There’s something about the smell of warm cinnamon in December that just feels like home. When I bake this snickerdoodle recipe, the whole kitchen smells like sugar and spice. It’s the kind of scent that makes everyone wander in, hoping to grab one straight off the pan while they’re still soft in the center.
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Why You’ll Love This Snickerdoodle Recipe
This snickerdoodle recipe creates the perfect balance of softness and chew. Each cookie is coated in a cozy layer of cinnamon sugar that sparkles when it cools. The dough comes together easily, so you can whip up a batch in under 30 minutes. It’s ideal for Christmas cookie exchanges, cozy nights in, or gifting to friends.
What Are Snickerdoodles?
Snickerdoodles are classic American cookies with a soft center and a light tang. They look like sugar cookies, but cream of tartar gives them that subtle tart flavor and chewy texture that sets them apart. These cookies have been baked in homes across generations, especially during the holidays.
Key Ingredients & What They Do
Butter and Sugars
Creaming butter with both white and brown sugar makes the dough rich and flavorful. It traps air and gives each cookie a light, tender texture.
Cream of Tartar
This humble ingredient adds that signature tang and keeps the cookies soft. Without it, you’d just have a regular sugar cookie.
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
The cinnamon sugar crust adds warmth and a crisp bite. It’s what makes snickerdoodles unforgettable.
Other Essentials
Flour provides structure, while eggs bind everything together. Baking soda gives rise, and vanilla deepens the flavor.
How to Make Snickerdoodles (Step-by-Step)
1. Make the Dough
Start by beating softened butter until smooth. Add granulated and brown sugar, then cream for a couple of minutes until fluffy. Mix in eggs and vanilla until smooth. Add flour, baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar. Mix slowly, just until the flour disappears.
2. Roll and Coat
Scoop the dough into 1.5 to 2-inch balls. Roll each one in a cinnamon sugar mix until well coated. The more you roll, the thicker that sweet crust becomes.
3. Bake and Shape
Arrange the dough balls on a baking sheet, leaving a couple of inches between each. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still look a bit shiny. Right out of the oven, press the edges in gently with a spoon to help them stay thick and chewy.
4. Cool and Double Dip
Let the cookies rest for a few minutes, then move them to a wire rack. While they’re still warm, roll them again in cinnamon sugar for that extra sparkle and crunch.
Expert Tips for Perfect Snickerdoodles
Always underbake just slightly. The cookies keep cooking on the sheet after they’re out. Use the spoon-and-level method when measuring flour to prevent dryness. If your cookies spread too much, chill the dough for 15 minutes. Room-temperature butter makes all the difference for a smooth dough.
Common Issues & Fixes
If your cookies turn out flat, the butter might have been too soft. Try chilling the dough next time. Dry cookies often mean overbaking or adding too much flour. Measure carefully and watch the oven timer. No cream of tartar? You can use baking powder instead, though the flavor will be milder.
Storage and Freezing Guide
Keep your snickerdoodles in an airtight container for up to four days. To freeze, roll the dough balls in cinnamon sugar and freeze on a tray before transferring to a bag. Bake straight from frozen with just a few extra minutes in the oven.
The BEST Snickerdoodle Recipe
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Snickerdoodle Recipe – Soft & Chewy Cinnamon Cookies
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 30 cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Soft, chewy snickerdoodles with warm cinnamon-sugar and a gentle tang. Quick to mix, easy to bake, and loved on every holiday cookie tray.
Ingredients
1 cup salted butter (2 sticks), softened
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
FOR ROLLING
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F; line baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
2. Beat butter until smooth (2 mins), scraping bowl sides. Add granulated and brown sugar, beat another 2 mins until fluffy.
3. Add eggs and vanilla, beat until smooth.
4. Add flour, then sprinkle baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar on top. Gently beat just until incorporated. Do not overmix.
5. Shape dough into 1.5–2 inch balls. Roll in cinnamon sugar.
6. Place on baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.
7. Bake 9–11 mins until edges are set and centers still slightly shiny.
8. Immediately out of oven, use spoon to push cookie edges inward for thicker, chewier centers (“spoon trick”).
9. Let rest on pan 3–5 mins, then transfer to wire rack.
10. Once slightly cooled but still warm, double-dip in cinnamon sugar for extra flavor and crunch.
Notes
Don’t overbake; underbaking keeps centers soft and chewy.
Always spoon-and-level flour to avoid dry, cakey cookies.
If cookies spread, chill dough 15 minutes and try again.
Spoon trick helps thicker, chewier cookies and prevents flat edges.
Cream of tartar gives classic tang and chewy texture.
No cream of tartar: use 2 tsp baking powder instead of baking soda + cream of tartar (flavor changes).
Storage: airtight at room temp 2–4 days; freeze cookies or dough balls up to 3 months. Bake dough from frozen, adding a couple minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Christmas Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 147 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 0 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 26 mg
More Such Recipes
If you love cinnamon, you’ll also enjoy Cinnamon roll cookies with gooey swirls of brown sugar.
For a peanut butter twist, try Soft peanut butter blossoms perfect for the holidays.
Or bake a batch of Chewy maple cinnamon cookies with white chocolate chips.
And for something classic, these Classic thumbprint cookies filled with festive jam are always a hit.
Snickerdoodle FAQs
What are the ingredients in a snickerdoodle?
They include butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, and a cinnamon-sugar mix for coating.
Why do they call it a snickerdoodle?
The name likely comes from the German word “Schneckennudel,” meaning a cinnamon-dusted pastry. It’s been simplified over time to “snickerdoodle.”
Why is cream of tartar used in snickerdoodles?
It gives the cookies their light tang and chewy bite. Without it, they’d taste like simple sugar cookies.
What makes snickerdoodles different from sugar cookies?
The cream of tartar. It adds both tang and chewiness, making snickerdoodles soft instead of crisp.
Final Thoughts
This snickerdoodle recipe brings together everything I love about holiday baking—warmth, simplicity, and that cinnamon-sugar magic. Each bite is soft, chewy, and sweet with a hint of tang. If you try this recipe, I’d love to know how it turns out for you. It’s one of those cookies that never lasts long on the plate.
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