I love this Snickerdoodle Recipe so much! It reminds me of my childhood. I took my first cooking class one summer when I was 9 and the first thing we made in the class were snickerdoodles. I had never had one before then and it really blew my mind. Then during my freshman year of high school I took “Cuisine” as an elective and the first thing we made in that class were snickerdoodles too!
These snickerdoodle cookies are one of the first Christmas cookies I make during the holidays every year and this is the only snickerdoodle cookie recipe I use! Our recipe gives you slightly soft chewy cookies and fluffy with a delicious sweet cinnamon-vanilla flavor. I think the cinnamon sugar mixture that coats the cookie is my favorite part, it makes them almost sparkle! I can easily eat a dozen of these in a single sitting! If you’re looking for an extra-special dessert, serve these crumbled-over ice cream.
How to Make Our Snickerdoodle Recipe
COOKIES
- Preheat oven to 400˚F. Line 2 or 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream together butter and sugar with a paddle attachment for 2 to 3 minutes, until mixture is fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla extract to butter mixture and continue to beat together.
- Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and mixture together until a dough forms. Don’t over-mix the dough.
TOPPING
- In a small bowl combine granulated sugar and ground cinnamon and whisk together.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon sized balls of dough and roll into balls.
- Roll each ball of dough into the cinnamon-sugar mixture until each ball is fully covered.
- Place cookies onto the prepared baking sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake the cookies for about 9 minutes or until cookies have puffed up, the cinnamon-sugar coating has darkened and the cookies have a slight crack on top. Remove cookies from the oven and cool for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack or serving.
Tools You Will Need
- mixing bowls
- measuring spoons
- dry measuring cups
- whisk
- stand mixer or electric mixer
- cookie sheet
- wire rack
Why Add Cream of Tartar to Snickerdoodles?
You will notice that most snickerdoodle recipes have cream of tartar in them. That’s because the cream of tartar is a big part of what really makes cookies snickerdoodles (along with the cinnamon-sugar coating), instead of just sugar cookies. The cream of tartar adds a very subtle tanginess to the cookies as well as plays a big role in the delicious soft and chewy texture.
If you don’t have cream of tartar you can substitute the cream of tartar and the baking soda for 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder. You won’t have the subtle tangy flavor in the cookies, but the cookies will still be fluffy, soft, and chewy.
Why This is the Best Snickerdoodle Recipe
We really believe these are the best snickerdoodle cookies you’ll ever taste and here’s why:
- The addition of cream of tartar, for reasons mentioned above!
- We use butter not shortening, giving these cookies a deliciously buttery flavor.
- We only use cinnamon in the cinnamon-sugar and not the cookie dough. This is my favorite because you still get a healthy dose of cinnamon from the coating, but it doesn’t overpower the sweet vanilla cookie.
- Our cookie dough doesn’t need to be refrigerated! That’s right, you can bake the balls of dough, even if they’re room temperature and they will turn out wonderful!
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions for Our Snickerdoodle Recipe
Make Ahead
Our cookies can be made 5 to 7 days in advance (for maximum freshness). The cookies should be stored in an airtight container and left in a cool, dry spot until ready to enjoy. If you notice the cookies begin to harden a little you can add a slice of bread to the container to soften the cookies back up.
Freezing
Our baked cookies can be frozen for up to 2 months, stored in a resealable freezer bag. They can be enjoyed straight from the freezer or left on the counter for about 20 minutes to thaw.
If you want to freeze the cookie dough balls, place them onto a parchment lined plate once they’re coated in cinnamon-sugar, making sure the balls don’t touch one another. Place the plate in the freezer for about 1 hour or until they’re fully frozen. Once the dough balls are fully frozen, transfer them to a resealable freezer bag for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, transfer the frozen balls balls onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 11 to 12 minutes.
More Delicious Cookie Recipes You Will Love
Snickerdoodle Recipe
INGREDIENTS
cookie
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
topping
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
INSTRUCTIONS
cookies
- Preheat oven to 400˚F. Line 2 or 3 baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
- In a large bowl combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Whisk together and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using an electric mixer), cream together butter and sugar with a paddle attachment for 2 to 3 minutes, until mixture is fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla to butter mixture and continue to beat together.
- Add dry mixture to wet mixture and mixture together until a dough forms. Don't over-mix the dough.
topping
- In a small bowl combine sugar and cinnamon and whisk together.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon sized balls of dough and roll into balls.
- Roll each ball of dough into the cinnamon-sugar mixture until each ball is fully covered.
- Place cookies onto the prepared baking sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies for about 9 minutes or until cookies have puffed up, the cinnamon-sugar coating has darkened and the cookies have a slight crack on top.
- Remove cookies from the oven and cool for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack or serving.
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This is great! I am going to give you an additional option. Mix in the zest from one lemon. The lemon adds a zing while not distracting from the cinnamon/sugar flavor. Try it.