Description
These snickerdoodle cupcakes offer a soft, moist crumb with a warm cinnamon flavor. Topped with a smooth cinnamon cream cheese frosting, they are a perfect fall treat that brings the cozy essence of snickerdoodles into cupcake form. This recipe is designed for home bakers to achieve bakery-worthy results.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup whole milk
- For the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1–2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- Pinch of salt
- Optional Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a standard muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon until well combined. Set this dry mixture aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the room temperature unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and packed brown sugar together on medium speed for 2–3 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add the large eggs one at a time to the butter and sugar mixture, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract, then mix in the sour cream until the batter is smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in three additions, alternating with the whole milk. Start and end with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined; avoid overmixing.
- Divide the snickerdoodle cupcake batter evenly among the 12 prepared cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ full.
- Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cupcakes cool, prepare the cinnamon cream cheese frosting. In a large bowl, beat the room temperature unsalted butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth.
- Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar to the butter, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Add the ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt to the frosting mixture.
- Add the heavy cream or milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency for piping or spreading.
- Once the snickerdoodle cupcakes are fully cooled, frost them using a piping bag fitted with a large star tip or spread with a knife.
- If using the optional cinnamon sugar topping, mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle this mixture over the frosted cupcakes for extra flavor and texture.
Notes
- Cupcakes are best served at room temperature.
- Store leftover snickerdoodle cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- For a stronger cinnamon flavor in the frosting, increase the ground cinnamon to 2 teaspoons.
- Using all-purpose flour provides a sturdier cupcake structure compared to cake flour, which can be too fragile for these snickerdoodle cupcakes.
- Whole milk is recommended for tenderness; lower fat milk can result in a drier crumb.
- Sour cream contributes tang and moisture, resulting in a softer, bakery-style bite compared to Greek yogurt.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Cupcakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 647
- Sugar: 68g
- Sodium: 273mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 84g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 120mg