Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars
Vanilla and cinnamon define the flavor of this chewy and crispy cookie bar. Did I mention these only take about 10 minutes to whip up and will make your house smell amazing?!
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This might be the fastest and easiest way to get that classic snickerdoodle flavor without getting your hands covered in dough and wasting time rolling out each cookie. These bars take about ten minutes to mix up the dough and about ten seconds to drop them in the pan. Plus they will make your house smell so good like cinnamon sugar as they bake!
So why is it called a cookie bar?
Cookie bars are actually a bar dessert rather than a cookie. Cookies are shaped or dropped onto a pan in individual serving sizes, while cookie bars are baked in a baking dish as one piece and sliced into individual sized pieces. The flavor outcome is very similar, and I find bar cookies to be even faster and easier than cookies!
What is a snickerdoodle, anyway?
Origins slightly a mystery, snickerdoodles are a sugar type of cookie rolled in cinnamon and sugar, and when baked, a cracked top gives them their signature look.
Are snickerdoodles the same as sugar cookies?
The short answer is no, they taste slightly different. Snickerdoodle cookies are similar to sugar cookies, however snickerdoodles contain cream of tartar as a necessary ingredient, which gives them a distinct flavor and texture. Also, they are rolled in cinnamon and sugar. Sugar Cookies do not contain cream of tartar, and are classically rolled in sugar or topped with icing.
Why are my snickerdoodle cookie bars dry?
If your cookie bars are dry, you may have added too much flour to the batter. These should be more similar to a brownie than a cookie - less flour to liquid ratio. The batter will be thick but not hard to work, with a thickness that is thicker than cake batter and thinner than cookie dough.
To add more moisture to your batter, try adding an additional tablespoon of melted butter until the batter consistency looks thinner.
What if I don’t have cream of tartar?
Cream of tartar is necessary to make snickerdoodles because it helps their tops crinkle and gives them a signature flavor. It also reacts as an acid to the baking soda, which is necessary to create rise. If you are really in a pinch, you can make this recipe without the cream of tartar by adding 1 teaspoon of baking powder in place of the 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, however, they will taste like sugar cookie bars rather than snickerdoodle cookie bars.
Recipe Tips
Honestly, these are SO easy! Don’t overthink it - it would be difficult to mess these bars up.
Feel free to add a little extra cinnamon sugar on top if your tooth is extra sweet!
How to Store Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars
Store store snickerdoodle cookie bars at room temperature in an air tight container for up to two days, or store in the refrigerator for up to five days. If stored in the refrigerator, pop them in the microwave for five to ten seconds to warm them up and they’ll taste like they’re fresh baked!
You can also freeze store snickerdoodle cookie bars easily. Just place (fully baked and cooled) in an air tight freezer container and store in the freezer for up to three months. Remove from the freezer and let them thaw in the refrigerator 24 hours prior to serving.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
How to Make Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Dough
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter (melted and slightly cooled)
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup flour
Topping
1 tablespoons Granulated Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
Directions
Preheat oven to 350℉. Line an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 baking dish with parchment paper. Mix together the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon topping and set aside.
In a large bowl, add sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt and mix until well combined. Mix in the melted and cooled butter, egg, and vanilla. Add flour and mix until well combined.
Pour the mixture into the parchment lined pan and spread it evenly to each corner. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar topping over the top of the dough and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges become golden brown and the middle puffs up slightly.
Let cool and set in the pan for about 1 hour or until bars are completely cooled and slice.
More cookie bars, please!
Try these delicious chocolate chip cookie bars.
Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 baking dish with parchment paper. Mix together the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon topping and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt and mix until well combined. Mix in the melted and cooled butter, egg, and vanilla. Add flour and mix until well combined.
- Pour the mixture into the parchment lined pan and spread it evenly to each corner. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar topping over the top of the dough and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges become golden brown and the middle puffs up slightly.
- Let cool and set in the pan for about 1 hour or until bars are completely cooled.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
127Fat
7 gSat. Fat
4 gCarbs
16 gFiber
0 gNet carbs
16 gSugar
10 gProtein
1 gSodium
110 mgCholesterol
27 mg*Nutrition is auto-calculated by recipes generator.
