The Best Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe (2024)

The popular cinnamon-sugar soft and chewy sugar cookie recipe. Tips and tricks for making the best snickerdoodle cookie recipe that always receives rave reviews. A recipe that has been in the family for over 30 years!

Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookies

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 snickerdoodle cookie I have ever tasted.

What are Snickerdoodles?

Snickerdoodles are known for their soft and chewy texture, along with a sweet, cinnamon-sugar coating. The primary ingredients in Snickerdoodle cookies include butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt, all rolled into a cinnamon sugar mixture.

What do snickerdoodles taste like?

The dough for Snickerdoodles is usually rolled into small balls and then coated with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar before baking. This coating gives the cookies their classic, slightly crispy exterior and a warm, cinnamon flavor. When baked, the best snickerdoodles have a slightly cracked surface and a soft, tender interior.

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.

What ingredients are in Snickerdoodles?

You only need 9 ingredients to make the best homemade snickerdoodles.

• Butter — use softened, unsalted butter. If using salted butter, reduce salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
• Sugar — this recipe calls for granulated sugar.
• Eggs — use large eggs
• Vanilla Extract — since this recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, I suggest using a high-quality pure vanilla.
• Flour — this recipe calls for all-purpose flour.
• Cream or Tartar — this is what gives snickerdoodles that signature tangy flavor and chewy texture. See below for why it is important to use cream of tartar in snickerdoodles.
• Baking Soda — when mixed with the cream of tartar, it helps the cookies to rise.
• Salt — if using salted butter, reduce salt by 1/2 teaspoon.
• Cinnamon Sugar — generously roll the cookie dough in the cinnamon sugar mixture before baking.

Why is cream of tartar in Snickerdoodles?

Cream of tartar is what gives Snickerdoodles their characteristic tangy flavor and helps to create their distinctive texture.

Cream of tartar is an essential ingredient in snickerdoodle cookies for several important reasons:

1. Leavening Agent: Cream of tartar is an acid and when combined with baking soda it causes the cookies to rise and become light and fluffy during baking. This leavening reaction is critical in producing the characteristic texture of snickerdoodles, which is soft and tender with a slightly puffy quality.
2. Tangy Flavor: Cream of tartar contributes a subtle, tangy flavor to the cookies. This tangy note helps balance the sweetness of the cookie dough and enhances the overall flavor profile of snickerdoodles. It gives the cookies a unique taste that sets them apart from other cinnamon-sugar-coated cookies.
3. Texture and Appearance: Cream of tartar also contributes to the slightly crisp and crinkly surface of snickerdoodles, which is created by the leavening action.

How to make the Best Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe:

This is such a quick and easy snickerdoodle cookie recipe! No chilling is required.

• 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 are a light colored baking sheet, easy parchment paper sheets, and a Kitchenaid mixer.

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!

Snickerdoodle Cookie Substitutions and Variations:

For a more tender texture, you may use half cake flour and half all-purpose flour.

To make them extra cinnamon flavor packed, sprinkle in cinnamon chips to make Cinnamon Chip Snickerdoodles.

You may fill these cinnamon sugar snickerdoodles with caramels and make Caramel Filled Snickerdoodles.

Do I need to chill Snickerdoodle cookie dough?

No! This is such a quick and easy snickerdoodle cookie recipe and no chilling is required.

If you want to chill the snickerdoodle cookie dough, I suggest double wrapping tightly and placing it in the refrigerator for up to 72 hours.

FAQ’s:

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. 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

I hope you love this snickerdoodle cookie recipe and it becomes a staple in your family for years! Happy Baking!