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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.
There is a typo in the instructions #5. It says to mix together cinnamon and cinnamon. 🤨 It think you meant to say “sugar” and cinnamon.
Thanks for pointing that out. We’ll get it updated.
These are amazing. I made these a couple of weeks ago and the entire batch was gone within 24 hours
Oh that makes me so happy to hear! Glad that the cookies were a hit!
Hi! I adore this recipe, but for the sake of beginner bakers, you may want to correct the small typo in your instructions that say to combine 1/3 c. cinnamon with 2 tablespoons of cinnamon.
I believe there is a miss print.
1/3 cup of sugar to mix with cinnamon
Not 1/3 cup of cinnamon.
Thank you
I was a little confused.
Thanks for catching that. We’ll get it updated!
You’re right, they are the best! I won over my gluten-free friend by substituting the flour 1:1 with almond flour. Understandably, they flatten something serious, but are delicious no less. I’ll sometimes add more almond flour to “bulk it up” a bit, but do you, as a more knowledgeable baker than myself, have any suggestions? I’m considering adding ~1/4 coconut flour to balance moisture, or maybe adding another egg?
I followed your recipe to the letter and the cookies did not hold their shape, collapsed and spread all over the baking sheets. Must be the altitude? We are at 6900 feet
Awesome!
Sooo good almost ate the 33 cookies this recipe made! Ooops!
Haha it is hard not to! 😉 So glad you enjoyed the cookies!
Hello, I would like to make this cookie but I do not have unsalted butter. Can I just cut the salt in half and use the butter I have? Will that work? Thank you.
Yes, you can!
You bet! I like using unsalted butter because then I can control the amount of salt in the cookie, but you can certainly use salted and then either omit or reduce the amount of salt the recipe calls for. Hope you enjoy the cookies!
these are amazing i used a light baking sheet which made thinner cookies and a dark baking sheet lined with tinfoil which made them thicker and they were all perfectly cooked after 8 minutes
Thanks for sharing! That’s great to know. I’m so glad you enjoyed the snickerdoodles!