Easy Cake Mix Snickerdoodles

Want an easy way to enjoy the cinnamon-sugar deliciousness of Snickerdoodle cookies? This Cake Mix Snickerdoodles recipe has got you covered! Just combine a boxed cake mix with a few simple ingredients, roll in cinnamon sugar, and you're good to go with baking up a delicious batch of super easy Snickerdoodles. Just grab that cup of coffee or glass of milk to go with them, and enjoy!

CLICK HERE TO PIN THIS FOR LATER

Snickerdoodle cookies are just about my favorite cookies around.  And from the likes of the visits to our classic Snickerdoodles recipe, I'd say I'm not alone.  Snickerdoodles have long been one of our most visited cookie recipes here at The Kitchen is My Playground.

With their fabulous cinnamon flavor and pillowy-soft texture, what's not to love, right?

Well, did you know you can make a super easy, shortcut version of Snickerdoodles using a good-old boxed cake mix?  That's right, you sure can!

Just combine a boxed cake mix with a few simple ingredients and you're good to go with baking up a delicious batch of super easy Snickerdoodles.

Perhaps you're going on vacation, and want to make fresh cookies to enjoy without lugging tons of ingredients with you.  Or, perhaps you don't feel like measuring and just want to dump-and-go with an already-measured mix.  Or maybe you don't like to bake all that much and love to look for shortcuts to help out in the baking department.  This easy Cake Mix Snickerdoodles recipe's got you covered on all those fronts.

Or perhaps -- like in our case, -- you've got a beginning baker who's working on building his or her kitchen independence. This is a great easy recipe that kids can make on their own!  

Our 10-year-old daughter is fully independent making cake mix cookies, these Snickerdoodles included. 

It makes her feel so proud to bake something she's handled completely on her own.  And I love that my kitchen doesn't get quite so destroyed from her baking efforts, since the cake mix cuts down on how many things she has to measure. (Neat measuring is still not her strength ... that'll come in time, right?)

Tips for Making Cake Mix Snickerdoodles

Now aside from being jam-packed with cinnamon, two hallmarks of classic Snickerdoodles are their characteristic flavor tang and crackled tops. -- And there are a couple of tips with this recipe to help create those signature Snickerdoodle characteristics when using a boxed cake mix. 

1. Add cream of tartar to the cake mix for flavor tang
2. Let the cookie dough stand at room temperature before baking to create crackled tops 

Classic Snickerdoodles' flavor tang comes from cream of tartar in the batter, which serves as a leavening agent and creates that signature tangy taste.  Adding a small touch of cream of tartar to the cake mix in this recipe brings that signature tang to the finished cake mix cookies. 

Letting the batter stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before baking creates more cracks in the top of the baked cookies.

That being said, these Cake Mix Snickerdoodles are still absolutely delicious without the cream of tartar.  If you don't have any cream of tartar on hand or don't want to purchase some, leave it out.  The cookies will still be totally yummy, for sure.

As far as Snickerdoodles' crackled top, for some reason letting the batter stand at room temperature for 20 minutes or so before baking creates more cracks in the top of the baked cookies. 

This step of letting the batter stand is totally optional, and is purely to help develop those signature Snickerdoodle cookie cracks.  It doesn't effect the flavor at all, so skip this step if you'd like.

Cake Mix Snickerdoodles Ingredients

It doesn't take a lot of measuring to make a batch of Cake Mix Snickerdoodles -- and it doesn't take a lot of ingredients, either.  Which is a very nice bonus, indeed.

To whip up a batch, you'll need:

• Butter Golden cake mix - Butter Golden cake mix allows the cinnamon flavor to shine more fully than other cake mix flavors, and doesn't lend a cake batter taste to the cookies.  Classic Yellow cake mix also works fine, just be aware it creates cookies that have a little cake batter flavor to them.

• Butter - Melted butter (instead of just softening the butter) helps these cookies bake up with a wonderful tender, chewy texture.

Adding a small touch of cream of tartar to the cake mix in this recipe brings that signature tang to the finished cookies.

• An egg - Just one egg is all that's needed to bring this simple dough together.

• Cream of tartar (optional) - Cream of tartar is a stabilizing and leavening agent, and is what gives Snickerdoodles their signature tangy taste. Adding a small touch to the cake mix brings that signature tang to the finished cookies.  That being said, Cake Mix Snickerdoodles are still absolutely delicious without it.

• Cinnamon & sugar - Coating these cookies in cinnamon-sugar is what gives them Snickerdoodles' signature strong cinnamon flavor.

How to Make Cake Mix Snickerdoodles

Cake Mix Snickerdoodles are really easy to make.

Start by combining the cake mix and cream of tartar (if you're including it) in a mixing bowl.  Give it a little stir to get the cream of tartar incorporated throughout the cake mix.

Then add in the melted butter and eggs, and stir everything together by hand until the ingredients are just combined. Or, you can mix on low speed with an electric mixer until the ingredients are just combined if you'd like. Whichever method you choose, just use a light hand and do not over-mix. 

Let the batter stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes or so before moving ahead with baking the cookies.

As mentioned in the "Tips" section above, letting the batter stand at room temperature for a bit before baking creates a more crackled top on the baked cookies. This step is totally optional, and is purely to help develop those signature Snickerdoodle cookie cracks.  Skip this step if you'd like.

Scoop and shape the dough into 1-inch balls -- I always use a cookie scoop to help.  The dough will be very soft, so just get the dough into some semblance of ball -- no need to shape it perfectly. 

Roll the dough balls in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. 

Be sure to coat each dough ball completely.  You want lots of that great cinnamon taste!

Place the cinnamon-sugar coated dough balls about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.  They need a couple of inches of space to let the cookies spread as they bake.

Bake the Snickerdoodles for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are set but still soft and look a bit under-done in the cracks in the center.

Don't overbake these.  In our oven, 10 and 1/2 minutes is perfect.  All ovens are different, so watch the cookie centers to figure out the best amount of bake time in yours.

Let the baked cookies stand on the cookie sheet for about 2 minutes, then remove them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

That's it!  Pretty easy, right?

Now, I've mentioned a few times that the finished cookies have a more crackled top if the batter is allowed to stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes or so before baking.

Let's take a closer look at those cookie cracks with the photo below.  The photo shows 3 cookies baked at different points of letting the batter stand after being mixed.

Left Cookie - The cookie on the left was baked immediately after the batter was mixed -- no waiting at all.  As you can see, there really aren't any of those signature deep-and-crackled Snickerdoodle cracks on top.

Middle Cookie - The cookie in the middle was baked after the batter had stood at room temperature for about 15 minutes.  There is significantly more crackling, with deeper and wider cracks, than with the first cookie on the left.

Right Cookie - The cookie on the right was baked about 20 to 25 minutes after the batter was mixed.  This cookie has the most and deepest cracks, looking very much like classic Snickerdoodles.

So if you want an easy way to enjoy Snickerdoodles' rich cinnamon deliciousness, just grab a box of Golden Butter cake mix and whip up a batch of these Cake Mix Snickerdoodles.  

With a few simple ingredients, you'll have them whipped up in no time, ready to pair with that cup of coffee or cold glass of milk.

Enjoy!  

Check out these other tasty cake & brownie mix cookie recipes:

• Cake Mix Sugar Cookies
• Chocolate Chip Cake Mix Cookies
• Cake Mix Molasses Crinkle Cookies
• Cake Mix Oatmeal Cookies
• Brownie Mix Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
• Chocolate Crinkle Cake Mix Cookies
• Lemon Crinkle Cake Mix Cookies
• White Chocolate Funfetti Cake Mix Cookies
• Butter Pecan Cake Mix Cookies
• More cookie recipes

Thank you for stopping by The Kitchen is My Playground. We'd love to have you back soon!

Snickerdoodles, Snickerdoodles recipe, cake mix Snickerdoodles, Snickerdoodles made with cake mix, easy Snickerdoodles

Cookies & Bars

American

Yield: About 24 cookies

Author: Tracey | The Kitchen is My Playground

Print

Easy Cake Mix Snickerdoodles

Want an easy way to enjoy the cinnamon-sugar deliciousness of Snickerdoodle cookies? This Cake Mix Snickerdoodles recipe has got you covered! Just combine a boxed cake mix with a few simple ingredients, roll in cinnamon sugar, and you're good to go with baking up a delicious batch of super easy Snickerdoodles.

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 12 Mininactive time: 20 MinTotal time: 47 Min

Ingredients:

Cookies:

• 1 (15.25 oz.) box Butter Golden cake mix
• 1/2 c. butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar (optional)*

Cinnamon-Sugar:

• 2 T. granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Instructions:

Prepare Cinnamon-Sugar:

1. Place sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Mix with a fork or spoon until well combined.
2. Set aside.

Prepare & Bake Cookies:

1. Place cake mix in a mixing bowl. Add cream of tartar (if using) and stir to combine.
2. Add melted butter and egg. Stir by hand until ingredients are just combined. (Or, mix on low speed with an electric mixer until ingredients are just combined. Do not over-mix.) Let batter stand at room temperature for 20 minutes (optional).**
3. Scoop and shape dough into 1-inch balls (dough will be very soft). Roll balls in prepared cinnamon-sugar mixture, coating completely. Place about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake at 350℉ for 10-12 minutes, until cookies are set but still soft and a bit under-done looking in the cracks in the center.
5. Let stand on the cookie sheet for about 2 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

TRACEY'S NOTES:

1. * Aside from being jam-packed with cinnamon, two hallmarks of classic Snickerdoodles are their flavor tang and crackled tops. The flavor tang comes from cream of tartar in the batter, which serves as a leavening agent and creates that signature tangy taste.  Adding a small touch of cream of tartar to the cake mix in this recipe brings that signature tang to the finished cookies.  That being said, these Cake Mix Snickerdoodles are still absolutely delicious without it.
2. ** Letting  the batter stand at room temperature for 20 minutes creates a more crackled top on the baked cookies. This step is totally optional, and is purely to help develop those signature Snickerdoodle cookie cracks.  Skip this step if you'd like.
3. We tested this recipe with both Butter Golden and Classic Yellow cake mixes, with our preference being Butter Golden by far. Butter Golden cake mix allows the cinnamon flavor to shine more fully, and without lending a cake batter taste to the cookies.  Classic Yellow cake mix also works fine, just be aware it creates cookies that have a little cake batter flavor to them. 

https://www.thekitchenismyplayground.com/2020/09/easy-cake-mix-snickerdoodles.html

Created using The Recipes Generator

You might also like these other cookie favorites:

The BEST Classic Snickerdoodles

Grandma's Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies

The BEST Oatmeal Cookies

Molasses Crinkles

How to Make the BEST Monster Cookies

CLICK HERE TO PIN THIS FOR LATER

Affiliate links are included in this post. As an Amazon.com associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

This post is linked with Weekend Potluck, Meal Plan Monday.