Perfectly soft, this is the best Snickerdoodle Recipe! This popular cinnamon sugar cookie recipe holds up for several days and requires no chilling time. You can have a batch on the table in no time!
We are a family that loves soft cookies, and at the top of the list are these Snickerdoodles! If you love soft cookies, too, you’ll want to check out these Ricotta Cookies with Chocolate and Orange, These Hot Cocoa Cookies, Peanut Butter Cookies, or Cake Mix Cookies.
If there is one classic cookie that gets more love than any other cookie, behind chocolate chip cookies, it has got to be snickerdoodles. And I totally get it. What’s not to love about a soft, chewy cookie, covered in cinnamon sugar?
This snickerdoodle recipe is so good – if you love soft cookies, this is the one for you. And they stay soft for days – if they last that long!
Ingredients
Butter and Shortening: I like to use a combination of butter and shortening. I know some recipes use all of one or the other, but I like the flavor of the butter and the structure that the shortening provides, so a mixture is my preference. If desired, you can use all shortening or all butter, though.
Sugar: You’ll need regular, granulated sugar. Most is for the cookies, and 2 tablespoons are reserved for the cinnamon sugar coating.
Eggs: I use large eggs.
Vanilla: The recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of vanilla, but I will sometimes add a whole tablespoon.
Flour: You’ll use all-purpose flour for these snickerdoodles. If you like the thick, puffy snickerdoodles, use the full 3 cups. If you want a thinner, more chewy snickerdoodle, you can reduce the flour by 1/4 cup.
Cream of Tartar: Cream of tartar is what makes a snickerdoodle a snickerdoodle! See below for more information about this ingredient.
Baking Soda: This works with the cream of tartar to provide the rise for the cookies.
Salt: Salt will enhance the flavors in the cookie and provide some balance. Don’t skip it!
Cinnamon: Some people will add cinnamon to the actual cookie instead of just the cinnamon sugar coating, but the more traditional way is to just keep it on the outside of the cookie.
How to Make Snickerdoodle Cookies
1: Cream together the butter, shortening and sugar. You want this light and fluffy, so I will usually cream this in my stand mixer for several minutes.
2: Add in one egg, then mix to combine.
3: Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the second egg.
4: Add the vanilla extract.
5: Combine the dry ingredients, then add them all to the bowl at the same time.
6: Mix to combine – you should have a fairly stiff cookie dough.
7: Roll the cookie dough into balls – I like to use a medium cookie scoop to keep them even. Roll them into your cinnamon sugar mixture.
8: Place the cookie dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat liner. Bake just until the edges of the cookies are browned. I like to just underbake them to keep them nice and soft!
Why Do You Use Cream of Tartar in Snickerdoodles?
If you are like me, you have a jar of cream of tartar in your spices that you’ve used for snickerdoodles, meringue cookies, or pies with meringue.
But have you ever wondered what it is or why you use it?
Cream of tartar is formed as a byproduct of wine making. It is an acid, and is commonly seen being used in recipes where you need to whip egg whites because it helps to stabilize the egg whites so that they can be whipped longer.
Buy why do you use it in snickerdoodles?
Cream of tartar is what gives snickerdoodles their recognizable “tang” that comes from the acidity. If you take out the cream of tartar, you basically have a sugar cookie that is rolled in cinnamon sugar!
I suggest making these with cream of tartar if you really want the snickerdoodle experience, but if you don’t have any on hand and you really want to make these cookies, you can leave out the cream of tartar and the baking soda and use 2 teaspoons of baking powder instead.
How to Freeze and Store Snickerdoodles
See my full guide on how to freeze cookie dough for even more tips and tricks!
UNBAKED: Make the cookie dough and roll it into balls. I prefer to freeze the balls without the cinnamon sugar coating. Place the cookie dough balls on a baking sheet and place in the freezer. Freeze until solid, then transfer to a ziplock bag or other airtight container. Freezer for 3-4 months.
When you are ready to bake the cookies, you can thaw them in the refrigerator overnight – if you do this, you’ll want to put them in a single layer. Or you can set them at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture and bake.
BAKED: Fully baked cookies can be stacked and frozen, as well. To thaw, just set at room temperature for 15-30 minutes.
More Cookie Recipes
The Best Sugar Cookie Recipe with Sugar Cookie Icing
Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Sour Cream Cookies
Haystack Cookies
Peanut Butter Blossoms
No Bake Cookies
Snickerdoodle Recipe
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Author: Deborah Harroun
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
Servings: 36 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
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Perfectly soft, this is the best Snickerdoodle Recipe! This popular cinnamon sugar cookie recipe holds up for several days and requires no chilling time. You can have a batch on the table in no time!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter at room temperature
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar divided
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour*
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners.
In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, shortening, and 1 1/2 cups of the sugar. It should be light and fluffy, so you will need to beat it for several minutes.
Add in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add in the vanilla and mix.
In another bowl, mix together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl and mix until it forms a dough.
In a small bowl, mix together the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and the cinnamon.
Roll the cookie dough into balls about 1 1/2 tablespoons each. (I use a medium, or #40 scoop.) Roll each ball of dough in the cinnamon sugar mixture, then place on the prepared baking sheets, at least 2 inches apart.
Bake the cookies, one baking sheet at a time, just until the edges are set, 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for 1 minute before transferring to a cooling rack or a sheet of wax paper.
*optional: To give the cookies more of their “crinkle” look, I will either drop the cookie sheet from about 2 inches off the counter right when I take them from the oven, or press the tops slightly down. Otherwise, they will sometimes be a puffier cookie.
Recipe Notes:
*for a chewier cookie, reduce the flour by 1/4 cup. They won’t be quite as puffy, and a little more chewy.
SUBSTITUTIONS: The cream of tartar gives these cookies their identifiable tang, but if you don’t have any on hand, you can leave out the cream of tartar and the baking soda and add 2 teaspoons of baking powder instead.
You can also use all butter instead of part butter and part shortening. I like the structure that the shortening gives to the cookies, but all butter will work. The cookies may spread just a little bit more with all butter.
FREEZE: You can freeze the cookie dough balls for 3-4 months. If you are freezing the balls, I would suggest waiting to add the cinnamon-sugar coating until you are ready to bake the cookies. You can also freeze fully baked cookies for up to 3 months.
STORE: Store the cookies in an airtight container. They will stay soft for several days!
Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should be used as a general guide.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 124kcal (6%), Carbohydrates: 17g (6%), Protein: 1g (2%), Fat: 6g (9%), Saturated Fat: 2g (13%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 17mg (6%), Sodium: 45mg (2%), Sugar: 9g (10%)
Keywords: snickerdoodle cookies, snickerdoodle recipe, snickerdoodles
