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DELICIOUS Snickerdoodle Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

These DELICIOUS snickerdoodle cupcakes are perfect for the Christmas season, fall, or any time of the year for someone who loves cinnamon! Made with a delicious buttery cinnamon crumble + a cinnamon cream cheese frosting, these cupcakes are decadent and delightful!

We’re going to give traditional snickerdoodle cookies a makeover and turn ’em into absolutely delectable cupcakes!

I had so much fun tinkering around with this recipe – it’s absolutely delicious. It’s not your “average” cupcake recipe. 

Here’s why you’ll love these easy snickerdoodle cupcakes:

  • It’s a unique recipe – these aren’t like average, everyday cupcakes. Especially with that cinnamon crumble, these cupcakes definitely have a more “grown up” taste. 
  • They’re SO moist. The combo of the slightly crispy cinnamon sugar crumbles inside the moist snickerdoodle cupcakes is DELISH.
  • The cinnamon cream cheese frosting is a perfect compliment, but it’s not too tart. The cream cheese adds that same kind of tart flavor you’d expect from a snickerdoodle cookie (because of the cream of tartar), but it’s not overpowering. 
  • The recipe makes a lot of cupcakes, so it’s perfect for a crowd. Bring ’em to a Christmas potluck, make ’em for a birthday party, or just have at a big gathering. 

Ingredients you’ll need for snickerdoodle cupcakes & cinnamon cream cheese frosting:

For the cupcakes:

  • 4 eggs – room temperature
  • 2 c granulated sugar
  • 1 c unsalted butter (2 sticks), room temperature for a wonderfully buttery flavor in the cake!
  • 3 tsp vanilla extract – yep, this might seem like a lot, but it adds great flavor!
  • 3 c all-purpose flour – to measure: I loosen up my flour in the canister before I scoop it into my measuring cup, and then I level off with a knife
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1.5 c buttermilk, room temperature – I never buy buttermilk; I always make it with whole milk + a splash of distilled vinegar
  • ⅓ c vegetable oil – this adds moisture to the cake
  • 2 tsp cinnamon 

You really want to make sure all of your “cold” ingredients come up to room temperature. It’ll help make sure the cake comes out the right consistency!

For the cinnamon sugar crumble:

  • 1.5 tablespoons butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 c packed brown sugar
  • 3/4 tsp cinnamon

This adds such a delicious element to the cake! It adds both texture and flavor!

For the cinnamon cream cheese frosting

  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4.5 c powdered sugar (also known as confectioners’ sugar)
  • 3 tsp vanilla extract
  • 6 tsp cinnamon
  • pinch of salt

We’re ready to get started with the cupcakes!

How to make this snickerdoodle cupcake recipe

Just a few simple steps and you’ll be on your way to absolutely delicious cupcakes. 😉

Preheat oven & start whisking eggs

Preheat your oven to 350. Add all 4 eggs to your stand mixer and mix on medium speed (I mix mine on “6”) for 2 minutes. The eggs should be creamy and have a thickness to them at that point. 

While the eggs are mixing, prepare some of the dry ingredients in a separate large mixing bowl: whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Add butter & sugar

Turn mixer to low, add sugar to eggs, and mix on medium speed again for 2 minutes.

Scrape sides of bowl with a rubber spatula & add softened butter & vanilla. Mix on medium speed for one more minute.

Add flour mixture

Turn mixer to low and gradually add in flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix until just incorporated.

Add buttermilk, oil, and cinnamon

Scrape sides of bowl, turn mixer back onto low speed, and gradually add in buttermilk & oil. Mix until everything is fully incorporated, and then stir in cinnamon. Set aside while you make the butter & sugar crumble.

Mix together cinnamon sugar crumble

In a small bowl, add 1.5 tbsp butter, brown sugar, and 3/4 tsp cinnamon. Use a fork to mash the butter and mix the crumble together. Set aside.

Add a little bit of batter + cinnamon sugar crumble in cupcake wrappers

Pour a little bit of cake batter into 12 cupcake liners in a muffin tin – maybe about 1-2 tbsp of batter in each.

Sprinkle a little bit of the crumble mixture on top of each.

Add more batter & crumble mixture

Add more batter on top – fill the cupcake wrappers about 3/4 of the way to the top. Add more crumble mixture on top of each.

You don’t need to worry about spreading out really evenly – Just try to get a few dollops of crumble on each.

Bake cupcakes

Place cupcake pan in oven and bake at 350 for 17-18 minutes. Check with a toothpick – if doesn’t come out clean, try a couple more minutes. (Mine are always perfect right at 17 minutes.)

Remove from oven and allow cupcakes to cool a bit before transferring them to a wire cooling rack. (The cupcakes are somewhat delicate while they’re still warm, so be careful as you transfer them from the pan to the cooling rack.)

The top parts that bake slightly over the wrapper and touch the pan are the delicate part. They’re much easier to handle when they’re cooler – they don’t fall apart as easily. So, as you transfer them from the pan to the cooling rack, just be careful that they don’t break. (You can use a butterknife to gently release the top parts from the rim of the pan if you need to.)

Repeat with remaining cupcake batter & cupcake crumbles. (This recipe makes about 30 cupcakes, so you’ll have your pan in the oven 3x.)

Prepare frosting

While cupcakes are cooling on the wire rack, prepare the cream cheese frosting.

Using the paddle attachment, mix cream cheese in your electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute.

Add butter & powdered sugar and cream together for 2 minutes on medium-high speed.

Mix in vanilla, cinnamon, and pinch of salt. Scrape the sides of the bowl, mix again if necessary, and the result should be a delightfully smooth cream cheese frosting.

Once you’re finished mixing, transfer icing to a piping bag to frost cooled cupcakes.

Frost cupcakes

I used Wilton star tip #2D to frost frost my cupcakes. Swirl around the top of the cupcakes. 

I don’t load my cupcakes up with frosting – I basically pipe one layer and then bring it up slightly in the middle. Doing this should ensure you have enough frosting for all of your cupcakes. 

Mmm-mmm, lookin’ good!!

Garnish with some ground cinnamon, and you’re good to go!

Questions about this cupcake recipe

How should I store these cupcakes?

Store them in a tall airtight container in the refrigerator. You can keep them out for about a day or so, especially if you’re making them to serve the next day, but because of the cream cheese frosting, if you have leftover cupcakes, you’ll want to store them in the fridge. But, for best tasting results, allow them to come up to room temp before eating them. 😉

How long will they last?

They’ll taste best within the first few days, but they’ll last for several days in the fridge!

What kind of piping bags did you use to frost the cupcakes?

These piping bags are my absolute favorite! They’re so easy to work with – they’re sturdy (so I don’t have to worry about the seams ripping), but still very flexible.

Have so much fun turning one of your favorite cookies into a delectable cupcake with creamy frosting! 😋

Other “spiced” dessert recipes you might like:

Other Fall & Christmas Cake recipes you might like:

DELICIOUS Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

These DELICIOUS snickerdoodle cupcakes are perfect for Christmastime, fall, or any time of the year for someone who loves cinnamon! Made with a delicious buttery cinnamon crumble + a cinnamon cream cheese frosting, these cupcakes are decadent and delightful!
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 17 minutes
Additional Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 27 minutes
Servings: 30 cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

  • 4 eggs - room temperature
  • 2 c granulated sugar
  • 1 c unsalted butter 2 sticks, room temperature
  • 3 tsp vanilla
  • 3 c all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1.5 c buttermilk room temperature
  • c vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp cinnamon

For the cinnamon sugar crumble:

  • 1.5 tablespoons butter room temperature
  • 3/4 c packed brown sugar
  • 3/4 tsp cinnamon

For the cinnamon cream cheese frosting:

  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 3 sticks unsalted butter room temperature
  • 4.5 c powdered sugar
  • 3 tsp vanilla
  • 6 tsp cinnamon
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • Using your whisk attachment, mix eggs on medium speed in your stand mixer (I mix mine on "6") for 2 minutes. They should be creamy and have a thickness to them.
  • While the eggs are mixing, prepare some of the dry ingredients: in a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • Turn mixer to low, add sugar to eggs, and mix on medium speed again for 2 minutes.
  • Scrape sides of bowl & add softened butter & vanilla. Mix on medium speed for one more minute.
  • Turn mixer to low and gradually add in flour mixture. Mix until just incorporated.
  • Scrape sides of bowl, turn mixer back onto low, and gradually add in buttermilk & oil. Mix until everything is fully incorporated, and then stir in cinnamon. Set aside while you make the cinnamon sugar crumble.
  • In a smaller mixing bowl, add 1.5 tbsp butter, brown sugar, and 3/4 tsp cinnamon. Use a fork to mash the butter and mix the crumble together. Set aside.
  • Pour a little bit of batter into 12 cupcake wrappers in a cupcake pan - maybe about 1-2 tbsp of batter in each
  • Sprinkle a little bit of the crumble mixture on top of each, then add more batter on top - fill the cupcake wrappers about 3/4 of the way to the top. Add more crumble mixture on top of each.
  • Place cupcake pan in oven and bake at 350 for 17-18 minutes. Check with a toothpick - if doesn't come out clean, try a couple more minutes. (Mine are always perfect right at 17 minutes.)
  • Remove from oven and allow cupcakes to cool a bit before transferring them to a wire cooling rack. (The cupcakes are somewhat delicate while they're still warm, so be careful as you transfer them from the pan to the cooling rack.)
  • Repeat with remaining cupcake batter & cupcake crumbles. (This recipe makes about 30 cupcakes, so you'll have your pan in the oven 3x.)
  • While cupcakes are cooling, prepare the cream cheese frosting.
  • Using the paddle attachment, mix cream cheese on medium speed for 1 minute. Add butter & powdered sugar and cream together for 2 minutes on medium speed. Mix in vanilla, cinnamon, and pinch of salt. Scrape the sides of the bowl, mix again if necessary, and then transfer icing to a piping bag to frost cooled cupcakes.
  • Sprinkle a little bit of cinnamon on top for garnish, and enjoy!

Notes

Room temperature ingredients: I really make sure my "cold" ingredients are at room temperature before making this cake - the butter, the eggs, the buttermilk, etc. I make sure they sit out for a couple of hours before I mix up the batter.
Store the frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge. You could leave them in an airtight container at room temperature overnight (especially if you're making them to serve the next day), but I'd store them in the fridge after that because of the cream cheese frosting. They'll keep in the fridge for several days, but they'll probably taste the best within the first three!

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