Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe
This snickerdoodle cookies recipe is soft, chewy, with the wonderful flavor of cinnamon. And it goes perfect with a glass of cold milk. They are so easy to make, you’ll have to make another batch.
Delight in the classic charm of our Snickerdoodle Cookies. These timeless treats are beloved for their soft, pillowy texture and irresistible cinnamon-sugar coating. Each bite offers a perfect balance of sweetness and warmth, with a hint of tanginess from the cream of tartar that sets them apart from other sugar cookies.
Ideal for any occasion, from holiday gatherings to everyday indulgence, our Snickerdoodle Cookies bring a sense of nostalgia and comfort to your dessert table. Their signature crackled tops and inviting aroma make them as appealing to the eyes as they are to the taste buds.
Enjoy these cookies with a glass of cold milk, a cup of hot cocoa, or your favorite tea for a truly delightful treat. Whether you’re sharing them with friends and family or savoring them on your own, our Snickerdoodle Cookies are sure to bring a touch of joy and warmth to every bite.
Why are these the best cookies?
- Classic Snickerdoodle cookies are soft and chewy, with a light cinnamon flavor. This simple recipe makes the best snickerdoodles ever.
- Most of the ingredients are simple pantry staples or easy to find.
- This is a kid-approved, favorite cookie, so make sure to double the recipe.
- One of the secret ingredients in this cookie is cream of tartar. This is what gives these Snickerdoodles that slightly tangy flavor.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Unsalted butter – I like to use unsalted butter in all my baking, so I can control the amount of salt. And yet, if you must use salted butter, omit the salt in the recipe.
- All-purpose flour – I always use all-purpose flour with great success. You do not need any other flour.
- Cinnamon – Use a good-quality cinnamon powder from a trusted source. Cheap brands don’t give the best flavor, and the cake tastes woody.
- Sugar – I’ve used both white and light brown sugar. White sugar adds a nice crispness, while brown sugar will keep them soft and chewy.
- Vanilla extract – You can use vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or substitute some sugar for vanilla sugar.
Step-by-step: Snickerdoodle cookie recipe
- Dry ingredients – In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
- Wet ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment(or hand mixer), cream the unsalted butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and egg yolk, followed by the flour mixture. Combine well, but do not overmix.
- Chill the cookie dough in the fridge for an hour or until firm enough to roll into balls.
- Oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C / Gas Mark 5
- Coating – Combine the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside. Roll and shape dough into golf-size or 1 1/2-inch balls. Drop the balls in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and coat well.
- Bake: Arrange the coated balls on a silicone or parchment-lined baking sheet, about 3 inches apart, leaving enough space to rise. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Then, transfer them to the wire rack to cool completely.
- Store: When cooled, transfer to an airtight container. These cookies will stay fresh for up to 7 days at room temperature. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Tips and troubleshooting
- Use room-temperature butter, but make sure it’s not too soft or melted. Otherwise, the cookies will spread too much.
- I like using a combination of white and brown sugar for the best flavor. But you can also use all light brown sugar.
- These cookies use cream of tartar and baking soda instead of baking powder. While you can use 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder with 1/2 tsp of baking soda instead, the true flavor of a snickerdoodle comes with the addition of cream of tartar. It adds tartness as well as softness to the cookies and increases the power of leavening in the cookies.
- Bake the cookies until they start to get slightly golden around the edges. That way, you will have the perfect texture because the cookies continue to cook with the residual heat as they cool on the wire rack. Overcooking these cookies will make them dry inside.
- You can roll the cookies in cinnamon sugar twice to ensure they are well-coated and get a stronger cinnamon flavor as well as color.
- Make-ahead cookies – you can keep the cookie dough or rolled cookie dough balls in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Also, you can freeze the dough or dough balls for up to three months in the freezer. When baked from frozen, they may take 2 to 3 minutes more.
Frequently asked questions
These cookies will keep in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.
These cookies use cream of tartar and baking soda instead of baking powder. While you can use 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder with 1/2 tsp of baking soda instead, the true flavor of a snickerdoodle comes with the addition of cream of tartar. It adds tartness as well as softness to the cookies and increases the power of leavening in the cookies.
Snickerdoodles are sweeter, softer, and chewier cookies with lightly crisp golden edges and a stronger flavor of cinnamon. Sugar cookies are mostly vanilla-flavored. They can be soft or firm if they are meant to be frosted.
You can freeze the cookie dough or dough balls in a freezer bag for up to three months in the freezer. The baked cookies can be frozen for up to a month. When baked from frozen dough, they may take 2 to 3 minutes more.
Snickerdoodle Cookies
This snickerdoodle cookies recipe is soft, chewy, with the wonderful flavor of cinnamon. And they are perfect with a glass of cold milk. They are so easy to make, you'll have to make another batch.
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 g) Unsalted Butter softened
- 1½ cup (150 g) Granulated sugar
- 1 large Egg
- 1 large Egg yolk
- 2½ cups (345 g) All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- 1½ tsp Cream of Tartar
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ cup (50 g) Granulated sugar for coating
- 1 tbsp Ground cinnamon for coating
Method
- Dry ingredients – In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.2½ cups All-purpose flour, 1 tsp Baking soda, 1½ tsp Cream of Tartar, ½ tsp Salt
- Wet ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment(or hand mixer), cream the unsalted butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and egg yolk, followed by the flour mixture. Combine well, but do not overmix.1 cup Unsalted Butter, 1½ cup Granulated sugar, 1 large Egg, 1 large Egg yolk
- Chill the cookie dough in the fridge for an hour or until firm enough to roll into balls.
- Oven: Preheat the oven at 375°F / 190°C / Gas Mark 5
- Coating – Combine the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside. Roll and shape dough into golf-size or 1 1/2-inch balls. Drop the balls in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and coat well.¼ cup Granulated sugar, 1 tbsp Ground cinnamon
- Bake: Arrange the coated balls on a silicone or parchment-lined baking sheet, about 3 inches apart, leaving enough space for them to rise. Bake for about 10 – 12 minutes.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Then, transfer them to the wire rack to cool completely.
- Store: When cooled, transfer to an airtight container. These cookies will stay fresh for up to 7 days at room temperature. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Use room temperature butter but make sure it’s not too soft or melted otherwise the cookies will spread too much
- I like using a combination of white and brown sugar for the best flavor. But, you can also use all light brown sugar.
- These cookies use cream of tartar and baking soda instead of baking powder. While you can use 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder with 1/2 tsp of baking soda instead, the true flavor of a snickerdoodle comes with the addition of cream of tartar. It adds tartness as well as softness to the cookies and increases the power of leavening in the cookies.
- Bake the cookies until they start to get slightly golden around the edges. That way you will have the perfect texture because the cookies continue to cook with the residue heat as they cool on the wire rack. Overcooking these cookies will make them dry inside.
- You can roll the cookies in cinnamon sugar twice to ensure they are well coated and get a stronger cinnamon flavor as well as color.
- Make-a-head cookies – you can keep the cookie dough or rolled cookie dough balls in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Also, you can freeze the dough or dough balls for up to three months in the freezer. When baked from frozen they may take 2 to 3 minutes more.
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
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Really nice recipe. I loved all the tips you provide for making it right, especially how to use the cream of tartar on baking!
I love making these to deliver to friends and family during the holidays. The perfect addition to any cookie tray!
These were eaten up as fast as I could make them!
I am so happy to hear that Mindee. Thanks for the lovely feedback
I love snickerdoodles and appreciate your tip to use a combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar. These look delicious!
I’ve always loved the soft texture of a good Snickerdoodle cookie – great recipe I’ll be using for the holidays!