How to Make Snickerdoodle Cookies
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Have you ever wondered how to make snickerdoodle cookies that are soft, chewy, and cinnamon-sweet? Well, you need this easy snickerdoodle recipe in your life!
Snickerdoodle cookies are definitely one of America’s most popular and most baked Christmas cookies. I mean, it’s easy to see why though. These cookies are soft, buttery, chewy, and loaded with cinnamon-sugar flavor.
Snickerdoodles are basically sugar cookies but with two big differences. First, there’s the addition of cream of tartar. This ingredient is a hidden gem in the kitchen and gives the cookies their signature soft (and totally addictive) texture. The second thing is that you roll snickerdoodles in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar, which obviously take them to the next level.
Fortunately, this snickerdoodle recipe is super easy to make and follow. All you have to do is mix the ingredients together using a stand mixer, roll the dough in cinnamon sugar, and bake for about 10 minutes. Yep, your batch of the ever will be ready to dive into in no time at all!
Alright, let’s learn how to make snickerdoodle cookies!
Recipe Ingredients
- Unsalted butter, at room temperature
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs, at room temperature
- All-purpose flour
- Cream of tartar
- Baking soda
- Salt
Topping
- Granulated sugar
- Ground cinnamon
How to Make Snickerdoodle Cookies
Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking pad.
Cream butter with sugar for about 2 to 3 minutes, at medium speed using a stand mixer, until it’s light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time and beat until well incorporated.
Add and mix dry ingredients in a few batches to avoid a flour storm. Stir with a spatula to make sure you get everything at the bottom of the bowl.
Use a medium cookie scoop (the size of two tablespoons) and scoop out the dough into balls. Roll with your hands until round and smooth.
In a small bowl, combine the sugar with cinnamon. Roll each cookie dough ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture until completely covered.
Then place on a cookie sheet at least 2 inches apart.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The edge of the cookies should be a little crispy.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Because they’re the softest cookies you’ve ever met, they need time to cool otherwise they might fall apart when warm.
Then it’s time to enjoy a (or two or three).
Storage
- Store your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- You can also freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months. You can either freeze the dough altogether before you dip it in the cinnamon-sugar topping. Alternatively, dip the cookies and then individually wrap them before placing them in the freezer, so you can enjoy one snickerdoodle cookie whenever you crave one!
- Another option is to freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months.
Recipe Notes
- Don’t skip the cream of tartar! It gives the snickerdoodles their signature tangy flavor and chewy texture. But if you REALLY don’t want to use it and don’t mind not technically having a classic snickerdoodle cookie and more of a , you can substitute the cream of tartar and baking soda for two teaspoons of baking powder instead.
- If you need more cinnamon in your life, we won’t tell anyone if you add a teaspoon or two of ground cinnamon to your cookie dough.
- There’s no need to chill the cookie dough. Another reason to love this .
Recipe FAQs
Can I make my snickerdoodle cookies in advance?
Yes, you can definitely make this ahead of time. First, they’ll last at room temperature for up to 5 days. But you can also prepare the dough and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let it come to room temperature before rolling the dough balls in the cinnamon sugar and baking.
Here are more delicious cookies recipe to bake soon:
Thumbprint Cookies with Jam or Preserves
Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter or 2 sticks, at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
Topping
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking pad.
- Cream butter with sugar for about 2 to 3 minutes at medium speed, using a stand mixer, until it's light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat until well incorporated.1 cup unsalted butter, 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, 2 large eggs
- Add and mix dry ingredients in a few batches to avoid a flour storm. Stir with a spatula to make sure you get everything at the bottom of the bowl.2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp cream of tartar, 1 tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt
- Use a medium cookie scoop (size of 2 tablespoons) and scoop out the dough into balls. Roll with your hands until round and smooth. In a small bowl, combine the sugar with cinnamon. Roll each cookie dough ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture until completely covered, then place on a cookie sheet at least 2 inches apart.¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes and allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
These are my husbands favorite! The balls of dough freeze well and I can bake just what we need.
I love these!
I love a soft chewy cookie and this recipe sounds delicious, except for the cinnamon. I know that is what a snicker doodle is but I do not like it. I would like to still make these but without the cinnamon. I am thinking adding a little nutmeg might be good. Any other suggestions? Thank you!
I can’t wait to try these. I’ll share them w/co-workers. If not, it will be entirely too dangerous to leave at home for just me. Do you suppose these could be frozen? I have a vacuum sealer, but there’s no point of course, if this would ruin them when defrosted.
Yes, you can definitely freeze them for later. Hope you enjoy them 🙂
These cookies are beautiful…however, I can’t eat cinnamon…so thinking of just making them as sugar cookies…do you think these would hold decorator icing well?
I want to make these this week. I doubt they will last 5 days around our home! We love cookies!
I used to make snickerdoodles often but had not thought of them for years. This recipe sounds wonderful, thank you. I will be making them.