These Snickerdoodle Cupcakes are based on the classic cookie, with warm cinnamon flavor. They’re easy to make, topped with swirls of sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting. Perfect for cinnamon lovers, and for birthday parties or any celebration!
Easy Cinnamon Cupcakes
Snickerdoodle Cupcakes are a fantastic sweet treat for the cinnamon lovers in your life!
With all of the flavors of classic snickerdoodles, these cupcakes have just the right amount of sweetness and cinnamon warmth. And topped with a tangy-sweet homemade cream cheese frosting that’s dusted with cinnamon sugar – what’s not to love? It’s snickerdoodle perfection!
Like snickerdoodles? Then check out this outrageously fun recipe for Pan-Banging Snickerdoodle Cookies!
I first made this easy cupcake recipe many years ago for our daughter Hatti’s 9th birthday. She was going through a big snickerdoodle cookies phase, and these cupcakes turned out to be the perfect celebratory treat!
What You’ll Need
This recipe is fabulously simple, made with basic pantry ingredients. Cinnamon is infused in each part, for that classic snickerdoodle flavor.
FOR THE CUPCAKES:
- Flour – These cupcakes use equal parts all-purpose flour and cake flour. Be sure to sift the cake flour before using it.
- Baking powder
- Kosher salt
- Cinnamon – A generous amount of cinnamon is used to ensure every bite of these cupcakes is filled with warm flavor. This also adds such a lovely warm fragrance!
- Unsalted butter – The butter should be at room temperature but not melted.
- Sugar
- Eggs – The eggs should also be at room temperature.
- Pure vanilla extract – Use “pure” extract, not “imitation”, for the very best flavor.
- Milk – Any milk you have in the fridge will work.
FOR THE CINNAMON-SUGAR DUSTING:
- Cinnamon
- Sugar
FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- Cream cheese – For the creamiest texture, be sure to use full-fat cream cheese, not low-fat.
- Butter
- Pure vanilla extract
- Cinnamon
- Powdered sugar – Sift it to avoid any lumps.
How to Make Snickerdoodle Cupcakes
These cinnamon cupcakes with cream cheese frosting are super easy to make. Just be sure to let the cupcakes cool before adding the frosting.
- Make the cupcakes. Sift together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, then beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture in batches, alternating with the milk.
- Bake. Divide the batter into a cupcake pan. Bake until a cake tester comes out just barely clean, about 20 minutes. Cool.
- Make the cinnamon-sugar dusting. Mix together the cinnamon and sugar; set aside.
- Make the cream cheese frosting. Beat together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and cinnamon, followed by the powdered sugar.
- Pipe the frosting. Use a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip to pipe frosting onto each cupcake. Immediately dust with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Tips for Success
For perfectly baked cupcakes, keep these tips in mind.
- Don’t overmix. Overmixing the batter can lead to cupcakes with a less-tender texture.
- Don’t overbake. When testing for doneness, a cake tester (or toothpick) inserted in the middle should come out with a few moist crumbs. If the cupcakes are baked too long, they can have a dry texture.
- Let them cool completely. For the very best frosting texture, let the cupcakes cool completely first. If the cupcakes are still warm, the frosting will want to melt – which will take away from the fluffy, creamy texture.
- Add more powdered sugar if necessary. If the frosting is too thin for piping, add more powdered sugar until it reaches the desired consistency. The amount used can vary depending on the warmth and humidity of your kitchen, so simply adjust accordingly.
- Add the cinnamon-sugar immediately. As soon as the frosting is piped onto the cupcakes, add a dusting of the cinnamon-sugar. This ensures that the cinnamon-sugar will stick to the frosting.
Serving Suggestions
Snickerdoodle cupcakes can be enjoyed at room temperature or chilled. If it’s warm, the cream cheese frosting will soften. Enjoy them with coffee, tea, or a glass of milk.
If serving these at a party, be sure to keep them out of direct sunlight.
Can I Make These in Advance?
The cinnamon cupcakes can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Take them out of the refrigerator 30-40 minutes prior to serving.
How to Store
- How to store. These cinnamon cupcakes with cream cheese frosting will keep in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. The cake will start to dry out, so I recommend enjoying them sooner rather than later.
- Can I freeze these? Yes, you can freeze these snickerdoodle cupcakes for up to 3 months. Freeze in a freezer-safe container and then thaw overnight in the fridge.
More Cupcake Recipes:
- Coconut Cupcakes with Fluffy Buttercream
- Chocolate Cupcakes with Fluffy Buttercream
- Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
- Chocolate Chip Angel Food Cupcakes
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Snickerdoodle Cupcakes
Ingredients
for the cupcakes:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups cake flour sifted
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1¾ cups sugar
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups milk
for the cinnamon-sugar dusting:
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons sugar
for the cream cheese frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 cups powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- For the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350° F. Line standard cupcake/muffin pans with paper liners and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, sift together both flours, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk, and beating until combined after each.
- Divide the batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out just barely clean, about 20 minutes. Do not over bake. Transfer pans to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.
- For the cinnamon-sugar dusting: In a small bowl, mix together cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.
- For the cream cheese frosting: In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and cinnamon and beat just to combine. Slowly add sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Add more powdered sugar if the frosting is too thin for piping.
- Using a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip (I use Ateco No. 808), pipe frosting onto each cupcake. Immediately finish by dusting the frosting with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. The frosting needs to be freshly piped in order for the cinnamon-sugar to stick to it.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
This post was originally published in 2011 and then updated in 2022.
Oh! these look great! I can’t wait to make them!
I love snickerdoodle cookies. They are not well known in Australia and I made them out of curiousity from the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook. I’d love to give these cupcakes a go.
isn’t this recipe great? i also put cream cheese frosting as well instead of seven-minute frosting. i just LOVE the sprinkling of the cinnamon sugar… my friends go crazy for it.
These look wonderful! I agree cream cheese frosting is awesome!!Really like your blog.
Happy Birthday to your adorable daughter! Your cupcakes are beautifully photographed and one day I just make make a snickerdoodle cupcake or cookie for that matter. Never had one yet.
yum! Those sound amazing and definitely worth trying.
These look amazing! I can’t wait to try them – with the cream cheese frosting of course. :)
Oh, how adorable she is, and how adorable those cupcakes are too! I hope you have a wonderful birthday weekend celebrating with your family.
Thank you so much, Sylvie. Today’s gonna be a BIG party! :)
Happy birthday, sweet Hatti!
Thanks, Shaina! :)
these are adorable and look fantastic! where did you get the little stand?
Thank you so much, Lisa – it was fun to see you this week! I got the stand at an awesome shop in Watertown, SD, where my parents live. But I know I’ve seen some online as well – after just a quick search: http://www.farmhousewares.com/cupcakestands.aspx
Mmm looks great! How do you get the marshmallow topping to go so pretty and curly?
Happy birthday to your relatives too :)
Thank you! Just a little practice, Harriet, on the frosting!
Happy birthday to your little one! :) (Or not so little.)
I’m with you….cream cheese frosting can do no wrong in this house! Those cupcakes sound perfect!
Lovely to hear from you, Bridget! I’ll be sure to have Hatti read all these birthday greetings. :)
Happy birthday to Hatti! These cupcakes look super sweet! I’m glad she enjoyed them, although, I would have been happy to take any leftovers off her hands. ;-)
Hi Tracy – I’ll pass along the birthday greetings. Thank you!
Yum! I love cream cheese frosting!
Thanks for linking up with Sweet Tooth Friday.
Great to hear from you, Allison!
Happy Birthday, Miss Hatti! I love Snickerdoodles and Snickerdoodle cupcakes too. I used this recipe of Martha’s and adapted it too, to make my Schoolbread cupcakes. Schoolbread is a Norwegian sweet bun, almost like a donut, with custard in the middle and cardamom in the dough. I made these cupcakes and filled them with vanilla pudding, and then put frosting on top, and toasted coconut (which is also on the traditional Schoolbread) on top of that. They were SO good!
Thanks, Amber. I’ve never heard of Schoolbread cupcakes, so will have to check yours out – thanks!
What a sweet girl… happy birthday!!! These cupcakes looks amazing!
Thank you, Amanda. :)
Oh Yes, Yes…me likey!!!!
http://willcookforsmiles.blogspot.com/
These look great! I love snickerdoodles!
Thank you, Kim!
These look awesome! Love the photos you are taking! Happy Birthday to Hatti and your other precious family members. Don’t you just love birthday marathons? Ours is in November…makes the holiday season a little crazy…but so fun to celebrate!
Blessings to you!
Holly
http://hallelujahsbyholly.blogspot.com
Lovely to hear from you again, Holly! xoxo
OH! These look so yummy. Hope we get to taste them soon. Happy birthday to our dear Hatti!
Thanks, Mom. xoxo