Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookies
The popular cinnamon-sugar soft and chewy sugar cookie recipe. A recipe that has been in the family for over 30 years!
This was one of the first cookie recipes I made as a kid. As I have shared before, I was fully obsessed with cookbooks as a little girl. My Mom collected church cookbooks and I would go straight to the cookie recipes and beg my Mom to let me whip up a batch. I made this snickerdoodle cookie recipe 30 years ago and it is still the best I have ever tasted.
This is such a popular Christmas cookie because I have yet to find anyone who doesn't love snickerdoodle cookies! When I used to teach a cooking school for kids, it was the first cookie I taught them to make because kids love them. Whenever I make these cookies, they disappear so darn fast!
So what makes a perfect snickerdoodle cookie?
A snickerdoodle cookie has to be soft and chewy. No hard hockey puck cookies here! It has to be rolled twice in cinnamon-sugar to ensure that it is completely coated. It also has to have the signature tang from the cream of tartar.
How to make the BEST Snickerdoodle Cookie:
- Start by creaming butter and sugar for 4-5 minutes. This is an important step as the butter coats the sugar crystals and creates a smooth texture. It also whips air into the cookie dough.
- Use Cream of Tartar as a leavening agent. It gives it the signature tangy flavor and chewy texture. A touch of baking soda helps the cookies to rise as well.
- Double roll the cookie balls into a cinnamon-sugar mixture. This helps to make sure the cookies are completely coated in cinnamon-sugar before baking.
- Bake just until the edges begin to become a light golden color. These snickerdoodle cookies need to be soft and chewy so watch carefully. If you want them to be flat, press the balls down in the center before placing in the oven.
- My favorite baking tools for perfect Snickerdoodle cookies -- light-colored baking sheets, parchment paper sheets, KitchenAid mixer.
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Check out some more of my most popular cookie recipes:
Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies
MJ's Top Secret Chocolate Chip Cookies
Lemon Sugar Cookies
Soft Chewy Sugar Cookies
Grandma Geri's Gingersnaps
Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies
Mrs. Claus Peppermint Bark Chocolate Cookies
The Best Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter (softened)
- 1 ½ cups Sugar
- 2 large Eggs
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla
- 2 ¾ cup Flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon Cream of Tartar
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture:
- ¼ cup Sugar
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the eggs and vanilla. Cream for 1-2 minutes longer.
- Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt, just until combined.
- In a small bowl, stir together sugar and cinnamon.
- If time allows, wrap the dough and let refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. Roll into small balls until round and smooth. Drop into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and coat well. Using a spoon, coat for a second time, ensuring the cookie balls are completely covered. *To make flatter snickerdoodles, press down in the center of the ball before placing in the oven. This helps to keep them from puffing up in the middle. *
- Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes. Let cool for several minutes on baking sheet before removing from the pan.
Video
I hope you love this snickerdoodle cookie recipe and it becomes a staple in your family for years! Happy Baking!
Elmarie
Amazing! I used 50/50 regular flour and bread flour, otherwise exactly as in recipe.
Rocio
He buscado esta receta de galletas americana por mi esposo estadounidense y hornee más de 2 recetas diferentes hasta encontrar esta que para mi es la PERFECTA!!! Gracias!. Si siguen los pasos como indica la receta serán unas galletas perfectas.
Janine
Are these with Gluten Free 1:1 flour. Came out awesome!
faith
Really love the recipe but sadly it was not what I was looking for tasted a lot like a mix between a butter cookie and a snikerdoodle
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This turned out really well for me! The insides were all soft, and the outside was a crispy golden brown. These were really easy to make, and were gone in seconds!
Connie
First time making. They were soft and delicious!
Jen A.
Out of this world great! It's my first time to try baking snickerdoodles and this recipe just made it my favourite cookie!
K’idiki
I had very good results with this recipe. I didn’t realize I only had 1/2 c of butter, when I began, so I added 1/2 shortening. I also added one drop of almon extract. The best snickerdoodle recipe I’ve ever tried. Thank you!
Naomi
suggestions for what to do with leftover dough?
Rhonda
I roll the leftover dough into individual balls and either refrigerate them for a day or two, or if I don’t want to use the cookie dough right away, I freeze the individual cookie dough balls. You can store them either on a paper plate and cover with a gallon freezer baggie or in a freezer proof container. Then whenever I want to bake a few cookies, I pull some out and let them thaw if frozen, and then roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture and bake. In fact, I just pulled some out of the freezer tonight and baked! Yum, yum!
Cara
I followed the recipe exactly, turned out so good! One of the best recipes I’ve tried!
Donna
So easy to make. Soft & full of flavor. Can't eat just one!
Mia Bella
cookie dough tastes soo good!
Danny
I’m not much of a baker, but I was impressed with this recipe! I probably did end up baking them a bit long, but otherwise it was perfect. I even tweaked the recipe since I didn’t have vanilla extract or cream of tartar. I replaced the vanilla extract with vanilla flavored coffee creamer 1:1 and just used baking powder in place of the cream of tartar. Probably not the perfect cookie, but the difference would be minuscule.
Stella Duffey
This cookie was absolutely perfect, wouldn't change a thing. Thank you for the great recipe, everyone, including my non eating dessert mom, loved them.
Delilah
I love the Recipe. i wouldn't change a thing, thank you for the great Recipe!, can't just eat one!,. Best cookie ever!!!!.
Jen H.
What a classic cookie: one of my childhood favorites that has stood the test of time! Easy to follow recipe; I didn't make any substitutions. Because my kitchen gets super hot when the oven's on, I popped the prepped balls of dough back in the fridge for a few minutes while waiting their turn to bake. Delicious!
The recipe states "24 servings," which I thought meant 24 cookies, but clearly a serving size is 2 cookies...or 3 🙂
Karin K
Making these for a friend that is "gluten free" : If you make these cookies with King Aurther 1:1 gluten free flour, will they stilll come out as soft and chewy? If I want a big and thicker (about 1/2" thickness) cookie like the ones from the store "Crumble" do I just flatten less? Can't wait to make these. I'm on the hunt for the perfect Snickerdoodle!
Amber S
Could you tell me what I did that has caused my dough to be very sticky, and what I can do to fix the problem? Thanks!
TIFFANY
Amber, Don't forget to refrigerate the dough. When it warms up and gets too sticky to work with, throw the dough back in the fridge again.
Eileen
What type of Cinnamon flavor do you use? There are many to choose from. Which one is your favorite?
Shelagh
I don’t have cream of tarter what can I replace it with.
Thanks Shelagh
Amelia
You probably have to have cream of tarter for this recipe, It really makes it unique.
Austin
Don’t usually leave comment on recipes but these turned out so perfect. I flattened them and they are big and crispy on the outer edges and soft and chewy on the inside. So good thank you! My stepson took care of the bit of leftover dough for me 🙂
Paula Meyer
Omg! These snickerdoodle cookies are so amazing. Everyone loves them! All the church ladies ask for this recipe! Thank you so much for sharing.
Monica
My first time ever making snickerdoodle cookies and they came out amazing. Simple easy recipe. Love it.