Snickerdoodles
Updated Aug 30, 2025
Learn how to make the best Snickerdoodle cookies! These Snickerdoodles are so chewy on the inside with a cinnamon-sugar crunch on the outside!
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The Best Snickerdoodles!
There’s something about Snickerdoodles that I just love! That cinnamon-sugar coating covering the soft, chewy centers make them so good. I first wanted to try Snickerdoodles because they were fun to say, but then I just loved their flavor and texture so much that I started to learn how to bake them.
Over the years, I’ve perfected the recipe to have just the right proportions of flour, cream of tartar, and butter, plus a secret ingredient for added depth for a chewy and delicious Snickerdoodle cookie recipe.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Snickerdoodle Ingredients
For the Dough
- Wet Ingredients: You’ll need vanilla extract, unsalted butter, and an egg for this snickerdoodle recipe. Room temperature butter and eggs are best!
- Dry Ingredients: I use granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, and a pinch of nutmeg for these cookies. Feel free to skip the nutmeg if you’re not a fan!
For the Coating
- Granulated Sugar: I usually go for white granulated sugar but raw cane sugar will work, too.
- Ground Cinnamon: Cinnamon is a snickerdoodle classic but you can try swapping in cardamom or a pumpkin spice blend, instead.
How to Make Snickerdoodles
Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- pinch nutmeg optional
For the Coating:
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Mix the coating sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Preheat the oven to 400˚F and line two rimmed sheet pans with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together for 3 minutes at medium speed, or until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and add egg and vanilla. Mix at medium speed for about 1 minute.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and nutmeg (if using). Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix at low speed until the flour has been incorporated.
- Using a 1.5 tablespoon-size spring loaded cookie scoop, scoop 9 dough balls on each prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Roll into even balls, then coat each in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies puff in the middle and set around the edges.
- Let cool on the sheet for about 1 minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Tips
- Handle your dough as little as possible. This dough is quite soft, so I like to drop my dough balls into the sugar mixture and shake the bowl to coat them.
- Don’t skip the cream of tartar. I know it’s one of those ingredients that can seem a little unnecessary, but in this case, you really will notice its light, signature acidic taste in your dough. It works so well with the cinnamon sugar flavor!
- Refrigerate your dough to minimize spreading. These cookies tend to spread a lot in the oven, which is very common for their shape. But if you’d rather they stay more intact, you can refrigerate them before baking! Just know that your cookies will come out a bit puffier.
- Don’t over-bake your cookie dough: Snickerdoodles should be soft and chewy, so it’s important not to over-bake them! They might look a little underdone when you pull them out of the oven, but they’ll continue to cook as they cool.
FAQs
Snickerdoodle cookies store really well, which makes them great for baking ahead of time! Once your cookies have cooled completely, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. That said, be sure to bring them to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture (or pop a cookie in the microwave for 5-10 seconds to get that fresh-from-the-oven feel).
Absolutely! You can freeze this snickerdoodle cookie dough for up to 3 months. Just roll your dough into balls, toss them in the coating sugar, and freeze them on a baking sheet. Once they’re frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag or airtight container. When you’re ready to bake, just add a couple of extra minutes to the baking time, no need to thaw.
Snickerdoodles might turn out hard if they’re over-baked 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’re done!
Yes! You can use a hand-mixer or mix your dough by hand. Just make sure to cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, which takes a bit of elbow grease if you want to mix by hand!
