Snickerdoodles
This easy snickerdoodle recipe is soft and chewy with a sweet cinnamon sugar flavor and signature tang. A must-have holiday treat, our recipe comes together with simple steps, minimal equipment, and no chilling!
Looking for more Christmas cookies? Add our chocolate crinkle cookies and molasses crinkle cookies to your baking list, too.
What Are Snickerdoodles?
If you’re unfamiliar, snickerdoodle cookies are a type of chewy cookie with a unique tangy flavor that comes from the use of cream of tartar. They’re rolled in cinnamon sugar before being baked, which creates their iconic crisp edges, crackly tops, and soft centers. A classic recipe, snickerdoodles are a staple Christmas cookie for many families around the holidays, but they’re tasty all year long!
Ingredients and Notes
This is an overview of the key ingredients. Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details!
- Butter – Unlike most cookie recipes, which call for unsalted butter, we’re using salted butter for this recipe to add extra flavor to the dough.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar sweetens the cookie dough and contributes to the crisp edges. Then, we combine it with cinnamon for the topping.
- Flour – We use all-purpose flour for the base of the dough, but a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour will also work.
- Cornstarch – This is key to the fluffy cookies and chewy center!
- Cream of Tartar – This prevents sugar crystallization, contributing to the light and fluffy texture and creating the signature tangy flavor we want with this easy snickerdoodle recipe.
- Baking Soda – Make sure it’s fresh, or your cookies won’t rise! Do NOT substitute baking powder.
How to Make This Easy Snickerdoodle Recipe
- Combine. Mix the butter and sugar until well combined. Then, stir in the large eggs and vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients, mixing just until no streaks remain. In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar.
2. Portion. Use a small cookie scoop to portion the cookie dough, and roll the cookie dough balls in the cinnamon sugar coating.
3. Bake. Arrange the cookies on a lined baking sheet, leaving space between each piece, and sprinkle extra cinnamon sugar on top. Bake just until the cookies puff up and are cracked on top.
Cool. Let your cookies cool slightly on the baking sheet. Then, transfer them to wire racks to cool completely. Enjoy!
Our Top Tips for Success
- Use room-temperature butter for the right texture. Soft (but not melted) butter helps the dough come together easily and creates that classic soft-and-chewy center. If your butter is too cold, the dough may be crumbly; if too warm, the cookies may spread too much.
- Avoid overmixing. Combine the ingredients just until the dough is smooth and no streaks remain. Continuing to mix will overwork the gluten, creating dense, tough cookies, which we definitely don’t want!
- Rotate your pan for even baking. Halfway through baking, rotate your baking sheet if your oven has hot spots. This ensures all your cookies bake evenly.
- Don’t overbake! The cookies may look underdone, with soft centers and a super soft texture, but that’s okay. They’ll continue to bake slightly as they cool.
Common Questions
You’ll know your cookies are done when they look puffy, soft, and cracked on top. The centers will still look very soft, but they firm up as they cool on the baking sheet. If the edges start turning golden brown, they’re over-baked and will be crisp instead of chewy.
If your cookies turn out flat, it could be due to a few reasons! The most common issues are using butter that is too soft or warm, not using enough flour, or overmixing.
Yes! Scoop and roll the dough balls in cinnamon sugar, place them on a baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Then, transfer the cookies to a freezer-safe bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding an extra minute or two for them to cook completely.
More Delicious Cookie Recipes
Snickerdoodles Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup 2 sticks salted butter, room temperature (see notes)
- 1 ½ cups white sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with a silpat liner or parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the butter and sugar until smooth with a wooden spoon or spatula.1 cup 2 sticks salted butter, room temperature, 1 ½ cups white sugar
- Stir in the eggs and vanilla extract until combined.2 eggs, room temperature, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Add the flour, cornstarch, cream of tartar, baking soda and cinnamon. Gently mix until all the flour is incorporated. Don’t over-mix the cookie batter.2 1/2 cups flour, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- In a shallow bowl, mix together the topping ingredients until combined.⅓ cup sugar, 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- Using a small cookie dough scoop, drop 1 ½ inch balls of dough into the cinnamon sugar mixture (see notes). Gently roll around until all the sides are coated and you have a ball shape. It’s okay if the dough balls are not perfectly round, the baking process should fix this! Place each coated dough ball on the prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart. If desired, sprinkle additional cinnamon sugar on top of each dough ball.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes, or until the cookies are very puffed and cracked on top. The middle will be very soft and that’s okay. The cookies will continue to bake on the baking sheet outside of the oven. Don’t over bake or you won’t have a soft chewy cookie!
- Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes (or until set) on the baking sheet then move the cookies to wire cooling racks.
- Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week or the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Did you enjoy this Easy Snickerdoodle Recipe? We’d love it if you left a rating and review to let us know, and don’t forget to tag us in your recreations on Instagram!
These are our favorite snickerdoodles. They are not flat, dry or crispy. No thank you! haha They are soft and chewy and absolutely delightful. 5 stars!!