Spelt Snickerdoodles – Cinnamon Cookies
If you like cinnamon, then snickerdoodles are the biscuits for you. Isn’t the name fabulous? For those not in the know, they’re a popular American classic: buttery balls of dough that are rolled in cinnamon sugar just before baking. These spelt snickerdoodles are made with wholemeal spelt flour and produce a delightful soft and chewy cookie.
Cinnamon Spice
I’ve been a cinnamon fiend ever since I can remember. Sugar and spice and all things nice, that’s what cinnamon makes me think of. If I had to pick just one spice, cinnamon would probably be the one. I just hope it never comes to that, because a life without chilli, ginger, cumin, cardamom and turmeric seems rather a bleak one.
Cinnamon comes from the inner bark of the Cinnamomum verum tree and has been prized for its medicinal qualities for thousands of years. It’s high in both fibre and manganese, which means it’s meant to be particularly good for colon health. It’s also said to lower blood sugar levels, making it a favoured spice amongst diabetics.
People love this spice because of its sweet and warming qualities which work well in both sweet and savoury recipes. I find it lends itself particularly well to biscuits. You can see several biscuit recipes I’ve made below. It seems I have a particular fondness for cinnamon shortbread. Oh well, don’t fight it.
Try to use a good quality cinnamon and make sure it hasn’t been hanging around too long. It makes all the difference. Ceylon cinnamon, also known as true cinnamon, is the one to go for if you can find it.
Spelt Snickerdoodles
These spelt snickerdoodles are incredibly easy to make. You just need to cream butter and sugar, add an egg & stir in the dry ingredients. Then comes the best part, which is rolling the dough into balls then rolling those balls in cinnamon sugar. Ooh that scent. Mind you, the smell emanating from the oven whilst the spelt snickerdoodles are baking is hard to beat.
Place well apart on the baking tray as the cinnamon cookies will spread. Although, it’s best to press them down flat with the bottom of a glass or cup before baking.
They’re at their best warm, when they’re not long out of the oven. When cool, they’re pretty cool, however.
These spelt snickerdoodles have a slight sugary cinnamon crackle to the tops, but should be soft and chewy inside.
Cream of Tartar
Cream of tartar is an integral ingredient in snickerdoodles. It gives a slight tang to the biscuits and helps to make them soft. However, if you don’t have any cream of tartar, you can substitute this and the bicarbonate of soda with two teaspoons of baking powder. I won’t tell if you don’t.
Soft v Crisp Biscuits
If you prefer your biscuits to have a bit of a snap, just cook these spelt snickerdoodles an extra 2-3 minutes. They will then be crisp around the edges, but still chewy in the middle. On the whole, I favour a good dunking biscuit that has a bit of a crunch to it. Having said that, these cinnamon cookies are perfect just as they are meant to be, which means soft and chewy.
Which type of biscuit or cookie do you prefer?
Other Cinnamon Recipes You Might Like
- Apple cider scones with cinnamon
- Chocolate cinnamon rolls
- Chocolate cinnamon smacaroons
- Cinnamon choc chip friands
- Chocolate cinnamon shortbread
- Cinnamon chocolate chip cake
- Cinnamon coconut chocolate crunch
- Eve’s pudding with chocolate & cinnamon
- Honey & cinnamon Christmas stars
- Orange cinnamon white chocolate shortbread
- Prune porridge with toasted walnuts & cinnamon
- Wholemeal clotted cream shortbread with chestnut flour & cinnamon
Show Me
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make these soft and chewy cinnamon spelt snickerdoodles, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below or via social media. Do share photos on your preferred social media site and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them. For more delicious and nutritious recipes, follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest.
Wholewheat Spelt Snickerdoodles. PIN IT.
Spelt Snickerdoodles – The Recipe
Easy to make buttery biscuits that are rolled in cinnamon sugar just before baking. They're an American classic with a soft and chewy texture.
- 115 g butter
- 150 g golden caster sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 175 g wholemeal spelt flour
- 1 tsp cream of tarter
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 pinch sea or rock salt
- 25 g caster sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Set the oven to 200C.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
Sift in the dry ingredients and mix together until everything is just incorporated. It's important not to over mix so as not to develop the gluten in the flour which makes for a tougher cookie.
Mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls between the palms of your hands, then roll in the cinnamon sugar.
Place on lined baking trays with enough space between each one to allow for spreading. Press the balls flat with the bottom of a glass or cup.
Bake for 8-10 minutes when the cookies should just be just staring to turn golden. Leave on the trays for a couple of minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool. Or just eat them whilst they're warm.
You can substitute 2 tsp of baking powder for the cream of tarter and bicarbonate of soda mix if you need to.
If you like a crisper cookie, bake for two to three minutes longer.
Sharing
I’m sharing these wholemeal spelt cinnamon cookies with Jo’s Kitchen Larder for #BakingCrumbs, Casa Costello for #BakeOfTheWeek and Recipes Made Easy for #CookBlogShare.
Debbie Skerten
7th May 2019 at 10:40 amThese sound wonderful. I love a crunchy biscuit with a softer centre and cinnamon is my favourite spice.
Choclette
8th May 2019 at 8:19 amYay for cinnamon. I reckon you might just like these biscuits Debbie.
angiesrecipes
7th May 2019 at 10:57 amDefinitely a cinnamon fan! These wholegrain spelt cookies look so inviting with that chewy soft texture.
Choclette
8th May 2019 at 8:20 amThey’re definitely on the decadent sugar overload side of baking Angie, but sometimes that’s what’s needed.
Mary
8th May 2019 at 4:38 amThese sound lovely. I have started using spelt flour quite a lot recently. I also like to use barley flour which has a lovely flavour. Not easy to find and a bit pricy.
I’m afraid that while I really like cinnamon and always put it in my morning smoothie, my favourite spice in baking (at present, could change) is cardamom. Absolutely love it. But won’t use it in these biscuits. 🙂
Thankyou for your recipe.
Choclette
8th May 2019 at 8:18 amHahaha, I think cardamom in these biscuits would be a bit overpowering. Cardamom is a wonderful baking spice though and I use it a lot. I keep a whole load of pods in a jar of sugar so anything I bake with that sugar has subtle notes of cardamom. I’ll add the actual spice to any bakes where I want a bit more flavour.
Mary
9th May 2019 at 9:07 pmNever thought of putting it in a jar of sugar. Brilliant!! Off to do it right now. Thanks!! 🙂
Choclette
10th May 2019 at 7:32 amI have one jar with vanilla pods and one with cardamom pods. I use the cardamom one the most.
Corina Blum
13th May 2019 at 12:19 pmI love anything with cinnamon in and these snickerdoodle cookies sound so good! They’d be perfect as an afternoon snack.
Choclette
13th May 2019 at 7:39 pmThey are right up your spicy street Corina 😀
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
8th May 2019 at 2:49 pmWell its no secret that I love Snickerdoodles. I shall have to try making them with spelt, As for how i like my biscuits Im definitely a crisp girl who likes her biscuits to snap
Choclette
8th May 2019 at 2:53 pmGood for you Jacqui. There’s nothing quite like a snappy biscuit, but I do like a snickerdoodle. As something of an expert, I’d love to get your feedback if you do end up trying wholemeal spelt.
Helen - Cooking with my kids
8th May 2019 at 9:29 pmI love cinnamon in baking. I also love the name snickerdoodles – so these could well be the perfect biscuit.
Choclette
9th May 2019 at 7:52 amYay for cinnamon in baking Helen. Do have a go at making them, they’re really easy. Fun to make with the kids too.
Nickki
9th May 2019 at 8:50 amI’ve always loved the name of these cookies! Being a huge cinnamon fan, I’m wondering why I’ve only ever made these once and it must have been at least 15 years ago! I must try them again soon. Your cookies look delicious.
Choclette
9th May 2019 at 7:50 pmSounds like it’s time for you to make snickerdoodles once again Nickki 😀
Anna | Once Upon A Food Blog
9th May 2019 at 9:27 amI’ve heard of snickerdoodles but didn’t realise that they were a cinnamon biscuit. I like chewy in the middle so these would be perfect for me.
Choclette
9th May 2019 at 7:51 pmYes, the name doesn’t give much away does it? Call them what you will, they’re really good.
Kavita Favelle
9th May 2019 at 10:20 amI didn’t know snickerdoodles were cinnamon either, I’d heard the name but never had one myself! These look simple and really delicious.
Choclette
9th May 2019 at 7:51 pmKavey, it’s not like you not to know something. I think of you as the food guru.
Hannah
9th May 2019 at 3:38 pmThese look so good! I love snickerdoodles, but I’ve never tried a spelt version – in fact, I’ve never cooked with spelt flour at all (something which absolutely has to change now that I’ve seen this recipe!)
Choclette
9th May 2019 at 7:52 pmYay, someone who has heard of snickerdoodles and made them too. Spelt flour is my go to baking flour, I love it.
Jacqueline Meldrum
9th May 2019 at 5:25 pmOh yes, I bet these taste absolutely delicious Choclette. Sharing these now. Wish I could reach in and grab one.
Choclette
9th May 2019 at 7:55 pmIt’s just as well we can’t reach into the screen and grab every tasty morsel that took our attention – just imagine!!!
Esha
10th May 2019 at 3:18 amLove Ceylon cinnamon. And I am on the crunchy biscuit team all the way. These cookies doing so darn amazing
Choclette
10th May 2019 at 7:34 amOops, these snickerdoodles might not be for you if it’s only crunchy biscuits for you Esha. They are so tasty though, I reckon they’re worth trying at least once.
Jenny Walters
10th May 2019 at 4:29 pmI too am a cinnamon fiend so am loving these snickerdoodles. Love that you have used spelt flour too. I am seriously inspired to buy some and get baking.
Choclette
10th May 2019 at 5:46 pmWell it’s my favourite flour, so I’m not going to dissuade you. The snickerdoodles are just fabulous.
Jill Colonna
10th May 2019 at 6:11 pmI so have to try these, Choclette. I’m all into trying spelt and really love the sound of them!
Choclette
10th May 2019 at 7:44 pmI’ve been baking with wholemeal spelt for more years than I care to remember and it’s still my favourite flour.
Jo Allison / Jo's Kitchen Larder
10th May 2019 at 6:47 pmOh yes definitely chewy in the middle for me please! As always, I do like the sound of your spelt version of these fun biccies very much! I do share your love for cinnamon too. With ground ginger they are my two favourite spices. Thank you for sharing these yummy Spelt Snickerdoodles with #BakingCrumbs 🙂
Choclette
10th May 2019 at 7:48 pmChewy in the middle seems to be coming out tops. And yay for spelt flour, it deserves more recognition. Ginger is another firm favourite with me too. Oh, so many flavoursome spices.
Cat | Curly's Cooking
13th May 2019 at 12:30 pmWhat a great idea of using spelt flour. These snickerdoodles look so delicious – I’d definitely prefer them soft. You can’t beat a soft cookie in my opinion.
Choclette
13th May 2019 at 7:40 pmOh it’s interesting to hear the soft versus crunchy predilections. I think it’s all about mood for me. Mostly, I prefer crunchy, but sometimes soft and chewy is all that will do.
Belqui
13th May 2019 at 6:25 pmThese will be perfect for my husband! He loves cinnamon! Thank you for this recipe!
Choclette
13th May 2019 at 7:42 pmThanks Belqui. Do let me know how you get on if you make the recipe. I hope your husband likes them.
Janice
19th May 2019 at 11:36 amThese look so good, I love anything with cinnamon and spelt flour always adds extra flavour and texture – great recipe.l
Choclette
20th May 2019 at 8:42 amBiscuits coated in cinnamon sugar are just perfect for cinnamon fans. Plus snickerdoodles are really easy to make – added bonus.
Sisley White
24th May 2019 at 4:18 pmWell I know what I’m making this weekend. Absolutely delicious.
Choclette
24th May 2019 at 8:10 pmOh, let me know what you think Sisley.
Nico @ yumsome
25th May 2019 at 7:42 pmDon’t worry, I wasn’t planning on fighting the urge to rush into my kitchen, and make cinnamon shortbread. You enabler, you!
I love that you’ve used spelt for your snickerdoodles – it’s one of my favourite grains. I bet these are super-yum, especially when soft and chewy (as all cookies should be, IMO)!
Pinning to my to-make list!
Choclette
26th May 2019 at 10:22 amHaha and did you make any Nico? These are calling out for a veganised version. Spelt is my go-to baking flour – other than bread that is. It pretty much always produces a good result.
Jenny Paulin
27th May 2019 at 9:29 pmI have never made these cookies but if nothing else I love their name and the flavours used. I especially love your healthier twist by using spelt flour Choclette, what a great idea! thank you for sharing with #Bakeoftheweek x
Choclette
1st June 2019 at 12:20 pmThe name is brilliant, I love its quirkiness. And the biscuits are rather good too.
Camilla Hawkins
3rd June 2019 at 9:35 pmI have never had a Snickerdoodle but have heard so much about them. I bet the addition of spelt flour makes these extra tasty!
Choclette
4th June 2019 at 5:18 pmWell being a big spelt fan, I’d have to say yes to that 😀
Nancy Perine
4th June 2019 at 10:46 amHello! I loved cruising around your web site. I love anything with cinnamon & sugar in it. Have made Snickerdoodles in the past, but not for a long while. I didn’t know what spelt flour was, but our local grocer helped me out. I was able to change oven temp. from celsius to Farenheit and measurements from grams to cups. And then, I was off to the races. It gave me a chance to use my new cookie sheets, also. And .. the Snickerdoodles were delicious. Bring on the spelt flour!! Thanks for sharing your recipes. I’ll be back.
Choclette
4th June 2019 at 5:20 pmGlad you managed to get the US conversions sorted out Nancy. One day I’ll get around to having them on my blog to avoid confusion. Glad you liked the snickerdoodles and spelt.