Make your cinnamon sugar dreams come true even faster with these snickerdoodle cookie bars. They have everything you love about the classic cookie in a quick and easy bar form.
Cookie bars might be one of the best dessert hacks. You get the flavor and texture you love without having to chill, scoop and wait for several rounds of trays to bake and cool.
These snickerdoodle bars are a perfect example of that. You get all of the flavor without having to make individual balls and roll them in cinnamon sugar.
Just make the simple dough and pat it into a standard 9×13-inch pan. Then top with cinnamon sugar and bake away.
When the cookies are cooled, cut them into squares and they are ready to go. That’s really all it takes.
I love the combination of maple and cinnamon, so I like to add a little maple extract to the dough, but it’s not necessary. It just gives me extra seasonal vibes.
If you like fun twists on snickerdoodles, you may also like pumpkin snickerdoodles. They are perfect all fall and winter long.
Storing cookie bars
Once your cookies are cooled and cut, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Or put them in a good freezer container and freeze for up to three months.
Or half the recipe and bake it in an 8 inch pan. Just check it a few minutes early and pull it out as soon as a toothpick test comes out mostly clean.
Then you can bake fresh cookie bars more often and you get the benefit of smelling them in the oven each time. That is an added benefit of snickerdoodles!
What makes these so great?
1. They are a huge time saver. Baking them in bars saves you chilling, rolling and bake time.
2. They have real deal snickerdoodle flavor. That’s right they have the classic cream of tartar tang that people love.
3. You can easily adjust the topping flavor. Use traditional cinnamon sugar on top if you want. Or switch it up by using pumpkin pie spice, cardamom or your favorite baking spices.
4. You can also experiment with extracts. Maple is a beautiful flavor addition that goes well with cinnamon. You can also try almond.
5. People who like crispy edges can take an edge piece, but soft cookie lovers can get the pure soft cookie experience by taking a middle piece.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is cream of tartar used in snickerdoodles?
The cream of tartar adds the acid needed to react with the baking soda to make the cookies rise. It also give the snickerdoodles a little bit of tang that is traditional in the cookies.
What is the flavor of snickerdoodles?
Snickerdoodles are traditionally vanilla cookies coated in cinnamon and sugar. We like adding a little bit of maple extract to the dough to give them a maple cinnamon or almost french toast flavor.
More great cookie bar recipes
Funfetti sugar cookie bars are soft, delicious and covered in sprinkle filled buttercream. They are perfect for parties or use the right color sprinkles for a holiday treat.
The recipe for toffee cookie bars come straight from my grandma’s recipe box. They are a simple brown sugar cookie bar topped with chocolate and optionally pecans for a easy and tasty dessert.
Super soft sugar cookie bars topped with a fluffy layer buttercream are a fun and easy treat. They are so much quicker to make than individual cookies and taste great!
Soft flavorful gingerbread cookie bars are a quick and easy way to make frosted festive treats. Cut them into squares as a much easier alternative to cut out cookies for your holiday treat trays.
Love this recipe? Give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review in the recipe card below!
Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- ½ cup softened butter
- ½ cup shortening
- 1½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- optional: 2 teaspoons maple extract
- Pinch salt
Topping
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon or pumpkin spice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare a 9×13” baking dish by lining it with parchment paper or spraying with cooking spray.
- Cream together butter, shortening and sugar for 2 minutes.½ cup softened butter, ½ cup shortening, 1½ cup granulated sugar
- Add eggs, vanilla and maple extracts.2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, optional: 2 teaspoons maple extract
- Blend for one minute.
- Add cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and flour.3 cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, Pinch salt
- Mix until well blended.
- Spread the dough into the prepared pan.
- Stir together cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over the top of the dough..3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- Bake for about 23 to 27 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted comes out mostly clean.
- Cool completely before cutting into squares and enjoying.
Andrea Nine
Wednesday 24th of November 2021
I’ve never even thought of snickerdoodle bars, how perfect! I love anything with him in it! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your sweet family!
Carlee
Wednesday 24th of November 2021
It makes them faster and easier. Thank you Andrea!