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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.
Just made cookies. The best I have ever tasted. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for saying that! I am so glad you like them 🙂
These were perfect!!
I am happy you think so!! Thank you for sharing that!
Just made these, super easy yet probably the most delicious Snickerdoodles I’ve had! They are the perfect consistency; slightly crisp on the outside and a little crinkled on top, yet soft and chewy on the inside. A few people that ate them had never had snickerdoodles before, so I’m glad I introduced them to the cookies with this amazing recipe!
I am glad you introduced them! Thank you so much for sharing that!
Hi Kristyn! Just wanted to say hi and tell you that I absolutely loved your snickerdoodles-recipe. as a matter of fact it was the best one I’VE EVER TRIED, so I made one or two tiny modifications and created a german version out of it. you can find it here: https://www.sweet-trolley.com/blog/snickerdoodles-weihnachtskekse-backen/
Of course i linked to the stunning original. Again: thanks a lot for this great recipe <3
best wishes from austria,
Katharina
Thank you so much for sharing that! I am so glad you tried them 🙂
I cooked this batch in 3 different cooking times: 10 minutes made the cookies very soft and (what i thought) was a little undercooked); 12 minutes was a little drier but still moist and chewy to the bite, and 13 minutes made the cookie with a crisp edge, mildly soft in the middle. i recommend cooking for 11-12 minutes and letting them cool completely.
i would not substitute cream of tartar – it’s what makes a snickerdoodle a snickerdoodle!
Thanks for sharing that!! I agree about the cream of tartar 🙂
We use this recipe all the time and lOve it. Its a family favorIte.
Thank you so much!! I am so glad you like them 🙂
Can unsalted butter be used?
Yes, I only like to use unsalted when baking 🙂
Wanted my sister’s recipe for these! When she called me she said just Google Lil Luna Snicker doodles. She says its EXACTLY what my recipe is! Not sure if she’s kept this a sceret all these years! But oh babe They are the bomb!!! I added a little more cinnamon as it didn’t look like enough!!
Thank you
Well, tell your sister thank you for sharing my site 🙂 I am happy that you liked them!
Seriously, this recipe is perfection. I followed it exactly, except my cookie scoop was bigger than i realized so i ended up wih larger cookies needing an extra two minutes to bake. But, the texture and flavor are perfect- cheWy on the outside and soft on the inside. Thank you!!
Nothing wrong with bigger cookies!! Thank you for trying them 🙂
When you mix butter and sugar do you use mixer for dry ingredients and mix all
Mix dry ingredients in a bowl, then cream the butter/sugar in the mixer. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the mixer & mix. Hope that helps 🙂