Snickerdoodles Cookie Recipe (2024)

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Posted by Aimee 37 comments
Published: Sep 02, 2020 Last Updated: Oct 16, 2023

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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!

Snickerdoodles Cookie Recipe (1)

Table of Contents

  • What Makes a Perfect Cookie
  • Ingredient Notes
  • Step by Step Instructions
  • Aimee’s Best Tip
  • Recipe FAQs
  • More Easy Desserts:
  • Snickerdoodles Cookie Recipe Recipe

What Makes a Perfect 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.

Over the years I’ve also incorporated the cinnamon sugar element of Snickerdoodles into other treats, like Snickerdoodle cheesecake bars, Snickerdoodle Biscotti andSnickerdoodle Cookie Dough Truffles.

  • 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!

Ingredient Notes

Snickerdoodles Cookie 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!

Step by Step Instructions

These 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.

Snickerdoodles Cookie 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.

Snickerdoodles Cookie Recipe (4)

Recipe FAQs

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.

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

Snickerdoodles Cookie Recipe (5)

More Easy Desserts:

  • Doubletree Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Pudding Cookies
  • Caramel Cracker Bars
  • Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
  • Shortbread Cookies
  • Chai Cookies
  • Iced Oatmeal Cookies

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Snickerdoodles Cookie Recipe (10)

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Snickerdoodles Cookie Recipe

4.64 from 102 votes

By: Aimee

ClassicSnickerdoodle Cookies. 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.

Snickerdoodles Cookie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a snickerdoodle and a cookie? ›

Snickerdoodles are often referred to as "sugar cookies". However, traditional sugar cookies are often rolled in white sugar whereas snickerdoodles are rolled in a mixture of white sugar and cinnamon. Cream of tartar is added for its signature texture as another main difference.

Are snickerdoodles supposed to be soft when they come out of the oven? ›

They puff in the oven and then settle back down while cooling into a soft, thick, supremely chewy cookie with a gorgeous crinkly top. They've received nothing but rave reviews! Snickerdoodle is sort of a strange name, yes?

Can I leave cream of tartar out of a cookie recipe? ›

You can also simply leave out the cream of tartar from a recipe, which may result in baked goods that are not as fluffy, but will still work out and taste good.

What happens if you omit cream of tartar? ›

Most of the time you can just skip the cream of tartar. Your desserts may not be as fluffy as you would like, but the taste will be the same. However, if you're making meringue, know that the peaks may collapse.

What is a 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).

Why did my snickerdoodles come out dry? ›

However they won't be particularly chewy and they should not spread out on the baking sheet that much. There are several reasons why the cookies may have become dry and crumbly but the two most likely are that either the cookies were baked for too long or too much flour was added to the dough.

Why are my snickerdoodles always flat? ›

If your cookies repeatedly turn out flat, no matter the recipe, chances are your oven is too hot. Here's what's happening. The butter melts super quickly in a too-hot oven before the other ingredients have firmed up into a cookie structure. Therefore, as the butter spreads so does the whole liquidy cookie.

Why do my snickerdoodle cookies taste like flour? ›

Improper flour measurement is the #1 cause of your cookie dough being too dry or the cookies tasting like flour.

Why are snickerdoodles 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. Also, make sure you're not adding too much flour.

What is the nickname for snickerdoodles? ›

“Snickerdoodles, also called snipdoodles or cinnamon sugar cookies, have been around since the late 1800s. They probably originated in New England and are either of German or Dutch descent.

Why do my snickerdoodles taste bitter? ›

Cream of tartar is what gives snickerdoodles that tanginess. I've found that a lot of people are very sensitive to the tangy flavor of cream of tartar and the bitter, metallic flavor baking soda can have.

Are my snickerdoodles underbaked? ›

Here are some signs to look out for: Colour: Raw or undercooked cookies tend to have a pale appearance, lacking that golden or slightly browned hue that indicates they're fully baked. Watch for cookies that still have a doughy or unbaked look. Texture: Touch the surface of the cookies gently.

Why is snickerdoodle dough so sticky? ›

When cookie dough is too sticky, you may have an imbalance of wet and dry ingredients. You can fix this by adding a teaspoon of flour or cornstarch at a time until your dough is just how you want. The added flour or cornstarch will absorb the excess liquid and reduce the dough's overall stickiness.

Can I skip using cream of tartar? ›

In some recipes, you can leave out cream of tartar if there is no suitable replacement. You can simply omit cream of tartar from the recipe if you're making whipped egg whites, syrups, frostings, or icings.

What is a good substitute for cream of tartar? ›

What is a Good Replacement for Cream of Tartar? A good replacement for cream of tartar in baking is 1 teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice for every 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar.

Is cream of tartar necessary? ›

The bottom line: For smooth, stiff beaten egg whites that keep their shape, don't skip the cream of tartar. If you don't have cream of tartar, substituting 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar per egg white works almost as well. To avoid meringues that weep, don't skip the cream of tartar...

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