Super soft and full of cinnamon – this Snickerdoodle Cookie recipe is sure to be a hit! They’re one of our Most Requested cookie recipes and always get so many compliments!
One of the most classic cookie recipes, we make these snickerdoodles all the time! Almost as often as our chocolate chip, sugar, or M&M cookies! It’s a recipe everyone loves, and it’s so easy to make.
Snickerdoodle Cookies
I LOVE Snickerdoodle Cookies! My family searched for the best Snickerdoodle recipe for a long time, and we finally found THE ONE. We’ve been using it for as long as I can remember now. It’s just as classic as our Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies and Sugar Cookies recipes.
Why is it called a Snickerdoodle? From Wikipedia: The Joy of Cooking claims that snickerdoodles are probably German in origin and that the name is a corruption of the German word Schneckennudeln (“snail noodles”), a kind of pastry. Not sure how that word adapted, but I do admit that there is something sweet and fun about the word.
What’s great about this recipe is that it’s easy and cookies always turn out SOFT, which for me is pretty much a requirement for a good cookie. 🙂
We know there are tons who love this cinnamon cookie, but if you fall under that category, then I suggest giving this cookie recipe a try. We love changing it up as we did with these White Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles (more white chocolate chips plus pumpkin spice).
How to Make Snickerdoodles:
We love that these cookies are so simple that even the kids can help out!! The snickerdoodle ingredients needed for this recipe include:
- butter
- sugar
- eggs
- vanilla
- flour
- cream of tartar
- baking soda
- salt
- cinnamon
You begin by mixing together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Set this aside and cream together the butter and sugar followed by adding the eggs until it is well blended.
From there you add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mix well and then shape dough into 1 inch balls.
Mix these balls into your cinnamon and sugar mixture and place on an un-greased pan and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
These cinnamon cookies are baked to perfection and result in the easiest, most delicious cookie!!
What’s the perfect cinnamon/sugar ratio for snickerdoodles? We love using 3 tablespoons sugar with 1 tablespoon cinnamon.
How to keep snickerdoodles soft?
A soft snickerdoodle is essential. There are a couple tricks to making and keeping your snickerdoodles soft and chewy, including:
- Do NOT over bake them! Our recipe says to bake for 8-10 min. Depending on how soft you want them, take them out of the oven after 8 minutes. Let them sit on the baking sheet for a minute and then take them off and put them on a cooling rack. 8 minutes cook time will insure a soft chewy cookie – even after they have cooled.
- To keep them soft and chewy, store them in an airtight container. Throw in a little piece of bread into the container with your cookies. The bread will absorb the extra air in the container and make the cookies stay fresh for longer! Most cookies can stay fresh when stored in an airtight container at room temp for about 3 days.
Snickerdoodles FAQ
Is there a substitute for cream of tartar? Yes – you can always substitute fresh lemon juice or white vinegar for cream of tartar. We’ve also used baking powder as a substitute which works but does not provide that tangy flavor cream of tartar usually adds.
Do I need cream of tartar for snickerdoodles? Although cream of tartar is typically used in snickerdoodle recipes to add a unique tangy taste and chewy texture, you can still use a substitute for it. It is one of the key ingredients that transforms it into a tangy, chewy cookie differentiating it from a typical butter sugar cookie.
Can you freeze snickerdoodles? Put them into a freezer bag or container and make sure they are air-tight. You can keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat or serve them, just let them thaw in their container on the counter. They will taste just as yummy the day you made them!
Nothing can beat a warm, cinnamon and sugar covered cookie. That is why we love these snickerdoodles so much! We hope you love them as much as we do.
For more snickerdoodle recipes, check out:
- White Chocolate Snickerdoodles
- Snickerdoodle Bars
- Snickerdoodle Bread
- Snickerdoodle Puppy Chow
- White Chocolate Dipped Snickerdoodles
- Eggnog Snickerdoodles
Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Mix together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
- Cream together sugar and butter. Add eggs and vanilla and blend well.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well.
- Shape dough into 1 inch balls and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees. (Makes about 3-4 dozen cookies)
Can’t wait to try these! Do I need salted or unsalted butter??
I typically use unsalted butter when baking.
These cookies we’re very easy to make and absolutely delicious I doubled the recipe and I gave them out for my cookie exchange
Love your easy cookie recipes!!!
Love this recipe!!! Staple in our house
These are amazing!!! Cinnamon coated on the front, soft in the middle….MM!!! Whole family loved!!
Can I freeze the dough and bake cookies later?
This is my favorite Snickerdoodles recipe. They’re easy to make and they come out perfect every time!
I made these for the first time and they appear thinner than the picture shows. Is this normal? Are they a thinner cookie and if not what did I do wrong
They aren’t a super thick cookie, but about how they look in the pictures/video. If the butter was too soft, they may have spread more in the oven to be thinner. Another option you can try if you want them thicker is to chill the dough for 30 min – 1 hour before baking in the oven. Our recipe doesn’t require that step, but you could try to that if you want them thicker.
Loved this recipe! Only thing is take it out after 8 minutes, because even though it looks raw thats when the cookie will be soft.
Thanks for sharing what you did. Every oven bakes a little different, so I’m so glad that you figured out the perfect time for yours. YUM! 🙂
These came out absolutely fabulous! This recipe is a keeper for sure
Yay, so happy to hear that! I’m so glad you enjoy the cookies!
This cookie recipe is great! I make them for the Swedish children who live across the street!
I’m so glad the kids love them! Thanks for sharing!
they are to sticky to roll. perhaps they should be chilled
You can definitely chill them for a bit if the dough seems sticky to you. 🙂
SO FLAVORFUL AND AWESOME!
How long do you keep them on the baking sheet? I took mine off to cool and they fell apart 🙁
I usually keep them on for a minute or so. Might be worth leaving them in the oven for one more minute if they were still totally gooey and falling apart? Or you could try leaving them on the baking sheet just a tad longer too.
Lots of butter but so worth it. Super soft
Right?! 😉 So glad you enjoyed the cookies!