Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

The holiday season is in full swing and that means I’m making lots of festive treats. It’s one of my favorite things to do during Christmastime.

Speaking of treats, did you happen to see the eggnog latte cupcakes from a few weeks ago? They are so good and so easy to make. 

After we shared that recipe, I realized that I’ve never shared our snickerdoodle cupcakes recipe. These cupcakes are perfect for the holidays and are basically snickerdoodle cookies in cupcake form. 

They’re soft, moist, and layered with sweet cinnamon and sugar in every bite. For the finishing touch they’re topped with a silky cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

Substitutions and Variations

• Cake Mix: Use vanilla or white cake mix if yellow cake mix isn’t available.
• Oil: If you aren’t a fan of vegetable oil, try another neutral tasting cooking oil. Oils with heavy flavors will affect the flavor of the cupcakes, so try to steer clear of those.
• Vanilla Extract: Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the cake batter for more flavor.
• Vanilla Pudding: Mix a small box of instant vanilla pudding into the cake batter to make the cupcakes super soft!
• Brown Sugar: Use brown sugar in place of the granulated sugar in the cinnamon sugar swirl for a richer flavor.
• Cream Cheese Frosting: If you prefer buttercream frosting, make your favorite buttercream and use it instead of cream cheese frosting.
• Cinnamon: Adjust the amount of ground cinnamon in the cream cheese frosting to suit your tastes.

Equipment

You’ll need a few pieces of common kitchen equipment to make our snickerdoodle cupcakes. Here’s the list of items I use (Amazon affiliate links included):

• Mixing Bowl and Electric Mixer: You’ll need a large bowl and an electric mixer to make the cake batter and the frosting. Feel free to use the same bowl and wash it in between uses. A stand mixer with a paddle attachment works great, too!
• Muffin Pans: I used 2 separate standard-sized muffin pans to make the cupcakes. You can use 1 muffin tin and take turns making separate batches if needed.
• Cupcake Liners: Cute holiday cupcake liners are some of my favorites, but many of them can have an off putting smell. If I’m making these cupcakes just for us, I’ll use a plain liner without the fancy designs.
• Measuring Cups and Spoons: You’ll need cups for dry measure and cups for wet measure plus some measuring spoons.
• Cookie Scoop: I use the Pampered Chef small-sized cookie scoop to add the batter the cupcake liners. That size scoop is 1 tablespoon, so it’s the perfect size for each layer of cupcake batter. You can use a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon if you don’t have a cookie scoop.
• Sifter: Having a way to sift the powdered sugar is a must if you want a perfectly smooth frosting. I used my grandmother’s sifter, but a mesh strainer works well, too!
• Frosting Application: There’s nothing wrong with using a butter knife or spatula to apply the frosting to cupcakes. If you want something that gives you swirling frosting, you’ll need a frosting bag with tips.

Storage

Refrigerator: Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Tips

• Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your eggs, butter, and cream cheese are at room temperature before you start. This helps them mix better for smoother batter and frosting.
• Mix, But Don’t Overmix: When you’re mixing your cake batter, just mix according to instructions on the box of cake mix, usually 2 minutes at medium speed. Overmixing can make the cupcakes tough.
• Fill Cupcake Liners Evenly: Use a 1 tablespoon scoop or spoon to fill your cupcake liners until they’re about two-thirds full. This helps them bake evenly and rise perfectly.
• Don’t Overbake: Keep an eye on the cupcakes while they’re in the oven. When they’re done, they should be light golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
• Cool Completely: Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting them. This keeps the frosting from melting.
• Frosting Tips: When making the cream cheese cinnamon frosting, make sure the cream cheese and butter are softened to room temperature. 
• Get Creative: Have fun with decorating! Use a piping bag to make your cupcakes look fancy, or just spread the frosting on with a knife.
• Add Cinnamon Sugar: Sprinkle a cinnamon-sugar mixture over the cream cheese frosting for a sweet garnish.

Frequently Asked Questions

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