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These Snickerdoodle Cookies are soft and chewy in the middle, lightly crisp around the edges, and rolled in plenty of cinnamon sugar. They’re ready in under 30 minutes with no chill time, and they have that classic tangy snickerdoodle flavor that only comes from cream of tartar.
Snickerdoodles have been one of my favorite cookies since I was a kid. (Sure, chocolate chip cookies are near and dear to my heart but I’m all about the sugar cookie style cookie recipe. ) I still remember buying warm cookies from the school cafeteria, and the snickerdoodle was always the one I wanted. After developing hundreds of cookie recipes over the years, I’m still firmly on team soft-and-chewy, and this recipe gives me exactly that texture.
I’m very opinionated about one thing: don’t skip the cream of tartar. It’s what gives a true snickerdoodle it’s distinctive flavor; without it you’re just making a cinnamon sugar cookie. I pull these from the oven as soon as the tops are cracked and have just lost their glossy sheen, because slightly underbaking them is the key to keeping the centers soft.
Snickerdoodle Cookie Ingredients
- Make sure your butter is softened. I recommend unsalted butter, but if you use salted, omit the salt in the recipe. Learn how to soften butter quickly. Also, don’t use imitation butter or margarine. A snickerdoodle must be made with real butter!
- A full teaspoon of baking soda helps give the flat look of traditional snickerdoodles.
- Cream of Tartar is the most important part of a snickerdoodle! Cream of Tartar gives them that tang or distinct flavor you associate with them. A snickerdoodle without cream of tartar is just a sugar cookie!
- Otherwise, this is a dough very similar to my drop sugar cookies, using flour and sugar and egg.
- Roll the cookie dough balls in a cinnamon-sugar mixture for the perfect snickerdoodle cookie.
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Dorothy’s Expert Snickerdoodle Cookie Tips
- Do not skip the cream of tartar! Normally you could substitute it with lemon juice but not for snickerdoodle. They need that for the classic flavor.
- I recommend mixing these with an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Snickerdoodle cookie dough is similar to drop sugar cookie dough in texture.
- These spread, so be sure to leave room on the cookie sheet. I recommend a 1-tablespoon or 2-tablespoon cookie scoop.
Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe
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Ingredients
For the cookie dough:
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (248g) all-purpose flour
For the coating:
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheet with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl with a hand mixer). Cream until the mixture is fluffy, about one minute.
- Add the egg and vanilla and mix until smooth, then mix in baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Add flour and mix until cookie dough forms.
- Stir together sugar and cinnamon for coating in a small bowl.
- Scoop 2 tablespoon balls of cookie dough and roll between the palms of your hand. Roll in cinnamon sugar and place on cookie sheet, 2” apart.
- Bake for 10-13 minutes or until they are cracked on the tops and just lose the glossy sheen. Err on the side of under baked for best results.
- Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to a month.
Notes
1-tablespoon cookies: 8-12 minutes
2-tablespoon cookies: 11-15 minutes
Jumbo 1/4 cup cookies: 12-16 minutes
9×13-inch pan: 14-19 minutes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Step-by-Step Instructions
- Butter and sugar should be creamed to light yellow before adding the egg, vanilla, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar.
- Once adding the flour, a thick cookie dough will form.
- Roll 2-tablespoon or 1-tablespoon cookie dough balls in cinnamon sugar.
- Bake until they’ve flattened with light golden brown edges and are no longer glossy on top.
I LOVE your recipes!!!! The soft and chewy sugar cookies are my fav so far.
Can’t wait to try the snickerdoodle recipe!!!
Blessings!
So glad you like them! Thanks, Brenda!
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