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!
Jessica
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!
Malika
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.
El
amazing recipe! very easy to follow and clear instructions.
Jen
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?
Tara
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!
Jill Curry
These are truly the best snickerdoodles. I have made them twice and this is now the only snickerdoodle recipe I will ever use again.
Makel
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.
Kris
These turned out sooooo good!! Thank you for a great recipe!
Charlie R Hyde
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!!
Barb
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 ????
Joli
Love these cookies! Have anyone tried to replace the egg with something else like applesauce successfully? Any recommendations?
Lemi
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
Layne
OMG I agree so much! It truly is just amazing.
Nean
How much flaxseed to hot water ratio and does it set for a time limit. I really want to try this.
Malia
I used buttermilk instead! Turned out awesome!! Maybe even better than the original.. in my opinion! But I have never tried applesauce.
Donna
Not in this recipe but I have used it and it works great. don't use to much or the cookie will bee way to soft and runny. A couple of tablespoons only
Sarah
A great snickerdoodle. The best part is that it's not too doughy or thick of a snickerdoodle. Great cooke base with, the perfect balance of cinnamon + sugar that makes them impossible to stop eating.
Maya
Do you know how many calories are in one cookie?
EllaRaye Hart
I think one really important thing everyone needs to consider is that everyone's ovens are different and that they may need to adjust the temperature and/or time accordingly instead of assuming the person offering a recipe is wrong. My stove is only just over 3 years old and electric BUT I learned quickly that my oven doesn't cook as warm as it should because many things that I've baked ALWAYS take longer so when I do recipes like this, I already know to adjust mine. A second thing to consider is that maybe the person offering the recipe is using a gas oven? I used to build ranges/stoves for Whirlpool and when testing them in the lab after I got on the quality team, I learned there is a difference (in oven temperature and even simply boiling water on the cooktop/burners) between gas and electric. Last, I just remembered some people have to adjust cooking methods or meal prep depending on their location/altitude. In Atlanta I couldn't get my no-bake cookies to set EVER and it probably had a lot to do with the humidity/location. Just my $.02 🙂
Mr. Snail
These were AMAZING! I can’t stress it enough! I didn’t have a quarter cup, so I eyed some of the ingredients with a half cup, and they were still delicious! They looked at exactly like the picture and tasted just like the description said! I just came back from my clarinet exam, so making and eating these were so stress relieving! My mum usually helps me with baking activities, but she didn’t help me this time and it was so easy! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Kevin c
AWESOME recipe
Cookies were exactly how I wanted them
Naomi
I loved baking this! It's my go-to recipe, and has a perfect nutty flavor. Totally recommend !
Raina Bernard
These cookies were great. I subbed the cream of tartar for baking powder and added nutmeg to the cinnamon sugar coating. Tasted awesome. Thank you!
David
Made this with brown butter - absolutely game-changing. Added 15% more butter because water evaporates from butter when boiled / browned.
Danielle S
Love, love, LOVE this recipe. Snickerdoodles are probably my favorite cookie EVER and I could genuinely eat a whole batch of these, no problem. This has got to be the best recipe I have found for them so far. They are soft, chewy, and all around delicious. Definitely bookmark this recipe if you are a fan!
Kait
Love love love these! Just added an extra 1/4 c of brown sugar and they were a hit! ♥️