Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies that are soft and chewy and packed with cinnamon sugar flavor! You’ll love this family favorite recipe that my family has been enjoying for nearly 40 years!
My goal with this recipe was to create a cookie that was chewy on the inside with a slightly crunchy exterior thanks to the cinnamon sugar. Goal met!
Soft and chewy cookies in my mind, are the absolute perfect.
These soft chocolate chip cookies stay soft for DAYS, and I wanted that same chewy soft texture in today’s homemade snickerdoodle cookies.
Snickerdoodles remind me so much of childhood. A butter cookie dusted with a hint of cinnamon, these have remained one of my favorite cookies.
- The chewy snickerdoodle cookie recipe below is my go-to recipe from my mom and the one I ate growing up.
- No need to chill the dough.
- This recipe is easy enough for kids to help and produces delicious cinnamon sugar cookies each time. The Best Snickerdoodle recipe is sweet but not rich.
- Aside from all of that, the word “snickerdoodle” is just really fun to say. Go ahead, try it.
What You’ll Need
Want to make the best snickerdoodles? Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for full ingredient list.
- Baking soda and cream of tartar. You’ll notice today’s snickerdoodle cookie recipe is missing baking powder. The cream of tarter (not-so-secret ingredient) gives it that tangy flavor while still allowing it to rise into a chewy texture.
- Butter. I choose unsalted butter in 99.9% of my baking and cooking. This allows me to control the kosher salt in a recipe. Use my guide on how to soften butter quickly.
- Eggs. Binds the cookie dough together and gives a soft texture.
- All-Purpose Flour– use my guide on how to measure flour so that your cookie dough is perfect!
- No need to chill the dough. One of the best parts of today’s cookie, no chilling required!
*Adding pure vanilla extract to the cookie dough can elevate this cookie, but it definitely is not necessary. Use my homemade vanilla extract for delicious flavor.
How to Make Snickerdoodle Cookies
These easy snickerdoodle cookies start with a simple cookie dough.
Make the Cookie Dough.
- After beating room temperature butter with eggs and sugar, add the dry ingredients: flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. If using an electric stand mixer, use the paddle attachment. Otherwise a hand mixer is just fine.
- Mix just until cookie dough is combined (do not over mix).
Aimee’s Best Tip
The baking soda is key for achieving that chewy texture that spreads just enough! Do not try to substitute the baking soda with baking powder. The texture of this classic cookie won’t turn out right.
Now comes the most important part of making Snickerdoodles! The cinnamon sugar mixture.
Before baking, you dip cookie dough balls into cinnamon sugar. You’ll want a small bowl filled with your cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place cookies several inches apart on a baking sheet.
When you take them out of the oven, you’ll have chewy, buttery cookies. They will have a crisp, slightly crinkly cinnamon outside.
PRO TIP: Make it in a 13×9. Use my snickerdoodle bars recipe as a guide to bake these classic cookies in a 13×9 instead! So easy.
Be sure to cool cookies completely on a wire rack. These may end up being your new favorite cookie!
Why buy frozen snickerdoodle cookie dough when you can save yourself some money and prep your own?
Tips and Tricks
Making my easy snickerdoodle cookie recipe is the first step. Step two is learning how to store snickerdoodles properly.
- STORE– Keep cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- FREEZE DOUGH– Scoop cookie dough with a metal cookie scoop for even sized dough balls. Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet (or baking dish) and freeze for 30 minutes. Then remove and place in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Bake as directed from frozen, adding several minutes to your bake time. Use my guide on how to freeze cookie dough for best results.
- FREEZE SNICKERDOODLES- Cool cookies completely then store in airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight on conunter.
Favorite Cookie Recipes
If you love cookies be sure to try my peanut butter cookies for a classic cookie the whole family will love.
Or give these oatmeal raisin cookies a try, one of my favorites, packed with oats, cinnamon, and of course raisins!
Snickerdoodles. You can’t help but smile, right? For the NEXT LEVEL of snickerdoodles, try our cinnamon cookies, packed with white chocolate chips and pecans!
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Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For the topping
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mat, set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, and eggs with a hand or stand mixer. Do this for a couple minutes until light and fluffy.
- In a separate bowl whisk together flour, salt, cream of tartar, and baking soda. Add this mixture into the sugar and butter mixture. Beat again until dough forms.
- In a small bowl mix together cinnamon sugar coating. Using your hands or a small cookie scoop form ½ inch round balls of dough. Roll each ball around in the cinnamon sugar coating it generously.
- Place dough balls two inches apart on your baking sheet.
- Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly golden and no longer doughy. Let cool on a cooling rack for five minutes and enjoy!
Notes
- Be sure to get a nice coating of cinnamon sugar on each cookie dough ball.
- Can you freeze snickerdoodle cookies? Yes! Divide the dough into balls using a small scoop, dip into the cinnamon sugar then place on a baking sheet. Stick the baking sheet in the freezer for 1 hour, just until frozen. Immediately transfer the frozen cookie dough to an airtight container to avoid freezer burn!
- What can I substitute for cream of tartar? Swap the cream of tartar and baking soda for 2 teaspoons of baking powder instead!
- How do I get fluffier cookies instead of flat? Slightly underbaking the cookies will help, and if you must, refrigerate the cookie dough if your butter was TOO soft.
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Nutrition
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This is the only Snickerdoodle Cookie recipe you will ever need! Perfect as an afternoon snack, a dessert or a lunchbox treat, Snickerdoodles are the classic childhood cookie.
This is the second time in a week making these!! They are so yummy!! In the cinnamon sugar mix I also added some ground cardamom and kosher salt. I highly recommend it! It gives a little zing when you get a salt crystal and the cardamom adds a very subtle floral note!
Delicious. Soft. Not finicky.
I’m making the large group of cookies – few for us – the rest are for giving away to several people .
Thank you for your new baking book. It’s wonderful. I bought it from amazon and you had signed it which made my whole day exciting. Thank you.
Thank you Lisa!
Made these today and they are fantastic and easy to make! Adding recipe to my regular rotation of cookie baking! Thanks so much! The only change I made was to add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the flour and other dry ingredients to boost the cinnamon flavor to the dough.
In your lead, you remark about the cookie you’ve been enjoying for nearly 40 years. One of my absolute favorite memories is of hopping off the school bus, and crossing the road following the smell of the Snickerdoodles my Mum had baking in the oven! That was in the early 1950s. I turned 81 three weeks ago. No other cookie has ever smelled or tasted as good,,,or left such a happy imprint on my mind!
I made these cookies today and they are delicious and easy to make. I made the first tray with the half inch balls and they came out a little smaller than I expected so I made the rest more like an inch and they were a better size for my family. Wonderful recipe for an old favorite!
Good cookies. Soft. Didn’t crinkle on the top like a traditional snickerdoodle, but that’s most likely because there’s no shortening in the recipe. Very tasty.
This simple recipe yields simply delicious cookies. Tried it and will be using it again and again. Well done!
Cream of Tartar is also a mild acid and it will keep the sugar form crystalizing giving a melt in your
mouth texture.
Made these today for a potluck dinner tonight.
Since it is the Holiday season I changed up the topping, added about a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. Came out really good.
These were actually very easy to make, will make them again.
The cookies themselves are good but a little bitter and there’s no direction on how to store them. Overall 8.9/10
Made these today (cut recipe in half since only wanted a few dozen). They came out perfect! They were so easy and the taste was delicious. Taking to my grand-babies this weekend!! Five stars for sure, and will be my go to Snickerddoodle Cookie recipe.
Glad you and your grandbabies enjoyed them!