SnO2 nanoparticles (NPs)@carbon nanofibers as anode materials for lithium-ion battery are synthesized by a novel facile route using the commercial filter paper and tin dichloride dehydrate (SnCl2·2H2O). The weight ratio between carbon nanofibers and SnO2 NPs, which seriously affects the battery performance, has been demonstrated to be easily tuned by adjusting the sintering temperature. The electrochemical investigations show that the SnO2 NPs@carbon nanofibers with 9 wt% carbon have the best performance with the highest capacity of 383 mAh g−1 after 30 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g−1. The method introduced in this study provides an easy strategy for the controlled introduction of carbon to optimize the performance of lithium-ion battery using SnO2 NPs@carbon nanofibers as anode materials.