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
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!
Darlene Franklin
I made the frosted snickerdoodles and they are the best cookies my boyfriend is addicted to them and my daughter absolutely loves them and now she’s making them from this recipe all my friends that have tried them think they are fabulous I went exactly by the recipe and it works
Bethy
Frosted?!
Margaret Marie Osby
Vanilla extract is a flavoring agent. Made from a vanilla bean. Fine vanilla extract favoring in the baking section of the store.
Donna
I’ve never made (or eaten) snickerdoodles before but I wanted to do something special for a coworker. This was his request. I think they’re great and will definitely be making them again. Hope they live up to his expectations. Thank you and Merry Christmas ????
Aimee
This recipe exceeded my expectations. This will be my go-to snickerdoodle recipe from now on.
Nary
How should I adjust recipe using salted butter since a friend gave me 2-3 pounds of salted butter I would like to use.
Derek
I used Salted Butter and just did 1/2 the salt in the recipe. They came out great!
Lisa
I made these without refrigerating the dough and they were fabulous! The second batch I refrigerated the dough and they didn't get enough cinnamon sugar mix so next time, same recipe but skip the refrigeration of the dough. Love this recipe!! They came out so fluffy on the inside with a crust on the oitside!
John
My cookies turned out extremely flat and pretty much collapsed. Are there high altitude instructions? I live in Denver. I did press down in the middle as well.
Leif
High altitude just means that you would have to bake it longer. Just keep your eye on it.
Michelle
Also, I am high altitude and found the difference to be using parchment paper for sure, also refrigerate for 30 minutes minimum, but no longer than a few hours. This sets up the fat in the cookies so it doesn't spread as fast. You need to roll them in a ball as well prior to pushing down with your thumb ( just a slight indentation). I also will not bake without the Air Bake cookie sheets, even when using parchment paper it makes a world of difference!
Ambriel
Since yours turned out flatter than they should, I wouldn't press down on the middle. They'll be a bit fluffier.
Gabby
Literally the best snicker doodle recipe ever. ever ever.
They're so good right out of the oven with some milk. nearly ate the whole batch.
Definitely gonna be my staple snoodle recipe
Dar
Closing in on 70 yo. Ate my share of cookies over these years BUT I HAVE NEVER HAD A BETTER COOKIE. Thats all I have to say about that.
Caleb Manfred
These are so good
Sarah
These are delicious!! I wish mine would have flattened out like yours in the picture! Never the less a wonderful recipe.
Heather
Push your thumb into the middle of the ball before you bake them and they will flatten ????
Danielle
These cookies are so delicious. We loved them. But mine don’t look like the picture- they came out thicker and fluffier - any ideas why?
Jissel
did you press down in the middle before putting it in the oven?
Bob
Because the recipe has two eggs. More eggs make for a cakier texture. I was rather disappointed with this recipe to be honest, especially as it says they’re chewy. They were not bad, but they weren’t what I was going for.
Ben
It'd be nice to have measurements in weight instead of volume. I get that a lot of home bakers like volume, but weight/mass is more accurate.
Bethy
I second this! Esp as I halved this recipe!
Elisabeth
These turned out wonderful. Thank you so much for taking the time to make and share your recipe. :3
Terry
Can you make these with salted butter?
Michelle
Yes! Absolutely you can...the first time I made them all I had was salted butter and they turned out amazing. I made them again (because my husband loves them so very much 😉 and used the unsalted butter that time and I must say you can definitely taste the difference, whether or not one likes it better than the other is personal preference I would say. I liked them better with unsalted but my husband likes the salted. Happy baking....
Morgan
the best snickerdoodle I've ever had, Thank you!
I do have one question- Are you able to refrigerate the dough on this overnight? I would love to pre-make my dough and just roll and bake the next day if possible.
Keb
I have left the dough in the fridge overnight and they turned out great. Furthermore, as with any drop cookies, they freeze very well. I make two batches and freeze the uncooked dough balls and just pop few out, let stand to room temp and bake when I’m in the mood for a tasty treat!
Melissa B
Have made these twice now, and they were perfectly delicious both times!
Cathy
These cookies are just as described; soft and chewy pillows of cinnamon deliciousness! Don't save this recipe for Christmas only - too good to not make them often!
Beth W
Hello!
I'm planning to bake a LOT of cookies within the next couple of days. Can I refrigerate this Snickerdoodle cookie dough overnight? I've seen other Snickerdoodle recipes which state that the dough can be
refrigerated ONLY UP TO 24 hours but no longer. (Perhaps because the cream of tartar is the sole leavening agent?).
I'd like to use this recipe, however because it's gotten so many positive reviews!
Thanks and Merry Christmas!
Susan
I would say the baking soda is the main leavening agent in this recipe, the cream of tartar works as a leavening agent but also has a few other properties such as stopping sugar crystallization. I looked up why we refrigerate cookie dough in the first place and the answer I got was : "Chilling cookie dough before baking solidifies the fat in the cookies." After 24hrs of refrigeration the whole purpose of doing it is defeated. Happy Baking!
Leslie S.
I started making these 3 years ago for Christmas. They are my all-time favorite cookie, because they are just the right amount of everything. It’s the only type of cookie I make a double recipe of, because they disappear so quickly! I substitute gluten free flour for the regular flour, but otherwise keep the recipe the same. Several of the people I’ve given Christmas cookies to say these are their favorites and gluten-free or not, the best snickerdoodles they’ve ever eaten. Thank you for sharing this recipe, our family enjoys it every year!
Eric S
I made these for my wife’s office Christmas party. I only wish I had made more because they were gone long before dinner and everyone was looking for more! They wanted the cookies over my homemade apple pie!
Absolutely the best recipe I have found for these, ever!
Annabeth Leanna Chase
I used this recipe when I made my cookies and they were DIVINE! I def recommend refrigerating the dough because they become a bit sticky and hard to work with. My dad is obsessed ???? and we’re making them for our family potluck tomorrow (Christmas Eve). Best recipe ever!
Amy
If you don’t have parchment paper, can you use waxed paper or is it better to coat the cookie sheet first?
Sarah Sims
Should I grease the pan if I don’t have parchment paper?
Kaylie
My kids and I were making cookies for Christmas and my husband mentioned that he loves Snickerdoodles. I've never made them before but found I had all the ingredients for this recipe. They were DELICIOUS! Nice and chewy just how I like my cookies. They were a hit with my husband and others. Going to use this recipe every year now!
Susan
I make snickerdoodles every Christmas as it is my husbands all-time favorite cookie. However, this recipe made THE BEST snickerdoodle I have EVER made...and my husband agrees! I don't think it was so much the ingredients but the simple tips before the recipe that did it. Thank you!
Heidi Reid
The snickerdoodles were easy and soooooooo good.
Heather
I found this recipe several years ago and it is my go-to cookie recipe. These snickerdoodles are buttery and chewy. Highly recommend!
Misa
Thank you for the best snickerdoodle cookies!!! Husband and kids say these are now their favorite cookies and chocolate chip has been moved to 2nd place. I followed the recipe exactly as stated but did have to bake it for 12-13 mins but I think it’s cause I made mine a bit larger. This is going into our family recipe book!
Casey
I’ve made these snickerdoodles for Christmas two years in a row, and my whole extended family raves about them. They are the best snickerdoodles anyone has ever had. I get requests to make sure these cookies will be at family events! Even those who don’t love snickerdoodles have been converted to snickerdoodle lovers because of this recipe! They taste exactly like something you would get from a high end professional bakery. Slightly under baking them is key for a soft and tender cookie. These are the bomb!
Christopher
Made this recipe today with vegan butter and flax egg substitutes. They were awesome. Thank you!
Kaylee
These were the best homemade snickerdoodle cookies we've ever had! Several family members said the same thing and are begging me for the recipe! Definitely making again soon!
Dee
My coworker friend used this recipe and the cookies turned out great! This was also his first time baking cookies from scratch.
Tamara
I don't bake. At all. I don't even like to. I had to make Christmas cookies for a Christmas cookie sale at work. I picked these up because they were cheap and easy. They were amazing! They sold out and I had request to make more. I have made them twice since then. It was so easy and they turned out perfectly. My go to dessert for parties and just because. Thank you.
Daniel
How important is cream of tartar lol? We are about to find out
Ilene
How did they work without cream of tartar? Just was going to try these spur of the moment and dont have in house!
Christina
These snickerdoodles were DELICIOUS. I didn’t have time to rest the dough in the fridge, but the texture was still spectacular. I brought them to a family party, and everyone ended up eating them immediately (at 10:30am!) because they looked so appealing.
James
Made these into edibles and I HIGHLY recommend this recipe! It works like a charm every time. 10 minutes on the dot was the sweet spot for my liking ????
Sera
It turned out amazing and was sooooooo delicious, thank u for making this recipe. ????
Sue Matthews
They were tasty, soft and a little crunchy on the edges. Perfect combination. Everybody loved them.
Leslie
I love this recipe for snickerdoodles, they always turn out perfect!
JM
I bake a lot with my 4 year old. We've tried a lot of recipes online and I've never felt compelled to write review until now. These are the best cookies I've ever made. So easy, quick, and unbelievably good. I'll come back to this recipe again and again. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Rhonda
Made these for my granddaughter’s elementary basketball party and my other granddaughter’s college basketball team and they were a huge success! The MANY compliments I received were “These are THE BEST Snickerdoodle cookies I have ever eaten!” I couldn’t believe how many people came up to me giving me compliments on my cookies! Only thing I changed in the recipe was I added more sugar and less cinnamon in the sugar mixture you roll the cookie dough in. Thanks Modern Honey for making me look like a professional baker! Note: Also, try Modern Honey’s The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe. I made these for both teams and they were well received as well!
francesca
followed exactly as written. best snickerdoodle cookie i've made so far!!! 🙂
OM
This cookie is an absolute STAR!!! Tried it once and we were all hooked. Now it's a staple.
Brynne
Delicious! Swapped out reg flour for 1:1 gluten free (Celiac) and it was perfect!
Janine
I asked my husband what cookies he wanted for a ski trip and he requested snickerdoodles. I made this snickerdoodle recipe and he said they were one of the best cookies I have ever made. I love to cook and have been cooking 38 years for him. Thanks for the great recipe!
Demi
This recipe is truly the best! I tried a different recipe before, and I like this better because it is softer and chewier. I agree that much of it has to do with adequately creaming the butter and sugar. I'm not a Snickerdoodle fan, and I only make these for my husband, but this recipe made me a convert!
Rose
Snickerdoodles are scrumptious. Such a classic cookie. Made the recipe as is and they came out perfectly. I know this is one of those cookies are are even better when they are cooled but it is hard not to grab them straight out of the oven. These are not going to last long!
Kristyn
The first and only snickerdoodle recipe I will ever try! These are so chewy and amazing. I made them because they are my brother's favorite and he wanted them for Christmas - well now they are a favorite of mine too!
Jaz
These cookies are amazing! Wow! My husband’s favourite cookies are snickerdoodles and I have been trying to find a good recipe! Well I have definitely found one! These get raves every time I take them somewhere social! Thankyou so much!
Tina
Funny, I grew up with snickerdoodles as "dunkers" and an everyday cookie. Way too soft for me to be called a snickerdoodle.
S Clark
I love this recipe! Question though: How do these bake without rolling in cinnamon sugar? Or just sugar? I love the cookie base and skip the cinnamon would make them seasonally versatile.
Dean
Impossible to stop at 1. So soft, flavorful, and just an all-around amazing cookie. Fun thing is that you can eat the snickerdoodle just plan or add frosting or toppings. Great recipe!
Roxanne
Best I have ever made. Easy to follow recipe. Thank you for posting this recipe. I will be using it from now on!
Sierra
Such a good recipe! They turn out perfect for me everytime. I love making these for friends and family!!