Snickerdoodle Mug Cake
Snickerdoodle Mug Cake bakes up in the microwave in just one minute, yielding a warm, cinnamon-sugary treat that will satisfy any sweet tooth!
How many times have you had a sugar craving, only to discover that there's nary a cookie nor a cupcake nor a candy bar in the house? Now that's not always a bad thing, mind you. Sometimes the only thing that prevents me from ingesting too much sugar is the fact that I made a point not to buy or make sweets in the first place. 😉
Mug Cake Love
But other times, IneedsomethingsweetandIneeditrightNOW! And in those instances, spending a few minutes throwing together a microwave mug cake seems a bit more refined than scarfing chocolate chips straight out of the bag.
Did y'all happen to catch the One-Minute Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake that I posted last spring? Because it is, to put it bluntly, awesome. In fact, I've had quite a few comments from people declaring it the best mug cake recipe they've ever tried. And while it's hard -- nay, impossible -- to top chocolate and peanut butter, sometimes I'm in the mood for something vanilla-based instead. So I decided to take my Chocolate Peanut Butter M.C. and attempt to remove the chocolate...and the peanut butter. And would you believe my efforts were a success?!
Cinnamon Sugar Mug Cake
I clearly have a thing for snickerdoodle treats, seeing as how I've already shared cinnamon-sugary variations of popcorn, candied pecans, quick bread, muffins, and coffee syrup. So what would be more natural than a cinnamon sugar mug cake that ends up tasting like a soft, warm, snickerdoodle cookie?
Snickerdoodle Mug Cake is just that...a moist, tender cake, spiced with cinnamon and layered with cinnamon sugar. And y'all...it can be crossing your lips in under five minutes from start to finish! Just a few basic ingredients are mixed, poured into a mug, and microwaved. And then, before your very eyes, the batter transforms into cake, rising up to the top of the mug and then collapsing a bit once the baking stops.
Most mug cakes end up having a less-than-desirable texture...dense and gummy and just kind of weird. But not this one! I feel like the secret to a light, tender, amazing texture in a mug cake comes from leaving out the eggs. That's right! No egg in this mug cake recipe (or any of my others). It's not only easier to make a mug cake without an egg, but it turns out so much tastier!
(Oh, and I realize that y'all are smart enough to figure out how to layer the batter with cinnamon sugar, but I was playing around with baking one of these in a clear mug...so you get a photo. It was actually fun to watch the batter transform into cake, like some nerdy food blogger science experiment.)
This recipe is perfect for those there's-nothing-sweet-in-the-house sugar cravings. But since making it does require minimal effort, it's easy enough to stop at one. And one batch can even be shared! I actually make a couple of mug cakes for dessert sometimes and split them between our family of five.
Tips & Tricks
- The strength of individual microwaves can vary, so the first time you make this recipe, you'll need to experiment a bit to make sure that 1 minute is the perfect length of baking time. The nice thing about this treat is that even if it is undercooked, you don't have to worry about raw eggs!
- My Snickerdoodle Mug Cake was done to my liking in one minute and 15 seconds. This is slightly longer than I bake my Chocolate Peanut Butter version, since I prefer that one to have a molten center.
- Unsalted butter will work just fine in this recipe, but I find that using salted butter (or adding a tiny pinch of salt) adds a small flavor boost.
- A tall, cylindrical mug with straight (not angled) sides will ensure that the cake bakes evenly. I found a 14-ounce mug to be the perfect size to allow the cake to rise up while baking without overflowing. (I filled my mug to the top with water and then transferred the water to a measuring cup to determine its capacity.) If you use a smaller mug, you may want to bake the cake on top of a plate or paper towel to catch any possible overflow.
- I also advise you to place a plate under your mug the first time you make this treat to catch any potential spillage.
The bottom line is that this recipe is pretty darn flexible. Experiment with what you've got and you'll quickly figure out the winning formula!
If you like cake...if you enjoy snickerdoodles...if you're a fan of instant gratification...if you own a mug...this Snickerdoodle Mug Cake recipe was made for you! Please say that you'll try it and let me know what you think? And then go ahead and try the chocolate peanut butter version and let me know which one you like better.
Because for me? Honestly, it's a toss-up at this point. They're totally different but equally scrumptious. Guess I'll keep making them both until I can decide a clear winner. <insert fake sigh> Food blogging is a tough job, but somebody's got to do it... 😉
More Effortless Mug Cakes
Snickerdoodle Mug Cake
Ingredients
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup milk, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted and cooled
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For layering/topping:
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon until thoroughly, completely combined, with no streaks of any ingredients remaining. Blend in milk, butter, and vanilla until batter is smooth. Into a 14-ounce (or larger) microwave-safe mug with straight sides, scoop a big spoonful of batter, then sprinkle with a spoonful of cinnamon sugar. Alternate layers, ending with cinnamon sugar.
- Microwave on high for 1 to 1 ½ minutes, or until cake is done to your liking. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- A tall, cylindrical mug with straight (not angled) sides will ensure that the cake bakes evenly. I found a 14-ounce mug to be the perfect size to allow the cake to rise up while baking without overflowing. (I filled my mug to the top with water and then transferred the water to a measuring cup to determine its capacity.) If you use a smaller mug, you may want to bake the cake on top of a plate or paper towel to catch any possible overflow.
- The strength of individual microwaves can vary. The first time you make this recipe, be prepared to experiment a bit to make sure that 1 minute is the perfect length of baking time. The nice thing about this cake is that even if it is undercooked, you don't have to worry about raw eggs!
- Unsalted butter will work just fine in this recipe, but I find that using salted butter adds a tiny flavor boost.
Nutrition
Adapted from One-Minute Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake
Originally published on January 15, 2015
My husband and I tried these last night for our midnight snack. They tasted pretty good... I'm going to have to try some more. Thanks!
You're very welcome, Amy! I'm glad they were a hit...and that's my kind of midnight snack! 😉
May I ask you a question? Since the majority of people in Europe don't have a microwave in there home, can we do this recipe by putting the mug in the oven? If so, at what temperature?
Hi Sara! I don't see why this wouldn't work in the oven. Just make sure the mug you use is oven-safe, and preheat your oven to 350°F (about 177°C). I'm not positive on the baking time, but I'd probably let it bake for about 10 minutes and then check it. From there, I'd keep an eye on it for a few more minutes until it tests done. Hope this helps and good luck!
This was delicious. I substituted coconut oil for butter, and stevia for sugar... And I was actually out of vanilla... But this was still Amazing ?
So happy to hear that this recipe worked with your modifications and that you enjoyed it, Danylle! 🙂
I just wanted to let you know this was exactly what we needed for my baby girl's 1st birthday tonight. The party is this weekend, but after dinner, I was craving something quick to celebrate and for the 3 of us to enjoy. It was so quick and easy, she played happily in her high chair after dinner while I whipped it up, stuck a candle in it, and enjoyed with 3 forks. 🙂 Simple ingredients I wasn't worried about giving her and the perfect little treat. (and her first cake!) Just wanted to share that you made our night for us. So thanks for the perfect treat. 🙂
Awww, your comment made me smile, Erin! Happy 1st birthday to your little one and I'm so glad she enjoyed this as her first cake! 🙂
Thanks for this recipe. We tried it and it turned out great. I had to tweak it a little bit: it was a little underdone in our microwave at a 1:30 so we increased the time to 2:00 and it was perfect. Also I like to add a tablespoon of mayonnaise to all of my mug cake recipes to replace the egg if it doesn't call for one. I find it keeps the cake from drying out too much. This cake reminded me of a cobbler. So for one one I added a canned peach cup (the single serving kind) to the bottom and it turned out perfect! Almost like the peach cobbler we make when we go camping.
So glad this was a hit, Jenn, and your peach cobbler version sounds delicious! Thanks for taking the time to share all of your tweaks. 🙂
This is by far THE BEST mug cake recipe I have tried so far! Absolutely delicious. I am a chocolate person typically, but this snickerdoodle mug cake is my new favorite. Definitely hit the spot! ?❤
I may be a bit late to the party, but I just wanted to chime in that I may have used a little too much baking powder, and it ended up the texture of a fluffy muffin (no complaints here! (; ) I threw some berries on top: so tasty! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Found this on Pinterest when having a sweet craving! I used gluten free all purpose flower and original cashew milk instead of dairy milk to fit my dietary needs. I'm a horrible cook/baker so I just winged it and hoped for the best haha. It didn't rise much, but it still tastes sweet and soft!! F for looks but A++ for taste! Thanks for sharing this great recipe!
Love the mug cakes I have tried and definitely liked that there was no egg in this. Was having one of those, iwantsomethingsweetnow moments and happened upon your recipe on Pinterest. Quickly assembling the ingredients, I eagerly awaited my sweet reward. First look, I was deflated. My 14oz mug was about half full of a cooked blob. Not willing to toss it just yet, I took a bite. Quite surprised, the texture and taste were very good. Not sure what the heck I did wrong -- and yes, I put the baking powder in-- it's still sitting on my counter. Next time guess I will have to pay closer attention. Will be checking out your other posts soon. Thanks for creating and sharing.
Hey there! I've made this mug cake numerous times since there's rarely ever anything sweet in my house, and I love it! But the first time I made this I had no butter, so I substituted vegetable oil for the butter, and it was equally as delicious! I think I actually prefer to use the oil rather than the butter because the sugar melts into the cake and makes it 1000x better! Thank you so much for this recipe!
I'm glad to hear that you enjoy this recipe so much, Nicole! And thanks for sharing your tip about using vegetable oil. Happy New Year! 🙂
ok.. what did I do wrong? I followed the instruction perfectly and ended up with a runny mess even after I put it back for another minute. I'm an experienced mug cake maker so I'm not sure what happened- no egg right?
Hi Judee! I'm not sure what could have happened. I've had overwhelmingly positive reviews on this recipe. You are correct that there is no egg...leaving it out prevents the cake texture from becoming gummy. At any rate, I hope you have better luck if you decide to give this mug cake another try! 🙂
I made the snickerdoodle mug cake with self rising flour and omitted the banking powder. So tasty. I only used about a teaspoon of sugar and did a visual adjustment of the cinnamon for the topping. Loved it.
So happy to hear that you loved this mug cake, Loren! And thanks for sharing the recipe adjustments that you made...and letting us know that they worked! 🙂
This was a nice sweet treat for a late night me time! I thought it was missing something that would make it taste more like a snickerdoodle and then I realized it needed cream of tartar! Next time I am going to add some and see if that makes it the perfect taste match. Otherwise, I really liked it!
Great idea, Lucinda! I may have to try that the next time I make this recipe as well. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
THANK YOU FOR THIS! 🙂 I've been wanting snickerdoodles for weeks, but baking up a few dozen when I'm trying to cut back on sweets seems counterproductive. This was perfect for satisfying my sweet tooth!
You are so welcome, April! Glad that you enjoyed this mug cake so much...it's definitely perfect for quickly satisfying a snickerdoodle craving without ending up with a whole batch of cookies. 😉
This is by far the best microwave mug recipe I've tried! Excellent flavor and texture! This is the first I've found that doesn't turn out to be a mug of hot goop.
Yay, Megan...glad you enjoyed this mug cake so much! Thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know. 🙂 Hope your week is off to a great start!
just eating eating...perfect! Being honest i was not sure about the taste and mixture as the recipe is egg free,but what comes to savor is completely delightful! I have posted a photo in instagram and tagged you,thanx again,good morning from Greece!
I'm so happy you enjoyed this mug cake all the way from Greece! Thanks for taking the time to let me know that it was a hit. 🙂
I would post a pic of my Snickerdoodle Mug Cake , but the cup is empty! It smelled sooooooo good, I had to drive right in! This was my first mug cake. It will not be my last!
So happy to hear that you enjoyed it, DeAnna! It never lasts long when I make it either... 😉
Easily, THE most annoying thing when clicking onto a blog post, is having a surprise video start playing at me from the very bottom of my mobile browser. I'm not trying to be a jerky punk, but I thought I'd let you know that is something that will immediately turn off so many people from reading a blog. Please rethink having the YouTube video?
Love,
All nursing mothers, slackers at work, and insomniacs surfing beside their sleeping hubby 🙂
Hi Jen! Thanks for letting me know. There are actually not supposed to be any pop-up videos with volume playing on my site. If I ever see one slip through, I report it to my ad network and they are supposed to immediately block it. Unfortunately, I'm not privy to everything that slips through, so I appreciate it when a reader reports it to me. I do have non-volume ads in my sidebars and at the top and bottom of my site, and the revenue from these ads allows me to work on this blog as a job and continue providing content. However, I find intrusive ads as annoying as you do and I have refused to allow photo-overlay ads, pop-up ads, video ads with volume, etc. on my site (even though they earn more money), because I want my readers to have an enjoyable experience when they visit my blog. Anyway, that's all a long explanation to say that I'm sorry. The ad that you saw was not supposed to be there, much less wake anybody up. I do what I can to stop them but ultimately, there are some that slip through. I'm not able to personally place each ad on my site -- an ad company does that -- so sometimes it's out of my control. Again, I apologize, and thanks for letting me know. 🙂