These traditional snickerdoodle cookies are sweet and soft, with that slight tang that makes them unique. Rolled in cinnamon sugar, this is a favorite vintage recipe that's not hard to make if you follow a few tips. The dough can be kept in the refrigerator for a day or frozen for a month before baking, and the baked cookies store well.
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Who can argue with cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar? The cookies are soft and chewy, with a nice cinnamon flavor and a crackly top.
I've been on a snickerdoodle bender lately, making this the third recipe posted in the past few months to go along with pumpkin snickerdoodles (so good!) and the unique chocolate snickerdoodle cookies. Lately, I also added the rich and wonderful browned butter cookies, another one to try asap!
Cookie-baking season is one of the best times of the year. You can make amazing homemade gifts or fill the cookie jars at home and take them to work without much effort.
Snickerdoodles fall into the easy cookie, one-bowl recipe category. As with many other popular recipes, from chocolate chip cookies to gingersnaps, you need some patience because, you know, baking one batch after the other takes time.
Cream of tartar is the ingredient that sets these cookies apart. A snickerdoodle is not a snickerdoodle if it doesn't use it.
Testing notes
Paula's baking tips that make a difference.
Cinnamon: this is a cinnamon cookie, so use the best one you can afford.
Cream of tartar is the ingredient that gives them their signature tang and chewy texture that set these cookies apart and makes them what they are. There's no substitute. If you leave it out, you have cinnamon cookies, not Snickerdoodles.
Don't overbake them! Or you'll get dry cookies. For perfect snickerdoodle cookies, you want to take them out while the center is still slightly soft; they'll continue to firm up during the cooling period.
Make ahead: These cookies stay well for several days, so you can make them a few days before you plan to eat or gift them.
Large batch: You can double the recipe (a good idea if you are baking for the holidays) and use the stand mixer to make the dough.
Size: I use a cookie dough scoop that's 1,57 inches (4cm) in diameter, the small one of this cookie scoop set). If you use a larger one, the cookies will take a few more minutes to bake, and the recipe will render fewer cookies.
Ingredients
FAQ
I don't, not even if the cookie dough has chilled in the fridge. The puffy center that collapses as they cool down is a characteristic of these snickerdoodles.
They keep well for about 5 days in an airtight container or cookie jar. Make sure they're completely cooled down before you store them. No need to refrigerate them.
Steps to make classic snickerdoodles
Mixing the dough: you can use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (great when you make a large batch) or a mixing bowl and an electric mixer. Though you can make it by hand if you're up to an arm muscle workout, dissolving the sugar and getting the right consistency might be harder.
Wet ingredients
Beat butter with sugars until creamy; then add eggs and flavorings.
Sifting and mixing
Make sure you sift the dry ingredients, especially the baking soda and cream of tartar, as they can clump during storage.
Balls of dough
Make snickerdoodle cookie dough balls the size of walnuts and roll them, coating them well. The cinnamon will make the color uneven.
Cinnamon sugar coating
This is a necessary step to call them snickerdoodles, so don't omit it. It adds a touch of sweetness and more cinnamon flavor.
Vintage Kitchen Tip
The cookies can be baked immediately, or the dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking. Always cover the bowl well so it doesn't dry out.
Prepare the baking sheet
Place them on a greased, parchment- or Silpat-lined cookie sheet a few inches apart.
They spread quite a lot, so don't skimp on the separation. If necessary, bake more batches.
Baking
Perfect snickerdoodle cookies will rise, puff, and then crash down, giving them the characteristic crinkle. It's supposed to happen and results from the amount of cream of tartar and baking soda used.
Easy Snickerdoodle Recipe (chewy)
Ingredients
For the cinnamon coating:
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the cookie dough:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Lightly butter cookie sheets or line them with parchment paper.
For the cinnamon coating:
- In a small shallow bowl, mix 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Reserve.
For the cookie dough:
- Beat 1 cup unsalted butter with 1 ½ cups sugar in a large bowl for 2 minutes, until creamy.
- Add 2 eggs, one at a time, and mix well. Add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and mix.
- Sift dry ingredients: 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar, ¼ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I measure them and sift directly over the butter, but you can do it in another bowl if you want). Add to the butter and mix well until no dry spots remain. Don't overmix at this point.
- Take teaspoons of dough and make balls the size of walnuts. Roll them in the cinnamon sugar and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them a few inches apart as they expand during baking.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the top is dry and the cookies barely start to crackle.
- Let cool for 5 minutes and lift them carefully with a spatula. Let cool completely on a wire rack and keep in tins or airtight cookie jars.
- You can chill the dough, covered to prevent dryness, for a day before baking.
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