These chewy and tangy Snickerdoodle cookies have a light texture and are covered with glistening cinnamon sugar. Grab the kids, they’ll love helping you coat the dough balls in cinnamon sugar!
These Snickerdoodles cost about $4.78 to make. The recipe makes twenty-four cookies, which cost approximately $0.19 per cookie.
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This is the Best Recipe for Snickerdoodles
Snickerdoodle makes this New England girl’s heart happy! There’s something about their chewy texture, crinkly tops, tangy flavor, and cinnamon sugar that make them one of my all-time favorite cookies.
In my opinion, Snickerdoodle Cookies are the best cookie for year-round consumption. They’re the best Christmas cookie, bake sale cookie, or anytime cookie!
Best Snickerdoodle Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 16 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar, divided
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
PREP OVEN:
- Move oven racks to the middle position, and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
PREP BAKING SHEET:
- Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats, and set aside.
MAKE COOKIE DOUGH:
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl add the butter and 1 ½ cups of sugar.
- Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until fluffy and pale yellow in color, about 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs and beat until combined.
- Slowly beat in the flour mixture in 3 additions until a cohesive dough forms.
ROLL DOUGH:
- In a small bowl combine the remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar and cinnamon.
- Using a 2-tablespoon scoop, scoop the dough and roll into balls.
- Then, roll the balls into the cinnamon sugar.
BAKE COOKIES:
- Place the dough 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until the edges are just set and beginning to turn light brown, about 10-12 minutes.
- The cookies will be soft in the center and still puffy.
TO FINISH:
- Cool the cookies on the cookie sheets for 15 minutes, and then transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool completely.
- Repeat with the remaining dough and cinnamon sugar.
- Serve once the cookies are cooled.
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Nutrition
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What is a Snickerdoodle?
A Snickerdoodle is a soft and chewy cookie with a slightly crisp edge, typically flavored with cinnamon and rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking. The main ingredients include flour, butter, sugar, eggs, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, and ground cinnamon. Cream of tartar is a key ingredient in Snickerdoodles, as it gives the cookies their characteristic tangy flavor and helps create their distinct texture.
Snickerdoodle Origin
The origin of these cookies is not definitively known, and their exact origin remains a bit of a culinary mystery. However, there are several theories and speculations about how these beloved cookies came into existence.
One theory suggests that Snickerdoodles may have German or Dutch origins. The name “Snickerdoodle” is believed to be derived from the German word “Schneckennudeln,” which refers to a type of cinnamon pastry. Some believe that German or Dutch immigrants brought the recipe to the United States, and over time, it evolved into the cookie we know today.
Another theory is that Snickerdoodles originated in New England or Pennsylvania Dutch communities during the 19th century. These areas had significant German and Dutch immigrant populations, and it’s possible that the recipe was developed and passed down through generations.
Chewy Snickerdoodle Ingredients and Costs:
Per Serving Cost: $0.19
Recipe Cost: $4.78
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour – $0.30
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar – $0.66
- 1 teaspoon baking soda – $0.01
- ½ teaspoon salt – $0.01
- 16 Tablespoons unsalted butter – $2.24
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar – $0.53
- 2 large eggs – $0.86
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon – $0.17
NOTE: The recipe prices are calculated by using grocery store websites. The recipe cost is calculated by the amounts needed for the recipe. The actual cost of the recipe will vary depending on what ingredients you already have. I updated the pricing for this recipe in November 2023.
How To Make Snickerdoodles
-
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
- Beat butter and 1 ½ cups sugar until fluffy.
- Add eggs and beat.
- Gradually beat in flour mixture.
- Combine the remaining sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Scoop dough with a 2-tablespoon scoop, roll into balls, then coat with cinnamon sugar.
- Place dough on baking sheets three inches apart.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes until the edges turn light brown.
- Cool cookies on sheets for 15 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Repeat with the remaining dough and cinnamon sugar. Serve once cookies are cooled.
Do you need cream of tartar for Snickerdoodles?
YES! The cream of tartar does 2 things to this cookie:
- It helps give the cookie its signature tang.
- The cream of tartar combined with the baking soda and higher oven temperature help the cookie rise quickly in the oven. This gives the cookie its chewy texture and ridges.
Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe storage
To Store:
- Cool the snickerdoodles to room temperature.
- Place them in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag.
- If stacking the cookies, use parchment or wax paper between layers to prevent sticking.
- Store the cookies at room temperature, away from high humidity or direct sunlight, for 2 to 3 days.
To Freeze:
- Scoop the dough with a 2-tablespoon scoop and roll the dough into balls.
- Freeze the dough balls and then transfer them to a freezer-safe plastic bag.
- You can keep the dough in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Bake the frozen cookie dough at 300 degrees F for 20-22 minutes.
Best Snickerdoodle Recipe FAQs
Sugar Cookies and Snickerdoodle Cookies share a lot of the same ingredients, but one ingredient that sets the Snickerdoodle apart is cream of tartar. It gives the cookie its signature tang. Without it, you have a sugar cookie rolled in cinnamon and sugar.
If your Snickerdoodles turned out hard, there are a few potential reasons for this. They might have been overbaked, creating a dry and tough texture. It’s best to underbake them slightly to keep them soft and chewy.
Secondly, using too much flour or overmixing the dough can produce a dense and less tender cookie. Make sure to measure the flour accurately and avoid excessive mixing.
Also, ensure the dough has the right amount of moisture from ingredients like butter and eggs. Properly cooling the cookies on a wire rack and storing them in an airtight container can help maintain their freshness and prevent them from becoming stale and hard.
Snickerdoodles are supposed to have a slightly tangy flavor, which comes from the cream of tartar used in the recipe. Cream of tartar is an acidic ingredient that contributes to the distinct tangy taste of Snickerdoodles.
You’ll know they’re done when the edges are set and begin to turn light brown. The cookies will be soft in the center and still puffy.
Snickerdoodles may have German or Dutch origins. The name “Snickerdoodle” is thought to come from the German word “Schneckennudeln,” describing a cinnamon pastry. It’s believed that German or Dutch immigrants might have brought the recipe to the United States, and it gradually transformed into the well-loved cookie we enjoy today.
Variations on this recipe for Snickerdoodle Cookies
- For the Christmas season, I like to roll these in red or green sanding sugar and cinnamon.
- Instead of rolling the cookie dough in cinnamon and sugar, try Apple Pie Spice or Pumpkin Pie Spice!
Snickerdoodle Cookie tips
- It is essential that your baking soda and cream of tartar are fresh because outdated ingredients will not yield the best Snickerdoodle cookies. They may turn out flat and not chewy.
- This cookie dough freezes nicely. Scoop the dough with a 2-tablespoon scoop and roll the dough into balls. Freeze the dough balls and transfer them to a freezer-safe plastic bag. You can keep the dough in the freezer for up to 2 months. Bake the frozen cookie dough at 300 degrees F for 20-22 minutes.
More Christmas Cookie Recipes:
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Such a great, classic recipe! I love a good snickerdoodle recipe – and yeah, the cream of tartar makes all the difference!!
I so agree! Enjoy!
Can the dough be refrigerated overnight?
Sure, just let it sit at room temp for 20-30 minutes before scooping the dough and baking.
They look amazing! I love the flavours in these cookies and the cinnamon sugar looks perfection.
Thank you so much!
Please confirm about freezing the balls before cooking. Do you roll in cinnamon sugar first and then freeze or roll into the mixture after they are frozen and you are about to bake them?? Thanks for a great recipe.
Hi Jan, this is a great question! When you freeze the Snickerdoodle cookie dough you do so without rolling it in the cinnamon sugar. You will roll the dough in the cinnamon sugar right before you put them in the oven to bake.
These look yum and I love your process shots!
I love love love the idea to color the sugar to make them a great Holiday cookie!
Thank you! My kids love rolling them in colored sugar for Christmas. 🙂
ooooh yummy! cinnamon sugar is the best, and Snickerdoodle cookies are the best way to get it! Wishing I had a few right now! 🙂
They sound and look fantastic, such great flavours, I really must try these!
Snickerdoodles have been on my list of cookie-to-make since so long! I am so glad I came across your recipe. Looks delicious and easy! Saving for weekend treat eats! 🙂
Awesome, enjoy! 🙂
I remember these from a Nigella recipe years ago, but haven’t tried them. They look wonderful. I must bookmark this and sharing it now too!
These are the best cookies!
These snickerdoodles turned out perfectly!! They were chewy and soft and just a little tangy – exactly what a snickerdoodle should be!
This Chewy Snickerdoodle Recipe looks so good and easy to make, will try them really soon for the kiddos. Thanks for sharing 🙂
I totally agree that cookies should be chewy and these look awesome. I have to make them!
Loved these! Such a classic cookie, they taste amazing!
Flavorful and delicious cookie recipe. Thanks for sharing.