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. 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!
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter (softened)
- 1 1/2 cups Sugar
- 2 large Eggs
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla
- 2 3/4 cup Flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
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.
I hope you love this snickerdoodle cookie recipe and it becomes a staple in your family for years! Happy Baking!
Love these cookies! Have anyone tried to replace the egg with something else like applesauce successfully? Any recommendations?
I’ve successfully made vegan snickerdoodles by using a mixture of ground flaxseed & hot water to make a binding agent similar to an egg to replace it
OMG I agree so much! It truly is just amazing.
I used buttermilk instead! Turned out awesome!! Maybe even better than the original.. in my opinion! But I have never tried applesauce.
I so love making the snickerdoodles only recipe that I will use as my guy is waking up to go to work he smells the cookies made his day he works 7p to 7 a so at midnight with his cup of coffee says nothing better than a couple freshly baked cookies 😊
My wife usually makes the Snickerdoodles and they are always delicious! BUT, I found this recipe and decided I'd have a go at it myself. I followed the recipe exactly and they turned out great!! I will definitely be making them again. I used a small cookie scoop so I got almost 6 dozen 2" cookies, I can't eat just one!!
Every time I try to make Snickerdoodles it does not turn out good except this one time I was board today and wanted to make Snickerdoodles and I just want to say I love this recipe so much I am so happy ugh how they turned out and everyone I have shared them with thank you for sharing this and have a good night.
These turned out sooooo good!! Thank you for a great recipe!
These are truly the best snickerdoodles. I have made them twice and this is now the only snickerdoodle recipe I will ever use again.
Oh my gosh! I love snickerdoodles but had yet to bake them, so I tried this recipe. These cookies are so delicious! Thank you! They are the best-tasting cookie I have ever baked!
Hello,
I've made this many times and it's now my go-to snickerdoodle cookie recipe. If I were to publish this, would you prefer me to rewrite the recipe and link back to you?
amazing recipe! very easy to follow and clear instructions.
These are amazing 🤩 I’m not sure what the major difference with other recipes but this is really the best! I use my homebrewed vanilla, Demarera sugar and organic local flour and eat about a half dozen myself fresh out the oven with a yuuge glass of raw milk 🥛 I also vacuum seal and ship to family and friends because it’s tew mucho great not to share far and wide.
These are literally the best snickerdoodles I have ever had, let alone baked myself, (better than my mother-in-laws even - shhhh). I will never use another recipe!
These cookies are good, but in my opinion 1 tsp salt is way too much. The dough actually tasted salty.
I will make them again with 1/2 tsp of salt. Thanks for the recipe!
Vanilla extract? What does it mean by vanilla? Someone help please.
Vanilla extract is a vanilla essence extracted from vanilla beans with 35% alcohol. If you aren't able to buy alcohol products where you live, you can use an equal amount of honey instead. I hope this helps.
I made these today and they were so salty I only cooked one painful and through the rest of the dough out! My husband wouldn't even eat them. I will stick with my Betty Crocker recipe.
Did you use "UNSALTED" butter as the recipe calls for? I am sensitive to salt as well, but find this recipe perfect.
vanilla liquid you buy at the store in the baking section there is pure vanilla extract and then regular vanilla extract which is usually the cheaper one vanilla extract is made by extracting the vanilla flavor from the vanilla bean usually done by soaking them for a few weeks in vodka or other types of alcohol
Yes, vanilla is referring to vanilla extract.
I just made these and couldn’t wait long to try one…DELICIOUS! You are correct in these truly are the best snickerdoodle cookies I’ve had. Thank you for my new found recipe of these heavenly cookies!
Hi! I love this recipe!
Are there freezing instructions for these? Would like to make a batch to freeze and bake when needed.
Great recipe
My go to recipe when I'm craving cinnamon. Best snickerdoodle
I substitute gluten free flour to make them GF (since I am allergic to wheat) and it works just fine. No one would even know they are GF!
It's best not to say "cup of butter" and "how many calories?" in the same discussion 🙂
Love these cookies!! Does anyone know how many calories each one is?
These are the best snickerdoodle cookies I've ever made. I tweeked the recipe just a little. I used 1/2 cup unsalted butter and 1/2 cup Crisco shortening. I then whipped that with the sugar until white and fluffy. The other thing I do with all of my cookies is use 1/2 bread flour and 1/2 all purpose flour. This makes the cookies even more chewy
Hi this recipe is by far the best I've tried since my school's homemake class. But I didn't have cream of tartar... but they still was a success with my resident at work. So many question here is what does cream of tartar do for the cookies?
tried them and definitely surpass any I've tried before. Delicious
By far, the best snickerdoodle recipe! I follow the recipe as written, and they turn out perfect every time. A favorite of my grown sons (all year long, not just for Christmas).
These were your standard good snickerdoodles- nothing different from all the other recipes. Must refrigerate dough, even between batches if you want to roll it in your hands. 3/4 teaspoon of salt is much better.
Love these snickerdoodles, My husband can't stay away from them.
Again thanks for the great recipe.
I used salted butter and put in a slight pinch of salt, came out great, best snickerdoodle recipe. So good I won’t make them often because I’ll eat too many they are so good! Thank you
Yes! They are 5 star worthy!
Is there a substitue for cream of tartar
I made this for my mom and she thought it was amazing. I got a little confused when it said vanilla, but don't be mistaken as I did. Vanilla also means vanilla extract. Thank you so much for this recipe! Will use again
What am I doing wrong? These keep coming out so flat but they’re delicious non the less!
Can I substitute granulated sugar with Splenda or another sugar substitute? Or is regular sugar a must?
These were absolutely incredible. I've made others before and they've always tasted a little off to me, but these were so delicious. If you're researching snickerdoodle recipes, please just make this one!
Ok, so this was a difficult dough to work with, very sticky even after a 30 minute chill.
BUT, well worth it. Perfect snickerdoodle.
For fun, I rolled about half of them in a sugar and pumpkin spice mixture.
Both were just excellent…that butter and cinnamon mix is lingering on my tongue.
these cookies are the BEST! I would love nutritional info. is it listed?
I made these cookies for a group of construction people working on a renovation project at our house. The first person who took a bite said "These are the best cookies I've ever had!" Thank you.
These cookies are nuts. Trust me.
I have long been looking for a Snickerdoodle Cookie recipe without shortening that still resulted in a cookie with slightly crisp edges and a soft chewy center. These are exactly what I wanted - Thank You! A couple of notes - bake for less time if baking in a convection oven. 8-9 minutes was enough in my oven, 10 resulted in a still delicious but evenly crisp cookie. Also, since I don’t need to watch my sodium levels so I actually appreciate the salt in what otherwise is a traditionally very sweet cookie. Just make sure to use UNsalted butter, as it says, or omit the added salt if using salted butter.
My new Snickedoodle recipe!
I followed the recipe exactly two different times. Friends and family love them! Truly 5 stars!
So I was up late one night thinking about Snickerdoodle cookies and came across this recipe. First off, the tang from the cream of tartar was different straight out the oven, however once they cooled completely, it mellowed out well. These are so easy to make that even I could do it (I am not a big fan of cooking). So happy I found these. These might become my new potluck item.