Snickerdoodle Bars

These snickerdoodle bars have all the cinnamony goodness of a classic snickerdoodle cookie but with less hassle. Simply press your cookie dough into a pan and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top. The sugar gets slightly crunchy when baked, creating an amazing texture when paired with the soft, thick cookie underneath. I love a thick cookie, so these snickerdoodle cookie bars are a win in my book!

If you prefer a classic cookie, make sure to check out my Snickerdoodle Cookie or Crumbl Snickerdoodle recipe. Or, if you like your cookies in bar form, try my other cookie bar recipes: Sugar Cookie Bars, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars, and Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars.

Why This Recipe Works

• Small batch snickerdoodle recipe. My snickerdoodle cookie recipe makes 30 cookies, which is great! But it’s a lot of cookies. These snickerdoodle bar cookies are made in an 8×8-inch pan, which is a more manageable amount.
• Easy recipe. With this snickerdoodle bar recipe, there’s no rolling cookie dough into balls. Just press the dough into a pan, top it with cinnamon sugar, and bake. You also don’t have to chill the dough beforehand. It saves so much time, making these chewy snickerdoodle bars a breeze.

Ingredient Notes

• Eggs: This recipe calls for one whole egg plus an additional egg yolk. The extra egg yolk helps create super tender and chewy snickerdoodles. It also adds richness, making this bar cookie soft and buttery. 
• Cornstarch: Cornstarch also adds to the chewiness and thickness of a cookie without making it heavy or dense.
• Brown and white sugar: Many people wonder why cookie recipes don’t just use brown sugar since it’s arguably more delicious than plain white sugar. It has to do with chemistry. I won’t bore you with the details, but it comes down to this: brown sugar and white sugar provide different things when it comes to texture and taste, so we use both for the best results.
• Unsalted butter: The most obvious reason to use unsalted butter in baking is so you can control the salt levels in your baked goods. What most people don’t know, though, is that salted butter also has a higher water content. That excess moisture can really mess with your recipe.
• Cream of tartar: Cream of tartar adds tang to snickerdoodle cookies. I only use a small amount here, because I don’t like a super tangy snickerdoodle. Cream of tartar also prevents sugar from crystallizing, which helps cookies be chewy instead of crunchy.
• Cinnamon sugar: Perhaps the most important ingredient alongside cream of tartar, cinnamon sugar is key to any snickerdoodle dessert. We sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top of the cookie dough before baking.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare your oven and pan. Move a rack into the center of your oven and preheat your oven to 350℉. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving 1-2 inches of overhang to easily remove your snickerdoodle bars.
2. Cream butter and sugars. In the large bowl of a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment to cream 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 1 cup granulated sugar and ⅓ cup brown sugar until fluffy and light in color. You can also use a handheld electric mixer.
3. Mix in eggs and vanilla extract. Add one egg, one egg yolk, and two teaspoons vanilla extract. Mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Add in dry ingredients. Add 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon baking soda. Mix until ingredients are just combined. Careful not to overmix.

5. Press dough into prepared pan. Transfer your cookie dough to your square pan. Using an offset spatula or your fingers, press it into an even layer.
6. Add cinnamon sugar. Mix together a ¼ cup granulated sugar and two teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle your cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the top of the bars.
7. Bake cookie bars. Bake for 23-25 minutes in your preheated oven, or until the edges of the bars are set and the top is golden brown. If you insert a toothpick into the center, it should come out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
8. Allow to cool and enjoy. As best you can, resist the temptation to dig in immediately. The bars will continue to cook slightly as they cool and be much easier to cut. Once fully cooled, cut yourself a snickerdoodle slice!

Recipe Tips

Let your butter come to room temperature unwrapped in your mixing bowl. That way, you don’t need to dirty another dish, and you don’t leave any butter behind on the wrapper.

Don’t overmix your dough. Overmixing the dough may make your cookies tough.

For the best snickerdoodle bars, don’t overbake. Overbaking will dry out these cookie bars.

Add a fun twist with my Cream Cheese Whipped Cream Frosting for snickerdoodle cream cheese bars! Spread the frosting over the top of the cinnamon sugar layer after the bars have completely cooled.

Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing

Make Ahead: These snickerdoodle bar cookies can be made up to four days in advance. Alternatively, you can make your dough ahead of time and leave it in the fridge for a day until you’re ready to bake. Sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar just before baking.

Storing: Store leftover cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the fridge for 5-6 days.

Freezing: You can freeze these bars uncut in the pan or cut and wrapped in individual squares. To freeze in the pan, wrap your pan firmly in plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil. To freeze individual squares, wrap each square in plastic wrap and keep in an airtight container or zip-top bag in the freezer for up to two months. Allow them to thaw at room temperature.

Recipe FAQs

More Cinnamon Desserts

• Cinnamon Roll Sheet Cake
• Cinnamon Sugar Caramelitas
• White Chocolate Snickerdoodle Pretzels
• Cinnamon Roll Cookies
• Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake