EASY Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe

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These easy snickerdoodle cookies are easy to make and make a classic delicious addition to your cookie platter for the holidays. And these snickerdoodles are a sneak peak recipe to my new cookbook that is coming out!

Update: This is the December Baking challenge! Make this recipe, leave a comment, and submit your photo (details in the baking challenge post) and be entered to win a $75 Amazon gift card.  

So when I was brainstorming cookie recipes for my upcoming cookbook, The Beginner’s Baking Bible, I was thinking of all the different cookie combinations that I wanted in the book. But let’s face it sometimes you just can’t beat a classic.

Like the snickerdoodle. Chewy, slightly tangy, and the cinnamon sugar coating. 

Wait let’s back up a moment.

You have a cookbook coming out?!

Yup. I’m trying to act all chill right now. Like, yea no big deal. I have a cookbook coming out. But I am so not chill. I’m all cartwheels and squeals on the inside. I have a cookbook dropping on December 24th (2019), but it’s available for pre-order right now!

Read all about the cookbook right here. And this cookie recipe is a sneak peek from the book. I figured with the holidays coming up, this was the perfect recipe to share with you all from the book.

What ingredients do I need to make these snickerdoodles?

These cookies use all the classic ingredients you probably have in your pantry already.

• All purpose flour
• Baking soda
• Cream of tartar
• Salt
• Unsalted butter
• Granulated white sugar
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract
• Cinnamon

How to make these snickerdoodle cookies

Step One: Cream Wet Ingredients

In your stand mixer with your paddle attachment, you want to cream your softened butter, granulated sugar, egg and vanilla extract together properly. I cream on medium speed to make sure to not over cream the mixture. It may curdle a bit, but don’t worry it will all come together once you add the dry ingredients.

Pro Tip: Here are 3 ways to soften your butter quickly if you are in a hurry!

Step Two: Add the dry ingredients

For these cookies go ahead and add the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.

Pro Tip: Be sure to measure your flour correctly! Kitchen scale is best, or use my spoon and level method. 

Step Three: Chill the dough and scoop cookies.

Listen. I know. Chilling your dough isn’t a lot of fun if you want a cookie like NOW. But chilling the dough will help to firm up the dough so they don’t spread in the oven.

Step Four: Roll in cinnamon sugar. 

Now that the dough is chilled. you want to go ahead and scoop your cookies. I then roll each in my hand to get a perfect round shape. And then you want to roll each coating in the cinnamon sugar. 

I use either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat on my cookie sheet. And you want to bake for about 8-10 minutes. They may appear puffy and not quite done. But don’t be fooled, take them out. They will set up into perfect cookies.

Tips For Making These Snickerdoodle Cookies

• Measure your flour correctly. I use the spoon and level method. Meaning I spoon my flour into my cup then level off with a spatula or the back of a knife. By measuring your incorrectly means you could end up with more flour then you want. Added flour in your cookie recipe means your cookie may end up cakier or tougher than you would like. 
• You need to use room temperature butter so your dough is properly creamed and aerated. To soften your butter quickly, here are 3 quick ways. 
• Make sure to use room temperature eggs so they are easily incorporated into the cookie dough. I place mine into a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes before using them.

Snickerdoodle Cookie FAQ’s

Do I need to use cream of tartar?

Cream of tartar is what gives snickerdoodles their classic flavor. Sort of tangy and it reacts with the baking soda. But don’t fret. If you don’t have it you can omit the cream of tartar and baking soda and use 2 teaspoons baking powder instead.

Can I make these cookies ahead of time?

Yes!  The great thing about these cookies (and all scoop and bake cookies) is that they freeze so well! I freeze my cookie dough first uncovered for about 30 minutes. Then place them in a zip-loc bag. You can have cookies whenever you need them. Because seriously some days just need a cookie, don’t they? 

Do I need to chill the cookie dough?

Yes, I think it’s highly important. Chilling your dough will help with the cookies not spreading as much.

Why did my cookies spread so much?

Cookie spreading is a bummer. There 8 reasons that I can think of why your cookies may have spread. If your cookies do spread in the oven, you can try this little trick I picked up from Sally’s Baking Addiction, which is to take them out of the oven and take a spoon and press the edges of the cookie inward.

Can I freeze these cookies?

Yes and you should. You can freeze them baked or unbaked. 

To freeze unbaked: Scoop the cookies onto a cookie sheet, and freeze solid. Then place into a sealable plastic bag. You can bake frozen, without thawing, but add on a few extra minutes of baking time.

To freeze baked: Allow the cookies to cool completely. Then when ready to eat, allow to thaw. I like to pop them into the microwave for about 20 seconds to bring them back to ooey gooey life. 

For more help, read here on how to freeze cookie dough.

Why do my snickerdoodle cookies get hard?

This could be because you overbaked the cookies. If the dough is too warm (remember that chilling time!) then it could cause them too spread too much resulting in a cookie that gets too thin and gets too crispy and hard. Your oven temperature may also be too high. I recommend using an oven thermometer to ensure your oven is running at the correct temperature.

If you’re still having trouble, be sure to sign up for my Bake Your Best Cookies Ever -Free Email Series

To make these Snickerdoodle cookies you will need:

• Quality Cookies Sheets Like These Ones That Won’t Warp or Burn Your Cookies
• Oven Thermometer
• Kitchen-Aid Mixer (you can make them by hand, but this stand mixer makes fast work of your dough!)
• Silicone baking mat
• Silicone baking mat
• cooling rack
• cookie spatula

More Cookie Recipes

• Nutella Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies
• Peanut Butter M&M Cookies
• Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies
• Chocolate Rolo Cookies
• Chocolate Chip Salted Brown Butter Cookies
• Brown Butter Soft Pumpkin Cookies
• Red Velvet White Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies

And don’t forget to pre-order my cookbook now for the holidays! If you’re still having trouble, be sure to sign up for my Bake Your Best Cookies Ever -Free Email Series

Don’t forget to make these for the December Baking challenge! Make this recipe, leave a comment, and submit your photo (details in the baking challenge post) and be entered to win a $75 Amazon gift card.

Print Recipe

4.34 from 3 votes

Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles might just seem like a sugar cookie rolled in cinnamon sugar. But a snickerdoodle is so much more than that. Unlike a sugar cookie, a snickerdoodle uses a unique ingredient- cream of tartar. Cream of tartar is what gives snickerdoodle their slight tangy flavor and soft chewy texture, so don’t skip it!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Chilling time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 20 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cookies, snickerdoodle

Servings: 24 cookies

Calories: 186kcal

Author: Heather Perine

Ingredients

Cookies

• 1 cup (2 sticks, 226 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups (297 g) granulated white sugar
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups (330 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt

Coating

• 5 tablespoons granulated white sugar
• 5 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

• Preheat and prepare cookie sheets. Preheat oven to 400^oF. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
• Combine wet ingredients. Cream together butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla.
• Add dry ingredients. Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt.
• Chill the cookie dough. This dough is sticky so it’s best to chill the dough for at least 1 hour.
• Make cinnamon sugar topping. Mix together the 5 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
• Shape and roll cookies. Using a 1-inch cookie scoop or a tablespoon scoop the cookies into 1 ½ inch balls and immediately drop the cookie balls into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
• Bake and cool cookies. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until set but not too hard. Remove immediately from baking sheets.

Notes

Tools: Cookies Sheets | Oven Thermometer |Kitchen-Aid Mixer |Cookie Scoop | silicon baking mat | spatula | cooling rack | cookie spatula

Do I need to use cream of tartar?

Cream of tartar is what gives snickerdoodles their classic flavor. Sort of tangy and it reacts with the baking soda. But don't fret. If you don't have it you can omit the cream of tartar and baking soda and use 2 teaspoons baking powder instead.

Can I make these cookies ahead of time?

Yes!  The great thing about these cookies (and all scoop and bake cookies) is that they freeze so well! I freeze my cookie dough first uncovered for about 30 minutes. Then place them in a zip-loc bag. You can have cookies whenever you need them. Because seriously some days just need a cookie, don’t they? 

And they super easy to pull out of the freezer and pop into the oven. Just simply bake them for a couple minutes longer, no need to thaw!

Do I need to chill the cookie dough?

Yes. Chilling the dough will help firm up the dough and help with the cookies not spreading as much.

Can I freeze these cookies?

Yes and you should. You can freeze them baked or unbaked. 

To freeze unbaked: Scoop the cookies onto a cookie sheet, and freeze solid. Then place into a sealable plastic bag. You can bake frozen, without thawing, but add on a few extra minutes of baking time.

To freeze baked: Allow the cookies to cool completely. Then when ready to eat, allow to thaw. I like to pop them into the microwave for about 20 seconds to bring them back to ooey gooey life. 

For more help, read here on how to freeze cookie dough.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 186kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 77mg | Potassium: 66mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 256IU | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg