Perfect Snickerdoodle Cookies

These Easy Snickerdoodles are truly perfect. Soft, buttery and chewy cinnamon-sugar cookies that are loaded with flavor, this is the best snickerdoodle cookie recipe ever!

Love cinnamon sugar? Try my Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars too! AND if you find yourself out of Cream of Tartar, don’t worry! I have a you covered! Check out my whole post on Cream of Tartar Substitutes!

These Are Seriously the Best Snickerdoodles – EVER

I always hate calling something “the best” or “perfect”…because WITHOUT FAIL there will be someone out there who indeed, does NOT think they are perfect. Or the best. I get it.

But I will say that I developed and tested this recipe so many times over the course of so many years to give it this title. A pretty close version of this cookie recipe also made it into my book! I originally published my snickerdoodle recipe back in 2014, and now almost 7 years later with so may 5 star reviews I’ve updated the pictures, but the recipe remains the same! So if you are a fan of this recipe, don’t worry, the updates are purely cosmetic!

But I’m Confident That This Snickerdoodle Recipe is EASY and Makes PERFECT Cookies!

So with ALL that said, please note: My claims that these cookies are perfect and the best are my opinions solely. Well, mine and everyone who has tried them. I have gotten emails from moms saying they made these for classrooms full of children and the kids loved the cookies so much they actually made their parents ask for the recipe. Truly!

Today I’m showing you how to make snickerdoodle cookies AND they happen to be one of the easiest snickerdoodle recipes out there. Pinky promise!

What Are Snickerdoodles?

Snickerdoodle cookies are similar to sugar cookies, but technically they are not the same thing. What’s the biggest difference? Cream of tartar. This little known ingredient prevents the cookies from developing sugar crystals like regular sugar cookies, which means that snickerdoodles have a soft, pillowy totally addictive texture.

Another difference between snickerdoodles and sugar cookies is, of course, that these cookies are rolled in cinnamon-sugar before baking. Of course, you could also roll sugar cookies in cinnamon sugar, and it would be delicious. But I’m being totally technical with my answer to this question of what makes a snickerdoodle a snickerdoodle!

Why Are These PERFECT Snickerdoodles?

Since Snickerdoodles are my husband’s most favorite cookie I have made my fair share of them over the years. I started with the classic BHG recipe from the red and white checkered cookbook. Then I transitioned into a recipe that a friend from my job in college used and they were amazing. BUT once I really started baking all the time, and figuring out and deconstructing recipes. I knew that it was high time I got busy developing my own.

I use a few tricks in these cookies that I will hit on more in a minute, but it comes down to:

1. Lower bake temperature
2. Extra cinnamon (purists hate this)
3. No chill time (hallelujah!)
4. Brown Sugar
5. An extra egg yolk

Ingredients:

• Butter
• Granulated Sugar
• Light Brown Sugar
• Large eggs. You will use one whole egg, and one egg yolk
• Vanilla Extract
• Baking soda
• Cream of tartar
• Kosher Salt
• Ground cinnamon
• All purpose flour

How Do I Make Snickerdoodles…and Why You Should Make Them This Way Too!

Some of you will agree with my tips, especially if you’ve made these, you already know it’s magic. But some of you might disagree…and that’s ok! We all don’t have to agree all the time. It’s cool. But let me share what I’ve learned over the years, I mean, you stopped my corner of the internet today because you’re looking for a Snickerdoodle recipe, so let’s get at it.

• Cream of Tartar: I don’t necessarily think you have to use it to have a good Snickerdoodle (gasp I know). BUT after my attempt at omitting the annoying ingredient from a batch of Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles I made last September I got my fair share of feedback that it didn’t actually count as a Snickerdoodle without CoT. I can’t say I necessarily agree, but I do use it in my recipe to keep things less controversial 🙂 BUT if you find yourself fresh out of Cream of Tartar, check out my post on Cream of Tartar substitutes!
• Oven Temperature: I bake my Snickerdoodles for EXACTLY 11 minutes every.single.time. at 325°F with perfect results. But I know all ovens are different, so I wrote 10-12 minutes in the recipe just to cover my bases. You want the edges to be lightly golden and the center to seem ALMOST done…you might think it’s not done, but once it cools completely it will be soft, and melt in your mouth. Try it my way just once and see!
• No Chill Time: You’re not chilling the dough as you do normally with snickerdoodles, which is why the lower oven temperature works!
• Brown Sugar: The extra richness the brown sugar gives these cookies is what helps set them apart. Brown sugar adds a little moisture, as well as a deeper flavor.
• Extra Cinnamon: I use cinnamon in the dough as well as the coating. You can leave it out if you want, but the best part of a snickerdoodle is the buttery, cinnamon-ness and in this case more is more!
• An Extra Egg Yolk: Adding one egg plus a yolk gives the cookie dough a little extra moisture and a lot of richness. You could omit the yolk and add a few tablespoons less of flour, or you could certainly add 2 whole eggs, and have a slightly thinner cookie, but the extra yolk is where the magic happens!

While my recipe for Snickerdoodles isn’t completely out of the box, I definitely think the small changes I have made makes them PERFECT. I hope you try them!

Can I Freeze Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough?

Yes! If you want to make a double batch to have on-demand snickerdoodle cookies in the future, you totally can. Just follow the recipe up until the cookie dough is rolled in cinnamon sugar. After you roll each cookie ball in the cinnamon-sugar, place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze the dough until firm. (Usually this takes about 4-6 hours.) You can then move the frozen cookie dough to a freezer-safe Ziploc bag and store them for up to 3 months.

The great thing about this trick is that you can make single-serve snickerdoodle cookies! When you feel the snickerdoodle craving, simply pop a couple frozen dough balls onto a lined baking sheet and bake at 325F for 12-14 minutes. Since everyone’s oven is different and everyone’s freezer is at a different temperature, I usually recommend testing this process with one ball of dough the first time. It may take your oven a shorter or longer amount of time depending on how cold your freezer is and how your oven heats. Check your cookie every couple of minutes after the 12 minute mark. Once you have found the right amount of time, write it down on your freezer bag with a permanent marker so that you’ve got the 411 for next time.

Looking for more Snickerdoodle Recipes? Try these:

• Snickerdoodle Cobbler
• Snickerdoodle Krispie Treats
• Snickerdoodle Muffins
• Snickerdoodle Apple Bread

Print

PIN for later: