These soft and chewy Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars have all the classic cinnamon-sugar flavor of traditional snickerdoodles but in an easy, no-chill bar form! With a buttery, slightly tangy base and a crackly cinnamon-sugar topping, theyโre the perfect treat for any occasion. This is one of my favorite cookie bar recipes!
Question: is there anyone out there who DOESN'T love snickerdoodles?! We are big fans around here, so much so that I have developed not only a gluten free snickerdoodle cookie recipe (as well as maple snickerdoodles) but also a snickerdoodle cheesecake!
So these cookie bars were a total no-brainer. You still get that delicious cinnamon sugar flavor without the cream of tartar, and no need to chill and roll the dough. These little guys are super soft and are extra good served warm, straight out of the oven.
When I was initially writing up this recipe, I was going to go with my usual egg replacer to see how that would turn out. But then I thought about the Greek yogurt I had sitting in my fridge, and decided to just use that as my binding agent. I will say, you do get a slight tangy flavor from the yogurt in your finished snickerdoodle bars -- but we actually like them that way!
Between that delicious sweet and tangy flavor and the cinnamon sugar topping, these snickerdoodle cookie bars will be a huge hit for anyone you make them for. I can pretty much guarantee it!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This is a ONE BOWL recipe. Yes, you read that right -- everything is added to and mixed up (by hand) in a single bowl, which means less dirty dishes. That's always a win in my book!
- These are naturally eggless. I opted to substitute Greek yogurt instead of my usual egg replacer, and it worked like a charm.
- These snickerdoodle bars are super thin, so they make for a really satisfying little treat that you don't have to feel too guilty about ๐ plus that chewy texture is just so good.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Flour: Regular readers know, I swear by Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 flour for gluten free bakes. If you're not gluten free, feel free to use any AP flour you like, no need to adjust the recipe. And if you use a different gluten free flour blend, make sure it contains xanthan gum.
- Vegetable oil: I typically use canola oil in this recipe.
- Plain Greek yogurt: I love the added richness and moisture that the yogurt lends to this recipe! I typically bake with 0% or 2% milkfat and both work great.
Step-by-Step Instructions
STEP ONE: You'll start by mixing up your oil, yogurt, and vanilla with the sugar. I just used a rubber spatula -- no electric mixers needed for this one!
STEP TWO: Next, add in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt and stir it all up until it's nice and combined.
STEP THREE: Bake on 350ยบF for 15-18 minutes, and let the bars cool completely before you cut them up.
STEP FOUR: Don't forget about that cinnamon sugar topping! Just mix 1 tablespoon of sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and sprinkle on top of your batter before popping it into the oven.
Expert Tips
- As always, my top tip when it comes to baking ANY of my recipes is to use a scale to weigh the flour. This is the best way to ensure accuracy, especially if you are not using the same flour that I am. We'll need 148 grams of flour for this recipe.
- I recommend lining your baking pan with parchment paper that's slightly larger than the pan itself, so you have a bit of overhang. This will make it super easy to pull the bars out when they've cooled.
- I have to admit, I tend to go a little heavy-handed with the topping because my husband really loves cinnamon sugar ๐ but you can make yours as light or as cinnamon sugar-heavy as you'd like. If you don't want too much topping, you can even make half of what I suggested in the recipe.
How To Store
To store these snickerdoodle cookie bars, simply pop them into an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 3 days. We prefer them the day they're made, but they should keep just fine for the first few days afterwards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Snickerdoodle cookie bars have the same cinnamon-sugar flavor as classic snickerdoodles but are baked in a pan and sliced into bars instead of shaped into individual cookies. They have a soft, chewy texture with a slightly crisp top.
No. While traditional snickerdoodles use cream of tartar for the tangy flavor and chewy texture, this recipe uses baking powder instead.
Yes! The cookie bars stay fresh for up to 3 days at room temperature in an airtight container. They can also be frozen for longer storage.
You should be able to substitute your favorite non-dairy Greek yogurt in this recipe. I haven't tested it, please let me know if you try it!
Did you try my snickerdoodle cookie bars? Leave me a comment below or tag me on Instagram @justastastyblog and #justastastyblog. And don't forget to subscribe to get new recipes delivered straight to your inbox!
More Recipes To Try
๐ Recipe
Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- ยพ cup sugar
- โ cup vegetable or canola oil
- โ cup Greek yogurt room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup flour* (I use Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1)
- ยฝ teaspoon baking powder
- ยฝ teaspoon cinnamon
- ยผ teaspoon salt
For the topping:
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ยฐF. Line an 8x8 square baking pan with parchment paper. Prepare the topping by mixing together the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- In a large bowl, mix the sugar, oil, yogurt, and vanilla extract together. Add in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt and mix until incorporated.ยพ cup sugar, โ cup vegetable or canola oil, โ cup Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup flour*, ยฝ teaspoon baking powder, ยฝ teaspoon cinnamon, ยผ teaspoon salt
- Transfer the batter into the pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly on top. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan completely before cutting into bars.
Notes
- Although I use a gluten free flour, you can use AP flour without having to make any adjustments to the recipe.ย
Ron says
Thank you for this recipe. I love snickerdoodle cookies and I couldn't wait to try your recipe. I wasn't sure if I should use nonfat Greek yogurt or whole fat. I used nonfat. The bars came very moist and tasty. Will try again with less sugar and forgot to leave my yogurt at warm temp. I still really them. Thank you.
Taleen Benson says
So glad you liked these bars, Ron! I typically use 0% or 2% Greek yogurt in my baking and both work well.
Sherry Miller says
Can you use regular flour instead of gluten free flour, if so, is it the same amount?
Taleen Benson says
Hi Sherry, I haven't tried it so I'm not really sure. The gluten free flour blend I use is a 1 to 1 flour, meaning it's a 1:1 substitute for regular flour, so you should be able to without changing the amount. Let me know if you try it!
Pam Bryant says
My husband and I don't care for Yogart, can I use eggs? If so, how many do I use? Also I use All Purpose Flour, so can I substitute it with this recipe? They really Look Yummy
Taleen Benson says
Hi Pam - could you maybe try sour cream instead? The yogurt adds some nice moisture so I'm not sure how it will turn out without it. You can certainly try to substitute 1 egg instead of yogurt/sour cream. I also haven't tested this recipe with all purpose flour, but I use a 1 to 1 flour blend meaning it can work as a 1:1 substitute for regular flour... so it's worth trying. Please let me know how it goes!