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
Equipment
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!
Norah Hilton
It worked out perfectly!!! This recipe is one of my favorites.
Anonymous
Can I chill them for say, an hour and a half, before baking? Making dough now but cannot bake till later. Have made this recipe before without chilling and they were amazing.
Maggie
Oh. My. Goodness. These are the most delicious cookies I have ever made, and that is really saying something because I bake very often. The texture is perfect and they stay soft. They are also gorgeous cookies, and not too sweet. I love the subtle tang to it, also. For such a simple recipe, these are INCREDIBLE!!! Five stars!
Jennifer
These were delicious! For those wondering, 2 tablespoons of dough each makes 24 cookies exactly. I chilled my dough for about 15 minutes, and it went back in fridge between sheets going in the oven. Don't crowd your pans. I baked 6 cookies at a time. More than that and they will merge, unless you are making smaller cookies.
I've been looking for the perfect snickerdoodle recipe, have had a few failures, and this one is just right.
ASL
Just made these. Outstanding!
The one tip I would add would be to sift together dry ingredients separately, before incorporating with the wet. I tend to find that's a helpful step when baking.
Tamara
I made these 2 nights ago and only made 1/2 a batch.. The first batch were so soft and chewy and yummy, they were eaten within 2 days. (I put the batter in the fridge for only a few minutes ). However, the 2nd half were so hard, like hockey pucks. not at all like the first. The only difference was that I left the batter in the fridge overnight. I was so disappointed, that I made another full batch of cookies again today, and they quickly hardened again! Help! Can you tell me how to avoid them hardening again? I have faith in this recipe, as they were So good the first time.. Is it critical to roll the cookies in the cinn / sugar mix twice? I also left each pan of cookies in oven for 10 min. Any tips would be much appreciated.
Sadie
I think you maybe overbaking at 10 mins. These cookies are usually baked until the edges are light light brown instead of golden brown like most other cookies. also if you're baking in a dark baking sheet you know the heat up quite a bit more and that can make them over cook even in a very short time period! I always remove mine when they look almost done but a little underdone. That seems to work best for me.
but if your first batch came out good then maybe you should try not chilling them as long and just cooking them the way you did the first time to get the same result?
Laura
Definitely the best snickerdoodle recipe I've ever tried. This will be my go-to from now on!!
Emily
These were delicious! And lasted forever, they were just as good a week later, whereas most cookie recipes I make seem to degrade in flavor and texture after just a few days, maybe it's the cream of tartar? I also added about of teaspoon of cardamom to the cinnamon sugar mixture because it's one of my favorite spices, if you haven't tried it I highly recommend it. 😀
Janice
I like to add cardimon to my recipes as well, just the right and different touch.
Rebecca
So yummy! Thank you for the great recipe!!
Miah
I made these for my family. But instead of making a snickerdoodle cookie I used the recipe to make a sugar cookie and my family went crazy over them. This is my second time making them within two weeks. Thanks for the recipe. I also figured out how to flatten them
Jasmine
Can you share how to flatten them?
Andrea
I used a fat spatula to flatten mine: you can use anything with a flat surface.
Staygi'ane
Can you share how to flatten them please ? I'm selling these and I really need help ????
joh
they are amazing !!!!!!! but i haven't cooked them
Theresa
I did not have time to chill dough but they did flatten nicely. I just made them a little too big and they really spread on the cookie sheet. They are a very good cookie.
Sandra
I have only heard the name before, didn't know what they looked like even. Are they an American thing? I'm in Canada. But your recipe was easy to follow. Looks just like yours in the photo. For those asking questions, I cut my chilled dough into quarters, then used a cookie scoop to make 6each just so relatively same size, dough was easy to work with. Baked them as a ball, they flattened themselves while baking. Inside was so light & fluffy! A had sugar-cinammon mixture left over, but still found it a bit too sweet covered all over. Might just roll the top instead of rolling all over if I make it again. I grew up with sugar cookies, but this was a nice change. Thank you.
Carolyn Logan
These werecthe best cookies that I have ever made! I love how simple you made the instructions. They were easy to follow and my cookies were delicious.
Lori
I definitely agree on the instructions - one of the easiest to follow step by step.
Mama Nolu
These were fabulous and fabulously easy to make with the kids. The hardest part was waiting for the dough to chill. The easiest? No one could stop eating them. I had to keep a secret stash for Santa! Batch after batch. I recommend using a silicone baking mat.
Sal
I made these today, very easy to make and so yummy!
Jakita
The instructions say roll into small balls; should I use one of those teaspoon scoopers?
Taylor
I think that's too small, I like to use a ice cream scoop
LUANNE BROOME
A Restruant supply house has cookie scoops in every size from small to large. You just choose what size you want your cookie.
Bev
Will bread flour work? It’s all I have right now.
Mary
Yes! That’s all I had and they came out perfect! I did flatten them before baking.
A
Yes, that's what I used, and filled over the top, but wished I hadn't bc they turned out pretty large. I imagine that using an ice cream scoop would produce a small "cookie cake" to serve a few ppl, as there's no way you could do that and have room to do many on a cookie sheet. They grow about 3x the size of dough. I used the back of scoop to flatten center a bit and they came out great.
Megan
I just made these to take to a church Christmas party and I am going to have to quickly hide them... My family is trying to eat them all! A total hit!!! Thank you for this recipe - it will now be a staple in my house. Xoxo
Bailey
I’m making them for a Christmas party as well, so you think it was enough?
Stacy
LOVE... LOVE ... I m a true fan/follower of all your recipes! You never disappoint. The way you present & easy to follow recipes make me feel like my girlfriend just called and gave me a great recipe I have to try. These cookies are amazzzing! Keep doing what you do, and know it's truly appreciated. Have a wonderful Holiday.
Safiyya
These were delicious! Thank you, there were a bunch of happy kids eating these cookies today! But I didn't flatten them before I put them in the oven so the were rounder and not like the pic. Should I have used a fork to flatten?
Deb
Mine were delicious but they didn’t flatten either. ????
Tee
I flattened mine with the palm of my hand before I put them in the oven and they turned out great????
Lindsay
I used the bottom of a measuring cup and dipped it in the cinnamon sugar each time before pressing. I also squished them pretty good to about 1/8”. They came out nice and flat like the picture.
First time making them and I thought that the dough was too soft...but I was wrong! I wonder if maybe you added a hair too much flour? I’ve only tried once so I’ll probably mess them up next time lol!
Thanks for a great recipe!!!
Ashley Mihai
I used the lid to a jar. Sprayed it with Pam.
Ornia
Best Snickerdoodle recipe I've ever used.
Sadie
You can just use the palm of your hand and lightly push down. A small plate would work as well I suppose?
MARSHA HAVEN
I've always put a damp cloth around the bottom of a glass and flatten slightly with that. Works great!
Mary Humes
This is the very best cookie ever my friends love, Love them ...Mary Humes
Lori Focht
Use the bottom of a drinking glass. To avoid the glass from sticking to the dough, press the glass into the sugar/cinnamon mixture first. Press just enough so that the dough is no longer round. You don't need to make it flat.