A quick note before we begin… I learned a LOT about the science of snickerdoodles when developing this recipe, so this post is longer than usual. I hope you enjoy nerdy kitchen chemistry as much as I do! But if your snickerdoodle cravings are out of control and you just need to make and eat cookies ASAP, you can scroll past all of my tips to get straight to the recipe — I’m not offended one bit!
The night of my first full day in Mexico for a close friend’s wedding in December, I ended up with a major craving for cookies. Although the restaurant we were dining at only offered popsicles for desserts, one of the groomsmen mentioned that he had cookies back at the hotel that he’d be happy to share with me. Excitedly, I agreed to find him in the lobby after our shuttle ride back from town.
Yet when we arrived back at the hotel, I didn’t see him anywhere… So I headed up to my room, ate some of the dark chocolate stashed in my purse, and figured that I’d snag a cookie the next day — or that the wedding cake the following evening would satisfy my sweet tooth!
At the reception the next night, I waved hello to the same groomsman, laughing as his eyes widened… He proceeded to spill that the other groomsmen had polished off all of the cookies before he could save one for me, and he kept apologizing profusely. I smiled and reassured him it was fine as the wedding planner asked us to take our seats so the dinner could begin.
As the evening drew to a close, I realized my sweet tooth would have to wait yet another day — whether for a soft, chewy, deliciously sweet cookie or even a slice of cake — because my friend’s reception menu only included individual custards and puddings at the dessert table… No wedding cake whatsoever!
One of my other new friends laughed a little at my sweet tooth dilemma as we chatted at the end of the evening. He then asked about my favorite cookie flavor, and I quickly responded that I wasn’t too picky… As long as it was soft and chewy, I’d be happy — and something with chocolate would be even better!
I turned the tables, inquiring about his favorite cookie in return, and he almost apologetically replied that he hated chocolate, which made me smile… I always internally chuckle when people say they don’t like chocolate and seem to worry that might offend me, seeing as I’m such a huge chocoholic. It actually doesn’t bother me one bit — that just means more for me and I don’t have to share! 😉
But he continued on and shared that snickerdoodles and peanut butter cookies were the two he loved the most. Soft, chewy, and preferably warm… And sometimes with ice cream stuffed between two to make an ice cream cookie sandwich.
In that moment, I realized that “healthy snickerdoodles” had been sitting on my recipe testing list for years… And as a result, I immediately moved it to the very top as soon as I arrived back home from Mexico, making it my highest priority for the new year.
After countless rounds of testing — including four batches in a single day, just to make sure they turned out perfectly! — I’m incredibly excited and SO thrilled to finally share this Ultimate Healthy Snickerdoodles recipe with you!
These ultimate healthy snickerdoodles are deliciously sweet, irresistibly soft and chewy, and have plenty of rich spice flavor permeating throughout every bite. They also have that oh so subtle snickerdoodle tang (you know the one I’m talking about, right??) and just a hint of that classic snickerdoodle crunch from the sweet cinnamon-spiced sugar coating on the outside too.
Yet unlike traditional recipes… These ultimate healthy snickerdoodles are 84 calories!
WHAT ARE SNICKERDOODLES?
What exactly are snickerdoodles? And how did they get their name? Well… The first question is easier to answer, so let’s start there!
Snickerdoodles are a special type of sugar cookies, usually made with lots of butter (it creates a really rich flavor!), that are rolled in cinnamon sugar before they’re baked. That cinnamon sugar coating is the most iconic and obvious way to tell snickerdoodles apart from any other cookie…
But unlike just about every other cookie I’ve baked or eaten, snickerdoodles also include cream of tartar! If you’re nerdy like me (I used to be a chemist!)… It has a few different scientific names: potassium bitartrate, potassium hydrogen tartrate, and tartaric acid. But plain ol’ “cream of tartar” also works! 😉
Cream of tartar is a fine white powder that’s a byproduct of the wine making process (aka it comes from grapevines!). It’s acidic, so it reacts with baking soda (a base — and another classic snickerdoodle ingredient!) to give snickerdoodles a lighter, chewier texture. It also creates that subtle hint of tang so characteristic of snickerdoodles’ flavor!
WHY ARE THEY CALLED SNICKERDOODLES?
That’s a very good question… And something I don’t entirely know the answer to! However, there are a couple of different theories about why snickerdoodle cookies are called “snickerdoodles.”
The first theory is that snickerdoodles originated in Germany. If true, then the cookies’ name is play on the German word “schnecken,” meaning snails. Schnecken is also the term for a particular type of German sweet buns (very similar to what Americans call sticky pecan buns!), so named because they’re rolled up in a spiral shape like a snail’s shell.
That’s as far as sources go, so my best guess is… Maybe the sticky buns and cookies have similar flavors from the sweetness and cinnamon?
The second theory is that snickerdoodles actually originated in New England during the late 1800s, possibly created by a woman named Cornelia Campbell Bedford. New Englanders tended to give baked goods whimsical names, so the term “snickerdoodle” might not mean anything at all!
In some cookbooks from the late 1800s and early 1900s, snickerdoodles were actually included in the cake chapter, rather than the cookies chapter… So they may have originally been more pillowy and cakey in texture, rather than the soft and chewy treats they are today.
Regardless of which theory you believe… The cookies are absolutely delicious, so let’s dive into how to make the ultimate healthy snickerdoodles!
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST EVER HEALTHY SNICKERDOODLES
Let’s go over how to make the best ever healthy snickerdoodles! I learned a lot while developing this recipe, so to make sure your cookies turn out perfectly and exactly the way you like them, I want to share my nerdy tips and tricks with you!
Nerd Alert #1: Flour
Traditional snickerdoodle recipes typically call for refined white flour, but since we’re making the ultimate healthy snickerdoodles, you’ll use white whole wheat flour instead! No… It’s not a combination of white (aka all-purpose) flour and regular whole wheat flour!
Instead, white whole wheat flour is made by finely grinding a special type of soft white wheat (hence the name!), whereas regular whole wheat flour comes from a heartier variety of red wheat. They both have the same health benefits (like extra fiber!), but white whole wheat flour has a lighter taste and texture… And that lets the soft and chewy texture of your ultimate healthy snickerdoodles truly shine!
Tip: I’ve also included my two favorite gluten-free alternatives in the Notes section of the recipe, if you’d like to make these ultimate healthy snickerdoodles gluten-free!
Nerd Alert #2: Measuring the Flour
Yes, this Nerd Alert is SO important that I’m separating it from the type of flour that you’ll use. For the best texture in your ultimate healthy snickerdoodle cookies, you must measure the flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!)
Too much flour will do a few things to your cookies. It’ll prevent them from spreading (more on that in a moment!), so your cookies will look like little balls instead of round discs. It’ll also make them taste dry or cakey, rather than soft and chewy.
So pretty pretty please… Measure your flour correctly for the best ever healthy snickerdoodles!
Nerd Alert #3: Cream of Tartar + Baking Soda
As we covered above, cream of tartar is a key ingredient in snickerdoodle cookies. It’s an acid that’s a dry, fine, white powder that comes from grape plants. Cream of tartar is what gives snickerdoodles that subtle yet iconic tangy flavor. Without cream of tartar, your ultimate healthy snickerdoodles would just be cinnamon sugar cookies… Still delicious — just not true, authentic snickerdoodles!
The cream of tartar also serves a scientific purpose… You’re not adding it just for flavor! As an acid, the cream of tartar reacts with the baking soda (a base). When these ingredients react, they create a supremely soft and chewy texture in your ultimate healthy snickerdoodles. Yum!
Fun Fact: You can actually make your own baking powder out of cream of tartar and baking soda!
Nerd Alert #4: Cinnamon
I deviated a bit from traditional snickerdoodle recipes here… I actually added a bit of cinnamon to the cookie dough itself — not just to the coating! I wanted that rich, warm, cozy cinnamon flavor to permeate throughout every bite. Based on the dozens of people who taste tested these ultimate healthy snickerdoodles for me, that was a very good decision! 😉
However, not all cinnamons are created equal! I prefer Saigon cinnamon, rather than regular ol’ everyday cinnamon. Saigon cinnamon has the highest concentration of cinnamaldehyde (aka a naturally occurring flavor chemical in cinnamon!), which means it has the strongest, richest, and sweetest cinnamon taste. I highly recommend using Saigon cinnamon for the best flavor in these ultimate healthy snickerdoodles!
Tip: I actually buy my Saigon cinnamon online here because it’s SO inexpensive and affordable!
Nerd Alert #5: Butter
Just like classic recipes, you’ll use butter to make these ultimate healthy snickerdoodles. However, unlike the traditional ones that include a full stick or two of butter, you merely need 1 tablespoon of butter. That really helps keep your ultimate healthy snickerdoodles low calorie and low fat!
Also unlike traditional recipes… You’ll melt the butter! I almost never remember to set out butter far enough in advance to give it time to properly soften, and I don’t like washing the beaters on a hand-held or stand mixer after creaming butter and sugar either. I’d rather just use a whisk or fork and stick it in the dishwasher! So… Melting the butter solves both of those problems!
Tip: I’ve also provided non-dairy alternatives in the Notes section of the recipe, if you’d like to make your ultimate healthy snickerdoodles vegan and dairy-free!
Nerd Alert #6: Vanilla Extract
This is a semi-secret and very important ingredient in these ultimate healthy snickerdoodles! Vanilla extract actually enhances butter’s rich flavor. You’ll use a bit more vanilla in your cookies than traditional recipes typically do, which means your ultimate healthy snickerdoodles will taste just as rich and buttery as traditional ones!
Nerd Alert #7: Eggs
You just need one egg for these ultimate healthy snickerdoodles! The egg white provides protein, which helps with the structure and texture of your cookies. Then the fat from the egg yolk adds richness and chewiness. Make sure you whisk it really well with the melted butter and vanilla for the best possible texture in your ultimate healthy snickerdoodles!
Tip: I’ve shared my favorite egg alternative in the Notes section of this recipe as well, if you’d like to make your ultimate healthy snickerdoodles vegan and egg-free!
Nerd Alert #8: Sugar
You can use two different types of sugar to make these cookies: coconut sugar and brown sugar. You probably know what brown sugar is already… 😉 Coconut sugar is an unrefined sweetener that comes from coconuts (aka it’s clean eating friendly!), but it doesn’t actually taste like coconuts! It has a rich caramel-like flavor (just like brown sugar!), and you can usually find it on the baking aisle right next to the granulated sugar.
Now here’s where things get interesting! Are you ready for more baking chemistry??
The amount of sugar that you use in your cookie dough will actually determine how much your ultimate healthy snickerdoodles spread!
Nope… Sugar isn’t just for flavor in cookies. It’s part of their appearance and texture too!
I tried making these ultimate healthy snickerdoodles with different amounts of sugar: 6 tablespoons, 7 tablespoons, 8 tablespoons (aka ½ cup!), and 8 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons of milk (just to see if they’d spread even more!).
You can see the results above!
The cookies became progressively thinner and wider as I added more sugar to the cookie dough. That’s because sugar is considered a liquid ingredient in cookies! When you heat sugar, it turns into a liquid. (That’s how you make caramel!)
When you heat the cookie dough by putting it in the oven to bake, the sugar begins to caramelize and turn into a liquid… Which then makes your cookies spread.
less sugar = less spreading = thicker snickerdoodles
So the amount of sugar that you’ll add will depend on how you prefer your snickerdoodles! If you like thicker cookies, add a little less (just remember that they’ll also be a little less sweet!). If you like thinner cookies, add a little more (and a touch of milk, if you like them even thinner — that’s what I did for the cookies in most of my photos in this blog post!).
Pretty nerdy and pretty cool, right??
Nerd Alert #9: Chilling
Chilling is mandatory! It helps stiffen the cookie dough, so it makes it easier to roll the snickerdoodles in the coating. It also helps prevent your cookies from spreading into thin flat pancake shapes when you put the cookie dough in the oven!
Nerd Alert #10: Coating + Rolling
You’ll need more cinnamon and sugar for this! I was surprised at the high ratio of cinnamon to sugar in traditional recipes. Most called for a 1:4 ratio, which I thought seemed excessive, but after tasting the finished cookies… I was a very firm believer. That amount provided the perfect amount of cozy cinnamon and sweetness to the outsides of these ultimate healthy snickerdoodles!
After chilling, your cookie dough will still be a bit sticky. Do NOT touch the cookie dough with your bare hands!! Instead, use a spoon and spatula to drop it into the cinnamon sugar.
Once it’s covered in the coating, then roll it between your palms to shape it into a sphere. The cinnamon sugar acts as a barrier between the sticky cookie dough and your hands, so the cookie dough won’t stick to your skin!
Tip: I reroll the cookie dough in the cinnamon sugar a second time once I’ve shaped it into a ball, just to maximize the sweet cinnamony flavor!
Nerd Alert #11: Shaping + Baking
Just like the amount of sugar will help determine how thick your cookies are, so will the shape of your cookie dough! If you prefer really thick cookies, then shape your cookie dough to be taller than it is wide (aka more of a cylinder!). If you prefer flatter and thinner cookies, then gently pat down the tops of your cookie dough balls before baking them. (The amount of sugar — and milk! — will have a bigger effect, but shaping still impacts the thickness of your ultimate healthy snickerdoodles!)
These cookies don’t take very long to bake at all… Just 9-10 minutes! They’re actually done baking when the centers still look and feel soft and underdone. The heat from the baking sheet will continue to cook the centers as you let them sit for 10 minutes after removing them from the oven.
So keep an eye on those cookies… And pull them out when they still look a teensy bit underdone. That creates the best soft and chewy snickerdoodle texture!
Whew! Did you stick with me throughout all of those nerdy tips? If so… Then you’re definitely ready to make the best ever healthy snickerdoodle cookies! And when you bake your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your ultimate healthy snickerdoodles!
The Ultimate Healthy Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
FOR THE COOKIES
- 1 cup (120g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- ¾ tsp cream of tartar
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon (see Notes!)
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp (14g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (96g) coconut sugar or light brown sugar (see Notes before beginning!)
FOR THE COATING
- ¼ cup (48g) coconut sugar or light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp (6g) ground cinnamon (see Notes!)
Instructions
- To prepare the cookies, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the sugar. Add in the flour mixture, stirring until incorporated. Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes.
- To prepare the coating, mix together the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl until completely combined and no lumps remain.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- {See the Notes below about rolling and shaping before beginning this step!} Using a spoon and spatula, drop a small amount of the cookie dough into the coating. Carefully rock the cookie dough back and forth in the coating. (Do not touch the cookie dough with your hands until it’s fully coated!) Once fully covered in coating, roll the cookie dough into a sphere between your palms, and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough and coating. (Optional: Gently flatten the cookie dough as a spreading “head start” for cookies that are thinner!)
- Bake at 350°F for 9-11 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the warm baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Sugar Cookies
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Gingerbread Cookies
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Chocolate Sugar Cookies
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Gingersnaps
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy cookie recipes!
Thanks for sharing all the chemistry info, I don’t know that I’ve used Cream or Tartar in my cookies before. Could I sub oat flour and add a little flax seed to the dough or do you think that would change the texture too much?