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Super soft and full of cinnamon, this snickerdoodle recipe is one we’ve made for decades that is beyond delicious and NO-FAIL!
A Family Favorite
Snickerdoodle cookies are a classic cookie we have made our whole lives. The family is obsessed with them and fortunately you guys are too! With over 3,000 FIVE STAR reviews, this recipe has been made and enjoyed by thousands of you each year and we cannot tell you how happy that makes us.
This easy cookie recipe was first made by mom decades ago. It was also one of the first recipes we ever shared here on Lil’ Luna. Although we haven’t changed the recipe, we have shared more tips and tricks to make sure it’s NO-FAIL and turns out perfect EVERY TIME.
WHY WE LOVE IT:
- Perfectly sweet. It’s double-dipped in cinnamon + sugar!
- Pantry staples. The ingredients are simple and found in most kitchens!
- Giftable. They make a great addition to Christmas cookie plates.
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 10 min
COOK TIME: 10 min
Cookie
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour – How to Measure Flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar – creates the signature tangy flavor
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter – just softened!
- This is KEY! When you press in finger into the butter, you want it to barely indent. Too hard, and the dough won’t be just right – too soft and your cookies will be flat.
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 whole eggs – room temperature eggs incorporate the best
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
Cream of Tartar Substitution
Replace the 2 teaspoons cream of tartar AND the 1 teaspoon baking soda with 2 teaspoons of baking powder and ½ teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar.
How to Make SnickerdoodleS
- BATTER. In a medium bowl, stir the 2¾ cup flour, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand mixer) cream together 1 cup butter (barely softened) and 1½ cups sugar. Add 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla and mix until it is well blended.
- SHAPE. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mix well, and then shape the dough into 1-inch balls (no need to chill).
- COAT. In a small bowl, combine ⅓ cup sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon. Roll the dough balls into the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
- BAKE. Place on an un-greased pan, and bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes. Let sit on the cookie sheet for a few additional minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.
To Chill or Not to Chill?
This is the main question we get asked about this snickerdoodle recipe so we decided to test it for you to show the differences. The results speak for themselves!
- CHILLED – the cookie is more poofy, doesn’t have as many cracks on top and does not expand as much.
- CHILLED + FLATTENED – this cookie expanded the most, but became almost too flat
- NOT CHILLED – our preferred method – you can see that the cookie is not too flat, has all the cracks on top and is PERFECT.
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Snickerdoodle Recipe
Ingredients
Snickerdoodle Dough
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, just softened
- 1½ cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, mix flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer, cream together butter (barely softened) and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and blend well.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well.
- In a small bowl, combine ⅓ cup sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon.
- Use a small cookie scoop to scoop out dough and roll it into a ball. Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture – twice.
- Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes. Let sit on the cookie sheet for a few additional minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Cover and store the dough from this snickerdoodle recipe in the fridge for 1-2 days. See How to Freeze Cookie Dough for tips.
Keep cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. Store in a freezer bag, or air-tight container in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Amazing recipe – so good
I just made these. I didn’t read the comment about the butter. Also I shouldn’t have read the comments because I was scared of over mixing and ended up under mixing. That my dough looked crumbly. But each batch I did is slightly different times, chilled/chilled,knead dough a bit more. But the end results this was my first time trying a snickerdoodle it’s a ok cookie. It just reminds me of a sugar cookie with cinnamon. In my opinion I like the name better than the actual cookie lol but I will see in the morning what the family thinks.
Thanks for the feedback on the cookies!! Thanks for giving the recipe a try!
Hey how many cookies does one batch yield?
It depends on the size of cookie you make, but about 3 dozen (36 cookies).
Amazing recipe!!! Adding to my cookie book. Fluffy and delicious. My family loves them! I’m a big comment reader and saw a handful complaints about the cookies flattening. You MUST chill the dough to avoid this issue! It’s hard waiting after i get it but for the perfect cookie that’s the best advice!! Thanks for sharing your recipe 10/10 🙂
You’re welcome!! So happy to hear you loved the cookies!
Been making this recipe for about 6 years now and every year they turn out perfect! Make sure you follow the instructions and only cook the 8-10 minutes – they still look like they should cook longer when you take them out, but they don’t need to! Trust the process, haha! Cook any longer and they become hard and dried out, not soft and chewy. Honestly such an easy and foolproof recipe! I doubled the batch yesterday and it made 85 cookies!
Thanks you for sharing this with us!
You’re welcome! Thank you for your feedback and review!! So glad you love the cookies.
I made these cookies over the weekend, and they didn’t turn out how I wanted. They taste great, but are super flat, and spread out in the pan like one big cookie. The dough was very sticky, couldn’t roll it into balls. I refrigerated it for a couple hours and that helped, but by the end of rolling, it had become so mushy again, it was sticking to my hands. They are a little crunchy on the outside and the inside is very soft. I was worried they were underdone but after letting them set, they were fine. Disappointed visually, but at least they taste good.
Thanks for the feedback and giving them a try!
My cookies went flat. They spread and touched each other. Not pretty but they do taste great.
Really good, first time ever making them and everyone loved them!
The dough was too soft. Could barely form it into balls.
Absolutely fantastic. Followed the recipe exactly. Creamed the sugar and butter for 3 minutes, 9 min bake time at 350F, the whole batch was gone in 48 hours among a family of five. Had to make another batch again today to keep up!