Snickerdoodle Recipe (2024)

The BEST Snickerdoodle recipe I’ve ever tasted! These snickerdoodles are super soft, slightly chewy, and filled with cinnamon.

Looking for more easy, delicious cookie recipes? You’ll love our chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, and sugar cookies.

Snickerdoodle Recipe (1)

Although snickerdoodles make a perfect cookie any time of the year, I always think of them as Christmas cookies since a friend of our family gave me the recipe as one of my presents when we were first married. This has been a family favorite recipe for over 27 years!

Snickerdoodle Recipe

As she pressed the recipe into my hand, she said, “You’ll want to make these at Christmas. We make them each year when we’re decorating the tree.”

I’m not certain why I remember her saying that to me so vividly all those years ago, but each year as I’ve strung popcorn onto string for our tree, I think of her and her snickerdoodles.

I’ve tweaked her snickerdoodle recipe slightly, just to suit my tastes more than anything, and we can’t get enough of them. Soft, tender, just slightly fat and fluffy, the perfect tangy flavor you expect in snickerdoodles, and the essential cinnamon sugar coating on the outside. In other words, simple classic snickerdoodle perfection.

Why You’ll Love this Snickerdoodle Recipe

Taste. Snickerdoodles have a signature sweet yet tangy flavor.

​​Easy. This is an easy cookie recipe perfect for beginning bakers!

Texture. This recipe gives you soft, tender, fluffy snickerdoodle cookies that everyone loves!

How to Make Snickerdoodles

This delicious cookie recipe comes together so quickly and easily. It is great to have younger children help make these cookies for beginning bakers and also for busy home cooks.

Ingredients You’ll Need for this Recipe

Snickerdoodle Recipe (2)

Snickerdoodles are made the traditional cookie ingredients, along with a star ingredient that really makes it: butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, eggs, vanilla extract, baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar.

If you don’t have the cream of tartar on hand, you can make snickerdoodles without cream of tartar. This is key to give the cookie its texture, flavor, and separate it from other buttery cookies. Here’s how you make your cream of tartar substitute in a pinch.

Cream of Tartar Substitute. Replace the cream of tartar and the baking soda in the recipe with 2 teaspoons of baking powderand 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Snickerdoodle Recipe (3)

Mix wet ingredients.Cream together the butter and both the granulated sugar and brown sugar with an electric mixer. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract.

Snickerdoodle Recipe (4)

Whiskdry ingredients.Whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the ground cinnamon and sugar. Set it aside.

Snickerdoodle Recipe (5)

Make cookie dough.Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until just combined.

Snickerdoodle Recipe (6)

Shape dough. Scoop 1-inch balls of the cookie dough and roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture. You can use a cookie scoop or a spoon! So easy!

Snickerdoodle Recipe (7)

Bake. Place the cinnamon sugar-coated cookie dough onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

Make Ahead Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe

These cookies are excellent to make ahead, especially throughout the holidays. Simply prepare the cookies as instructed and then store in an airtight container for up to a week.

If you’d like to make them more in advance, use the Freezer Friendly instructions below.

Snickerdoodle Recipe (8)

How to Freeze Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe

There are a few ways to make these delicious cookies ahead of time to freeze them.

Freeze the Baked Cookies:

To freeze the baked cookies, cool the cookies completely and then freeze on the baking sheet. When the cookies have frozen solid, about 30 minutes, store the cookies in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, allow the cookies to reach room temperature.

Freeze the Cookie Dough:

To freeze the cookie dough, roll the cookies to form the cookie dough balls and then place onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Freeze completely on the baking sheet. Once the cookies have frozen solid, about 30 minutes, transfer the cookies to an airtight, freezer-safe container to freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, allow the cookies to thaw in the refrigerator and then bake as instructed.

Here’s our Snickerdoodles recipe. So simple, yet so very delicious.

Snickerdoodle Recipe (9)

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Snickerdoodles Recipe

Robyn Stone

5 from 4 votes

Snickerdoodles Cookie Recipe –Simply the easiest and best Snickerdoodles recipe I've ever made, these cinnamon sugar cookies are so soft, buttery, and filled with cinnamon!

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 36

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, softened, room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture

  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325º F.

  • Cream together butter and sugar. Add in eggs and vanilla.

  • Whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Slowly incorporate into the butter and sugar mixture.

  • Mix together granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.

  • Scoop cookie dough by the tablespoon full and roll into a ball. Roll the ball into the prepared sugar and cinnamon mixture. Place onto a large cookie sheet, about 2-3 inches apart.

  • Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes until cookies have lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Notes

Cream of Tartar Substitute. Replace the cream of tartar and the baking soda in the recipe with 2 teaspoons of baking powderand 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice.

Make Ahead Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe

These cookies are excellent to make ahead, especially throughout the holidays. Simply prepare the cookies as instructed and then store in an airtight container for up to a week.

If you’d like to make them more in advance, use the Freezer Friendly instructions below.

How to Freeze Snickerdoodle Cookies

There are a few ways to make these delicious cookies ahead of time to freeze them.

Freeze the Baked Cookies:

To freeze the baked cookies, cool the cookies completely and then freeze on the baking sheet. When the cookies have frozen solid, about 30 minutes, store the cookies in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, allow the cookies to reach room temperature.

Freeze the Cookie Dough:

To freeze the cookie dough, roll the cookies to form the cookie dough balls and then place them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze completely on the baking sheet. Once the cookies have frozen solid, about 30 minutes, transfer the cookies to an airtight, freezer-safe container to freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, allow the cookies to thaw in the refrigerator and then bake as instructed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 121kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 97mg | Potassium: 33mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 173IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Enjoy!
Robyn xo

From the Add a Pinch recipe archives. Originally published 2010.

Categorized as:All Recipes, Christmas Recipes, Cookie Recipes, Cooking, Dessert Recipes, Freezer Friendly Recipes, Holiday and Occasion Recipes, Make-ahead Recipes, Recipes, Simple Recipes, Southern Favorites

Welcome to Add A Pinch

About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

Read more about Robyn

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Snickerdoodle Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a sugar cookie and a snickerdoodle? ›

Snickerdoodle cookies have a unique flavor profile due to the addition of cream of tartar and cinnamon, which gives them a slightly tangy and spicy taste. In contrast, sugar cookies have a more neutral, buttery flavor with a hint of vanilla.

Why do they call it a snickerdoodle? ›

The Joy of Cooking claims that “snickerdoodle” comes from “Schneckennudel,” a German word that literally means “snail noodles.” Schneckennudels don't have anything to do with snails or noodles, though—they're actually delicious-looking German cinnamon rolls.

Is snickerdoodle cookie dough supposed to be sticky? ›

The snickerdoodle dough can be sticky and tough to handle. I like to grease my hands with cooking spray so they are easier to handle. Refrigerate. Also, after you have rolled one tray of snickerdoodles, place it in the refrigerator for a few minutes.

What happens if you don't use cream of tartar in a recipe? ›

Without cream of tartar, you'll get the same baked good in the end, but the consistency may not be as flawless. If you're worried about your cake coming out too flat or your lemon meringue pie going runny, adding cream of tartar is an effective way to prevent it.

What can I substitute for cream of tartar in snickerdoodles? ›

You can either replace cream of tartar with baking powder at a 1:1.5 ratio (1 teaspoon cream of tartar : 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder), or you can replace cream of tartar with the combination of baking soda and either lemon juice or vinegar (as with this recipe).

Why do my snickerdoodle cookies get hard? ›

Snickerdoodles might turn out hard if they are overbaked or if the dough is too dry. Be sure to keep an eye on them as they bake – when the edges are set but the centers are still soft and puffy, they are done. Also, make sure you're not adding too much flour.

What is the nickname for a snickerdoodle? ›

“Snickerdoodles, also called snipdoodles or cinnamon sugar cookies, have been around since the late 1800s. They probably originated in New England and are either of German or Dutch descent. Unfortunately there is no clue as to how they got such a peculiar name.”

Why do my snickerdoodle cookies taste like flour? ›

Improper flour measurement is the #1 cause of your cookie dough being too dry or the cookies tasting like flour.

What is the purpose of cream of tartar in cookies? ›

What Does Cream of Tartar Do in Cookies? Cream of tartar makes cookies chewy, as it precludes the sugar in the dough from crystalizing, which would lead to crispiness (ie: the opposite of chewiness).

Can you skip cream of tartar in cookies? ›

Baking Powder

Baking powder is a good cream of tartar substitute for cookies because it is synergistic with baking soda. You'll need 1.5x the amount of baking powder substitute for the cream of tartar called for in the recipe. Baking powder is a great cream of tartar replacement because it doesn't impart any flavor.

Does cream of tartar matter in cookies? ›

Adding it to cake or cookie batters prevents sugar from banding together and crystallizing, meaning that it results in more of a tender chew—snickerdoodles and sugar cookies wouldn't be the same without cream of tartar. The same effect is why it's added to some frostings and syrups, where it helps keep things smooth.

What is the purpose of cream of tartar in this recipe? ›

The most common recipes that call for cream of tartar are those that call for egg whites to be whipped, like angel food cake, genoise cake, meringue, and macarons. Jampel says that is because cream of tartar works as an egg white stabilizer that increases both the volume and shelf life of the meringue.

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