With their soft, chewy texture, buttery richness, and warm cinnamon flavor, these Snickerdoodle bars are sure to become your family’s new favorite treat!
I mean, how can you beat a thick, chewy cookie square infused with sugar, spice, and everything nice?
You can’t – at least not in my house! These things are usually gone before they’re fully cooled.
Why You’ll Love These Snickerdoodle Bars
Nostalgic Cinnamon Delight: These bars capture the beloved flavors of classic Snickerdoodle cookies in an easy-to-make bar form. They’re perfect for potlucks, parties, and more.
Crowd-Pleasing Simplicity: With just a handful of pantry staples, they’re a simple yet impressive treat.
No Chilling Required: Unlike traditional Snickerdoodle cookies, this recipe doesn’t require any chilling time, allowing you to go from mixing to baking without any delays.
Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter: Provides a rich, creamy texture and helps to keep the bars moist. Try brown butter for extra deliciousness!
- Granulated and Light Brown Sugar: Sweeten the bars and help to achieve a crisp top with a chewy middle.
- Eggs: Act as a binding agent and add structure to the bars.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor with a sweet, aromatic note.
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the dough and gives structure to the bars.
- Cornstarch: Adds a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Baking Powder: Helps the bars rise and become light and fluffy.
- Cream of Tartar: Adds tanginess and helps activate the baking powder. It’s a must for Snickerdoodles, so don’t skip it!
- Cinnamon: Adds warmth and the classic Snickerdoodle flavor.
- Salt: Enhances the flavors of the other ingredients and balances sweetness.
How to Make Snickerdoodle Bars
Imagine all the cinnamon-sugar goodness of a Snickerdoodle cookie but in thick, chewy bar form – that’s what you get with this quick and easy recipe.
They’ve got that signature crackly cinnamon-sugar topping that makes Snickerdoodles so irresistible.
But they also have a moist, dense texture that’s simply heavenly.
And believe it or not, theyre ready in just a few minutes.
1. PREP: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
2. BEAT: In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs then the vanilla extract.
3. WHISK: In a separate bowl, whisk the dry ingredients to distribute the leavening agents and spice evenly.
4. MIX: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix gently by hand until just combined.
5. BAKE: Press the dough into the pan, top with cinnamon sugar, and bake for 25-30 minutes.
6. COOL: Let the bars cool completely in the pan, then slice into squares and enjoy!
Tips For the Best Snickerdoodle Bars
These bars are crazy easy to whip up – just mix up a simple dough, press it into a pan, then sprinkle over plenty of cinnamon sugar.
The hardest part is not devouring the whole pan in one sitting!
That said, I do have a few tips and tricks for you.
- Room temperature ingredients. Ensure the butter and eggs are at room temperature before starting. This makes mixing easier.
- Measure accurately. Properly measure the flour by weighing it or using the spoon and level method for measuring cups.
- Press evenly. Use your fingers or a spatula to press the dough evenly into the bottom of the lined pan. That will help the bars bake evenly.
- Cinnamon sugar layers. For maximum flavor, press half of the dough into the pan, sprinkle half the cinnamon sugar on top, then repeat. This will give the bars a lovely spiced layer in the middle.
- Avoid overbaking. Bake until the edges are set and lightly golden. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out mostly clean or with a few crumbs.
- Double up. Need more than 16 servings? Double the recipe and bake in a 9×13-inch pan. The bake time should be the same, but check them after 25 minutes and then in 3-5 minutes intervals after that.
- Variations. Add mix-ins like chocolate chips or nuts, top with frosting such as cream cheese or buttercream, or use different spices like pumpkin pie spice.
- Go gluten-free. Use an equal amount of an all-purpose gluten-free blend, such as Bob’s Red Mill. Just be sure it contains xanthan gum.
How to Store
These Snickerdoodle bars are so simple to make and are guaranteed to be a hit.
They’re perfect for holiday cookie trays, potlucks, or just keeping around the house for a sweet treat.
And luckily, they store really well!
To Store: Place cooled squares in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 1 week.
To Freeze: Cut the cooled bars into squares and wrap them individually in plastic wrap. Place the squares in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. To thaw, remove the Snickerdoodle bars and let them sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving.
More Cookie Bars We Can’t Get Enough Of
M&M Cookie Bars
Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
Sheet Pan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Snickerdoodle Bars
16
servings10
minutes25
minutes205
kcalWith their soft, chewy texture, buttery richness, and warm cinnamon flavor, these Snickerdoodle bars are sure to become your family’s new favorite treat!
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups (270g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter with 1 cup of granulated sugar and the brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix gently by hand until just combined. Press the dough into the prepared pan.
- In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the dough in the pan.
- Bake on the center rack for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
- Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Then, use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan and slice them into squares. Enjoy!
Notes
- Double up. Need more than 16 servings? Double the recipe and bake in a 9×13-inch pan. The bake time should be the same, but check them after 25 minutes and then in 3-5 minutes intervals after that.
- Go gluten-free. Use an equal amount of an all-purpose gluten-free blend, such as Bob’s Red Mill. Just be sure it contains xanthan gum.
