Cinnamon-sugar swirled vanilla cupcakes topped with creamy cinnamon and vanilla frosting.
Pure, simple, and loaded with cinnamon-sugar, snickerdoodle cookies will always be a family favorite. I’m pretty sure cinnamon-sugar runs through all our veins!
So how about a cupcake recipe including all of that wonderful flavor? It’s doable. And delicious. Ladies and gents, welcome to my snickerdoodle cupcakes with cinnamon swirl frosting!
I wasn’t shy about loading cinny-swirls inside these snickerdoodles cupcakes. Cinnamon peeking through the edges, cinnamon-sugar dusted on top, a mountain of cinnamon-swirl frosting, and a mini snickerdoodle cookie to finish it all off. Go grab a tall glass of milk because you’ll need it to get through this post!
Today’s recipe is a fine example that show-stopping desserts don’t have to be difficult or challenging! You can impress everyone with a simple recipe and a little creativity. Seriously… how can you resist THESE?
Making today’s cupcakes is so easy, you’ll feel like you did something wrong.
There are 3 parts to these snickerdoodle cupcakes:
- Cinnamon-Swirled Vanilla Cupcakes
- Cinnamon & Vanilla Swirled Frosting
- Mini Snickerdoodles for decor
1) First, the cupcake batter. Very easy. It’s mixed together in minutes! You don’t even need an electric mixer. Simply melt butter, whisk it with some sugar, 1 egg, vanilla extract, yogurt, and milk. Yep, I used protein-packed Greek yogurt in these cupcakes. Not a lot, only a little to make them extra moist. You can use sour cream instead if it’s easier.
The assembly: Spoon 2 Tablespoons of cupcake batter into 12 cupcake liners. Then, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon-sugar. Top with more cupcake batter and 1 more teaspoon of cinnamon-sugar. Some of the cinnamon-sugar layer from the center may peek out on the top. Here is what my cupcakes looked like before baking:
By the way, we similarly layer cinnamon and brown sugar goodness in these banana chocolate chip streusel muffins. Another must-try for my fellow cinnamon-sugar lovers!
Now it’s time to bake the snickerdoodle cupcakes. And then smell the cinnamon goodness wafting through your entire kitchen. The smell of these cupcakes is pure bliss!
2) The frosting. These snickerdoodle cupcakes are so gosh darn amazing, that you don’t even need frosting. But let’s be serious. I had the opportunity to make cinnamon frosting, so clearly cinnamon frosting is what I did…!
You can’t really tell from the photos, but the frosting I used to top these cupcakes is two-toned. First, I made vanilla frosting. Then I transferred half of the frosting to a separate bowl and beat 1 Tablespoon of cinnamon into it. Cinnamon + vanilla in one. I could eat this swirly frosting all day and be set for life.
Here is exactly how I swirled the two frostings together. I simply filled my piping bag with half of the cinnamon frosting and half of the vanilla frosting. I used a Wilton 1M tip to frost, but any piping tip would work. If you do not have a frosting piping bag + tip, no worries! You can frost the two frostings however you’d like on top of the snickerdoodle cupcakes. Or just use all vanilla frosting or all cinnamon frosting.
3) And last but not least, a little decor for your Snickerdoodle Cupcakes. Mini snickerdoodle cookies. Whip up a batch of my soft and thick snickerdoodles (a 20 minute recipe) and make them into mini cookies, which is about 2 teaspoons of cookie dough per cookie. Bake them for 7 minutes. This is optional!
So there ya go. A mini snickerdoodle cookie for your easy snickerdoodle cupcakes. 🙂 You could also decorate the cupcakes with a cinnamon stick, white chocolate chips, mini chocolate chips, sliced almonds, a drizzle of caramel sauce, a banana slice, apple slice, etc. Anything that goes with cinnamon. (Which is everything.)
Enjoy your new favorite cupcakes!
Snickerdoodle Cupcakes with Cinnamon Swirl Frosting
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 12 cupcakes
- Category: Cupcakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Cinnamon-sugar swirled vanilla cupcakes topped with creamy cinnamon and vanilla frosting.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 and 2/3 cups (209g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter
- 1 and 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar, divided
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60g) yogurt or sour cream, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (180ml) milk, at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Cinnamon-Swirl Frosting
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3–4 cups (360-480g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream or half-and-half*
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- salt, to taste
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 12 snickerdoodles, mini size (read above for how to make them mini-sized)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt butter in the microwave. Whisk in 1 cup of sugar. The mixture will be gritty. Â Let it rest for a couple minutes to slightly cool down. Stir in egg, yogurt, milk, and vanilla extract until combined. Slowly mix in dry ingredients until no lumps remain. Batter will be thick.
- In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon together. Set aside. Spoon 2 scant Tablespoons of cupcake batter into each cupcake liner. Top with 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Top with 1 heaping Tablespoon of cupcake batter, until the cupcake liners are about 3/4 full. Some of the cinnamon-sugar filling from the center layer may peek through the top layer of batter. Top each cupcake with 1 more teaspoon of the cinnamon-sugar.
- Bake the cupcakes for 19-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
- For the frosting: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat butter on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add confectioners’ sugar, cream, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 3 full minutes. Add more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin or more cream if the frosting is too thick. Taste the frosting and add salt if frosting is too sweet (I like to add 1/4 teaspoon). Remove half of the frosting from the mixing bowl and transfer to a smaller mixing bowl. Beat 1 Tablespoon of cinnamon into half of the frosting.
- To swirl the frosting, spoon half cinnamon frosting into the piping bag and half vanilla frosting into the piping bag. See above for a visual. Pipe onto cupcakes. I used a Wilton 1M swirl tip. If you do not have a piping bag and tip, simply frost the cupcakes with both the vanilla and cinnamon frostings. There may be leftover frosting depending how much you use on each cupcake.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days and in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Cupcakes can be made ahead 1 day in advance, covered, and stored at room temperature. Frosting can also be made 1 day in advance, covered, and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. Frosted or unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Special Tools (affiliate links):Â 12-cup Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Piping Bag (Reusable or Disposable) | Wilton 1M Piping Tip | Cupcake Carrier (for storage)
- Cream:Â For the cream in the frosting, you can use milk instead. However, the consistency of the frosting will not be as creamy.
- Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking the BEST cupcakes before you begin!
Hello, how does this icing pipe? Will it stiffen or will it remain soft and droop?
Hi Hailey, You can see in my photos that I was able to pipe it with a star tip very well! It won’t crust over but it stays stiff. You can always adjust the consistency of frosting to your liking by using more or less cream/milk.
I’ve made these more than once. a HUGE success. I’m planning to make this into a cake actually for thanksgiving – with the cinnamon buttercream between layers and the vanilla buttercream on the outside (with embellishments of the cinnamon for decoration. Of course there will be miniature cookies also. Any tips for baking time for a cake?
Hi Sonja! You can double the recipe and bake in two separate 9-inch cake pans. Fill the pans only 1/2 way full and use any extra batter to make cupcakes. Double the frosting recipe as well. If interested, I recently shared a recipe for a snickerdoodle cake 🙂
This was my first ever cupcake I’ve made from scratch. I made two batches and took them to work. Rave reviews! They said they were literally the best cupcake they had ever eaten. My daughter said the same thing.(Unfortunately, I didn’t get one because the were in such high demand). I did make the second beach of frosting by beating the powdered sugar first to loosen the lumps, then add the butter beating until fluffy. was a much better texture and taste compared to these instructions. Will definitely make again and again. Any advice on cooking times if I made mini cupcakes instead? (More to go around!)
YAY! I’m thrilled that you made them and that they were such a hit! If you want to make mini cupcakes next time bake them for 11-13 minutes at the same temperature. Enjoy!
Can you frost these cupcakes and leave them out for a few hours?
Absolutely.
Hi Sally, I have to tell you about my experience with these cupcakes. I have made at least six batches in the last two weeks. The cupcake is extraordinary! I did make a change to be icing. I use a vanilla bean buttercream icing and I fill them with some apple/cinnamon filling. They are absolutely amazing! Every person that has tried them has raved over them. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!!
Sally, these are THE BEST cupcakes. I am not a snickerdoodle cookie fan but these
cupcakes are awesome !!!
Hi! I love your snickerdoodle cookie recipe and it’s my husbands favorite too! I’m wanting to make a cupcake version and came across this version of yours. I noticed, however, that some of the ingredients are slightly different (which I get since it’s cookie vs cupcake), but I’m wondering why it doesn’t call for the cream of tartar? Is there a reason to leave that particular ingredient out of the cupcake version?
Thanks!!
Hi Krystal, thanks for asking. Cream of tartar (a leavening agent) is simply not needed. Its slight tangy taste wouldn’t be detected in a cake or cupcake anyway!
I made these and took them to work and everyone loved them and couldn’t seem to get enough. I posted a photo of them on a baking page as well and had 100’s of people begging for this recipe. I haven’t had a bad recipe from Sally’s baking addiction and am so glad I stumbled across this.
If I want to make 24 cupcakes, can I just double the recipe in one bowl or should I make the recipe for 12 twice?
Hi Deborah! For best results, I recommend making two separate batches.
I have made this recipe as a cake now for the 5th time, I keep getting requests for it. Perfect and delicious. Thank you for sharing!
These cupcakes turned out exactly what I was hoping for. They were fluffy, moist, and had that snickerdoodle tang just like the cookies. My coworkers were very pleased. I fully reccomend this recipe.
Does the yogurt/sour cream have to be full fat? Thanks!
Hi Katie! For best taste and texture, I recommend full fat.
Any thoughts on how to turn this into a layer cake?
Hi Holly! You can double the recipe and bake in two separate 9-inch cake pans. Fill the pans only 1/2 way full and use any extra batter to make cupcakes. Double the frosting recipe as well.
I tried this recipe for the first time yesterday. I took in into my job everyone went crazy over theses cups!! Outstanding receive! It’s definitely going to be a family favorite
These cupcakes are amazing! My husband asked for them for his birthday for the second year in a row. These are definitely going to be part of our yearly celebrations. One of the best cupcake recipes.
What a great find this recipe is! My whole family loved them. My daughter texted me a picture of a half eaten cupcake and said “Best thing ever!”. Â I am guessing they will sell well at the hurricane relief bake sale I am bringing them to! Thank you!
These were the most delicious things EVER!!! I made a batch to take to work and they disappeared in less than an hour!
Just curious, have you ever tried freezing any of your cupcakes? Â I need to make a whole bunch for a bake sale and thought I could get some done ahead of time. Â Not sure how freezing and thawing would turn out.
Thanks for the good recipes!
Yes – I usually have make ahead tips at the end of the recipe 🙂 This one says frosted or unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
If you want to make all the icing cinnamon swirl should I just add 2 tablespoons of cinnamon? Just want to be sure. Thank you.
1 and 1/2 Tablespoons would be plenty.
Just made a double batch of these cupcakes tonight; they are amazing!
OMG….These are absolutely the most wonderful Snickerdoodle cupcake I have eaten…moist and very tasty …the Snickerdoodle flavor is spot on!
Thank you Sally.
Made these for my husband for Father’s Day, Snickerdoodle cookies are his favorite! These were a huge hit, even though I had to improvise with a mini cupcake tin. Â Thanks so much for creating these! Â
Hi Sally, can these be made as mini cupcakes? If so, how would I adjust the baking time? Thank you!
Yep– 10-13 minutes bake time
I made these for my girls at church and the said they were the best cupcake they’ve ever had! Thank you!
10/10 will make again!!!! I didn’t even need to make frosting!!
These cupcakes are AMAZING. When I tell you I almost fainted when I tasted them…They are simply the best. They came out so soft and fluffy. And the icing is spot on! Will definitely be making these again for the holidays.
I have made these on two separate occasions and they are absolutely delicious! Everyone just loves them!
Sally,
Just made these cupcakes. Â I Â topped them with a creamy vanilla buttercream flavored with espresso powder and they are incredible! Thanks for another amazing recipe!
Hi Sally! Â I know it’s been awhile since you’ve posted this recipe, but I wanted to leave you a comment to let you know that these cupcakes are AMAZING. Â Snickerdoodles are my absolute favorite cookie, and these cupcakes that have the mini cookies on them are perfection. I made a batch of these for my office potluck (with the mini snickerdoodles on top) and they were eaten up in seconds. Â Rave reviews. Â I even got chastised for not bringing a double batch! Â So, thanks again for another winner and recipe book staple!