Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars
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These snickerdoodle cookie bars have a soft and chewy texture, delicious buttery flavor and crunchy cinnamon sugar topping. Easier than making cookies and no mixer required, this recipe is perfect if you like your cookies extra thick and chewy. 
It’s hard to beat a snickerdoodle. The classic cookie has a delicious buttery vanilla flavor and is rolled in cinnamon sugar. The cinnamon sugar adds a delicious crunch to complement the chewy cookie texture. But if don’t feel like getting your fingers sticky – then you’re going to love these snickerdoodle cookie bars.
I absolutely love making cookie bars. They’re so easy, require way less busy work than making cookies, and you get seriously thick, chewy cookie goodness. One of the best parts about making these snickerdoodle cookie bars is that you save a ton of time and energy because, unlike traditional snickerdoodles, you don’t need to roll each cookie dough ball in cinnamon sugar. Instead, the chewy cookie dough is pressed into an 8-inch (20-cm) pan and the cinnamon sugar topping is sprinkled on top.
Making Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars
This recipe is very simple. I’ve included step-by-step photos so you know exactly what each step should look like.
- Start by preheating the oven to 350F (180C) and lining your pan. I typically use parchment paper and leave an overhang around the edges. You could also use aluminum foil, also leaving an overhang around the edges and lightly greasing. Or, simply lightly grease the pan.
- Pro Tip: If lining the pan with parchment paper, I recommend greasing the pan first. This helps the paper stick to the pan so that it doesn’t slide around when you’re spooning in the dough later.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the cinnamon sugar topping – granulated sugar, cinnamon and a little nutmeg. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar. The butter should be melted and cooled slightly and when you’re done whisking you should no longer see pools of butter sitting on top.
- Then whisk in the egg and vanilla extract.
- In a small separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, cornstarch, cream of tartar and salt. The cornstarch makes the bars extra chewy. Cream of tartar is one of the essential ingredients in snickerdoodles. It gives the cookies that almost tangy flavor that makes snickerdoodles different than just a classic sugar cookie. If you truly want the classic snickerdoodle flavor – be sure to include cream of tartar.
- Note: There is no baking soda or baking powder in this recipe because I wanted the bars to be soft and chewy (like a blondie). It’s intentional. Don’t worry – these cookie bars aren’t too dense.
- From there, you’ll mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. You can do this with a wire whisk just fine, or you could use an electric mixer if you choose. The dough will be thinner than typical cookie dough.
- Spoon the dough into the prepared pan and smooth the top (this is where greasing the pan first if lining with parchment paper comes in handy).
- Then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture on top. It will look like quite a lot, but because some of the sugar will end up melting into the cookie dough, it doesn’t end up being as thick after baking. Of course, you could use less if you prefer.
- Then bake in the preheated oven for 20-23 minutes – mine took exactly 22 minutes.
- Let the bars cool. Then lift out of the pan using the overhang of the parchment paper/aluminum foil and place on a cutting board to slice. If you didn’t line the pan and just greased it – then slice the bars straight from the pan.
Baking Tips & Things to Note
- This recipe was designed for cookie bars. The dough is too thin and sticky for making traditional snickerdoodle cookies. If you’d like to make snickerdoodles, then be sure to use this recipe.
- The dough for this recipe won’t be quite enough for a 9×9 inch (23×23 cm) pan. The bars will be too thin. Be sure to use an 8×8 inch (20×20 cm) pan.
- If you really want to make these snickerdoodles without cream of tartar, the recipe will still be delicious. However, it won’t have that classic snickerdoodle hint of tang, but will be a regular sugar cookie bar with cinnamon sugar.
- If you’d like to double the recipe, double all the ingredients and make in a 9×13 inch (23×33 cm) pan. I recommend greasing the pan, as opposed to lining it, because the bars are hard to lift out of the pan when it’s a double batch. Because the area of a 9×13 pan isn’t quite double the area of an 8×8 inch pan, you will have some leftover cinnamon sugar topping and the bars will be thicker. Therefore, the bake time will be closer to 25-30 minutes.
Thick, chewy, buttery and perfectly soft – these snickerdoodle cookie bars have the perfect texture and the quintessential snickerdoodle flavor. If you love your cookies extra chewy with a little extra cinnamon sugar – then these snickerdoodle bars are the recipe for you. And if you want more easy cookie bars, then be sure to try:
Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars
Equipment
- 8x8 inch (20x20 cm) pan
Ingredients
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (112 grams) , melted and cooled
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (50 grams) , I used light
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (156 grams)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Line an 8x8 (20x20 cm) pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang around the edges. I recommend lightly greasing the pan first to keep the paper in place. Alternatively, simply lightly grease the pan.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the cinnamon sugar topping - 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together the melted butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup brown sugar until you no longer see pools of melted butter.
- Whisk in the egg and vanilla extract.
- In a separate small/medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, cream of tartar and salt.
- Whisk the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until there are no lumps of flour. You can do this with a wire whisk, or an electric mixer works too.
- Spoon the dough into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture on top into an even layer. I use it all for a thick crunch, but feel free to use not all of it if you want less cinnamon sugar.
- Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for about 20-23 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool the bars in the pan. When ready to slice, lift the bars out of the pan using the overhang of the paper and place on a cutting board. Slice using a sharp knife. If you didn't line the pan, simply slice the bars in the pan.
Notes
- Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Nutrition: Details provided are an estimate only and based on 1 bar, assuming that all the cinnamon sugar topping was used and the pan sliced into 9 equal-sized bars.
These were just ok. I think they would have been better if I had swirled part of the topping into the batter.
Hi Connie – thanks for your feedback. I think that’s a great idea
Ummm… these are pretty much the most delicious Snickerdoodles you will ever taste!! Soft and chewy, as promised. I doubled the recipe cuz 8×8 didn’t seem near big enough. Thank goodness I did!!
I like your thinking! So glad you enjoyed them
These were a great success with my friends!