These chewy Snickerdoodle Cookies melt in your mouth and are so easy to make! Coated in cinnamon sugar, with their classic zing flavor, these cookies are so good you wont want to share!

A perfect snickerdoodle recipe gives you a slightly crispy outside and a divinely soft and puffy inside. They are wrapped in a cinnamon sugar coating and have just the slightest tangy flavor that we all know and love.

This snickerdoodle cookie recipe is exactly that. Not to brag or anything but it’s pretty perfect.

 

 

What is a Snickerdoodle?

I’m always surprised when people don’t know what a snickerdoodle is! There are many people in my life whose very favorite cookie is a snickerdoodle so I’ve been making these for a LONG time and I feel like everyone should know what these are. If you don’t, you are in for a treat!

Snickerdoodles are similar to a sugar cookie. Soft and sugary. But they have a few key differences.

1. Snickerdoodles use cream of tartar. Cream of tartar is a leavening agent similar to that of baking soda or baking powder but it has a tangy flavor that is truly necessary for an honest to goodness snickerdoodle cookie.
2. Unlike sugar cookies, snickerdoodles are coated in sugar and cinnamon before baking. It is heavenly.

 

 

What is in Snickerdoodle Cookies?

• Butter: You’ll want your butter to be room temperature. Don’t melt it. It should be soft to the touch but not melting all over the plate. I used salted butter in this recipe.
• Sugar: Plain white sugar for both the inside and outside of the cookies. 
• Eggs: When baking it’s best if you use eggs that are room temperature. Although not necessary it helps your dough to bind better. Whether they are room temperature or not is up to you.
• Vanilla: A snickerdoodle cookie is only as good as it’s ingredients. Use pure vanilla, not that imitation stuff. Pure vanilla is so much yummier. If you must use the imitation, your cookie will still be delicious, but you’ll appreciate it a lot more if you use pure. Trust me.
• Flour: Regular, all purpose flour. Make sure it’s not expired.
• Cream of Tartar and Baking Soda: The cream of tartar gives the signature tang and activates the baking soda. The perfect combination.
• Salt: Can you leave out the salt and get a sweeter cookie? Unfortunately that is NOT the way baking works! Leave the salt in for flavoring.
• Cinnamon: Cinnamon and sugar get rolled on the outside of these easy snickerdoodle cookies. Try not to lick your fingers too much.

 

 

Pro Tip: I love a good substitution as much as the next person. But when it comes to substituting ingredients for some that may be subpar, such as butter for shortening, your cookie is going to reflect it. Keep the ingredients as fresh as possible. It makes all the difference.

 

 

How to Make Snickerdoodle Cookies?

1. Cream together butter and sugar. This whips air into your cookie dough giving you a puffier cookie. Next add your eggs followed by cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Finally put in the flour.
2. Form into 1 inch balls and roll those little morsels in cinnamon sugar mixture.
3. Bake.
4. Eat. Keep repeating this step until full. Or save some for later. Your choice.

 

 

Pro Tips: 

• You want your cookies to be just barely golden brown around the edges. Do not over bake. You want soft and chewy, not a cookie that must be dunked in milk to be enjoyable. Most ovens are going to take 8-10 minutes. Keep an eye on your cookies so you know how long yours will take.
• Add your flour in ½ cup at a time to make sure you don’t get clumps of flour that haven’t fully mixed with the rest of the dough.

 

 

Can you Make Snickerdoodle Cookies Without Cream of Tartar?

Short answer? Yes. Long answer? You can but you probably shouldn’t. 

Although you can substitute the cream of tartar for baking powder, the cream of tartar is seriously the signature of these cookies. If you do decide to substitute use 2 teaspoons of baking powder and omit both the cream of tartar and baking soda.

 

 

Can You Freeze Snickerdoodle Cookies?

You sure can! Having sweet treats on hand at all times is my secret to greeting guests whenever they happen to stop by. And they love it.

First, these can be made in advance two ways.

1. Make the dough, refrigerate up to two days before baking. When ready to bake, allow to come to room temperature and then form into balls and roll in the cinnamon sugar.
2. Make the dough and freeze in an airtight container. My personal favorite way is to form them into balls, place on a cookie sheet and then put them in the freezer for an hour. Once they are frozen, move to your airtight container. They will keep up to three months. When ready to bake, allow to come to room temperature and then roll in the cinnamon sugar.

You can also bake the cookies and then keep on the counter for about 3 days in an airtight container and they will stay soft. Any longer than that and they’ll start to lose their soft, chewy texture.

You can also freeze them once baked and keep them in your freezer for up to 3 months.

 

 

Pro Tips: 

• Write the oven temperature and baking time on the container so you don’t have to hunt for it when you’re ready to bake.
• Your cookies may absorb a little air while sitting on your counter. If you put a small piece of bread in the container with your cookies, it will help to absorb the extra air and keep your cookies softer longer.

 

 

Snickerdoodle Cookie Variations

Ready to step out of the box and try something totally crazy and delicious? Try these Pumpkin Cheesecake Snickerdoodles. Oh. My. Goodness.

I’ve heard you can also try rolling these in pumpkin pie spice and sugar or apple pie spice and sugar. They both sound wonderful.

More Cookie Recipes You’ll Love…

• 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
• Cut Out Sugar Cookie Recipe
• Ginger Crinkle Cookies
• Maraschino Cherry Cookies
• Oatmeal Lace Cookies
• Snowball Surprise Cookies
• Coconut Oatmeal Cookies
• 3 Ingredient Chocolate Cookies
• Chocolate Cherry Cookies
• Gingerbread Reindeer Cookies
• Chocolate Drop Cookies
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Snickerdoodles
• Banana Cookies
• No Bake Pumpkin Cookies
• Banana Oatmeal Cookies

 

 

If you want a Snickerdoodle Cookie that is both soft and puffy and will leave zero crumbs behind, look no further. These Snickerdoodles are the easiest cookies that will leave a lasting impression on everyone who tries them.

 

Originally Posted: December 11, 2014

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