These easy Snickerdoodle Bars have all the cinnamon-sugar flavor of the classic cookie. Topped with a cinnamon frosting, these cookie bars are a crowd-pleaser! Gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan.
The classic snickerdoodle cookie is transformed into bar form for one easy recipe! These soft and chewy bars are topped with a cinnamon sugar mixture and a thick layer of frosting. They are gluten-free and vegan with the help of almond and coconut flour and tapioca starch!
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Delicious treat for the holiday season
- Simple ingredients
- Gluten-free and vegan-friendly
Ingredients and substitutions
Here are a few quick notes about the key ingredients in this recipe. You can see a complete list of ingredients and instructions in the recipe card below.
Almond flour - Great for giving that buttery flavor without butter, plus a tender crumb. (Perfect in these festive gluten-free scones and these chewy snickerdoodles!)
Coconut flour - Combined with almond flour the outcome is a soft texture and one that doesn't dry out too quickly.
Tapioca starch - When baking gluten-free you often need starches mixed in with your flour of choice to achieve the perfect texture. This egg-free recipe also acts as a binder instead of egg yolks or egg whites.
Vegan butter - In place of unsalted butter, this is best for creating the buttery cookie flavor.
Organic cane sugar and powdered sugar - Choose organic for a less refined and vegan-friendly sweetener.
Ground cinnamon and cream of tartar - Essential for these cinnamon cookie bars! If you don't have cream of tartar, you can omit it. It is used in regular Snickerdoodle recipes and gives them that signature taste.
Vanilla extract - This humble ingredient ties together the traditional Snickerdoodle cookie taste.
Step-by-step instructions
Before you start: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray an 8x8 baking pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
Step 1: In a large bowl, add tapioca starch and water. Whisk to combine. Add the remaining wet ingredients (melted butter, agave, cane sugar, vanilla extract).
Step 2: Add the remaining dry ingredients (almond flour, coconut flour, salt, baking soda, cream of tartar, and cinnamon).
Step 3: Transfer the sugar cookie dough to the prepared pan. Use a rubber spatula and an extra piece of parchment paper to flatten the dough into an even layer. In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon-sugar mixture and sprinkle it evenly over the top of the dough.
Step 4: Bake for 14-15 minutes, the tops will start turning a golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack. Once completely cool, refrigerate the bars for at least one hour before frosting.
Step 5: Clean out the mixing bowl and add frosting ingredients. Using an electric hand mixer, beat on medium speed until the frosting becomes smooth.
Step 6: When ready to frost, gently lift bars out of the pan using parchment flaps and place them on a cutting board. Spread frosting on top of the bars and sprinkle cinnamon on top. Cut into large bars or bite-sized squares.
Recipe tips
- After these chewy snickerdoodle bars have cooled, chilling them in the refrigerator is an important step. Wrap the baking pan in foil or plastic wrap to chill. This is the best way to keep the bars from crumbling once sliced.
- Use softened butter for the vegan buttercream frosting for a smooth and creamy consistency.
- For clean, easy-to-cut slices, remove the uncut bars from the pan using the parchment flaps. Transfer to a cutting board and use a sharp knife to slice small or large squares.
How to store
Keep these snickerdoodle cookie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days. It can be kept for up to a week in the refrigerator.
FAQs
This frosted snickerdoodle bar recipe lasts at room temperature for 4-5 days or up to a week in the refrigerator.
Yes! This recipe is made without dairy and eggs and is completely vegan when the agave nectar sweetener option is used.
Yes! These cookie bars are great with just the cinnamon sugar topping alone.
Love anything snickerdoodle? Try these keto snickerdoodles! Or in need of more cookie bar recipes? Check out Beth's grain-free chocolate chip cookie bars!
More bar recipes
Love this recipe? Please consider leaving a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating on the recipe card below and let me know what you think in the comments!
📖 Recipe
Snickerdoodle Bars (Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons tapioca starch
- 6 tablespoons water
- ⅔ cup vegan butter melted
- 4 tablespoons agave nectar or honey if not vegan
- ½ cup (110g) organic cane sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 ½ cups (336g) almond flour (not almond meal)
- ½ cup (41g) coconut flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- 2 tablespoons organic cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Frosting
- 1 ½ cups (205g) organic powdered sugar
- 8 tablespoons vegan butter softened
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray an 8x8 baking pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add tapioca starch and water. Whisk to combine. Add melted butter, agave, cane sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk again to incorporate.
- Add almond flour, coconut flour, salt, baking soda, cream of tartar, and cinnamon. Stir with a rubber spatula until you have a cohesive dough. Allow the dough to rest for 2-3 minutes, then transfer it to the prepared pan.
- Use the rubber spatula to evenly distribute dough in the pan. Then use an extra piece of parchment paper to lightly press and smooth the dough into an even layer. Make sure all corners are filled.
- In a small bowl, combine cinnamon-sugar mixture and sprinkle it evenly over the top of the dough. Use that extra piece of parchment to lightly press the sugar coating into the dough.
- Bake for 14-15 minutes. A tester or toothpick should come out clean. The edges will be a golden brown and the top will have started to turn golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool on wire rack.
- Once completely cool, refrigerate the bars for at least one hour before frosting. Allow bars to come to room temperature prior to frosting so that the frosting doesn't harden quickly and become difficult to spread.
- When ready to frost the cookie bars, add frosting ingredients to a medium mixing bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer until the frosting becomes smooth.
- Gently lift the bars out of pan using parchment flaps and place on a cutting board. Using an offset spatula, frost bars and sprinkle with cinnamon (see notes). Slice into large bars or smaller bite-sized bars.
Notes
- After the bars have cooled, wrap the baking pan in foil or plastic wrap to chill. This is the best way to keep the bars from crumbling once sliced. Allow them to come to room temperature before frosting.
- Use softened butter for the vegan buttercream frosting for a smooth and creamy consistency.
- Dollop all the frosting onto the center of the baked snickerdoodle and spread outward keeping a thick layer between the spatula and top of bar. This will help prevent the top from tearing.
- For clean, easy-to-cut slices, remove the uncut bars from the pan using the parchment flaps. Transfer to a cutting board and use a sharp knife to slice small or large squares.
Danielle
Love it!!!!!!
Tessa
Thank you, Danielle! 😊
Brynne
Fun twist on a classic! Great for my gf friends.
Rachel Gold
these look amazing! is there something that can be used instead of the coconut flour?
Tessa
Thanks, Rachel! :) Coconut flour is a difficult one to substitute because it is so absorbent. To sub with something else like almond flour, typically you'd sub in 1 cup of almond for every 1/4 cup of coconut flour. Usually, this also means the liquid in the recipe needs to be slightly adjusted. I have not tried that with this recipe so I can't tell you how well it would work. I often buy my coconut flour on Amazon.