Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe (2024)

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September 15, 2023

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Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe (1)

This delicious, classic snickerdoodle cookie recipe is a snap to make and smells heavenly with its cinnamon sugar flavor.

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Table of Contents
  1. Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe Ingredients
  2. How To Make This Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe
  3. How To Serve
  4. Storage
  5. More Recipes You’ll Love
  6. JUMP TO RECIPE

This snickerdoodle cookie recipe makes a soft, thick, delicious homemade treat. With a sweet, buttery dough rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking, these old-fashioned made-from-scratch cookies are irresistible!

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Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe Ingredients

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You’ll need:

For the Cookies:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ½cup granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt, optional

For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping:

  • ¼cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS

BUTTER: I do recommend using unsalted butter for this classic cookie recipe.

CREAM OF TARTAR: Cream of tartar acts as a leavening agent in this easy snickerdoodle recipe, and I highly recommend using it. However, if you don’t have any, you can substitute lemon juice or whiter vinegar for a similar effect. For this recipe, you would use two teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar in place of the cream of tartar.

BAKING POWDER: You can also use a teaspoon of baking powder if you don’t have cream of tartar available. However, the cream of tartar helps give snickerdoodles their classic flavor and chewy texture, so I definitely recommend adding it to your shopping list.

How To Make This Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe

PRO TIP:

You can make the cookie dough a day or two in advance. Keep it covered and refrigerated. Just before baking, roll in cinnamon sugar and bake.

STEP ONE: In a large bowl with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugars for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.

PRO TIP:

Make sure the butter is at room temperature and not melted as you will end up with a really flat cookie if you use melted butter.

STEP TWO: Add the egg and vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes.

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STEP THREE: Add the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and optional salt to the wet ingredients, and beat with the electric mixer on low speed until just combined for about 1 minute, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

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STEP FOUR: Roll out 1 tablespoon-sized balls of the snickerdoodle cookie dough (approximately 25 cookies) and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

STEP FIVE: Prepare your cookie sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

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STEP SIX: In another small bowl, mix together the cinnamon and sugar for the topping.

STEP SEVEN: Roll the cookie dough balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture and set them 2-inches apart on the baking sheet.

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STEP EIGHT: Bake cookies for 8 to 10 minutes until the edges are browned and crisp, but the center is still pale and puffy. They will wrinkle as they cool.

PRO TIP:

If you want a flatter cookie, you can press the cookie down with the back of a spoon a little bit after removing from the oven.

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How To Serve

Enjoy these chewy snickerdoodles with a whipped hot chocolate or homemade pumpkin spice latte. These cookies are a popular choice during the holidays and would be a delightful treat to add to a homemade gift for friends or family.

If you are a snickerdoodle fan, you will love our snickerdoodle bread. For a simple sugar cookie recipe, check out our no-spread sugar cookies.

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Cinnamon Roll Cookies

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Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Storage

ON THE COUNTER: You can store this perfect cookie at room temperature in an airtight container for up to three days. If your cookies start to get hard, pop one piece of bread in the container, and they’ll get soft again.

IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze these sweet cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to three months. When you’re ready to serve, thaw them on the counter, and you’re ready to enjoy!

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These soft, chewy cookies are the best. A light, fluffy dough is rolled in a cinnamon-sugar mixture for a warm, buttery cookie that will become a favorite and a staple on your baking menu for years to come.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why is there cream of tartar in snickerdoodles?

This delicious cookie recipe has cream of tartar included in the ingredients because cream of tartar prevents the sugar from crystallizing when baking. This results in a soft and chewy cookie rather than a crunchy one.

How do I make sure my snickerdoodles come out soft?

Make sure not to overbake the cookies. Pay close attention to when the edges start to turn golden, and then pull them out of the oven right away. They might look a little underbaked but will harden as they cool down.

How do I store these cookies?

These chewy snickerdoodle cookies can be stored on the counter in an airtight container for up to three days or in the freezer for up to three months.

More Recipes You’ll Love

  • Doubletree Cookies
  • Thumbprint Cookies
  • Peanut Butter Cookies
  • Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
  • Grandma’s Christmas Sugar Cookies
  • Toll House Cookie Recipe
  • Christmas Pinwheel Cookies
  • Lemon Crinkle Cookies
  • Lemon Raspberry Cookies
  • Air Fryer Peanut Butter Cookies
  • Disney Cookie Fries
  • Banana Bread
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Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe

5 from 5 votes

This delicious, classic snickerdoodle cookie recipe is a snap to make and smells heavenly with its cinnamon sugar flavor.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 18 minutes minutes

Servings 20

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Ingredients

Cookies

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup sugar
  • cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Topping

  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  • Prepare your cookie sheet by lining with parchment paper and preheating the oven to 350°F.

  • With an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugars for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.

  • Add the egg and vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed about 3 minutes.

  • Add the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and optional salt, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute.

  • Roll out 1 tablespoon-sized balls of dough (approximately 25 cookies) and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

  • In another small bowl mix together the cinnamon/sugar ingredients.

  • Roll the cookie dough balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture and set them 2-inches apart on the baking sheet.

  • Bake 8 to 10 minutes until edges are browned and crisp, but center is still pale and puffy. They will wrinkle as they cool.

Notes

  • You can make the cookie dough a day or two in advance. Keep it covered and refrigerated. Just before baking, roll in cinnamon sugar and bake.
  • Make sure the butter is at room temperature and not melted as you will end up with a really flat cookie if you use melted butter.
  • If you want a flatter cookie, you can press the cookie down with the back of a spoon a little bit after removing from the oven.

Nutrition

Calories: 122kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 144mg | Potassium: 24mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 154IU | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg

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This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

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Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to tell if snickerdoodle cookies are done? ›

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.

What causes snickerdoodles to be flat? ›

The Problem: The Butter Is Too Soft

Room temperature butter is just the right consistency to incorporate air when it's creamed with sugar. These trapped air pockets result in risen, fluffy cookies. If the butter is any warmer, it won't incorporate enough air and your cookies will have less rise.

Why didn't my snickerdoodles crack? ›

Cracking occurs from several chemical reactions during the baking process. If some of your cookies aren't cracking, it could be because those dough balls were less round than others, the dough became too warm, your oven isn't heating evenly, or (most likely) the cinnamon sugar coating wasn't applied as thoroughly.

What happens if you add too much cream of tartar? ›

“Too much cream of tartar will impart a metallic, tin-like taste,” Molly warns.

How much cream of tartar should I add? ›

It thus speeds up the egg white whipping process and contributes to a stable, billowy, glossy meringue, perfect for cookies, topping pies, and folding into cake. The ratio is usually 1/8 teaspoon of cream of tartar for every egg white.

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

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.

What is the secret ingredient to keep cookies soft? ›

Light corn syrup is another ingredient that you can add to cookie dough that will help it stay softer longer. The corn syrup you buy at the grocery store is not the high-fructose corn syrup that soft drinks are made with; it's a sugar that is liquid at room temperature and helps other sugars say liquid at high heat.

Why didn't my snickerdoodles rise? ›

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.

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.

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?

Why do snickerdoodles call for cream of tartar? ›

Mom would tell you the cream of tartar stabilizes the snickerdoodles, providing the light, soft, pillowy texture. It also adds the tangy note associated with snickerdoodles.

How do you fix snickerdoodle dough? ›

There are a few things you can do to fix dry and crumbly cookie dough. There are a few things you can do to add liquid to your cookie dough if it is too dry and crumbly. One option is to add milk, water, or another liquid until the dough is the right consistency. You can also try adding melted butter or shortening.

What does adding cream of tartar do to cookies? ›

It adds tang to snickerdoodles, stabilizes egg whites for fluffy angel food cakes and light-as-air meringues, and prevents sugar from crystallizing for smooth syrups and chewy cookies. Cream of tartar is incredibly versatile and is an absolute must-have for all bakers, no matter their skillset.

Why do my snickerdoodles come out 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.

How do you thicken Snickerdoodle cookie dough? ›

Soft – Dough that's “soft” or “runny” can be thickened by adding one or two tablespoons of flour to your mix. This will help keep your batch from “Spreading” and coming out of the oven looking like flat, not-so-cookie-like puddles.

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