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.
I love to hear from you! If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating. If you make any of my recipes, tag me on Instagram @modern_honey so I can see your creations. It’s one of my favorite things seeing you make these recipes in your own kitchen. Sign up for my newsletter below so you never miss a recipe. Thank you for following along! I truly do have the greatest readers. FOLLOW ME ON: INSTAGRAM --- FACEBOOK --- PINTEREST
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!
stephanie
i wanted a smaller batch so i only used half the amount of everything and substituted baking powder. it tasted just as amazing.
Gayle
So delicious! Great tip with the indentation of the cookie ball 🌺
Sharon C
These snickerdoodles were the best I have ever eaten! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Eve
Don’t have parchment paper. Do I need to grease a light colored, nonstick cookie sheet?
Elisabeth
I’ve never made snickerdoodles before but I am an experienced baker. Weird right? But this was a very simple and delicious recipe. I made some minor adjustments like cutting the salt. I only used a dash because I only had salted butter. I’m also at high altitude too (8000 feet) so I added a tablespoon of flour and raised the baking temp to 375. They came out perfectly after ten minutes. Just set at the edges with a chewy middle. The dough definitely comes out better after refrigeration but it needs to be slightly sticky still for the sugar and cinnamon to stick! I had to warm the dough up a bit more on n my hands before it got a good sticky but not gooey texture to work with.
Thanks for sharing. This will be my new go to. 🙂
Tessa
I found this recipe for my kids to make, and have never had such poor control over eating! I never post comments, but these cookies were amazing.
Raija
Easy recipe and amazing cookies! I didn’t have cream of tartar so I used 2 teaspoons of baking powder instead of the 1.5 teaspoons of cream of tartar. Will definitely make these again! Thank you! 🙂
Zoe
I don't have cream of tartar on hand, do you recommend any substitutes for it or can I just leave it out?
CJB
OMG! This is the best recipe. I tried another one but this is my new one for now on! So delicious. I love the little crunch around the edges and the softness in the middle. My “just right” cookie. Thank you!
Julia M.
Easy, yummy, and a total crowd pleaser. I have taken these to parties on multiple occasions and they're always a hit. The cream of tarter gives them a light tanginess and a little extra something something. Highly recommend.
Monica
My first time ever making snickerdoodle cookies and they came out amazing. Simple easy recipe. Love it.
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.
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 🙂
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.
Eileen
What type of Cinnamon flavor do you use? There are many to choose from. Which one is your favorite?
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.
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 🙂
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!!!!.
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.
Isabel
Have you ever made these to the 6 ounces size? If so how did they do, what temp would you suggest to cook on?
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.