These Snickerdoodle Bars are thick, soft, and chewy sweet buttery bars topped with cinnamon sugar dusting. They are kinda like snickerdoodle cookies but in bar form, where we just slab all the cookie though in a baking dish instead of forming individual cookies.
I wish you could taste these gooey, glorious snickerdoodle cookie bars right now! They are always a huge hit whenever we make them and even non-snickerdoodle-lovers love this!
If you love these chewy snickerdoodle bars, also check out some of my other cinnamon favorites such Cinnamon Bundt Cake, Cinnamon Raisin Rolls, and Apple Cinnamon Bread.
Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars
Credit should be given where credit is due. These snickerdoodle bars are actually my husband’s recipe.
Not being a big snickerdoodle fan, I was actually kinda hesitant to try them…but I did anyway to humor my baker husband. Let’s just say, these snickerdoodle bars have totally converted me into the world of snickerdoodle.
They are so good that whenever he makes them for friends and family, they rave about it again and again.
People love these snickerdoodle bars so we knew we couldn’t keep its glorious yumminess from you. We would not do that to you.
What I love about these snickerdoodle cookie bars is that they are thick, chewy, soft, and buttery all at the same time, kinda like a cross between a cookie and a blondie.
Because they are in bar form, these snickerdoodle bars are much thicker and chewier than the cookies, which I think makes it so much more satisfying, especially if you love a chewy snickerdoodle cookie.
In addition to being delicious and addictive, what’s awesome about snickerdoodle bars is that they are so much easier to make than cookies.
Just add the dough into a prepared pan, like this large rectangular baking dish, and send it to bake in the oven. Then slice into thick chunky squares when done.
Ingredients
Here are all the ingredients you will need to make snickerdoodle bars:
- Unsalted butter: This helps create a rich and tender crumb. It’s best to use unsalted butter to control the overall salt content; salt content varies across brands for salted butter.
- Brown sugar: Provides moisture and a deeper caramel flavor to the bars.
- Granulated sugar: Because what’s dessert without more sugar? 🙂 You can reduce if desired.
- All-purpose flour: Forms the base structure of the bars and provides a balanced and chewy texture.
- Baking powder: Leavening agent to help the bars rise and become light and tender.
- Baking soda: Another leavening agent.
- Cream of tartar: The classic secret ingredient! Super important in making snickerdoodle bars or snickerdoodle cookies, bringing a slight tangy flavor and a chewy texture. Do not skip this or substitute it with something else!
- Salt: Enhances the other ingredients’ flavors and balances out the sweetness.
- Eggs: Contribute moisture and help bind the ingredients together, also giving a richness to the final product.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a lovely vanilla note to the bars, heightening the cookie-like flavor.
- Milk: Whole milk works best, but lower fat milk or non-diary can also be used.
- Ground cinnamon: Provides a classic warm, spiced flavor that defines snickerdoodles. This is used in the cinnamon sugar topping.
How to make snickerdoodle bars
Next, let’s walk through step-by-step how to make these delicious snickerdoodle bars. It’s super easy and straight-forward!
Step 1: prepare the dough
First, cream butter and both sugars. Make sure butter is softened and at room temperature, and mix butter together with brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. If using a stand mixer, use pedal attachment to combine.
Next, combine dry ingredients in a separate medium bowl. Bring together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt, and mix to combine.
Beat the eggs into butter/sugar mixture, then add in milk and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine. Then fold dry ingredients (flour mixture) into the butter/sugar mixture – do it a little bit at a time. If using stand mixer, start at low speed so that the dough is uniformly mixed.
Step 2: Place Dough on baking dish
Line a 9’x13′ baking dish with parchment paper – you’ll want to line it so you can easily remove the snickerdoodle bars after they are baked. Spread dough out into an even layer on the prepared pan.
Dough can be a little thick so use so you may need some elbow grease to spread it out. It doesn’t have to be completely even or perfect. Just make sure to spread it to the edges so to get a full rectangular shape.
Combine ground cinnamon and sugar mixture in a small bowl, then sprinkle it on top of the snickerdoodle bar dough. Ooh la la!
Step 3: Bake and enjoy!
Pop that pan into the oven and bake for 25 minutes at 350℉.
When it is done, let it cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before lifting the whole thing out of the pan by lifting the sides of the parchment paper. Then slice bars into smaller square pieces.
Snickerdoodle bars should be sweet and chewy on the inside, and has a lovely cinnamon vanilla flavor. It’s hard to eat just one!
Now for the best part: take a big bite, serve with a cup of hot tea or coffee, and enjoy it to the fullest. Oh you will, I promise. It is SO good! 🙂
Storage Instructions
These snickerdoodle bars will stay fresh in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. After that, store in refrigerator. Consume as soon as possible for the best freshness.
You can freeze these snickerdoodle bars as well. Make sure they are completely cool before storing them in an airtight container, or wrap them in aluminum foil and plastic wrap. Freeze in freezer for up to 2 months.
Serving
The best way to enjoy a snickerdoodle bar is while it’s warm, fresh out of the oven. They taste great at room temperature too, but there’s nothing quite like warm and fresh snickerdoodle.
If you want to warm it up after it is cool, microwave for 10-15 seconds per cookie bar.
Tips and Tricks
A few things to note:
- Use softened butter: Make sure the butter is at room temperature before creaming with the sugar. If you forget to set it out in advance, you can soften the butter in the microwave, but be careful not to melt it completely.
- Don’t skip the cream of tartar: Cream of tartar gives snickerdoodles their signature tangy flavor. It’s an essential ingredient in these bars.
- Use a spatula to smooth out: When spreading the dough into the baking pan, use a spatula to smooth it out evenly. This will ensure that the tops of your snickerdoodle bars are level and cook evenly.
- Check for doneness: Test for doneness by sticking a toothpick in the middle. Once it comes out clean, snickerdoodle bar is done and should be removed from oven. This ensures the bars don’t overbake and end up dry.
- Let the bars cool: Allow the bars to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before using the sides of the parchment paper to remove the snickerdoodle bars. This helps prevent them from falling apart when slicing.
- Make it yours: Add white chocolate chips, chocolate chips, or chopped nuts to the batter if you’d like! Want frosting on top? Go right ahead!
Frequently Asked Questions
They are very similar to snickerdoodle cookies but they are thicker and chewier. They are easily to make because you are basically spreading the cookies dough onto a large baking dish instead of creating individual cookies.
Yes, you can use salted butter in a pinch, but it may slightly alter the flavor of the bars. Also be sure to adjust the amount of added salt or omit altogether.
This is to bring a slight tanginess in flavor and a chewy texture to the cookies. This is an important ingredient that gives snickerdoodle its distinct flavor and texture. Do not skip it! 🙂
Most likely you’ve overbaked them. Make sure to remove them promptly from the oven and don’t let them sit in the hot baking dish for too long as they will continue cooking. You can also reduce bake time in the future if your snickerdoodle bars come out hard.
Yes! They freeze just fine. See more instructions on how to freeze them under Storage Instructions above.
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More Delicious Dessert Bars
Snickerdoodle Bars
Ingredients
Bars
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp milk
Topping
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Line 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper (important for cooling and cutting later).
- Cream butter and both sugars (granulated sugar and brown sugar) with a mixer (standing or handheld) until completely smooth.
- Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt into a separate bowl and set aside.
- Scrape sides of the mixing bowl and then add 1 egg at a time to butter/sugar mixture while mixing on low.
- Add vanilla extract and milk, and mix until fluffy.
- Fold in dry ingredients with a spatula (adding a little bit at a time) until thoroughly combined.
- Pour dough into parchment lined baking dish and use spatula to even out.
- Mix topping cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle on top of batter
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until done. Test for doneness by inserting a clean toothpick into the center – toothpick should come out clean if it is done.
- Let snickerdoodle bar cool for 5-10 minutes in the baking dish, then lift the sides of the parchment paper to remove it and set aside. Let it sit and cool for another 5 minutes, then slice into smaller squares.
- Serve and enjoy!
