Straightforward Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe

I’ve examined this snickerdoodle recipe extra occasions than I can depend. Many individuals really feel nostalgic for these cookies, and I wished them to be good: comfortable, chewy, and stuffed with cinnamon-sugar goodness. Actually, I’m a bit of obsessed now.

The cream of tartar is my secret weapon. It provides the cookies their signature tang and tender texture that makes snickerdoodles so irresistible.

I like that these cookies are straightforward to make with easy, on a regular basis substances, but really feel particular sufficient for holiday treats. The cinnamon-sugar coating creates a basic crackly high that makes you need only one extra chunk… after which one other. That is my go-to recipe for the most effective snickerdoodle cookies after I desire a cookie that’s each comforting and a bit of magical.

Right here’s what I like about these snickerdoodles:

  • Tender, chewy facilities: Because of the cream of tartar and a bit of brown sugar, these cookies keep comfortable inside whereas nonetheless holding their form.
  • Basic cinnamon sugar crackle: Rolling them in cinnamon sugar provides that nostalgic crackly high I can’t resist.
  • Fast and simple prep: Although the dough wants to sit back, the precise mixing and rolling is easy.
  • Good for any event: I like snickerdoodles as Christmas cookies in vacation tins, after-school snacks, or as a bit of deal with with my espresso. These at all times hit the spot!

Right here’s what I take advantage of to make my favourite chewy snickerdoodle cookies, together with a number of notes on why every ingredient issues:

  • All-purpose flour: I follow simply all-purpose flour as a result of it retains the cookies gentle, fluffy, and chewy, precisely the feel I would like in a basic snickerdoodle.
  • Cream of tartar: This little white powder is what makes a snickerdoodle style like a snickerdoodle. It provides the cookies that signature tang and helps them keep comfortable and puffy.
  • Baking soda: This helps the cookies rise simply sufficient with out spreading too skinny and crispy.
  • Salt: A pinch brings out all of the flavors and balances the sweetness.
  • Unsalted butter: Utilizing room temperature butter permits it to cream simply with the sugar and provides the cookies a young, chewy texture. Unsalted as an alternative of salted butter lets me management the salt within the recipe, and it additionally gives a bit of calcium enhance.
  • Mild brown sugar: I like a lighter coloration for these cookies. The brown sugar additionally provides a little bit of chewiness and refined caramel notes.
  • Granulated sugar: I like sprinkling a bit of granulated sugar into the dough and within the cinnamon-sugar coating. It helps create that glowing crackle on high.
  • Vanilla extract: This provides heat and depth that makes the cookies really feel richer.
  • Massive eggs: I at all times go together with actual eggs. They provide construction and moisture that flax eggs simply can’t replicate, and are a superb supply of protein and vitamins like vitamin A and potassium.
  • Floor cinnamon: This ingredient is the star of the cookie. I combine some into the dough and a few into the sugar coating for that excellent cinnamon taste. For the coating, I combine 2 elements granulated sugar to 1 half cinnamon for that iconic snickerdoodle crackle.
Snicker doodle ingredients in small bowls.

Cream of tartar is what provides snickerdoodles their signature tang and comfortable, chewy texture. It really works as a leavener, serving to the cookies puff up good whereas protecting them tender inside. For those who skip it, your cookies will nonetheless bake, however they’ll be lacking that basic snickerdoodle taste and a bit of of that comfortable, pillowy texture I like. You could find it within the spice part of most grocery shops!

I’ve examined this recipe numerous occasions. Right here’s my step-by-step method to excellent snickerdoodle cookies:

  1. Measure and blend the dry substances. Earlier than I begin mixing, I prefer to measure every little thing out first. (Use a kitchen scale for probably the most correct measurements!) It makes the method a lot smoother and prevents mid-recipe surprises. Whisk the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt so the leavening distributes evenly.
  2. Cream the butter and sugars. Beat the room-temperature butter with the brown and granulated sugar till the combination turns into pale, fluffy, and barely ethereal. This step provides air to the dough, which helps give the cookies their comfortable, tender texture.
  3. Add eggs and vanilla. Combine within the eggs and vanilla simply till every little thing is mixed. I at all times cease mixing as quickly because the batter comes collectively. Overmixing could make cookies harder as an alternative of sentimental.
  4. Mix moist and dry substances. Gently combine the dry substances into the moist substances till no flour pockets stay. The dough ought to look comfortable and really feel barely sticky however nonetheless straightforward to scoop.
  5. Chill the dough. Refrigerate the dough for no less than 2 hours. (In a single day is even higher!) Chilling corporations up the butter so the cookies don’t unfold an excessive amount of within the oven, and it additionally provides the flour time to hydrate for a greater texture.
  6. Preheat the oven and prep the cinnamon sugar. Warmth the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. I like a 2:1 sugar-to-cinnamon ratio for the most effective taste and snickerdoodle crackle.
  7. Type and coat the cookies. Scoop the dough with a tablespoon and roll it into balls. Roll each within the cinnamon sugar till totally coated. For an additional sugary end, I generally roll them twice.
  8. Bake the cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes, simply till the tops begin to crack. Don’t overbake! I like pulling them out when the facilities nonetheless look barely underbaked. They’ll proceed setting as they cool.
  9. Cool and serve. Resist the urge to seize these straight away. Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for two minutes earlier than shifting them to a wire rack. This helps them set with out breaking and retains the facilities comfortable. For those who skipped the double roll earlier, you can too dip the nice and cozy cookies in cinnamon sugar right here for additional sweetness.
Snickerdoodle cookie dough in a bowl.

The basic cinnamon-sugar model is difficult to beat, however this recipe can also be straightforward to customise. If you wish to change up the flavour, texture, or substances, listed below are a few of my favourite methods to tweak these snickerdoodles:

  • Enjoyable add-ins: Raisins add chew, and cinnamon chips soften barely and add little bursts of heat spice. Chocolate chips work properly for a sweeter twist. For an additional basic, attempt my recipe for the most effective Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies!
  • Larger and thicker: If I would like bakery-style snickerdoodles, I make bigger cookie scoops with my dough. Larger cookies may have an additional minute or so within the oven.
  • Brown butter model: For a nuttier taste, brown the butter earlier than mixing the dough. Simply let it cool earlier than creaming it with the sugar so the dough doesn’t get too comfortable.
  • Gluten-free: A 1:1 gluten-free baking flour often works properly as an alternative to the all-purpose flour on this recipe. For those who’re on the lookout for lightened-up treats, browse my healthy cookie recipes for extra desserts for each weight loss program!
  • Dairy-free butter: For a cholesterol-free, dairy-free possibility, vegan butter can work properly. Simply select one designed for baking with an honest quantity of saturated fats so the
Snickerdoodle cookie dough with a cookie scoop in the bowl.

I like serving these snickerdoodles after I need one thing easy and assured to make individuals glad. They’re excellent contemporary from the oven with a chilly glass of milk or a heat mug of espresso. The comfortable, chewy facilities and cinnamon-sugar coating make them nice for dunking.

These cookies additionally make an incredible addition to vacation cookie platters or as edible presents for neighbors, lecturers, or mates. I like pairing them with a number of different cookie flavors, like my Maple Sugar Cookies or my Swedish Spritz Cookies, for selection. 

If you wish to get a bit of artistic, use 2 snickerdoodles to make an ice cream sandwich. Simply add a scoop of vanilla or cinnamon ice cream within the center and gently press the cookies collectively. Love cookie sandwiches? Attempt my Ginger Molasses Whoopie Pies subsequent.

In fact, they’re simply nearly as good as an on a regular basis deal with. I typically bake a batch for after-school snacks, weekend baking tasks, or anytime I’m craving a basic selfmade cookie.

Snicker doodles on a baking sheet.

Let the snickerdoodles cool fully earlier than storing them. That method, they keep comfortable and chewy. I hold them in an hermetic container within the fridge for 7-10 days.

oatmeal in bowls.

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A hand holding a snickerdoodle cookie.

What’s the key to comfortable snickerdoodles?

For me, the important thing to comfortable snickerdoodles is a mixture of cream of tartar, the correct quantity of butter and sugar, and chilling the dough. The cream of tartar provides the cookies that slight tangy taste and tender chew. 

Creaming the butter and sugar collectively provides air, which makes the cookies comfortable and barely fluffy, whereas the sugar additionally helps hold the facilities chewy. Chilling the dough prevents the cookies from spreading an excessive amount of, so the facilities keep thick and comfortable.

Why are my snickerdoodles flat?

If my snickerdoodles prove flat, it’s often as a result of the dough was too heat or didn’t chill lengthy sufficient. Chilling the dough helps agency up the butter so the cookies unfold extra slowly within the oven. I additionally make certain my cream of tartar and baking soda are contemporary, since these assist the cookies puff up barely. 

Can I make snickerdoodles with out cream of tartar?

You possibly can skip the cream of tartar, however they gained’t have that basic snickerdoodle tang or the identical comfortable, puffy texture. You possibly can substitute a small quantity of baking powder to assist the cookies rise. They’ll nonetheless style like cinnamon sugar cookies, simply lacking that little one thing particular that makes snickerdoodles such a basic cookie recipe. 

Can I make snickerdoodles with no stand mixer?

You can also make these with a hand mixer, however a stand mixer with a paddle attachment makes this recipe a lot simpler. I’ve examined these cookies with each, and whereas a hand mixer works completely high quality, it takes extra effort to correctly cream the butter and sugar. For those who go that route, simply be prepared for an arm exercise!  

A snickerdoodle cookie with a bite taken out of it.

  • Begin with the dry substances. Add the all-purpose flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt to a big bowl. Whisk all the substances collectively till properly mixed. Put aside.

  • Add the butter, brown sugar, and ½ cup granulated sugar to a standing mixer bowl. Beat on medium velocity for 3-5 minutes till the combination turns gentle in coloration and is creamed and fluffy. Remember to scrape the edges of the bowl all through the beat time.

  • In the meantime, add the eggs and vanilla to a separate bowl and gently whisk the eggs collectively so the egg yolk, egg white, and vanilla are mixed.

  • Slowly add the egg combination to the creamed butter and sugar and beat till the egg combines with the sugar and butter and turns into gentle and fluffy.

  • Add the dry substances to the moist substances and blend till simply mixed. Make certain there are not any flour clumps on the backside of the blending bowl.

  • Switch the cookie dough to an hermetic container and refrigerate for no less than 2 hours, or in a single day for greatest outcomes.

  • Take away the cookie dough from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  • Whereas the dough is sitting, add the cinnamon and a pair of tablespoons of granulated sugar to a bowl and blend.

  • Use a tablespoon scoop to scoop a heaping tablespoon of cookie dough into your fingers and roll the dough right into a ball.

  • Roll the dough within the cinnamon-sugar combination till the ball is totally coated.

  • Place the dough on the lined cookie sheet and repeat till you will have rolled all of the dough in cinnamon sugar.

  • Remember to house the cookie dough balls far sufficient aside; these cookies do unfold a bit of bit.

  • Bake at 350ºF for 10-12 minutes. The snickerdoodles ought to start to crack on the tops when they’re nearly carried out.

  • Take away the cookies from the oven and switch them to a cooling rack.

At all times measure the substances earlier than beginning. Utilizing a kitchen scale provides probably the most correct outcomes, although scooping the flour into measuring cups works too. 
When you find yourself creaming the butter and sugars, remember to beat them lengthy sufficient that the colour lightens. 
Chilling the dough is a should. It corporations up the butter so the cookies unfold much less and lets the flour hydrate, giving comfortable, moist facilities. For those who’re in a rush, half-hour within the freezer works, however I’ve discovered that 2-3 hours within the fridge or in a single day provides the most effective outcomes.

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”XAHsznWY” upload-date=”2021-12-04T00:00:00.000Z” name=”Easy Snickerdoodles” description=”This easy snickerdoodle recipe comes out so soft and delicious. It’s made with simple ingredients and a holiday cookie favorite.”]

Energy: 97 kcal, Carbohydrates: 19 g, Protein: 2 g, Fats: 2 g, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 5 g

Vitamin data is routinely calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.