Snickerdoodle Bars with Brown Butter Cinnamon Frosting
It’s really hard to go wrong with cinnamon-sugar-covered bites of yum, ya know? These snickerdoodle bars are a spin on the classic cookie, all baked up in a single pan.
For me, a snickerdoodle has to be soft and fluffy. That said, they can be really easy to overbake (whether it’s because they are or I’m just scared of overbaking them, I don’t know).
Crunchy territory is a cookie territory I rarely want to be in, so that’s where a bar comes in. These snickerdoodle bars are a foolproof way to ensure that your cookie is both fluffy and perfectly balanced between the flavor and the bite.
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SNICKERDOODLE BARS
You may be wondering: “But Hannah, if I’m not rolling it in cinnamon sugar, how will it taste like a proper Snickerdoodle?” Fear not, my faithful friend!
The cookie dough itself is all kinds of cinnamon-y, and we’re topping these bars with a decadent brown butter cinnamon frosting. Cinnamon-sugar in every tender bite.
What’s the key to that snickerdoodle flavor: Cream of tartar! It may seem like an odd ingredient for a cookie, but it gives that signature tang and tender bite that accompanies the classic cinnamon-sugar goodness.
INGREDIENTS
- Butter: for flavor and a tender texture to both the dough and frosting
- Shortening: creates soft, thick, bakery-style cookie bar texture
- Sugar: sweetens and gives a light, chewy structure in the bars
- Eggs: bind ingredients and provide structure to the cookie dough
- All-purpose flour: forms the structural base of the snickerdoodle bars
- Cream of tartar: gives signature snickerdoodle tang and soft texture
- Baking soda: helps the bars rise and stay light and fluffy
- Salt: balances sweetness and enhances overall flavor
- Ground cinnamon: provides warm spice flavor in the dough and frosting
- Powdered sugar: sweetens and creates a smooth, fluffy frosting texture
- Vanilla extract: for flavor and to round out the sweetness in the frosting
- Whipping cream: loosens frosting for a creamy, spreadable consistency
Why is there shortening and butter in this recipe? The butter contributes to both the flavor, browning, and texture of the cookie bars, while the shortening helps them to bake thick and soft.
HOW TO MAKE SNICKERDOODLE BARS
Start by browning the butter for the frosting…
Melt the butter in a small pot over medium-low heat, swirling occasionally, until the milk solids turn golden brown. Remove from heat and transfer to a heat-safe bowl.
Let it cool at room temperature for 15 minutes, then chill until it reaches a soft, spreadable consistency.
Preheat your oven and make your cookie dough…
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper. This ensures even baking and makes it easy to lift the bars out cleanly after baking.
To make the cookie base, cream together the butter, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy, then mix in the eggs until fully incorporated. This step builds the rich, soft structure of the snickerdoodle bars.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix just until combined to avoid overworking the dough.
Spread the dough evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 23–25 minutes until set and lightly golden. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make your brown butter frosting and top your cookie bars…
For the frosting, beat the softened browned butter until smooth and creamy. Sift in the powdered sugar and cinnamon, then mix until combined.
Beat in the vanilla and whipping cream to create a fluffy, spreadable frosting. Spread the cinnamon frosting evenly over the cooled cookie base and cut into 18 bars. Serve and enjoy.
3 reasons you’ll love these snickerdoodle bars
TIPS & VARIATIONS
- Don’t overmix your snickerdoodle cookie dough once you add the dry ingredients. If you overwork the dough, it could lead to tough cookies, not tender ones.
- I do not recommend swapping out the shortening in this recipe for more butter, as the shortening helps to make these cookie bars tender.
- Since there is cinnamon in the cookie base, feel free to omit the cinnamon from the frosting if you prefer a little less.
- These are thick cookie bars, so be careful not to underbake them or they will be raw in the middle. It’s also key to allow them to set in the hot pan, once removed from the oven, to finish baking and set before cooling completely.
MAKING AHEAD & STORING
You can make your brown butter the day before, for quick cinnamon frosting assembly the next day. Store it in the fridge overnight and then remove and leave to soften at room temperature for about an hour before you want to make your frosting.
I find these bars are best served at room temperature. You can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
MORE CINNAMON RECIPES
- Cinnamon Olive Oil Cake with Salted Vanilla Glaze
- Coconut Spice Loaf Cake
- Carrot Cake Sauce
- Snickerdoodle Shortbread
- Easy Homemade Apple Butter
EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Mixer
- Spatula
- 9"x9" Pan
- Parchment Paper
- Small pot
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter softened
- ½ cup shortening
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 ¾ cups flour
- 2 tsps cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp whipping cream
Instructions
- Start by browning the butter for your frosting so it has time to set. Place your butter in a small pot over medium-low heat, swirling the pot occasionally. As it melts, the milk fats will separate and rise to the top before eventually falling to the bottom and browning. Once those bits are a nice golden brown, remove from the heat and pour into a heat-proof bowl. Leave to cool at room temperature for 15 minutes before placing in the fridge for about an hour to harden to a softened, room temperature state
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper
- For the cookie base, start by creaming together your butter, shortening, and sugar in the bowl of a mixer. Then mix in your eggs
- In a separate bowl, combine your flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Pour your dry ingredients into your mixing bowl and stir until just combined
- Spread evenly into a parchment-lined 9 x 9 pan
- Bake for 23-25 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing (with parchment paper) and placing on a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes
- Place your softened (not melted!) browned butter into the bowl of a mixer and beat to smooth out. Sift in your powdered sugar and cinnamon and mix to combine. Beat in your vanilla and cream
- Spread your cinnamon frosting over your snickerdoodle cookie base and cut it into 18 bars
- Enjoy!
