Snickerdoodle Cookies

A Good Classic Cookie

Some recipes don’t need to be fancy. They don’t need a twist or a surprise ingredient or some new technique you’ve never tried. Sometimes you just need a good classic cookie that you know is going to be delicious — and that’s exactly what a snickerdoodle is.

This is one of my husband Darren’s favorites. And if you’ve been watching our videos for a while, you may have seen him show up on camera a couple of times now. Well, today he stepped out from behind the camera again to do the taste test with me, and let’s just say he was a happy man.

A Cookie Worth Making from Scratch

I think what I love most about snickerdoodles is how simple they are. You probably already have everything you need in your pantry right now — butter, sugar, eggs, flour, vanilla, baking soda, a little salt, and cream of tartar. That last one is the ingredient that makes a snickerdoodle a snickerdoodle. It gives the cookie that slight tanginess and helps it stay soft and chewy instead of going flat and crispy.

And then there’s the cinnamon sugar coating. When you roll that ball of dough through that mixture and it comes out covered in cinnamon and sugar — oh, it smells so good. The whole kitchen just fills up with that warm cinnamon smell while they bake, and it’s hard not to grab one the second they come out of the oven.

Now, I will tell you — I like my cookies on the softer side. So I slightly underbake mine at about 8 minutes. They’ll look like they’re not quite done, but they set up as they cool and you end up with this perfectly soft, chewy cookie. If you like yours a little crispier, just let them go to about 10 minutes and you’ll be happy too.

One more tip that I think really makes a difference — chill your dough balls before baking. I put mine in the fridge for about 30 minutes after I rolled them in the cinnamon sugar, and it kept them from spreading out too much in the oven. You get a thicker, puffier cookie that way. But if you want a thinner cookie that spreads out more, just skip that step and bake them right away. Either way, they’re delicious.

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Snickerdoodle Cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Chill Time: 30 minutes (optional) | Bake Time: 8–10 minutes Yield: About 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

Cookie Dough:

• 1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• ½ teaspoon salt

Cinnamon Sugar Coating:

• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon (use slightly less if your cinnamon is very strong)

Instructions

1. Cream the butter and sugar. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl with a hand mixer), beat the softened butter and 1½ cups sugar together until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl — the butter likes to stick to the edges — and mix again briefly.
2. Add the eggs and vanilla. Crack in both eggs and add the vanilla. Mix until well combined, then scrape down the sides again and give it one more quick mix to make sure everything is incorporated.
3. Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. You don’t need to sift — just give it a quick stir so the baking soda and cream of tartar are spread throughout the flour.
4. Add dry ingredients to wet. With the mixer on low speed (so your flour doesn’t puff out everywhere), gradually add the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined — don’t overmix. You should have a soft, slightly sticky cookie dough.
5. Make the cinnamon sugar coating. In a small bowl, stir together ⅓ cup sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon. If you have a very strong cinnamon, go just a little lighter on the measurement.
6. Scoop and roll. Using a cookie scoop or two teaspoons, scoop the dough into balls. Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture — I like to roll mine through twice to get a really good coating. Place on a parchment-lined or ungreased cookie sheet, leaving about 2 inches between cookies.
7. Chill (optional but recommended). For thicker, puffier cookies, place your cookie sheet in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour. If you’re in a hurry or prefer a thinner cookie, you can skip this step and bake right away.
8. Bake. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. At 8 minutes you’ll get a softer, chewier cookie — they may look slightly underdone, but they’ll set up as they cool. At 10 minutes you’ll get a crispier cookie. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does cream of tartar do in snickerdoodles? Cream of tartar is what makes a snickerdoodle a snickerdoodle. It gives the cookie a very subtle tanginess that sets it apart from a regular sugar cookie. It also reacts with the baking soda to help the cookies rise and stay soft and chewy. Without it, you’d basically just have a cinnamon sugar cookie — still good, but not quite the same.

Can I substitute anything for cream of tartar? In a pinch, you can replace the 1 teaspoon baking soda + 2 teaspoons cream of tartar with 3 teaspoons of baking powder. The texture will be very close, though you may lose just a tiny bit of that signature tang.

Why did my snickerdoodles come out flat? The most common reasons are butter that was too warm (or melted instead of softened), or skipping the chill time. If your butter is too soft, the dough spreads fast in the oven before it has a chance to set. Chilling the dough balls for 30 minutes really helps them hold their shape.

Do I have to chill the dough? You don’t have to. If you prefer a thinner, flatter, crispier cookie, skip the chill and bake right away. But if you want them thick, soft, and puffy, 30 minutes in the fridge makes a big difference.

Can I chill the dough overnight? Yes! If you want to prep ahead, scoop and roll your dough balls in the cinnamon sugar, place them on the cookie sheet, and store them in a covered container or wrap the sheet with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight, then bake the next day. You may need to add a minute or two to your bake time since they’ll be colder going in.

How do I know when snickerdoodles are done? They’ll look slightly underdone when you pull them out — a little puffy and soft in the center. That’s perfect. They continue to set up as they cool on the baking sheet. If you wait until they look fully done in the oven, they’ll likely be overdone once they cool.

How should I store snickerdoodle cookies? Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They’re best in the first 2 to 3 days. If you want to keep them soft, you can place a slice of bread in the container — the cookies will absorb the moisture from the bread.

Can I freeze snickerdoodle dough? Absolutely. Scoop and roll the dough balls in cinnamon sugar, then place them on a cookie sheet and freeze until solid (about an hour). Transfer to a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, place frozen dough balls on a cookie sheet and bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes — no need to thaw first.

What kind of cinnamon should I use? Regular ground cinnamon from the grocery store works perfectly. If you have a stronger variety like Vietnamese or Saigon cinnamon, just use a little less in the coating — maybe closer to 1½ tablespoons instead of 2.

Can I make these without a stand mixer? Yes! A hand mixer works just as well. You could even do it by hand with a wooden spoon — it just takes a little more elbow grease to cream the butter and sugar together. The dough comes together easily either way.

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These snickerdoodles really are delicious. I hope you enjoy them, and I hope your family enjoys them too. And remember — go out today and find somebody who needs a little bit of kindness, and give them some of yours.