All of the best classic flavors are in these gluten-free Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars, but with NO rolling each cookie one by one in cinnamon sugar. These bars are quick, easy, soft, and loaded with cinnamon sugar!
Cinnamon Sugar is the best.
I think chocolate is still my favorite… but cinnamon sugar is filled with nostalgia for me. I grew up with a salt shaker filled with cinnamon sugar for sprinkling on toast, and my Mom made homemade Cinnamon Rolls quite often.
Naturally I’ve shared a ton of recipes with cinnamon sugar, like:
- Banana Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
- Cinnamon Sugar Drop Biscuits
- Apple Cinnamon Bread
- Cinnamon Sugar Scones
- Apple Cinnamon Zucchini Muffins
- Cinnamon Sugar Roasted Nut Granola
- Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread
- Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake
If it’s got cinnamon sugar sprinkled on top, swirled inside, or coated on the outside of it, chances are I’m gonna think it’s delicious.
Crunchy sugar and warm cinnamon, it’s a winning combo.
Snickerdoodle Cookies are a classic that we love to make, but I love to make Cookie Bars too and it’s been a while since I shared a cookie bar recipes. I thought these gluten-free Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars would be the perfect Fall treat to share.
With classic Snickerdoodles you roll each individual cookie into a smooth ball and then roll them in a cinnamon sugar topping. With Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars, all you have to do is sprinkle the cinnamon sugar topping across and throw the pan in the oven!
They’re easier, quicker, and a little thicker and softer since they’re in bar form. You’ll still get a crispy topping and edges, but the thicker middle pieces are incredible.
If Fall is a busy time for you and you love cinnamon sugar too, give these gluten-free Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars a try!
I’ve got one big tip for cookie bar perfection.
After you’ve made your Snickerdoodle Cookie Bar batter, add it to your 9×9 pan in dollops. Don’t just drop it in the middle as one big pile. The dough itself is pretty thick, so dolloping it around the pan will help you as you have to spread it around later.
I like to use my frosting spatula to spread the dough around. If you bake desserts enough, it’s worth getting one! They spread surprisingly way better than a butter knife and I’ve fallen in love with mine.
Alternatively, you can use the back of a spatula that’s been sprayed with non-stick spray to spread the cookie dough out as well.
I also recommend either using parchment paper and/or spraying your pan with non-stick spray prior to adding the cookie dough. You can spray a little non-stick spray under your parchment paper to help it stay in place. You can also try using clips (like clothesline clips or chip clips) on the edge of the pan to hold it in place as well.
To make these bars dairy-free, you can use coconut oil or a dairy-free butter stick alternative.
Other than that, these bars are quick, easy, and made with simple ingredients, like:
- butter
- white & brown sugars
- vanilla
- egg
- gluten-free all purpose flour blend (with xantham gum)
- cinnamon
- baking soda
- salt
And don’t forget the cream of tartar! After all, it really isn’t “Snickerdoodle” without cream of tartar. Just a little makes the bars extra tender.
These gluten-free Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars are a great recipe to whip up quickly that kids and adults love. You can’t go wrong with cinnamon sugar!
After you make them, let me know what you think! I love to hear from ya’ll. Leave a comment and star rating, below.
Before you go, you might also want to check out my gluten-free Dutch Apple Pie, Brookies, Pumpkin Apple Donuts, and Butter Pecan Cookies.
- 1/2 cup butter, softened (or dairy-free butter alternative)
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free all purpose flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
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To begin, preheat your oven to 350 and line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper with two sides sticking out (for easy removal).
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To a large mixing bowl, add your butter, white sugar and brown sugar and beat together with a mixer till creamy. Add your vanilla and egg and briefly blend them in.
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To the same bowl, add your flour, cinnamon, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Stir everything together till you have a thick, consistent cookie dough batter.
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Add dollops of the cookie dough batter evenly across the bottom of your 9×9 pan. Spread out carefully with a spatula, till you have a thin, even layer.
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In a small bowl, mix together the cinnamon sugar topping. Sprinkle evenly across the top of the pan.
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Bake for 20-25 minutes, or till a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
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Let cool entirely prior to cutting and serving. Then, devour!
I need to make these gluten free, dairy free and sugar free. can I use a sugar substitute?
Hi Debbie. I’m afraid making these sugar free that then they won’t feel very much like snickerdoodles? Since a classic snickerdoodle is covered in cinnamon sugar, without the sugar it wouldn’t be correct.
Hi! May seem silly but I am needing to make for a larger group. What needs to be changed if I do this recipe in 9×13 pans?
Hi Emma. Not a silly question at all. For a bigger pan, I’d recommend making a double batch. The bake time may be a little longer so just watch out for that. I hope you like them!
This was good! In order to get the batter to a cookie dough consistency an extra 4 tablespoons of butter was required and this added on a few extra minutes of cooking time.
I added the butter and it helped. However very crumbly not a bar cookie like texture. Another disappointing gluten free recipe. And I’ve Jenn baking gf for years
When do you put the cinnamon sugar topping on, I presume it’s after you’ve baked the biscuits.
Hi Grace. No, sorry that wasn’t clear (it’s been fixed now). Sprinkle the topping on prior to baking.
Hi Chelsea- your recipes look delicious! I noticed on one of your recipes that you indicated changes for high altitude. I’m in Colorado Springs and wondering if all your recipes are geared towards high altitude or only those where you have specific instructions for it. Thanks and can’t wait to start baking!
Hi Kim! Many of my recipes can be made in high altitude with no changes necessary (like quick breads, cookies, muffins, etc). I do have a few recipes on here (like my Vanilla Cake, cornbread) that is in fact geared towards baking in high altitude and state adjustments with the recipes. I bake at 5000 ft high, so any of my recipes should work fairly well for you (depending on where you are in the Springs; I’m familiar with the area and I know that altitude can vary there quite a bit).