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!
Jessa
Well I don't know what I did wrong, but they took a full 18 minutes to bake. It's a new oven that has been perfectly calibrated and I've verified the correct temperature, and I followed the recipe exactly, so I'm at a total loss. I refrigerated the dough for just 15 mins, the amount of time it took the oven to preheat. I'm not exactly a novice baker either. They also never did crackle like my snickerdoodles typically do, so I don't know what's going on but I will probably test a different recipe next time to see if the problem persists.
K86
Perfectly balanced cookie recipe! I agree they are the best I have ever had.
Jennifer
I love snickerdoodles!!! When I was invited to a cookiebration I knew those were the cookies I was going to bring. I found this recipes and read the reviews which said they were simple to make and delicious. Omg the reviews did not lie. I felt kind of bad at the party because everyone was eating my cookies and none of anyone else’s! Now that I have discovered Modern Honey I have tried dozens of her recipes. Haven’t found one yet that I haven’t liked!!
D'Mom
Found on-line: "Cream of Tartar Substitute – The answer is – there is not a good substitution for cream of tartar. If it is used along with baking soda in a cake or cookie recipe, omit both and use baking powder instead. ... One (1) teaspoon baking powder is equivalent to 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar." Cookies look delicious, but haven't tried them yet so no rating!
chids
is it okay if i use baking powder instead of cream of tartar because I can’t find it in any supermarket around me?
nancy
I tried making these cookies today and for some reason the dough was very sticky and soft after I chilled it in the fridge. I couldn't roll them into balls because they were so sticky, and after baking them for 9-10 min, they turned out very cakey. Anyone know how this could have happened? I followed the ingredients and recipe step by step and I can't figure out why it turned out like this.
Anna
Can I use stick margarine instead of butter?
Anna
Has anyone halved the recipe and was it successful?
Zinnia Villa
Great recipe!! Cookies turned out yummy!! Snickerdoodles take me back to my middle school home ec memories. Thank you for the recipe!
Lady Snowbird
Everything worked out great, thanks.
I think people that have issues with hardness or not flatting are not mixing the dry ingredients first.
The Cream of Tarter and backing soda cant are part of cookie science.
#PROTIP Use a whisk or a fork to blend your dry ingredients
Debbie Hart
I am making this recipe for "Teacher Appreciation Week", yes, we are delivering cookies next week during Distance Learning. My question: Can you double this recipe and still achieve maximum deliciousness? I will begin with a single batch until I hear otherwise. Thank you for sharing your yummy recipes.
barbra
too good!
YaYa
My grandson requested snickerdoodles so I searched for a recipe and chose yours. I followed the recipe exactly... mixing and chilling times, flattening the dough ball with my palm... and the cookies turned out perfectly! Due to our social distancing mandate, I dropped the cookies off and headed back home. The phone was ringing as I walked in the door, It was my daughter, "Mom, SAVE THAT RECIPE! Those are the best snickerdoodles I have ever eaten!" I told her to be sure and save a few for the kids!
Your cookies were a huge hit. Thank you for sharing your recipe!!
Ashley
The best cookie recipe I have ever made. I didn’t have baking soda so I used baking powder, but tripled the amount, as google suggested. 🙂 I chilled the cookie dough overnight, rolled them out while they were still chilled and pushed them down with the bottom of a glass before baking. Beautiful, soft and delicious cookies. Thank you!
Karen
I forgot the STARS* * * * *
Karen
Excellent recipe! Gave up my 'go to' recipe of 25 years when I found this one! It's a fantastic dough, and the Snickerdoodle is pure magic, but you can also add into the plain dough craisins and pistashios, almonds and chocolate chunks, candied orange peel and cardamom without the cinnamon and sugar coating and OH MY!!!
Thank you for such a versatile dough and most of all the BEST SNICKERDOODLE EVER!!!
Gretchen
These cookies were awesome! I did them multiple times myself and they turned out great every time. My family likes the cookies thick and doughy so I didn’t flatten them. I hope other people enjoy these cookies as much as I did ????
Christina
This was my first time making snickerdoodles and they came out amazing. Thanks for the recipe
Holly
Very good cookies! I used a large cookie scoop which has a flat bottom, so left just like that; didn't roll. Used the spoon to put on the cinnamon sugar. Didn't flatten. Came out beautifully! Not so flat, fluffy, yummy!! Wish I could post a picture! Will use recipe again. Thanks!
Lisa Demuth
Quarantine Quandaries
When you amazing husband, Tod, has a birthday amid all the craziness of Lockdown 2020. Our daughter was lamenting not being able to go shopping to get her Dad a birthday gift and thought of making him Snickerdoodles. Tod has asked to have these in place of cake! They ARE that good; thank you for sharing.