Sugar Free Snickerdoodle Cookies
Sugar Free Snickerdoodle Cookies
This is that cookie that is especially popular during the fall and holiday seasons.
I like to think of this cookie as a fun version of a regular sugar cookie because it has extra texture with a bit of cinnamon on top.
Snickerdoodle cookies however are a bit different from sugar cookies.
What you may first notice about the Snickerdoodle is that it is a different texture from a sugar cookie.
That is, the Snickerdoodle is a more fluffy cookie than the average sugar cookie is.
The texture that makes the Snickerdoodle different from the other cookies lies in the addition of one ingredient.
That one ingredient which is responsible for the voluminous texture of the Snickerdoodle is cream of tarter. Cream of tarter is a leavening agent that is added to this cookie to work with the other ingredients to cause a reaction which in this case, would be the texture that defines the snickerdoodle cookie.
Ironically, cream of tarter is a byproduct of making wine.
You may be familiar with cream of tarter as it is an essential ingredient in making meringue. The reaction in meringue is a result of the cream of tarter and the egg whites that have been added to the recipe.
The remaining ingredients in this recipe are pretty standard cookie ingredients that you may expect to see.
I am referring to the flour, butter, sugar (alternative in our case) and the rest. Hence, you can see why this cookie is often confused with the usual sugar cookie
Having compared the ingredients in the sugar cookie to the snickerdoodle cookie there are some alternatives to the common ingredients mentioned that we will use.
As expected in a sugar free recipe, we will be using a sugar alternative in this recipe for cookies. Please use a granular sugar alternative that measures 1:1 with sugar, for best results.
Here are some more ingredient substitutions that you can use in this recipe.
Shortening is used in addition to the butter that is used in this recipe. An alternative to shortening that can be used is vegetable oil (⅓ cup). You probably will be okay if you were to use margarine as a substitute if you desired to.
To make this low carb, use a low carb all purpose flour.
Also, to make this keto use a keto all purpose flour.
Lastly, to make this recipe gluten free, use an all purpose gluten free flour.
Also, if you are using Almond flour, please add an additional egg to the batter to aid in the binding process. I suggest anyone using any of the all purpose flour alternatives check the packaging to see if an additional egg or other binder for gluten free baking is needed as well.
This is a recipe that is known for its cinnamon taste.
When choosing a cinnamon to use, please select one that does not have sugar added to it. You can find basic cinnamon online that would work in this recipe.
Here are some similar recipes that you may also like.
- The Best Sugar Free Chocolate Chip Cookie.
- 3 Ingredient Sugar Free Peanut Butter Cookie.
- Sugar Free Sugar Cookies.
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The recipe for Sugar Free Snickerdoodle Cookies.
As mentioned above, you will need cream of tarter for this recipe. Also, Shortening is used in addition to the butter that is used in this recipe. An alternative to shortening that can be used is vegetable oil (⅓ cup). You probably will be okay if you were to use margarine as a substitute if you desired to.
To make this low carb, use a low carb all purpose flour.
Also, to make this keto use a keto all purpose flour.
Lastly, to make this recipe gluten free, use an all purpose gluten free flour.
Also, if you are using Almond flour, please add an additional egg to the batter to aid in the binding process. I suggest anyone using any of the all purpose flour alternatives check the packaging to see if an additional egg or other binder for gluten free baking is needed as well.
What you will need to make this Sugar Free Snickerdoodle Cookie.
Please make sure that your ingredients are fresh. Also, cream of tarter is essential to this recipe.
- All Purpose Flour- 2 ¾ cups. To make this low carb, use a low carb all purpose flour.
Make this keto using a keto all purpose flour.
Or, make this recipe gluten free, use an all purpose gluten free flour or Almond flour. If using a gluten free option, please check the packaging to see if you need to add an additional egg or other binder for gluten free baking to the batter to aid in the binding process. - Cinnamon - 2 teaspoons of grounded cinnamon. Please be sure to use cinnamon that does not have sugar added to it 🙂 .
- Cream of Tarter- 2 teaspoons.
- Baking Soda- 1 teaspoon.
- Salt- pinch.
- Granular Sugar Alternative- 1 ¾ cups, divided. For best results, use a granular sugar alternative that measures 1:1 with sugar in volume.
- Butter- ½ cup or 1 stick softened to room temperature.
- Shortening- ½ cup. Also, Shortening is used in addition to the butter that is used in this recipe. An alternative to shortening that can be used is vegetable oil (⅓ cup). You probably will be okay if you were to use margarine .
You can find vegan alternatives here. - Eggs- 2.
You can find egg alternatives here. - Vanilla Extract- 1 teaspoon.
How to make Sugar Free Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 375 and prep a cookie sheet for nonstick. I like to use Parchment Paper .
- In a small bowl, use a fork to mix together the cinnamon with ¼ cup of the sugar alternative then set this bowl aside.
- Now, in a medium bowl, whisk or sift together your flour, cream of tarter, baking soda, and salt. Set this bowl aside for a moment while you continue to work.
- Next in a mixing bowl, cream together 1 ½ cups of the sugar alternative with the butter, and shortening.
- For the next step we will add the dry ingredients from the first bowl to the creamed ingredients in the mixing bowl. To do this simply add half of the dry ingredients, gently mix, and then add the remaining and the gently mix again.
- Now we will add the eggs, one egg at a time, and then the vanilla extract to the mixing bowl.
- To form the cookies, simply roll each individual cookie into a ball and then roll that ball into the first bowl (small bowl with the cinnamon and sugar alternative) to cover the cookie. Then place the rolled cookie on to the prepped cookie sheet and repeat until all of the cookies have been formed. Be sure to leave plenty of room between cookies on the sheet as they will flatten as they bake.
- Bake your cookies for 10-12 minutes or until they begin to 'crack'. Allow them to cool on the sheet before transferring.
The Recipe Card for Sugar Free Snickerdoodle Cookies
Sugar Free Snickerdoodle Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ Cups All Purpose Flour see recipe for options
- 2 tsp Cinnamon ground
- 2 tsp Cream of Tarter
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 ½ cups Splenda divided, see recipe for alternatives
- ½ cup Butter softened
- ½ cup Shortening see recipe for alternatives
- 2 Egg
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 and prep a cookie sheet for nonstick.
- In a small bowl, use a fork to mix together the cinnamon with ¼ cup of the sugar alternative then set this bowl aside.
- Now, in a medium bowl, whisk or sift together your flour, cream of tarter, baking soda, and salt. Set this bowl aside for a moment while you continue to work
- Next in a mixing bowl, cream together 1 ½ cups of the sugar alternative with the butter, and shortening.
- For the next step we will add the dry ingredients from the first bowl to the creamed ingredients in the mixing bowl. To do this simply add half of the dry ingredients, gently mix, and then add the remaining and the gently mix again.Now we will add the eggs, one egg at a time, and then the vanilla extract to the mixing bowl.
- To form the cookies, simply roll each individual cookie into a ball and then roll that ball into the first bowl (small bowl with the cinnamon and sugar alternative) to cover the cookie. Then place the rolled cookie on to the prepped cookie sheet and repeat until all of the cookies have been formed. Be sure to leave plenty of room between cookies on the sheet as they will flatten as they bake.
- Bake your cookies for 10-12 minutes or until they begin to 'crack'. Allow them to cool on the sheet before transferring.
Recipe Notes
To make this low carb, use a low carb all purpose flour.
Also, to make this keto use a keto all purpose flour. Lastly, to make this recipe gluten free, use an all purpose gluten free flour. *Please check the nutritional labels to assure that you are sticking to your diet restrictions for any substitutions used. - see post for alternatives
Please see recipe post for further details on this recipe.
Nutritional Information is only an estimate and can vary especially with ingredients that are used.
most recently updated:
September 13, 2019*About Sugar Alternatives
Specific sugar alternatives are not given in the recipes presented on this site. Only suggestions are given as to the 'kind' of alternative to use. It is up to you to select the alternative to use that suits your needs best. If the recipe is heated or cooked, it is best to use an alternative that can be heated or cooked with for best results. This site does not endorse any specific ingredients,
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that the links on this website, and specifically on this post, that lead to other sites may be affiliate links.
Nutrition
Please note: Nutritional data has been calculated using a tool that comes with this recipe card and not by me. This means that Nutritional Information is only an estimate and can vary especially with ingredients that you use. The accuracy of this tool may differ from other tools as expected. Also note that there is no instructional value to the video that may be attached to this recipe. It is only there for visual pleasure. For more information about the images in this recipe, please refer the the recipe instructions. Thank you!
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Nutritional Information is only an estimate and can vary especially with ingredients that are used.
You can see items that have been featured on my Sugar Free Sunday Spotlight here.
This recipe for these delicious and easy to make Sugar Free Snickerdoodle Cookies has gluten free, low carb, and even keto baking options included!
updated 9/19
Cathy
I’m sorry but I couldn’t find the alternative to wheat flour did you post that somewhere. ..
SFD
Hi. I use Carbalose flour as a low carb alternative to regular flour. thanks
Daniel
Can you use pure stevia powder that is equivalent to 1 1/2 cups sugar?
SFD
Hi
If in doubt, see what is indicated on the package of the product that you are using. The package should indicate the equivalence to sugar. It is hard for me to say as many products are blended. thanks!
Daniel
So it does not matter what sweetener you use ?
SFD
Hi. For cookies, I usually recommend something granular as this behaves more like sugar as far as volume and texture goes.
Daniel
What would be the best filler or bulking agent if I were to use stevia?
SFD
Hi- the bulking agent would come as packaged with the stevia. I could not recommend a bulking agent if the Stevia is not packaged without a bulking agent and is not a 1:1 equivalent sweetness and volume) to sugar. It should say on the package how much of the Stevia product to use to equate it to, for example 1 cup, of sugar in a recipe. I hope this makes sense.
Some Stevia products are bulked up to make that product a 1:1 equivalent to sugar in a recipe. This is because Stevia is a high intensity sweetener that is not 1:1 (volume and sweetness) to sugar in a recipe. This means that it would take less Stevia (in a Stevia all by itself in the package) to get an equivalent amount of sweetness that sugar would produce in a recipe. However, to keep the other ingredients in balance with the recipe, some Stevia is 'bulked' up with other ingredients, such as sugar, to keep the total volume the same. You can read more about this here if you are interested in learning more about sugar alternatives. thanks!
Daniel
I was just wondering why gent I should use. Would applesauce work?
SFD
Hi. I am not sure that I would recommend applesauce in this recipe. thanks
Shannon Mefford
Tried making this recipe and the cookies didn’t spread. I mixed exactly the way the directions said.
SFD
Hi. I just want to make sure that you used a granular sugar alternative that is equivalent in volume to sugar. Also, 1 cup of butter + 2 eggs as these are your liquids.
Thanks
Edith
The rating for this recipe is based on the recipe. I haven't actually baked it yet. The reason for the comment is that I have a question but couldn't figure out how to email you. In the recipe for Chewy SF chocolate chip cookies, you said that you would show some work arounds for molasses, but the recipe looked pretty basic to me. I am very interested in these work-arounds because i I am trying to figure out how to make SF molasses cake and SF Ginger Snaps. Both recipes call for molasses. What can be substituted?
TheSugarFreeDiva
Hi.
Ironically, I do have a ginger snap cookie recipe that will post next week. This recipe does feature molasses alternatives.
What you should know that no sugar free alternative is capable of behaving chemically the same as Molasses will behave due the their chemical make up.
However, there are acceptable work-arounds for both taste and behavior. In the case of the Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies, we used melted butter to mimic the results of a chewy cookie that has molasses in it and the taste was achieved via the brown sugar alternative. I will definitely see if there is a way to make that molasses cake. Thank you!
Diane Ginn
Hi ,I am making the snicker doodles today and noticed the recipe on Facebook says one egg but says are one egg at a time??
TheSugarFreeDiva
Hi. This recipe calls for two eggs. The eggs are added one at a time which means that you add an egg, gently stir, and then add the other egg.
Hope this helps. Thanks!