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!
Mary
Can you use 1/2 all purpose and 1/2 cake flour for these ?
Janet Mary
Exactly as I remember from childhood 60 years ago!!Perfection!!
Rosemary Dowhower
Look delicious, can’t wait to make. Can l substitute vanilla extract for vanilla or not?
Retta
I would love to see if these taste better than The Great Cookie cookie's.
Barbara
How can I find out why they go flat.?
Jackie
They are supposed to be flat, Snickerdoodles always are! Look at the pictures!
Christy
I really loved this recipe. I usually don't use a recipe with cream of tartar but this will be my go to. It gives it that special tangy that reminds me of my grandma's. I only gave it four stars because my cookies were puffier than I thought they should be. I am pretty sure it was user error though. The next time I bake these I will review again and see if I can get those perfectly round flatish cookies. Oh and all the cinnamon in the topping is an absolute must! Delicious!
Melissa
Not true, they are not always flat. I get mine nice and plump if I chill the balls real good before putting them in the oven. They don't spread as much 😊
MamawT
I’m following as well mine looked nothing these but the taste was very good.
Jamie
The best snickerdoodles! My boys love them
EDYE
Made these and my family loved them!!
Leslie
These are delicious! My favorite cookie recipe and everyone loves them. The recipe is So simple, they are ingredients you always have on hand and these cookies never fail! I don’t change one thing about the recipe and they are perfect each time. My oven has a lower heat so I bake two trays for 13 minutes and one tray for 11 minutes. Thank you for this recipe!
Melissa Stadler
So happy to hear it, Leslie! These cookies are totally foolproof, like you said, they’ll never fail. Thanks for using my recipe! I really appreciate it!
Lisa Schaffer
BEST snickerdoodle recipe I have ever made!! Have made this recipe over and over ❤️
Samantha
Good but need more cinnamon flavor. Also needed to cook 6-7 minutes longer
A lover of cookies
I threw out all my other snickerdoodle recipes after finding this one....this one is the best. I can always trust MH!
Edwin
This is the first snickerdoodle recipe that I have tried and can find no reason to try any others. I don't know why it took me so long to make these simple but delicious cookies, but they will be on my regular rotation of recipes. I really appreciate the tutorials that go along with these recipes.
Melissa Stadler
Thank you so much for your comment Edwin! I love hearing that you like the tutorials. I always hope that they are helpful enough! Glad that you love the recipe, thanks for using it!
Celina
OMG I just made these for my oldest son. He LOVES them! So easy & quick. Definitely keeping this recipe.
Barbara
I can hardly wait to try this, but can you first tell me how many cookies are in 24 servings? Does that mean 24 cookies or a presumed number of cookies per serving? Thanks!
Joli
Love these cookies. Made another batch today.
Just want to find out if you can freeze the dough in rolls/saran wrap and slice it as you are ready to bake cookies.
JessB
Thank you for this recipe. I had always been wary of snickerdoodles because i dislike simple sugar cookies, finding them dry, not chewy, and fairly tasteless. boy was i wrong. i am now putting this cookie in my standard rotation. They are unreasonably good; they disappeared faster than any other this go-round.
Melissa Stadler
For sure, Joli! I would just recommend that you freeze them airtight so that they don’t get freezer burned, then let the dough thaw a little bit (so that they’re chilled, not room temperature) before baking. Good luck!
Soraya Estevez
Hi I was wondering if salted butter will work if I choose not to use the salt in the dough. I realized I only bought 2 sticks of unsalted and of course I’m used all stores will be closed as it’s Christmas already. I’d hate to mess them up
Melissa Stadler
I am so sorry to be getting back to you so late Soraya. But yes, salted butter would work just fine! You can either omit or decrease the amount of added salt in the dough. I hope that this helps!
Tater
Made these exactly to recipe and they were awesome. Made some cream cheese frosting for them and man, what a good cookie. Definitely keeping this one. Thanks for the recipe!
Melissa Stadler
I truly believe that cream cheese frosting makes everything better! That sounds delicious, I am so glad that you tried them. Thanks for using my recipe!
Jan
Love this recipe!! We always had Snickerdoodles growing up and so my whole family loves them. My little sister used her old Betty Crocker cook book which calls for shortening (instead of butter). She actually went and bought some just to make the cookies...I sent her your recipe and told her to never buy shortening again!! I live in Tennessee (noticed other review!!) though I was born in Kansas so maybe that is where we started eating these cookies.
P.S. I also doubled the recipe and couldn't figure out why so much dough rolled in small balls would only yield 24 cookies. I have never seen servings (vs # cookies) so didn't catch the review that explained it until after the fact. Dough is made and in the refrigerator and I started reading reviews as I'm rolling out dough in the morning and haven't made your recipe since the summer. Luckily I have a big family and planned cookies for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners along with some other desserts and I can always send some home with some of my siblings.
Stella
Thank you so much for this recipe! I have used it for the past two years and it’s the perfect snickerdoodle- thanks!!
Tosha
Made these last night for the first time. Quite possibly the best cookie I’ve ever tasted. My husband emphatically agrees. They’re PERFECT.
Elaine
Wow!!!! Definitely keeping this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing.
My whole family loved it!
Barbara
Why are mine coming flat? The recipe is great.