
Delicious 5 ingredient snickerdoodle cookies that does not require cream of tartar. The inside is soft and chewy and the outside is crunchy. You’ll love this cinnamon-y Christmas classic!
Baking holiday cookies is something so special to me. I look forward to it all year long!
Part of the reason that I don’t bake these cookies up often, is because of the cream of tartar ingredient. I couldn’t tell you one other recipe using cream of tartar. Can you?
This Snickerdoodle cookie recipe only has 5 ingredients, how awesome is that? And cream of tartar is NOT one of them.
As I was rolling the cookies in the cinnamon sugar mix, I finally remembered why I loved Snickerdoodle Cookies so much. They reminded me of a family tradition when I was younger.
We used to visit a Christmas tree farm every year to get our tree. While my dad was paying and tying the tree up, we’d go into this little cabin to warm up and look around the shop. They always had cookies and hot cocoa or cider and this wonderful cinnamon smell was in the air.
Finally, I am realizing that it was delicious Snickerdoodles that they had there.
When my husband tasted these Snickerdoodle Cookies, his face lit up. He said they were one of the best cookies I have ever made and I had to put a stash aside for him to enjoy when he came home from work.
He said with a glass of milk, they reminded him of cinnamon toast crunch.
While it doesn’t include cream of tartar, it does include shortening. I don’t usually keep shortening in the house, only around the holidays.
How to Make Snickerdoodle Cookies
Here is what you need:
sugar
vegetable shortening
butter
eggs
flour
cinnamon
This recipe really is rather simple! Cream together sugar, shortening, butter and eggs in a large mixing bowl.
Slowly add in your flour until it is well combined.
Form 1 and 1/4 inch balls, roll in cinnamon sugar mixture, and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake!
Bake snickerdoodle cookies for 8-10 minutes until cookies are light brown.
Let them sit on the sheet for 3-4 minutes then cool on wire racks.
These snickerdoodle cookies are best to taste when warm, with a glass of iced cold milk!
What’s your favorite holiday cookie?
Looking for more easy cookie recipes?

Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe
Delicious 5 ingredient snickerdoodle cookies that does not require cream of tartar. The inside is soft and chewy and the outside is crunchy.
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 1/2 cup margarine or butter
- 2 eggs
- 2 and 3/4 cup flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cream together sugar, shortening, margarine/butter and eggs in a large mixing bowl.
- Slowly add in the flour until well combined.
- Form 1 and 1/4 inch balls, roll in cinnamon sugar mixture, and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Bake snickerdoodle cookies for 8-10 minutes until cookies are light brown.
- Let them sit on the sheet for 3-4 minutes then cool on wire racks.
- These snickerdoodle cookies are best to taste when warm.
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Melanie Long
Saturday 3rd of April 2021
Merangue, biscuits, angel food cake, those are just off the top of my head but I know there area more recipes requiring cream of tarter.
momma lew
Saturday 3rd of April 2021
Thanks for that Melanie! I actually never use cream of tartar in my biscuits, you can check out how I make my homemade biscuits here: https://www.mommalew.com/homemade-buttermilk-biscuits/ Both mirangue and Angel Food Cake are items I haven't even come close to mastering enough to share any sort of recipe for. But back to the original recipe, snickerdoodle cookies without cream of tartar, give them a try without it, this recipe is so good!
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Dawn Conklin
Wednesday 9th of October 2019
These look delicious :) Do you think coconut oil would work as a substitute for shortening? I don't usually use shortening here. I could try it with shortening if you don't think it would make a good substitute tho. It works for most other things I make but never tried it in cookies haha! I have both refined and extra virgin - refined won't have the flavor of the coconut and handles higher heat.
momma lew
Wednesday 9th of October 2019
Honestly, I have no idea!!! I never keep shortening on hand, just around the holidays when I make cookie recipes. The shortening makes for a puffier, crispier cookie. If you decide to try it out, let me know the results!
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