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