Simple Snickerdoodle Cookies

Tammy
Jan 22
5 min read

Updated: Aug 12

"Fluffy, Soft, Chewy, Cinnamonie Sweet and Delicious! When I want that tasty cookie, but I am crunched for time, or want to make something but don't want to slave bake... I whip out a cake mix and it's go time for these sweet sugar and cinnamon snickerdoodles!"

🍪 Simple Snickerdoodles – Semi-Homemade & Simply Irresistible!

Let’s be honest — there’s just something magical about a warm, cinnamon-sugar coated Snickerdoodle. Soft, chewy, with just the right hint of spice… it’s the cookie that brings smiles, memories, and maybe even a little childhood nostalgia with every bite. 💛

But what if I told you that you could have that same classic Snickerdoodle flavor — soft center, slightly crisp edges, melt-in-your-mouth texture — without hauling out every ingredient in your pantry?

Yep… we’re making them the semi-homemade way, and it all starts with a simple box of cake mix.

🧁 Why Cake Mix? Because Life Is Busy, and That’s Okay

So as I get older, I have been playing with my food more than ever. Saving time in the kitchen has become a huge part of my life over the last 10 years.

I cooked and baked everything from scratch for decades. (Trust me, I still adore doing that when I have the time.) But life changes, and it’s finally time for me to enjoy things a little more. 🙂 y

I love to bake more than you could imagine, but I often think back to before it all started — to the curious me just learning, experimenting, dreaming up desserts and scribbling ideas on sticky notes. Every day a new baker is born, and now I find myself constantly dreaming of ways to make baking easier, more approachable, and still completely delicious.

That’s where the semi-homemade lifestyle comes in. 💡Take 60% store-bought ingredients, mix them with 40% fresh love, and boom — gourmet-style baked goods without the stress or mess.✨

🍰 These Snickerdoodles Are What I Call “5&Under” Magic

I’ve added this recipe to my 5&Under section for a reason: it’s easy, it’s flexible, and you can tailor it to your style. Want to keep it super simple? You can skip the vanilla extract and cream of tartar — the cake mix does the heavy lifting.

But if you have them on hand and want that extra homemade taste, go ahead and add them in — I’ve tested several variations to find that perfect “they’ll never know you didn’t make these from scratch” flavor.

🎉 Why You’ll Love These Cake Mix Snickerdoodles

✅ Quick & Easy – Just a few ingredients and minimal prep.

✅ No Chill Time – Bake right away!

✅ Perfect Texture – Soft and pillowy on the inside with that signature sugary coating.

✅ Customizable – Add a dash of vanilla or a pinch of cream of tartar for more depth.

✅ Crowd-Pleasers – Great for gift-giving, bake sales, or a cozy night in.

These cookies — and many others here on CWT ( AKA - Cooking With Time 🤫) — will have you in and out of the kitchen in no time. No one will guess you didn’t slave away for hours. 🤫You’re welcome! ☺️

Simple Snickerdoodle Cookies

Servings – 16 to 18 cookies Prep Time – 5 Minutes Cook Time - 9 Minutes

Ingredients:

1 box yellow or white cake mix, I use Duncan Hines
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon, + 1 teaspoon
2 large eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon in a bowl and mix. Set aside.

Combine cake mix, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, cream of tarter. Whisk to combine.

Add in eggs, vanilla extract and oil into cake dry cake mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon until well combined, and thick dough ball forms.

Use a small 1" cookie scoop or a heaping tablesoon to scoop dough. Roll mixture between hands into a 1" ball.

Roll dough ball into cinnamon sugar mixture and place on cookie sheet.

Flatten each cookie ball slightly with the bottom of a glass or cup.

Sprinkle each cookie with a pinch more of cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Bake at 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes. Let cool 2 minutes before removing from the baking sheet. This helps them complete the cooking process, as well as makes them firm up to move.

Move cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely and enjoy!!

Notes:

Can you use other flavor cake mixes?

Absolutely! This recipe works great with a white cake, spice cake, carrot cake, and or a pumpkin cake mix would all be delicious coated in cinnamon sugar mixture.

Do I have to use Cream of Tartar:

The tangy signature ingredient of a snickerdoodle is cream of tartar. There will always be the 50/50 argument whether or not to use or not to use this ingredient. If you are someone that is not a fan or allergic to it, you can absolutely leave it out. If you are gungho that it's not a snickerdoodle without it, add in the 1/4 teaspoon to the cake mix. I prefer it as I wanted to make this recipe more homemade tasting and I'm part of the 50% of a firm Cream of Tartar fan!

💡 CWT Tips for Success

Don’t overbake! These cookies are best soft and slightly chewy. Remove them from the oven and allow them to finish baking while they cool on the baking pan.
Switch it up: Try pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon for a fall twist!
Double batch? Always a good idea. These disappear fast.
Add-ins: Want to be fancy? Fold in some white chocolate chips or chopped pecans.
Sticky Dough? If you have a hard time rolling the dough to it being to sticky or soft. Chill it for an hour before baking.

Storage:

Place cooled cookies in an airtight container. Cookies should last for several days. You can also freeze them for 4-6 months. Be sure to separate the cookies with wax paper or individually wrap them with plastic wrap.

To Freeze:

Place dough balls on a cookie sheet to flash freeze them. DO NOT roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture at this point. Freeze for about 2 hours or until solid, then place the balls in an airtight freezer safe container. Safely freeze for 4-6 months. Bake: remove the desired number of dough balls. Allow to thaw on a cookie sheet, freshly roll in cinnamon sugar and bake according to recipe.

Nutrition:

This website is the project of an unpaid hobby, fully maintained and supported by CWT. There are NO paid affiliations, professional photographers, nutritionists or paid product reviews associated. CWT is not a certified artist, dietician or nutritionist. Any nutritional information shared on this site is an estimate counted through measurements and package nutritional information used in each recipe at that given time. If calorie, macro counting and other nutritional values are important to you and your health, CWT recommends running the ingredients through your choice of nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can and will vary depending on national brands used per recipe. Anything created by using CWT's recipes, or tutorials is fully the readers responsibility. CWT is not responsible or will be held liable for the outcome of the readers completed project or recipe(s).