Snickerdoodle Cookies

Name: Snickerdoodle Cookies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 cup butter (just cooler than room temperature (not cold from the fridge, but not warm)); 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar; 2 eggs; 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour; 2 teaspoons cream of tartar; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 3 tablespoons granulated sugar; 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

This Snickerdoodle recipe makes the most delicious cinnamon sugar Snickerdoodle cookies! Perfectly soft with a crispy crinkle coating and easy to make in one bowl, this Snickerdoodle cookie recipe is sure to become a family favourite!

Estimated reading time: 11 minutes

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Snickerdoodle Recipe

When it comes to classic cookies, Snickerdoodles are one of the most popular cookies around. We’ve been making them for years and years and they’re one of the most requested treats in our family! And what’s not to love?! A soft and chewy sugar cookie coated in cinnamon sugar with a deliciously crispy crackled exterior… They’re the definition of simple indulgence and they’re super quick and easy to make. Trust us, you’re going to love this Snickerdoodle cookie recipe!

What are Snickerdoodle Cookies?

Snickerdoodle cookies are a very popular and iconic sweet treat thanks to their soft texture, tangy flavour, and crispy coating of cinnamon sugar. Unlike traditional sugar cookies that are typically rolled in white sugar, Snickerdoodles are known for their distinctive cinnamon and sugar coating. A crucial ingredient that sets them apart is cream of tartar, which not only gives the cookies their signature soft texture but also adds a tanginess that makes these cookies unique.

soft and chewy cookie with cinnamon sugar

Pro Tips for the BEST Snickerdoodle Cookies

Looking for PERFECT Snickerdoodle cookies? Here are our BEST Pro tips for making this Snickerdoodle cookie recipe!

Sift the Dry Ingredients

Nobody likes clumpy, lumpy cookies, or cookies that don’t rise properly in some places. To ensure your cookies are soft and fluffy with a cake-like texture, sift together your flour with the leavening agents (baking powder or baking soda) to ensure the perfect rise!

Make Sure Your Butter is at the Right Temperature

If your butter is too cold, you’ll end up with cookies that don’t spread properly. If your butter is too soft, you’ll end up with cookies that melt all over the baking pan (and nobody wants that!). Remove your butter from the fridge only about 30 minutes before baking (in a normal, room-temperature kitchen). Make sure it’s not rock hard but not so soft it’s practically melting, either. Firmly spreadable is a good texture to go for when making cookies.

Pay Attention to Dough Consistency

Achieving the right dough consistency is very important. Your dough should be firm enough to hold its shape when rolled into balls, but soft enough to be slightly pliable. If the dough is too dry, your cookies might crumble. If the dough is too wet, the dough will be too sticky and difficult to roll, and they will probably spread too much during baking. A good trick is to refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes before baking. This ensures the butter solidifies in the dough, which means it will be easier to work with and will bake up perfectly in the oven.

Don’t Forget to Roll Them in Cinnamon and Sugar

Don’t skip the cinnamon sugar coating! It adds so much flavour to these cookies and gives them their iconic appearance.

Space the Cookies Properly on the Baking Sheet

No one wants a mega-cookie formed by smaller cookies merging together. Ensure that you space your dough balls at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. This gives each cookie ample space to spread without interfering with the other cookies.

Avoid Over-Baking

If the edges of your cookies start to become golden brown, they’re baked. Watch the top of the cookies as they bake to judge the doneness – if the cookies lose their shine on top and appear baked in the middle, they’re done!

Cool the Cookies on the Baking Pan

Cooling your cookies on the baking pan will ensure they don’t lose their shape if you try to move them to a cooling rack a little too soon. The cookies continue baking on the inside even after you’ve removed them from the oven and it’s best not to move them until the baking process is completed (you’ll know they’re ready to move if they’re cool and firm to the touch).

Troubleshooting Ideas for Snickerdoodle Cookie Baking Problems

The Dough is Too Soft

The butter you used was probably too soft and too warm. If your dough is too soft, chill the dough in the fridge for about half an hour before rolling the cookies. This will solidify the butter in the dough and make if more firm and easier to roll.

The Dough is Dry and Crumbly

If your dough is too dry, your cookies might be crumbly and it will be hard to form the balls of dough. Be sure to measure your ingredients properly to make sure your dough is easy to work with.

The Cookies are Spreading Too Much

In this case, your dough is too soft, likely because the butter you used was too soft. Chill the dough in the fridge for an hour before trying again. Be sure to use cool butter that’s been out of the fridge for about 30 minutes or so, not warm butter that’s been sitting out on the counter all day.

The Cookies are Over-Baked

Over-baked cookies can be dry and hard. If the edges start to darken significantly, they’re likely overdone. Using an oven thermometer to help ensure your oven’s temperature is accurate can prevent over-baking. Don’t forget to set a timer when baking!

The Cookies are Falling Apart

Letting your cookies cool on the pan is the best way to ensure they keep their shape after baking. Cookies continue baking and set in the middle after they’ve been removed from the oven. The cooling process is a critical step to achieving the perfect cookies! Be sure to cool them most of the way before removing them gently and carefully to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Kitchen Equipment You’ll Need to Make Snickerdoodle Cookies

When it comes to baking cookies, we’ve got you covered with exactly what you’ll need for cookie success. Here’s what we recommend having on hand for baking this Snickerdoodle recipe and most other cookie recipes too!

2 Essential Pieces of Kitchen Equipment for Cookie Baking

There are two pieces of kitchen equipment we use every single time we bake cookies!

To achieve the perfect cookie size: Uniformity is key for even baking. Using a cookie scoop (paid link) is our favourite trick for uniform cookies, the easy way! It helps ensure that each cookie is roughly the same size, which leads to consistent baking times and textures.
To achieve the perfect cookie texture: Most recipes recommend baking at around 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degree Celcius). However, oven temperatures can vary, so keep a close eye on your first batch to judge the perfect baking time for your oven. One of our most important baking tips is to use an oven thermometer (paid link)! Most home bakers don’t have one, but it’s a CRITICAL kitchen tool that allows you to know whether or not your oven temperature is accurate! This will help you adjust baking times and the temperature of your oven and will prevent you from burning or under-baking your treats!

Other Kitchen Equipment You’ll Need to Make Snickerdoodles

soft and chewy cookies with cinnamon sugar

Ingredients for Snickerdoodle Cookies

Here’s a list of the ingredients you’ll need to make this easy and delicious Snickerdoodle recipe (paid links):

1 cup butter just cooler than room temperature (not cold from the fridge, but not warm)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

FOR THE CINNAMON SUGAR COATING:

3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

How to Make Snickerdoodle Cookies

Time needed: 20 minutes

Follow these steps to make this easy Snickerdoodle cookie recipe!

Preheat your oven.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper. Set them aside.
Cream the butter and sugar.
Add the butter to a mixing bowl with the sugar and cream them together well using a hand mixer (or a stand mixer if you have one) until the mixture is light in colour. Be sure your butter is on the cooler side – if you use warm butter that’s been sitting at room temperature for a long time your cookies will spread too much.
Add the eggs.
Add the eggs and mix well until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
Sift the dry ingredients
Add a sieve over the bowl and add the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt into the sieve, using a spoon or your fingers to push the dry ingredients through the sieve to remove any lumps.
Mix together to form the dough.
Mix the dry ingredients into the butter and egg mixture on medium speed until well combined.
Roll in cinnamon sugar.
Use a cookie scoop or a tablespoon to portion out the cookie dough by the tablespoon, rolling each piece of dough in your hands to form balls. Combine the sugar and cinnamon for the coating and roll each of the balls of dough in the cinnamon sugar until they’re completely coated.
Bake to perfection.
Add them to your baking sheets, spacing the cookies out so they don’t touch as they bake (these cookies spread quite a bit as they bake). Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-11 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown and no longer soft in the middle.
Cool and enjoy!
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet before enjoying so they keep their shape.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between sugar cookies and Snickerdoodles?

Some sugar cookies also contain cream of tartar, but not all sugar cookie recipes call for this ingredient. The main difference is the cinnamon sugar coating on the outside of Snickerdoodle cookies.

Why are they called Snickerdoodles?

Nobody knows exactly how Snickerdoodles originated but they are believed to be German or possibly from New England, with a name that may come from the German word “Schneckennudel” which means “snail noodle”.

What ingredients are in Snickerdoodles?

Traditional snickerdoodles contain flour, butter or shortening, sugar, eggs, cream of tartar, baking soda, and are rolled in a cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Can I make Snickerdoodles without cream of tartar?

Yes, although they’ll lose some of their tangy flavour and soft, chewy texture. If you don’t have cream of tartar you can use half a teaspoon of baking powder in its place.

How do you make Snickerdoodles soft and chewy?

They key to soft and chewy Snickerdoodles is the cream of tartar and not over-baking the cookies.

Can Snickerdoodles be frozen?

Freeze them in an airtight container for up to 6 months. We recommend placing a piece of parchment paper between the layers so the cookies don’t stick together as they freeze and thaw.

How long do Snickerdoodle cookies last?

They will last for about 5 days in an airtight container stored at room temperature.

How do you keep Snickerdoodles from spreading too much as they bake?

The key is to use cool, room temperature butter OR to chill the dough before rolling. If the dough is too soft because the butter you used was too warm, the cookies will spread.

We hope you love this Snickerdoodle cookie recipe as much as we do! Let us know in the comments below, what’s your favourite easy cookie recipe to make at home? We’d love to know!

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