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This is the BEST Snickerdoodle Cookie recipe! They’re easy, soft and chewy and full of cinnamon. These are no fail cookies that need no chill time: Oven to mouth in under 30 minutes!
Snickerdoodle Cookies have always been one of my absolute favorite cookies. Sure, chocolate chip cookies are near and dear to my heart but I’m all about the sugar cookie style cookie recipe. (I’m #teamvanilla too!)
I remember when I was younger, in school, I’d always buy cookies hot from the cafeteria. I’m pretty sure they were Otis Spunkmeyer from the freezer, but they were so good – and my favorite was – you guessed it – SNICKERDOODLE!
These are buttery soft with a chewy cookie texture, a hint of cinnamon and the expected tang from cream of tartar – crispy edges, soft middle – the perfect cookie recipe!
Ingredients Needed
- Butter: make sure it’s softened! I recommend unsalted butter, but if you use salted, omit the salt in the recipe. Learn how to soften butter quickly. Also, don’t use imitation butter or margarine. A snickerdoodle must be made with real butter!
- Sugar: Granulated Sugar is the traditional one for snickerdoodles. For a twist, substitute brown sugar!
- Baking Soda: A full teaspoon helps give the flat look of traditional snickerdoodles.
- Cream of Tartar: the most important part of a snickerdoodle! Cream of Tartar is what gives them that tang or distinct flavor you associate with them. A snickerdoodle without cream of tartar is just a sugar cookie!
- Cinnamon: This is what makes a snickerdoodle a snickerdoodle – use ground cinnamon.
How to make Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Cream your room temperature butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until it’s nice and fluffy. Mix the egg and vanilla into the creamed butter mixture.
- Add salt, baking soda and cream of tartar. Mix in the flour. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl during mixing. Combine until dough is nice and smooth.
- Scoop cookie dough using a cookie scoop. Roll dough into balls and then roll in cinnamon sugar mixture before placing on prepared baking sheets.
- Bake until they’ve flattened with light golden brown edges and are no longer glossy on top.
Expert Tips
- Do not skip the cream of tartar! Normally you could substitute it with lemon juice but not for snickerdoodle. They need that for the classic flavor.
- If you want a more pillowy thick and soft snickerdoodle, check out my OG Chocolate Chip Snickerdoodle recipe!
BEST Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
For the cookie dough:
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (248g) all-purpose flour
For the coating:
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheet with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl with a hand mixer). Cream until the mixture is fluffy, about one minute.
- Add the egg and vanilla and mix until smooth, then mix in baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Add flour and mix until cookie dough forms.
- Stir together sugar and cinnamon for coating in a small bowl.
- Scoop 2 tablespoon balls of cookie dough and roll between the palms of your hand. Roll in cinnamon sugar and place on cookie sheet, 2” apart.
- Bake for 10-13 minutes or until they are cracked on the tops and just lose the glossy sheen. Err on the side of under baked for best results.
- Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to a month.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
1-tablespoon cookies: 8-12 minutes
2-tablespoon cookies: 11-15 minutes
Jumbo 1/4 cup cookies: 12-16 minutes
9×13-inch pan: 14-19 minutes
Recipe Nutrition
Other Snickerdoodle Recipes
The best ever Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe is soft and chewy with the perfect amount of cinnamon. These are a cookie to remember!
Quick, easy and delicious! Turns out perfect every time.
For some reason, the cookies never cracked and they just kept spreading out. I don’t know what I did wrong. They tasted delicious, but I had to bake them about a half an hour or more.
Can you let me know what kind of butter you used? And did you use weights or cups to measure ingredients?
These were very good. They did come out flatter than traditional snickerdoodles, but they are still very good. I added 1/2 cup cinnamon chips. 🙂
These cookies are not only easy to make but delicious. The recipe is already in my keeper book.
Tasted great, but like many other reviewers they came out flat, almost see-through. I don’t use a silicone baking pad, either. I doubt I’ll be making these again.
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