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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.
Turned out great
Mine turned out flat. How much sugar goes into the cookie. My dough was really sticky. They were still good.
Well it did mention you can add flour until it’s not sticky anymore. Maybe you missed that?
Yes, you can add a bit more flour (about a Tbsp at a time) until the dough isn’t quite as sticky! Hope that helps!
What are your thoughts on using plant butter sticks in lieu of regular butter? They usually work well for me in baking, but was curious if you have tried it in the recipe.
I haven’t tried using plant butter, but you could try it! You’ll have to let us know how it turns out if you do.
These were a hit! The edges had a slight crunch but the inside was still soft and chewy. I ended up getting close to 50 cookies with a tablespoon of dough per cookie.
Literally amazing, my new sole recipe for snickerdoodles! They are delightful and PERFECT texture!
Great recipe – cookies were yummy! ❤️
Delicious cookies! Concerning the flat cookie question posed in the comments…I have learned to add more flour if I want cookies to stay domed. I add flour until the dough is no longer sticky to the touch. For this recipe, I added about 3/4 cup more. They were still a bit flatter than I wanted, so I could have added even more flour. It is also possible that my baking soda was not fresh.
Thank you for sharing!
I want to make these cookies but I don’t have any unsalted butter. Can I use salted and omit the salt?
I personally haven’t tried, but, yes, I would omit the salt. You can taste the batter before scooping them onto the cookie sheet & see if it needs more or not.
I always use salted butter and never omit the salt from the actual recipe. There isn’t enough salt in the butter to change the recipe that much.
They normally turn out so good but sometimes they get super flat and I’m wondering if anyone knows why? I triple checked i put in all the right ingredients. 😢
Mine did the same. Great taste but very flat.
Sometimes it is the flour that you use. When I have made chocolate chip cookies I noticed some come out flat with a certain flour and some stay puffy or domed shaped when using a different flour.
Just made these as a last minute sweet treat and they were a big hit!
I am so glad they were!! Thank you for giving them a try!
You can try adding a bit more flour if the dough seems sticky. You can also try chilling… that can help with the dough not flattening out as much.
Love this recipe!