can sound a little intimidating, but you don’t have to be exact.
Aim for a size that’s bigger than a marble and smaller than a golf ball and you’ll be good. You may have some that are a little bigger in size, and some a little smaller but the size of the cookie doesn’t affect the taste.
Simply take a small portion of the cookie dough and start shaping it with your fingers. The heat from your hands makes the dough very pliable.
After working with the dough for a few seconds roll it into a ball using the palms of your hands. If the size seems too big, just pinch off a bit and re-roll the dough. If the ball is too small, you can add a little more dough.
The last step before baking is to roll the balls in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. It can get a little messy, so I like to roll enough balls to fill a baking pan and then roll them in the cinnamon. I’ll stop to re-wash my hands before starting on the next pan.
Bake for ten minutes in a 350-degree oven, or until the cookies are golden brown. After removing the cookies from the oven, allow them to cool on a wire rack before serving.
(This post contains affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.)Baker’s Tips
- Using softened butter will make mixing it together with the sugar, shortening, and eggs much easier. I take the butter out of the refrigerator the night before and set it on the counter to soften.
- If you’re having difficulty shaping the dough into equal size balls, just pinch off a bit of dough to make the ball smaller or add a pinch to make the ball larger. The dough is very forgiving and I often find myself re-rolling a ball several times to get the size I want. Keep in mind, they’re just cookies. Having slightly different shapes and sizes is part of what makes them “homemade.”
Recommended Tools for Making Old-Fashioned Snickerdoodle Cookies:
- Baking pan and cooling rack set – I have two of these sets and if I had more storage space I’d add a couple more. The pans are great for baking and roasting and the racks are perfect for cooling just about anything. I also use the pan/rack combination whenever I’m icing a cake or cookies.
- Silpat silicone baking mat – Lining the baking pan with a silicone mat keeps the cookies from sticking and makes clean up a breeze. You can always use parchment paper instead of the silicone mat. I like being able to use the baking mat again and again instead of the single-use parchment paper.
This recipe makes 4 dozen cookies, so you’ll have plenty to share with friends and family. The cookies also freeze really well if you prefer to keep them for yourself. 😊
If you’re longing for that classic cinnamon-sugar combination but need a gluten free version, give these Old-Fashioned Snickerdoodle Cookies {Gluten Free} a try. I know you’ll be glad you did. Enjoy!
MORE GLUTEN FREE COOKIE RECIPES TO TRY!
- Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
- Lemon Cookies with Lemon Glaze
- Gluten Free Peppermint Meltaway Cookies
- Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
- Toasted Coconut Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies
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Old-Fashioned Snickerdoodle Cookies are tender, chewy, and dusted with cinnamon and sugar. They're simple, tasty, and best of all, gluten free!
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 eggs
- 2 3/4 cup gluten free flour
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking pans with silicone mats or parchment paper.
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In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon and set aside.
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In a large bowl, combine the remaining sugar, shortening, butter and eggs and mix together.
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Add in the gluten free flour, xanthan gum, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Stir until all the ingredients are completely combined.
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Roll the dough into 1 1/4 inch balls, then coat the balls in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. (Note: It's helpful to first roll the dough into 12 balls, place on the prepared baking pan, then roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Repeat the process for each additional pan.)
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Bake for about 10 minutes until the cookies are a golden brown.
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Remove from the baking pan and allow to cool on a wire rack.
Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker
I’m not required to eat gluten-free but often do to accommodate family members. My nieces and nephews loved these GF snickerdoodles – they got a thumbs up from all. They may be GF but the flavor and texture of the originals are still there. They were delish. Thanks, Connie
Thanks Chris! I’m glad your family enjoyed the cookies.
This recipe sounds great! Can I substitute the flour with almond flour to make it keto?
Hi Connie,
I haven’t made the recipe with almond flour. If you do use almond flour, you may want to reduce the amount of xanthan gum. A 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup of almond flour is usually enough.
I don’t have shortening, can I use butter to substitute?
Hi Jana,
Yes, you can substitute butter for the shortening. You should expect the cookies to spread a little more when using all butter.