Snickerdoodle Bars

5 from 17

These easy Snickerdoodle Bars are everyone’s favorite snickerdoodle cookie in square bar form. They’re chewy, buttery, cinnamon-y, and amazing. Good luck only eating one!

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: snickerdoodle bars, snickerdoodle cookie bars, snickerdoodles

Servings:

Ingredients

For the Bars

1/2 cup unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly
1/2 cup shortening , such as Crisco (see note below)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 & 1/4 cups all-purpose flour , spooned and leveled
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar (see note below)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Topping

1/8 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the two longer sides for easy removal.
Pour melted butter into a large mixing bowl. Add in shortening, both sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Beat with a handheld mixer until combined. Add in flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. Continue to mix until well blended. (Batter will be thick.)
Using a spatula, transfer batter to the prepared dish and press/spread it out evenly. Mix together the 1/8 cup of sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle it over the top.
Bake for 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean.
Remove from the oven and allow to cook completely before separating from the parchment paper. Cut into bars and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Shortening is 100% fat, containing no water. This traps more air bubbles and has a higher melting point than butter, which helps the baked bars rise a bit more and provide a softer interior texture.

Cream of Tartar is an acidic dry powder (found where all the spices are) and is a key ingredient when making snickerdoodles. It gives them their distinctive tangy flavor, and the chew happens because cream of tartar prevents sugar in the cookie dough from crystalizing into crunchiness. There really isn't a substitute. You can simply omit it, but the results won't be optimal.

Nutrition