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.
What are Snickerdoodles? Snickerdoodles are soft, chewy sugar cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar. What really sets them apart from regular sugar cookies is cream of tartar, which gives them their signature tangy flavor, soft texture, and crackly tops.
This easy cookie recipe was first made by my mom decades ago and was one of the first recipes we ever shared here on Lil’ Luna. To us, the best snickerdoodles are soft and chewy in the center, lightly crisp around the edges, generously coated in cinnamon sugar, and have that signature tang from cream of tartar, and this recipe is just that. We haven’t changed the recipe over the years, but we have added more tips and tricks to help make sure they turn out just right every time.
These are truly the best for Christmas or changed up just slightly like our Chocolate coated Christmas Snickerdoodles and Brown Butter Snickerdoodles.
Why You’ll Love it + Why it Works:
- Soft + Chewy. Soft centers, lightly crisp edges, and plenty of cinnamon sugar make these a family favorite.
- No Chill Time. The dough goes straight from the bowl to the oven, so they’re quick and easy.
- Simple Ingredients. They’re made with basic pantry staples we usually have on hand.
- Cream of Tartar is Key. It gives snickerdoodles that classic tang and helps create their signature chewy texture.
- Barely Softened Butter. This is our trick for keeping the cookies soft without letting them spread too much.
Snickerdoodle Ingredients
Cookie
- All-purpose flour (2¾ cups): Gives the cookies structure. For the most accurate result, spoon and level the flour rather than scooping directly from the bag.
- Cream of tartar (2 teaspoons): Adds that signature tang and chewy texture Snickerdoodles are famous for.
- Baking soda (1 teaspoon): Helps the cookies rise just the right amount.
- Salt (½ teaspoon): Balances the sweetness.
- Unsalted butter (1 cup, just softened): Creates a rich, buttery base.
- 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.
- Sugar (1½ cups): Sweetens and helps create the crackly texture.
- Eggs (2): Add moisture and help the dough bind together. Room temp eggs incorporate best.
- Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon): Enhances flavor and adds warmth.
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- sugar (1/3 cup): The base of the sweet coating.
- cinnamon (2 tablespoons): Adds warmth and that iconic Snickerdoodle spice.
Cream of Tartar
- Why the Cream of Tartar in Snickerdoodles? Cream of tartar gives snickerdoodles their signature tang and works with baking soda to help create their soft, chewy texture and crackly tops. You can make them without it, but the flavor will be closer to a cinnamon sugar cookie.
- No Cream of Tartar?
- For this recipe, replace the 2 teaspoons cream of tartar and 1 teaspoon baking soda with 2 teaspoons baking powder. The cookies will still be soft and delicious, but they won’t have quite the same signature tangy Snickerdoodle flavor.
- For a substitution that keeps a little more of that tang, you can replace the cream of tartar with 1½ teaspoons white vinegar or lemon juice and keep the baking soda as written. The texture and flavor may be slightly different from the original.
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 until light and fluffy (at least 2 minutes) 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 – TWICE.
BAKE. Place on an un-greased pan or baking sheets 2 inches apart (flatten with the bottom of a cup if you like your cookies thinner), and bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers still look slightly underdone.
Let them sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
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!
- NOT CHILLED – our preferred method – you can see that the cookie is not too flat, has all the cracks on top and is PERFECT.
- 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
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- BUTTER IS KEY. Make sure you are using real butter for this recipe (no margarine), and make sure it is JUST SOFTENED. If it’s too soft, your cookies will spread too much.
- DON’T SKIP THE CREAM OF TARTAR. It gives the cookie that famous tangy flavor!
- DOUBLE ROLL. Don’t skip rolling the cookie dough balls in the cinnamon-sugar mixture twice – it ensures that sweet goodness is in every bite and gives that beautiful crackly coating we all love.
- DON’T OVER-BAKE. Snickerdoodles might look a little underdone when you pull them out of the oven, but trust me, take them out! They’ll continue cooking on the pan and stay soft and chewy inside.
- CHILL IF NEEDED. If your kitchen is warm or the dough feels sticky, pop it in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Snickerdoodle Cookies
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 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers still look slightly underdone. Let them sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe FAQ
The edges should look set, but the centers may still look slightly soft. Take them out before they look fully baked because they will continue setting on the hot pan.
– Your butter was too soft or melted (it needs to be just softened.)
– Your baking soda or cream of tartar is expired. These two ingredients work together to give snickerdoodles their signature soft, puffy texture. If they’re old, they won’t do their job, and your cookies will spread. Check those expiration dates!
– Over-mixing the dough – Once you add the dry ingredients, mix until just combined. Over-mixing can cause thinner cookies.
– Oven temperature is too low – If your oven runs cool, the butter will melt before the cookies have time to set. Use an oven thermometer to make sure it’s at 350 degrees.
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.
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This recipe was first published August 2012.
I tried these as your pictures made these cookies look so yummy, and I am so glad you did the research to find the best one’s not me, ha! Well, I made them, and got rave reviews from people I have shared them with, and of corse myself. Thanks so much, this recipe will now make it into my own recipe box.
I’m here to help;) I try to find the best, before I share! They are our absolute favorite!! Glad they’re making it in your recipe box!
This recipe is almost the same as the recipe I use the only difference is i put cinnamon in the dough itself….makes soft and chewy cookies. Love it !
Hi, I love this recipe and have made it several times and they always turn out great. But today they spread out and are really flat. Any suggestions of what could cause them to go flat? Could butter being too soft or over mixed be the culprit? Or maybe my baking soda is too old?
I made these about a week ago. They turned out perfect SO yummy and chewy! Then I made them again today. Did every step exactly the same and the batter was so hard to roll, really soft. The cookies came out of the oven flatter than pancakes. Maybe the butter was beat too much but I truly made them exactly the same way I did the first time so I’m kind of confused…? At least they taste great!
My MIL is a snickerdoodle freak and I only make them once a year this recipe is by far her favorite now I make them in double batches roll them into balls bake one batch and freeze the other for her to bake when she gets a craving. Major brownie for me. Thank you!
Am I able to make the batter and store in the fridge until Im ready to bake?
I just made these again and my son said they were perfect! They are always a favorite in our house. Best recipe I have tried.
Excellent. Just made a batch of these cookies to start our my Christmas baking. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe.
Kristyn! You nailed it with this Snickerdoodle recipe. When I saw the cream of tartar ratio I just knew it was going to be good. I have tried so many that don’t have enough of that ‘tang’ you get from the cream of tartar, or they use vanilla (which Snickerdoodles don’t need. I think you are right, this recipe is PERFECT! Mine puffed up into prefect soft pillows of yumminess with just the right amount of crisp outside. Thank you! My new go to recipe!
I LOVE to hear that, Tawnie!! We’ve been using this recipe for so long and they always turn out perfect. 😉 Thanks for stopping by and have a great day. 😉
Hi, i am about to try out the Sneaker doodle recipe for the first time and will come and give some feedback. I am from South Africa and i enjoy baking and trying out recipes that we are not accustomed with.
I have a very serious question and i sincerely hope you are one of your followers/readers could advise me on it: I have now seen many recipes of the “Pull apart bread” or pull apart Muffins and it is such a great idea. Something else not known in the South African Homes.
In each and every of these recipes they use the Pillsbury bread dough… Something not available in South Africa. Can i make my own bread dough? Is this a very soft moist bread dough?
Hi Anneke. Would love to know how you like the Snickerdoodles. The Pillsbury bread dough is very moist and soft, but not all pull apart recipes use it. This one right here can be used. Hope that helps!
Absolutely! You can make a yeast dough, proof it, and when you punch it down after the 1st rise, you cut the dough into 1 or 2 inch pieces and ball them up. Put the balled up dough into a greased pan. You can make a sweet dough like a for a danish, for monkey bread (sugar and cinnamon covered dough balls) or a white bread dough for savory flavors like cheeses and herbs. Good luck with your recipes!
Absolutely use your own bread dough recipe. I do…whats the point of making home made if your using store made dough. Roll into balls as the recipe calls for and voila. Good luck you’ve pick 2 delicious recipes to try out!
Yes, you absolutely can!! I’d love to know what you think of them!