Soft Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe
Searching for the best snickerdoodle cookies ever? Look no further! This easy recipe bakes up soft, thick, and fluffy, with plenty of cinnamon sugar!
Snickerdoodle Cookies!
It’s about time I post a snickerdoodles recipe. I’ve got every other soft cookie you can think of, from monster cookies, to thumbprint cookies. There’s even a soft almond butter cookie here that is to die for! But I’ve held off on snickerdoodles. Until now!
It took a LOT of experimentation to get this recipe just right. There was a clear picture in my mind of what these should be: incredibly soft and thick, with a crunchy crust of cinnamon sugar all around the outside. I tinkered around, trying different amounts of flour, egg, and baking soda, played with the oven temperature, and explored different baking times. I was a machine.
And here you have it. The absolute best snickerdoodle cookie ever. You’re going to love it!
WHAT ARE SNICKERDOODLE COOKIES?
Snickerdoodles are in a category by themselves. They’re similar to a sugar cookie, but they have a couple of special ingredients that give them a flavor all their own.
The number one thing is cream of tartar. Snickerdoodles are known for the addition of cream of tartar, which is a white powder that is very acidic. It gives them a slightly tangy flavor and interacts with the baking soda to help them puff up and spread out in the oven.
You can find cream of tartar in the regular supermarket, in the spice aisle. Or you can mail order it here: cream of tartar.
The other special ingredient is cinnamon. Snickerdoodles are rolled in a cinnamon sugar mixture before baking. It gives them such a great fall/holiday flavor!
HOW TO MAKE SNICKERDOODLES
You are going to LOVE how easy this recipe is! Just a few simple steps and you’re on your way to snickerdoodle heaven!
Start by creaming the butter and sugar together. This is a really important step to make your cookies light and tender. Beat the mixture until it is REALLY pale (like almost white), and fluffy. It should take no less than 3 minutes on medium-high speed.
Scrape the bottom and sides of your mixing bowl with a silicone spatula, and add the egg. Beat until it’s completely incorporated. Then add the extra egg yolk and the vanilla extract.
Once the mixture looks smooth, you can add in the dry ingredients: flour, cornstarch, cream of tartar (more on this below), baking soda, salt, and a little extra cinnamon for lots of snickerdoodle flavor.
I love a little cornstarch in all my soft cookie recipes. It provides structure but keeps the cookies so soft and melt-in-your-mouth tender.
Once all the dry ingredients are worked in, you can scoop the dough. I recommend using a 1.5-tablespoon scoop. It makes the perfect size cookie and they’re all exactly the same size. It’s a great kitchen tool!
Roll the balls of dough in cinnamon sugar, for that classic snickerdoodle look and taste. And if you really want to add a special touch, throw in a little sparkling sugar. It gives them a great crunch on the outside, and looks so pretty!
HOW TO MAKE SNICKERDOODLES WITHOUT CREAM OF TARTAR
Classic snickerdoodle cookies are always made with cream of tartar. It’s really what sets them apart from just a regular old sugar cookie.
But if you don’t have cream of tartar, and you don’t want to buy it, it can be omitted. Just leave it out, and replace the baking soda with 3/4 teaspoon of baking powder.
HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN-FREE SNICKERDOODLE COOKIES
If you want to make gluten-free snickerdoodles, just use a gluten-free flour blend. Look for one that that subs 1:1 for regular flour. Here are a few good options:
- King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour
- Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour
- Cup4Cup Multi-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour
HOW TO KEEP SNICKERDOODLES SOFT
This recipe bakes up nice and soft. I tried baking them for 8 minutes and they came out pillow-y and fluffy. At 6 minutes, they come out a little more soft and moist.
Personally, I preferred the 6 minute version. When I pulled them from the oven, they were set around the edges but still very soft in the middle, and the tops looked like they were still glistening a bit. I was afraid they’d be too raw in the middle, but as they cool, they continue to cook a little, so for me they were perfect.
Just keep in mind that every oven is different and bake them anywhere from 6 to 10 minutes, depending on how you like them!
Once they’re completely cool, transfer them to an airtight container. They’ll stay soft for days! If they hang around that long 😉
HOW LONG WILL THESE COOKIES LAST?
These snickerdoodles will last up to two weeks at room temperature. Just keep them in an airtight container so they stay nice and soft!
Next time that snickerdoodle cookie craving hits, you know what to do! You’ll love how thick and soft these bake up, and that cinnamon sugar coating is everything!
This post contains affiliate sales links.
Soft Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
For the Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups (343.75 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (32 g) cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) cream of tartar*
- 3/4 teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) baking soda, (generous)
- 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) ground cinnamon
For the cinnamon sugar coating
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons clear sparkling sugar, optional
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
To make the snickerdoodle cookie dough:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until very pale and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
- Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula and add the egg, mixing until smooth.
- Stir in the egg yolk and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the flour, cornstarch, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, and mix on medium-low speed until a dough forms (it might look dry and sandy at first but if you keep mixing it will come together).
To coat the snickerdoodles:
- Combine the granulated sugar,
- Scoop 1.5-tablespoon balls of snickerdoodle cookie dough and roll in the coating mixture.
- Place cinnamon sugar coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 6 to 10 minutes, or until set around the edges but still soft towards the middle.
I think I solved the frequent issue of what prevents the cookies from rising. Instead of using cream of tartar and baking soda, I believe 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda instead of baking powder like the recipe says would fix the issue.
These are really good, but mine didn’t flatten themselves, so I had to. Any tips?
Sorry to hear that! Just a pinch more baking soda should do the trick- just be careful not to overdo it, or you’ll have puddles instead of cookies!
I made this and they were so good! But I had the problem of them not flattening but I see from below how to fix that next time. They also got kind of hard and crunchy after being out of the oven for just a few minutes. (Baked them around 8 mins and let them cool some on the pan 1-2mins) how do I keep them from hardening up?
Oh dear I’m so sorry you had trouble! They should definitely not be hard. I’m thinking there could be a few different reasons for that. Number one, is it possible your oven is running too hot? It’s common for ovens to wander out of calibration over time. You can know for sure by hanging a little temperature gauge from one of the racks, right in front of the window so you can read it easily without having to open the door. These can be purchased for just a few dollars either online or sometimes I even see them in the grocery store, right in the baking aisle. My other thought was your pans. Are they dark or light? Dark pans will brown things much faster and it’s even a good idea to lower your oven temp to compensate for that. The pans I use to test all my recipes are aluminum, so they are light and reflective. They’re also double-walled so there’s a thin layer of air in between the metal, to insulate/promote more even cooking. This may sound fancy but they’re actually very cheap to buy. Hopefully one of these ideas makes sense for you!
Your re pies and directions are great!, will try them soon!
Been making choc chip  cookies for awhile they came out perfect. Lately not good at all not sure why!
I usually pit them in fridge then pull out when I want some! Â I baked for only 5 minures 30 seconds but will try yours!
Thanks!
Sounds great Eleanor! Hope you enjoy!
These were delicious. The texture was perfect. Soft, with a wonderful crumb. But they did not spread to look like the cookies in the pictures – even when the dough balls were flattened slightly, the cookies simply came out the same shape as they’d gone in.
So sorry to hear that Veronica! There are a few possible reasons why that could have happened. 1) a little too much flour (be sure not to “pack” it in the measuring cup!). 2) not quite enough leavening. 3) If the dough was overmixed after the flour went in. 4) If the cookies weren’t baked right away after the dough was made, it can dry out and prevent spreading. I hope this is helpful! Thank you for the nice rating!
Yummy! Such a perfect classic!
These look perfect. I love cookies with a soft texture. Thanks for writing such clear and detailed instructions. You can’t go wrong following your recipes. Ii’m putting this one on the short list. Thank you!
So glad to hear it Lisa! I hope you enjoy the cookies as much as we have been!