Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe (2024)

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Posted by Aimee 37 comments
Published: Feb 01, 2011 Last Updated: Mar 15, 2024

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ClassicSnickerdoodle Cookies that are soft and chewy and packed with cinnamon sugar flavor! You’ll love this family favorite recipe that we’ve been enjoying for nearly 40 years!

Love cookies? Be sure to try our peanut butter cookies for a delicious twist. Our readers love them! Or give these oatmeal raisin cookies a try, one of my favorites!

Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe (1)

What Makes a Perfect Snickerdoodle Cookie

Soft and chewy cookies in my mind, are the absolute perfect.

These soft chocolate chip cookies stay soft for DAYS, and I wanted that same chewy soft texture in today’s easy cookie recipe.

Snickerdoodles remind me so much of childhood. A buttery cookie dusted with a hint of cinnamon, these have remained one of my favorite cookies.

  • The Snickerdoodles recipe below is my go-to recipe from my mom and the one I ate growing up.
  • No need to chill the dough. One of the best parts of today’s cookie, no chilling required!
  • This recipe is easy enough for kids to help with and produces delicious cinnamon sugar cookies each and every time. A good Snickerdoodle cookie is sweet but not rich.
  • Aside from all of that, the word “snickerdoodle” is just really fun to say. Go ahead, try it.

Snickerdoodles.You can’t help but smile, right?For the NEXT LEVEL of snickerdoodles, try our cinnamon cookies, packed with white chocolate chips and pecans!

Snickerdoodle Ingredients

Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe (2)
  • Baking soda and cream of tartar. You’ll notice today’s snickerdoodle cookie recipe is missing baking powder. The cream of tarter gives it that tangy flavor while still allowing it to rise into a chewy texture.
  • Butter. I choose unsalted butter in 99.9% of my baking and cooking. This allows me to control the kosher salt in a recipe.
  • Eggs. Binds the cookie dough together and gives a soft texture.
  • No need to chill the dough. One of the best parts of today’s cookie, no chilling required!

How to Make Snickerdoodles

These easy snickerdoodle cookies start with a very simple dough.

After beating softened butter with eggs and sugar, add the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and kosher salt.

Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe (3)

Aimee’s Best Tip

The baking soda is key for achieving that chewy texture that spreads just enough! Do not try to substitute the baking soda with baking powder. The texture won’t turn out right.

Now comes the most important part of making Snickerdoodles! The cinnamon sugar topping.

Before baking, you dip each ball of cookie dough into cinnamon sugar. When you pull them out of the oven, you’ll have chewy buttery cookies with a crisp and slightly crinkly cinnamon exterior.

PRO TIP: Make it in a 13×9. Use our snickerdoodle bars recipe as a guide to bake these classic cookies in a 13×9 instead! So easy.

Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe (4)

Why buy frozen snickerdoodle cookie dough when you can save yourself some money and prep your own?

Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe (5)

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Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe (10)

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Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe

4.64 from 103 votes

By: Aimee

ClassicSnickerdoodle Cookie Recipe. You'll love this easy cookie recipe with that timeless taste. It's what childhood is about!

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

For the topping

  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mat, set aside.

  • In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, and eggs with a hand or stand mixer. Do this for a couple minutes until light and fluffy.

  • In a separate bowl whisk together flour,salt, cream of tartar, and baking soda. Add this mixture into the sugar and butter mixture. Beat again until dough forms.

  • In a small bowl mix together cinnamon sugar coating. Using your hands or a small cookie scoop form ½ inch round balls of dough. Roll each ball around in the cinnamon sugar coating it generously.

  • Place dough balls two inches apart on your baking sheet.

  • Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly golden and no longer doughy. Let cool on a cooling rack for five minutes and enjoy!

Notes

  • Be sure to get a nice coating of cinnamon sugar on each cookie dough ball.
  • Can you freeze snickerdoodle cookies? Yes! Divide the dough into balls using a small scoop, dip into the cinnamon sugar then place on a baking sheet. Stick the baking sheet in the freezer for 1 hour, just until frozen. Immediately transfer the frozen cookie dough to an airtight container to avoid freezer burn!
  • What can I substitute for cream of tartar? Swap the cream of tartar and baking soda for 2 teaspoons of baking powder instead!
  • How do I get fluffier cookies instead of flat? Slightly underbaking the cookies will help, and if you must, refrigerate the cookie dough if your butter was TOO soft.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 96kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 18mg, Sodium: 41mg, Sugar: 8g

Course: Cookies

Cuisine: American

Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!

This is the only Snickerdoodle Cookie recipe you will ever need!Perfect as an afternoon snack, a dessert or a lunchbox treat, Snickerdoodles are the classic childhood cookie.

Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is snickerdoodle cookies made of? ›

Snickerdoodles are known for their soft and chewy texture, along with a sweet, cinnamon-sugar coating. The primary ingredients in Snickerdoodle cookies include butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt, all rolled into a cinnamon sugar mixture.

Why do my snickerdoodle cookies get hard? ›

Snickerdoodles might turn out hard if they are overbaked or if the dough is too dry. Be sure to keep an eye on them as they bake – when the edges are set but the centers are still soft and puffy, they are done.

Why did my snickerdoodle cookies not flatten? ›

If you reduce the amount of butter or oil in a recipe, your cookies won't spread as much. If you add too much flour, your cookies won't spread as much. If your cookies have more brown sugar than white sugar, they won't spread as much. It's a careful balance.

What can I substitute for cream of tartar in snickerdoodles? ›

You can either replace cream of tartar with baking powder at a 1:1.5 ratio (1 teaspoon cream of tartar : 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder), or you can replace cream of tartar with the combination of baking soda and either lemon juice or vinegar (as with this recipe).

What is the flavor of snickerdoodle? ›

The snickerdoodle flavor is best described as a mix of vanilla and cinnamon with a singular tanginess thanks to the cream of tartar.

Why do my snickerdoodle cookies go flat? ›

If your cookies are coming out flat, it's likely that your oven is too cool, baking the cookies at a lower temperature, and causing them to come out flat.

Can I skip cream of tartar in a recipe? ›

You can use 1.5 teaspoons (6 grams) of baking powder to replace 1 teaspoon (3.5 grams) of cream of tartar. This substitution is ideal because it can be used in any recipe without modifying the taste or texture of the final product.

Can I skip using cream of tartar? ›

This type of acid closely resembles vinegar and lemon juice, so if you don't have any cream of tartar, you can either skip it or simply replace it with an acidic substitute.

What is the secret ingredient to keep cookies soft? ›

If you enjoy your cookies soft and chewy, chances are likely the recipe contains a common ingredient that serves a very specific purpose. No, it's not granulated sugar, nor the butter. It's not the egg, all-purpose flour, or even the vanilla extract. The simple, yet oh-so-necessary component is cornstarch.

Why does snickerdoodle dough need to be refrigerated? ›

Refrigerating snickerdoodle dough lets the butter resolidify and prevents the cookies from flattening out in the oven. I recommend giving the dough at least 45-60 minutes of chilling time in the fridge before baking.

Why don t my snickerdoodles crack? ›

If yours aren't cracking, your oven may not be hot enough or your ingredients may not be fresh enough! Are snickerdoodles supposed to be undercooked? I always recommend slightly underbaking your cookies and then letting them finish baking through cooling on the pan.

How do you know when snickerdoodles are done baking? ›

How do you know when the cookies are baked? The snickerdoodle cookies will only take about 10 to 12 minutes to bake, so be sure to keep your eye on them! It's best to rotate the cookies after about 6 minutes so that the cook evenly. The cookies are done when the edges are just set and the centres are soft and cracked.

Why did my snickerdoodles come out cakey? ›

Generally when baking, cakey texture is from more flour and less sugar. The ratio of fat, sugar and flour is what achieves the texture of the cookie. Also, when you are whipping the eggs in the recipe as well.

How do you keep snickerdoodles from spreading? ›

“When chilled cookies bake, the butter stays in a solid form longer, slowing the spread,” says Dawn. “30 to 60 minutes in the refrigerator does wonders, and you can bake the cookies right from the fridge.” Not only will chilling help the fats firm up and the flour hydrate, but it also helps the flavors develop.

What is the difference between sugar cookies and snickerdoodles? ›

Sugar cookies are usually rolled and cut out with cookie cutters (but not always). Snickerdoodles have cream of tartar in the dough and are rolled into balls then rolled in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar before baking. They puff up and then flatten out to make circle shaped cookies. Both are delicious!

Why is a cookie called a snickerdoodle? ›

The Joy of Cooking claims that “snickerdoodle” comes from “Schneckennudel,” a German word that literally means “snail noodles.” Schneckennudels don't have anything to do with snails or noodles, though—they're actually delicious-looking German cinnamon rolls.

What defines a snickerdoodle? ›

: a cookie that is made with usually butter, sugar, and flour and that is rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking.

What is a snickerdoodle classified as? ›

Snickerdoodles may be considered a type of sugar cookie but the truth is that they are not prepared in the same way. A proper Snickerdoodle cookie recipe calls for cream of tartar, an ingredient not commonly added to cookie doughs.

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