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 always soft, chewy, NO-FAIL and turns out perfect EVERY TIME.
What makes this recipe special is the perfect balance of texture and flavor—soft centers, slightly crisp edges, and just the right hint of tang from the cream of tartar. They’re easy to make, bake beautifully, and stay soft for days (if they last that long!).
Why we think you’ll love them:
- Perfectly sweet. Soft, chewy, and perfectly sweet with warm cinnamon flavor.
- Pantry staples. The ingredients are simple and found in most kitchens!
- Giftable + Presentable. They make a great addition to Christmas cookie plates and are perfect for get togethers, showers and more.
- Freezable. Great for freezing—just roll and bake later!
Snickerdoodle Ingredients
Cookie
- All-purpose flour (2¾ cups): The base that gives the cookies structure.
- 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 (⅓ cup):
- Cinnamon (2 tbsp):
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- sugar (1/3 cup): The base of the sweet coating.
- cinnamon (2 tablespoons): Adds warmth and that iconic Snickerdoodle spice.
Pro Tip: 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 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 (flatten with the bottom of a cup if you like your cookies thinner), 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!
- 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 Recipe
Video
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.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
– Your butter was. too soft or melted – it needs to be just softened.
– Your baking soda or cream of tartar is expires – 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.
More Like This
Snickerdoodle Treats
Classic Cookies
Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
15 mins
Frosted Sugar Cookies
25 mins
Easy Oatmeal Cookies
22 mins
Best Peanut Butter Cookies
1 hr 22 mins
Collections
This recipe was first published August 2012.
Made these vegan by using aquafaba (liquid in a can of chick peas) instead of eggs and vegan butter/coconut oil. Deliciously perfect.
Cool! Thanks for sharing what you did!
Easy to make, easy to bake, and easy to take!
If I have salted butter, should I just leave out the 1/2 tsp salt? Would that still work?
Yep! You could always leave it out and then add more salt to taste, as needed.
So yummy! The dough was a little wetter than expected, but once i got the sugar on there they balled right up! Also used a 1tsp white vinegar per 1/2tsp cream of tartar, turned out great!
I tried your recipe, followed the directions explicitly….. did not overmix, the dough was so soft that I was unable to roll into balls. I refrigerated them overnight. I rolled the refrigerated dough into balls then cinnamon sugar. One batch I pressed flat the second I left in a ball. Both came out completely flat. They did not resemble your picture at all.
What could have I done different?
Mine turned out VERY flat as well. Refrigerating the rest of the dough, hoping that helps. They smell good at least
I agree the dough was too soft, broadline batter. To that I added 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 tsp tartar, and 1 tsp baking powder. I probably could have only done with 3/4 cups of extra flour. I did not flatten them, but the cookies sloped into a nice dome shape after a min or two. I sprinkled some extra sugar/cinnamon mixture on the top. I do not have a cookie scoop so I use two spoons. My balls were about 1.5 inches, I got 38 cookies.
The cookies came out like picture 3, but maybe just the slightest more fluffy. They tasted wonderful!
I love snicker doodle cookies, they are my favorite cookie and I remember I was around 7 when I had my first snicker cookie. I have tried and hated every recipe, and brand’s of the snicker doodle cookies you can buy at a store and bakery. I made these and accidentally combined the sugar that was supposed to be with the butter into the bowl with all the flour. I had my doubts when I made these cookies, I let them cool for 10 minutes, and it brought me back to the day that I discovered snicker doodle cookies. This recipe is stunning, I loved these cookies so much. I made a total of 25 cookies and gave half to my grandpoppy since snicker doodles are his favorite as well. And he ended up eating almost all of them on the way home.
10/10
Love making these cookies. I always double the recipe and then give all of the cookies to my friends and family! They love them, my great nieces favorite! Continue making them, thanks R3!
Turned out flat and were way to sweet
AMAZING!!
I subbed the cream of tartar + baking soda for baking powder, turned out amazing!
I also used salted butter and skipped the salt, still amazing.
These cookies turned out perfectly, I froze 2/3 of the dough. I’m not sure what the cream of tartar does but the baking powder made them stay fluffy even after cooling. I also don’t have a cooling rack but they were room temp in 3 minutes and I put them straight on a plate to eat. THANK YOU SO MUCH, these are my new potluck dish.
The recipe was pretty good! It tastes really good and is mostly ease to follow. I don’t really understand how to soften butter just barely so it would have been nice to been told a bit more specifics, but that’s more from a beginners view (aka me). Ended up softening too much and had to put more flour to fix it. Otherwise lovely recipe thank you!