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These Snickerdoodle Cookies are soft, buttery, and coated in sweet cinnamon sugar with just the right hint of chew. Golden on the edges and tender in the center, they’re everything you want in a classic cookie. This easy snickerdoodle recipe is one you’ll come back to again and again.
Made with simple pantry staples and the perfect blend of snickerdoodle ingredients, these cookies truly melt in your mouth. They’re perfect for sharing or keeping all to yourself with a warm drink. Say goodbye to dry, flat cookies and hello to your new favorite snickerdoodle.
What Makes These Snickerdoodle Cookies Work
These Snickerdoodle Cookies have soft, buttery centers and crisp, golden edges for the perfect bite. Cream of tartar adds that signature tang and chewy texture you expect from a true snickerdoodle.
With just a few simple ingredients, this easy snickerdoodle recipe delivers big flavor and reliable results. Chilling the dough ensures thick, bakery-style cookies every time.
What Goes Into These Cookies
These Snickerdoodle ingredients play a role in creating their soft, chewy texture and signature cinnamon sugar flavor. Here are a few key elements to pay attention to:
- Unsalted Butter: Softened butter creates a rich, tender base and helps the cookies stay soft and flavorful.
- White and Brown Sugar: A mix of sugars adds sweetness and just a hint of molasses depth for extra chewiness.
- Cream of Tartar: This classic snickerdoodle ingredient gives the cookies their distinctive tang and prevents them from becoming flat.
- Ground Cinnamon: Essential for that warm, spiced coating that makes every snickerdoodle cookie so comforting and nostalgic.
Note: Please see recipe card below for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
How To Make Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Preheat Oven: Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a bowl, beat the butter, and white and brown sugar until fluffy. Add in the eggs and vanilla, then beat for another 2 minutes.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Fold in the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the dough.
- Chill Dough: In a small bowl, stir together cinnamon and sugar for rolling. Cover the cookie dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Shape Cookies: Scoop about 1½ tablespoons of dough per cookie and roll into balls. Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture and coat well.
- Bake and Cool: Place 3 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake for until edges are golden, then cool on the baking sheet 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
These Snickerdoodle Cookies are perfect for pairing with cozy drinks and festive sips. Try them with a frothy glass of Dalgona Coffee for a fun twist on your afternoon pick-me-up.
For holiday vibes, serve them alongside a creamy mug of Eggnog or rich Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate to keep things sweet, nostalgic, and warm.
Recipe FAQ’s
If you prefer a crunchier cookie, simply bake them for 2 to 3 minutes longer. The extra time helps the edges firm up while still keeping a chewy middle.
Cream of tartar gives snickerdoodle cookies their signature tang and soft, chewy texture. It also prevents the sugar from crystallizing, creating a smooth bite.
Snickerdoodles are delicate when hot and can fall apart if moved too soon. Let them rest on the baking sheet for 10–15 minutes before transferring to a rack.
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Soft Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
SNICKERDOODLE COOKIES:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups white granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cup flour all purpose or plain
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
CINNAMON SUGAR:
- 5 tablespoons white granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar(s) until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes), scraping the sides of the bowl. Beat in eggs and vanilla for a further 2 minutes until well incorporated.
- Fold in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt until just combined.
- In a separate small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon.
- Cover dough and refrigerate for about 30 minutes (if time allows).
- Roll cookie dough into balls (about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough per cookie). Roll in the cinnamon/sugar mixture and evenly coat.
- Arrange cookies at least 3-inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with a little extra cinnamon/sugar to ensure cookies are completely covered.
- For thick cookies: spoon dough onto your baking sheets straight from the spoon (use a cookie dough scoop). Don't roll them into perfect round balls. You'll want higher rather than wider cookie dough balls so that they bake thick.For thin cookies: Make a small indent in the centre of each cookie ball by lightly pressing down before baking to flatten them out a little.
- Bake for 10-11 minutes or until edges are golden.
- Let cool for about 10-15 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These cookies are the best!, Followed the recipe exactly. After 11 minutes cookies were done So glad I found your recipe
Best snickerdoodle recipe i have come across. They look just like the picture, i would have posted a picture but we ate them all!! yummy
These are amazing ! I’ve made other snickerdoodle cookies with not as much success but these are classic, delicious, chewy, and easy. Thank you!!!!!
Every time I made Snickerdoodles they were soft when they were warm but then hardened after a couple hours. I threw that recipe out and replaced it with this one! OMG these are the BEST! They are soft and delicious even after a couple days. The key is definitely in the butter versus the shortening. Also the brown sugar added makes them taste so good!
My husband loves snickerdoodles, but I was never a big fan (my family just never made them). I made these and have put on about five pounds since! Absolutely delicious, and the husband approves too 🙂
Wonderful! The perfect recipe & I am 67 yrs old so I have experience! Thanks for the recipe AND the all important tips!!!