Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe is one of our favorites. The cookies are so soft and delicious. Each bite is the perfect blend of cinnamon and sugar for a recipe everyone will love.
What are Snickerdoodles?
A classic Snickerdoodle cookie is similar to a Sugar Cookie but made with different ingredients. It’s a great cookie recipe that I have been making for years. Sugar cookies and snickerdoodles can be similar with the soft and chewy texture.
Snickerdoodle cookies contains flour, butter, sugar and then rolled in cinnamon-sugar coating for flavor. Cream of Tartar is an ingredient that is usually not found in cookies. However, that is what makes Snickerdoodle Cookies stand out because they turn out so soft and fluffy.
The mixture on top really is amazing and the entire recipe is so simple. I also love to make Crumbl Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe, Butter Cookies and Vanilla Wafer Cookies Recipe. If you need a gluten free option, try Gluten Free Shortbread Cookies.
Why we love this Snickerdoodle Recipe
- No Chilling the Cookies – You can make the dough, roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture and bake. It is an easy recipe for snickerdoodle cookies.
- Love Cinnamon – We love anything cinnamon. These cookies have the perfect amount of cinnamon and baking them makes your house smell amazing.
- Soft and Chewy – When I make cookies, I prefer soft and chewy and this snickerdoodle recipe always delivers. It is the best snickerdoodle recipe and so light and fluffy.
Ingredients
- Shortening
- Butter, room temperature
- White Granulated Sugar
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Soda
- Cream of Tartar
- Large eggs
Topping
- White Sugar
- Ground Cinnamon
The entire ingredient list is at the bottom of the post.
Variations for Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Add Chocolate Chips – Chocolate Chips added to your Snickerdoodle Cookies turn out so good. We love the gooey melted chocolate chips that it gives the snickerdoodle recipes.
- Chocolate Snickerdoodle – Instead of using white sugar you will use brown sugar. Use less flour and substitute with cocoa powder. We will still roll that cookie dough in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Omit the Cream of Tartar – If you do not have cream of tartar you can omit it.
- Peanut Butter – If you love peanut butter cookies and snickerdoodles, then add peanut butter to your ingredients.
How to make Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Step 1. Prepare the Oven – First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Step 2. Mix together wet ingredients. Combine the shortening, butter and sugar with a stand mixer or hand mixer. Stir in the eggs and vanilla.
Step 3. Next, combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt in a different bowl. Blend the Dry ingredients and Wet ingredients together.
Step 4. Make the Cinnamon and Sugar Mixture in a small bowl.
Step 5. Scoop the dough into one-inch sized balls. Then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture. You can use a cookie scoop or a spoon.
Step 6. Place the cookies on a cookie sheet or a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes. Edges should be slightly brown.
Step 7. Serve on a platter and enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cream of Tartar is a by-product of wine that is used in Snickerdoodle recipes. These are few of the reasons why we add cream of tartar to our Snickerdoodle Recipes:
Soft Cookies – When cream of tartar is added to your cookie dough it prevents the sugars from binding together. Because of this, the cookie turns out softer.
Gives it the tang taste – Cream of Tartar give the cookie a tang taste. Combined with the cinnamon, it gives it the best flavoring.
Leaven The Cookie – When adding baking soda and cream of tartar it turns in baking powder. Which gives the cookie a soft and fluffy texture.
You can definitely not add cream of tartar and your cookies will still be good, but you will miss that tang. Cream of tartar also helps the cookies stand out because of the texture.
During the baking process, it always helps to slightly under bake the cookies. This will allow for a softer cookie. We only bake these cookies for 8-10 minutes and it helps to keep the cookies nice and soft.
The ratio of flour to butter also impacts the texture of the cookie. Whether or not if it stays soft after the initial baking day. We have perfected the ingredients so that the cookies will be soft and chewy for days.
Yes, the dough can be refrigerated if you make it ahead of time. Place the dough in a bowl or airtight container and make sure it is covered. You can go ahead and roll the dough in the balls and place in a container.
Once you are ready to bake, roll the dough in the cinnamon sugar mixture and bake.
Yes, you can. We actually do this frequently so that we will have cookies ready to go.
Just make the cookie dough as normal and put them on cookie sheet in balls just like as above. Next, put them in the freezer still on the baking sheet and let them freeze.
Once the cookies are frozen, remove them from the baking sheet and put in a freezer bag or container. Now, you have cookies all ready to bake when you are ready to enjoy.
Tips for snickerdoodle cookies
- I highly recommend using a cookie scoop. You will thank me later because it saves so much time on spooning out the cookies. This really helps to make the perfect ball when forming these snickerdoodle cookies.
- Another handy kitchen item I like to use are these baking liners to bake my cookies. Clean up is easy and the cookies turn out perfectly every time! We use the baking liners all the time so they get a ton of use. They are worth every penny!
- You can flatten the cookie before baking. We did not in this recipe, as we wanted thick and soft texture. But if you prefer a thinner cookie, then you can flatten them.
- Letting the dough rest in the refrigerator before is up to you. We usually do not let the dough rest. But if you are making the dough a few hours ahead of time, then I would put in the refrigerator.
- Store in airtight container for up to 5 days.
- After the cookies are bake, sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar on top. This gives it the extra cinnamon taste.
Try these easy cinnamon desserts
- Sopapilla Cheesecake Recipe
- Easy Homemade Sopapilla Recipe
- Easy Cinnamon Roll Cookies Recipe
- Snickerdoodle Blondies
I can’t wait for you to try this recipe for the best snickerdoodles. Come back and leave a comment and star rating once you do.
Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup shortening
- ½ cup butter you could use an entire cup of butter or an entire cup of shortening (but I liked it like this)
- 1½ cups white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Topping:
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl, cream together the shortening, butter and sugar. Stir in the eggs.
- Combe the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt in a different bowl.
- Stir into the creamed mixture until well blended.
- In a small bowl, stir together the 2 tablespoons of sugar, and the cinnamon.
- Roll dough into one inch sized balls, then roll the balls in the cinnamon-sugar.
- Place them onto a cookie sheet and Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Edges should be slightly brown.
- Allow to cool before enjoying.
Hi Carrie, on the shortening is it the sticks or canned? Can’t wait to try these.
Either will work. I used canned shortening when I made these.
Does the butter have to be softened?
Yes, I allow the butter to soften at room temperature for this recipe.