These soft, pillowy snickerdoodle cookies are coated in cinnamon sugar and baked until the edges turn golden while the centers stay tender. I first tasted a real snickerdoodle at my neighbor Mia's house when I was eight, and I've been hooked ever since. The warm cinnamon aroma fills your kitchen the second they hit the oven, and they're simple enough to whip up on a weeknight.
If you love cozy dessert recipes, you'll also want to try my Easy Homemade Chocolate Cake Recipe and Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe.
Why You will Love This Snickerdoodle Cookies !
Soft and chewy texture. These homemade snickerdoodles stay tender for days, with slightly crispy edges and a melt-in-your-mouth center.
Simple ingredients. You probably have everything in your pantry right now. No chilling required unless you want an even thicker cookie.
Perfect cinnamon flavor. The cinnamon-sugar coating gives every bite a warm, spiced sweetness that's not too overpowering.
Beginner-friendly. Even if you've never made cookies from scratch, this easy snickerdoodle cookies recipe is foolproof.
Great for gifting. These classic snickerdoodle cookies look beautiful on a cookie tray and travel well.
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Snickerdoodle Cookies Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make the best Snickerdoodle Cookies at home.
See Recipe Card Below This Post For Ingredient Quantities
For the Cookies:
Unsalted Butter: Softened butter creams beautifully with the sugar and creates that tender, rich texture. Make sure it's at room temperature so it blends smoothly.
Sugar: Granulated sugar adds sweetness and helps the cookies spread just enough without going flat.
Eggs: Eggs bind everything together and add moisture to the dough.
Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract enhances the overall flavor and rounds out the cinnamon.
Flour: All-purpose flour gives the cookies structure and keeps them soft without being cakey.
Cream of Tartar: This is the magic ingredient in traditional snickerdoodle cookies. It creates that signature tangy flavor and helps the cookies stay chewy. You can use 1 teaspoon if you prefer less tang.
Baking Soda: Works with the cream of tartar to give the cookies a slight lift and soft texture.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out all the other flavors.
For the Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture:
Sugar: This coating gives snickerdoodles their iconic sweet, sparkly crust.
Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon is what makes these cinnamon cookie recipes so warm and comforting. Use a good-quality cinnamon for the best flavor.
How to make Snickerdoodle Cookies
Follow these simple steps to bake perfect soft Snickerdoodle Cookies every time.
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) so it's ready when you finish mixing the dough.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, use a stand mixer or hand mixer to cream the softened butter and sugar together for 4-5 minutes until the mixture looks light, fluffy, and pale. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract, and continue mixing for another 1-2 minutes until everything is smooth and well combined.
- Mix in dry ingredients: Add the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Stir just until the dough comes together and no streaks of flour remain. Don't overmix, or the cookies will turn out tough.
- Prepare cinnamon-sugar coating: In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon until evenly mixed.
- Optional chill: If you have time, cover the dough and refrigerate it for 20-30 minutes. This helps the cookies hold their shape better and develop a thicker texture, but you can skip this step if you're in a hurry.
- Roll and coat: Scoop the snickerdoodle cookie dough into small balls using a cookie scoop or your hands, rolling each one until smooth. Drop each ball into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and roll it around until completely coated. If you want flatter cookies, gently press down the center of each ball with your thumb before baking.
- Arrange on baking sheet: Place the coated dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each one.
- Bake: Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges look set and the centers still appear slightly soft or underdone. They'll continue cooking on the hot pan after you remove them from the oven.
- Cool: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 3-4 minutes, then use a turner to transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Substitutions and Variations
No cream of tartar? You can substitute 1 ½ teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar, though the flavor will be slightly different. Some bakers use 2 teaspoons of baking powder instead, but the texture won't be quite as chewy.
Make them vegan: Use vegan butter and replace the eggs with flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tablespoons water, let sit for 5 minutes).
Gluten-free version: Swap the all-purpose flour with a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour blend. The texture may be slightly more crumbly. You might also enjoy my Easy Gluten-Free Lemon Raspberry Cookies if you're looking for more gluten-free options.
Add-ins: Fold in ½ cup of white chocolate chips or butterscotch chips for extra sweetness.
Snickerdoodle cookie bars: Press the dough into a 9x13-inch pan and bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes for easy snickerdoodle cookie bars.
great idea to link out to another blogger with a similar recipe that fits a different diet.
Equipment for Snickerdoodle Cookies
- KitchenAid Mixer (or any stand mixer): Makes creaming the butter and sugar much easier, though a hand mixer works too.
- Baking Sheet: A sturdy sheet pan ensures even baking.
- Parchment Paper: Prevents sticking and makes cleanup a breeze.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons: Accurate measurements are key for baking snickerdoodle cookies.
- Spatula Set: Helpful for scraping down the bowl and folding in ingredients.
- Turner: A flat spatula for moving hot cookies without breaking them.
- Cookie Scoop: Helps you portion the dough evenly so all the cookies bake at the same rate.
Storage your Snickerdoodle Cookies
Room temperature: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They'll stay soft and chewy.
Freezing baked cookies: Place cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag with parchment paper between layers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
Freezing cookie dough: Roll the dough into balls, coat them in cinnamon sugar, and freeze on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 extra minutes to the baking time.
Serving Suggestions
With a glass of cold milk: The classic pairing. The creamy milk balances the sweet cinnamon flavor perfectly.
Alongside vanilla ice cream: Serve warm cookies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an easy dessert that feels special.
With hot apple cider: These holiday snickerdoodle cookies taste amazing dunked in warm spiced cider on a chilly evening.
As a cookie sandwich: Spread a thin layer of cream cheese frosting or Nutella between two cookies for an indulgent treat.
Expert Tips
Use room temperature butter. Cold butter won't cream properly, and melted butter will make the cookies spread too much. Leave it out for about an hour before baking.
Don't overbake. Pull the cookies out when the centers still look slightly underdone. They'll firm up as they cool and stay soft in the middle.
Chill the dough if you have time. Even 20 minutes in the fridge makes a difference. The cookies will be thicker and won't spread as much.
Measure flour correctly. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Packing it in will give you too much flour and dry cookies.
Roll the dough balls smooth. Take an extra second to roll each ball between your palms until there are no cracks. This helps the cookies bake up evenly with a beautiful round shape.
FAQ
Nobody knows for sure! Some food historians think the name comes from a German word, while others believe it's just a silly made-up name from New England. Either way, it's been around since the 1800s and it's fun to say.
Snickerdoodles taste like cinnamon and sugar with a hint of tang from the cream of tartar. They're sweet, warm, and slightly buttery with a soft, chewy texture that melts in your mouth.
A Snickerdoodle Cookies is a soft sugar cookie rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking. What makes it unique is the cream of tartar in the dough, which gives it a subtle tangy flavor and extra-chewy texture. It's one of the most popular traditional snickerdoodle cookies in American baking.
Imagine a sugar cookie with a warm cinnamon-sugar hug. The flavor is sweet and spiced, with a tender crumb and slight tanginess. They're less rich than chocolate chip cookies but more flavorful than plain sugar cookies. If you love cinnamon, you'll love these.
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Snickerdoodle Cookies
Snickerdoodle Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl, then add in the eggs and vanilla. Cream the mixture for an additional 1-2 minutes until fully combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the sifted flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to the butter mixture, stirring just until combined.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon for the coating.
- For the best results, cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to firm it up.
- Using a cookie scoop, roll dough into balls and then drop them into the cinnamon-sugar mixture, coating evenly. For flatter cookies, gently press down the center of each ball with a spoon before baking.
- Place the coated dough balls onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, leaving space between them.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
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