The Gluten-Free Homemaker

These really are the perfect cookie.  They aren’t necessarily my all time favorite, but they are easy to make, look lovely, have a light and crisp crunch to them, and of course, a buttery cinnamon taste.  They’re perfect.

The first time I made snickerdoodles, years ago, I didn’t know what they were.  I’m sure I had eaten them before, but I didn’t know their name since they weren’t something my mother ever made.  Add to that the fact that I was in a rush to get the cookies done and I ended up putting the cinnamon into the batter, rather than on the outside.  I soon discovered my mistake, but it was too late.  They still tasted good, but they weren’t quite the same.  The thing that really makes a snickerdoodle a snickerdoodle is having cinnamon sugar on the outside where it hits your taste buds first thing and gives them that cinnamony tingle.  So, if  it’s your first time making them, save the cinnamon for rolling and don’t add it to the dough.

I’m sorry I didn’t get this recipe posted before Christmas, but there was just too much to do.  They are a great cookie to make any time of year, so I hope you will give them a try.

Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

• 1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, softened
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 c. white rice flour
• 1/2 c. potato starch
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
• 2 Tb. sugar
• 2 tsp. cinnamon

In the bowl of your mixer, cream together the butter and sugar.  Add the egg and vanilla and beat several minutes until light and fluffy.  In a smaller bowl, combine the flour, starch, salt, cream of tartar, baking soda, and xanthan gum.  Add these dry ingredients to the mixing bowl.  Combine on low speed until moistened then beat on medium speed about 30 seconds more.

In a very small bowl, combine the 2 Tb. sugar and the cinnamon.  Roll the dough into balls approximately 1 1/4 inches in diameter.  Roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar.  Place them on a greased cookie sheet about 2 – 3 inches apart.  Using parchment paper or a silicone mat works well.


Wipe and regrease the paper/mat/cookie sheet between batches to help them spread evenly.  Bake at 350 degrees about 10 minutes.  Move them to a wire rack to cool.

Labels: cookies/bars, dessert recipes