Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodles
This is, hands-down, the best recipe for snickerdoodles you’ll find! They are super soft and chewy with a gorgeous crinkly topping perfect for holding in pockets of delicious cinnamon. Included below are a few quick tips for recreating these beauties time and again!
Snickerdoodles are a cookie classic – soft, tender butter cookies with a slight tang and chewy texture that are rolled in cinnamon-sugar and baked. A holiday staple, for sure, but also an every day, any day kind of cookie, as well!
Everyone and anyone has a recipe for snickerdoodles, but I’m here today to tell you that these are the absolute best of the best. They puff in the oven and then settle back down while cooling into a soft, thick, supremely chewy cookie with a gorgeous crinkly top. They’ve received nothing but rave reviews!
Snickerdoodle is sort of a strange name, yes?
I’ve often wondered how the name originated and when I started doing some research, it seems there are a few different theories. All seem to agree that the name is German in origin; the cookies seem to have surfaced in New England in the late 1800s, likely from someone of either German or Dutch descent.
The cookies have also been called snipdoodles or cinnamon sugar cookies, but no direct German translation seems to make sense, so it may just be a little bit of a whimsical spin on a couple of different words.
Snickerdoodles vs sugar cookies
Some think of snickerdoodles as simply drop sugar cookies that have been rolled in cinnamon-sugar, but this oversimplification is far from accurate.
While both cookies have the same basic list of ingredients (butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, and baking powder/soda), there is one key ingredient in snickerdoodles that turns them into something altogether different:
Cream of Tartar
This magical little ingredient does two things to make snickerdoodles, well… snickerdoodles:
- It is an acid, so its presence gives the cookies that ever-so-slight tangy flavor.
- Also because it’s an acid, it helps to create a more tender texture, keeping the cookies both soft and chewy, which is a texture combination you don’t find in traditional sugar cookies.
A few quick tips!
- Chill, chill, chill! – Be sure to follow the chilling instructions for the pan and dough. It helps the cookies hold their shape and not spread.
- Baking Pans Prep – I recommend using parchment paper to line the pans to eliminate any possibility of the cookies spreading.
- Cream of Tartar – This is a key ingredient in snickerdoodles, but if you find yourself in a serious pinch, you can use 2 teaspoons baking powder and omit BOTH the cream of tartar AND the baking soda. Just remember the flavor will be slightly different.
- Cinnamon – Use your favorite, high-quality cinnamon since you’ll be getting a heft taste of it. I keep Simply Organic ground cinnamon in my pantry.
- Scoop – I like to use this cookie scoop for uniform cookies.
- Make-Ahead – You can prepare the dough and store it, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before scooping and baking.
- Storage – Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezing – You can freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature then enjoy!
More cookie classics
And might I suggest a snickerdoodle ice cream sandwich because, why not?
If you make these snickerdoodles and love them, I would so appreciate it if you would take a moment to leave a rating below. Thank you so much! ❤️️
Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
- 2¾ cups (330 g) flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, (2 sticks )
- 1½ cups (298 g) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a baking mat and put in refrigerator to chill.
- Whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
- Gradually stir in the flour mixture, beating on low speed just until the flour is blended.
- Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.
- In the meantime, mix together the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Scoop 1-inch balls of dough and roll in the cinnamon and sugar mixture to coat.
- Place on chilled cookie sheet about 2 inches apart and bake for 10 minutes.
- Chill the dough and cookie sheets between batches.
- Let cookies set on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes and then remove to a cooling rack. Store cookies in an airtight container.
Notes
- Chill, chill, chill! - Be sure to follow the chilling instructions for the pan and dough. It helps the cookies hold their shape and not spread.
- Baking Pans Prep - I recommend using parchment paper to line the pans to eliminate any possibility of the cookies spreading.
- Cream of Tartar - This is a key ingredient in snickerdoodles, but if you find yourself in a serious pinch, you can use 2 teaspoons baking powder and omit BOTH the cream of tartar AND the baking soda. Just remember the flavor will be slightly different.
- Cinnamon - Use your favorite, high-quality cinnamon since you'll be getting a heft taste of it. I keep Simply Organic ground cinnamon in my pantry.
- Scoop - I like to use this cookie scoop for uniform cookies.
- Make-Ahead - You can prepare the dough and store it, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before scooping and baking.
- Storage - Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezing - You can freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature then enjoy!
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Originally published in 2009, this has been updated to include new photos and more in-depth recipe tips.
[Photography by Dee of One Sarcastic Baker]
Thank you for the recipe! I can’t wait to try it.
Are you able to tell me how big the eggs are?
Cheers,
Bev
My mom made these yesterday and I’ve already eaten at least six of them. These just might be my new favorite thing, and I’m so indecisive picking favorites is anxiety inducing. They are just perfection. Someone could bribe me to do terrible, horrible things with these cookies as bait. The soft chewiness with crumbly little sugary bits that melt in your mouth when you eat them is irresistible. Honestly I could write poems, sing love songs, or perform epic plays about these cookies. I don’t normally like snickerdoodles that much, as they have in the past seemed a little dry and with less flavor than other cookies. But this recipe is a snickerdoodle revolution. I had to get my hands on it, because I can’t help but plan to make them myself soon…
Is it just me or did your old recipe use half shortening and half butter?
Made these yesterday. They taste perfect and delicious! They turned out a little flatter than I expected- but that might be due to chill time and scoop size. They are cute and taste perfect.
I add nutmeg to my mix..very good
ddelicious snicker doodles.
I haven’t had a Snickerdoodle in years. These are AWESOME! Will definitely make them again!
I’ve made these cookies countless times and my coworkers rave about them. I honestly can’t make them enough to satisfy the crowds! Follow the instructions to a T and you can’t go wrong. I had to play with the baking time because just a little too long in the oven gives me crunchy cookies. I tested my oven one cookie at a time to find the perfect time.
Oh MY GOSH!!!! Snickerdoodles are my sons favorite cookies! I used to make Snickerdoodles for my son when he was younger and I lost the recipe:(..over the last 7 years I have tried other recipes and failed to make them like I used to. They wouldn’t deflate like my old recipe and would stay puffy which we aren’t a fan of. I have tried tons of recipes and have NOT been able to make them the way we are used to. I became so frustrated that Snickerdoodles became the bane of my existence too! I even said I wasn’t going to try to make any Snickerdoodles ever again because I had failed so many times (dramatic I know, lol). But it was just so discouraging to not have them turn out like in the past. My son came home from college for Christmas break and he said, “Can we please try to find a Snickerdoodle recipe like you used to make for me in elementary school?”. So then last night I decided to try another recipe that I found online..it was almost right but not quite…I decided to give it one last college try with your recipe!!! Finally!!! After all these years the cookies did what the are supposed to! And my son can eat them and remember all the memories of having them in his youth!!! Thank you! The chilling of the dough and pans is KEY. Do both and you will have the tastiest cookies ever!:)
Awww I love this!! Thank you for taking the time to share your story, xo
Amazingly delicious!
Is the dough supposed to be real thick?
Hi Jodie, Yes it is a thick dough!
Snickerdoodles had been the bane of my existence as well until I found your recipe. One of my sister’s ex boyfriends made the best snickerdoodles ever. Chewy, soft. I searched the internet everywhere and tried a bunch, but mine never came out the same. I even underbaked them. Your recipe and tips saved me from going behind my sister’s back and secretly contacting her ex lol thank you!
I love your recipes. I have tried several and all are fantastic. This Snickerdoodle recipe is the best I have ever found and is my go to recipe. I made them for my best friend and he loves them too, so much he asked for the recipe. I have made them for many people and functions and they are always a hit and disappear fast. Thank you so much for such a great recipe! :)
Quick question, how do you manage to get them perfectly uniform? I roll out the balls and they all seem to look the same but come out of the oven totally different. Do you have a trick or am I just defective. ;)
Hi Sarah, I just use a cookie scoop to scoop the dough and then roll them between my palms.
I’m a huge proponent of frozen cookies and so I’m wondering how well the Snickerdoodles freeze??
My husband and I find that frozen cookies are great for portion control…….it takes more time to eat a frozen cookie and they are not as accessible as cookies in a cookie jar. And they are quite good
Hi Barbie, I have never frozen these myself, but I think they would freeze well. Enjoy!
These Snickerdoodles were amazing! Hands down, the best I’ve ever baked or eaten. I made 5 dozen to send overseas to a friend and his troops. Can’t wait to get their reaction!
I am at an altitude of 5000ft and i tried adding 1/4 cup more of flour to the recipe. The cookies still flattened out. Should I add more?
Hi Sabrina, I am admittedly not an expert at high altitude baking, but I have compiled some tips:
https://www.browneyedbaker.com/high-altitude-baking-tips/
These. are. awesome.
I feel bad, but after baking these, it’s time to kick my grandma’s snickerdoodle recipe to the curb. My husband loved them, I liked that they stayed soft & delicious, and my office raved.
Thanks for yet another knock out recipe, brown eyed baker!!! <3
These cookies looked wonderful. I can never make good snickerdoodles. When you mentioned that you put the dough and pan in the refrig I thought here is my answer!!! But still I have puffed up snickerdoodles. We really like the flat kind but can never make them. Ok, what did I do wrong now?
This look amazing! I was wondering if i could cut them out in shapes? Would they hold? Thank You and Merry Christmas!!! <3
Hi Alex, This cookie batter isn’t the right consistency to roll out and cut out shapes. Merry Christmas to you!
I stumbled on your posting today quite by accident. I read of your history of trouble with the Snickerdoodle, and was very puzzled by your woes. I mastered Snickerdoodles when I was a mere girl of 10 – well over 40 years ago. Then I read the recipe that finally gave you success, and I chuckled. You finally followed the “correct” recipe. This is the recipe I learned from my mother all those decades ago. It is the one she learned from her mother. This aging baker thanks you for today’s chuckle.
to autumn besauce lately, I have been craving all things cinnamon. I came across this recipe for Snickerdoodle Bread recently on the boards, and thought it might be worth a try. Afterall, it looked easy
Delicious! I normally don’t like eating snickerdoodles, but these are fantastic. Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
the ice cream sandwich is even better if you add salted caramel
These cookies are incredible!!! I’ve made these over 30 times and each time they turn out incredibly!!!!!!!! USE THIS RECIPE!
Lol I just baked a recipe off the internet last night that was a toal failure! The snickerdoodles did to me what they do to the-brown-eyed-baker all the time: go completely flat and just plain suck! And I can bake ANYTHING! I’m trying this recipe Today/tonight and I’ll report back on my success or failure (once again.
I never grew up with snickerdoodles, and before I made these this week for the apple pie ice cream, I had never had them. When I read the recipe, I wondered what made people so in love with snickerdoodles, they were, afterall, just cinniamon butter cookeis. My entire feelings about this cookie can be described by the thoughts that popped into my head after the first bite: “Oh. I get it.”
I was too impatient to cool the pan between batches (I only have one cookie sheet) so I just made double sized cookies and remembered to only eat half a cookie at a time. My husband liked these a lot – he’s a big fan of soft cookies – so I guess this might become a family tradition for us, haha.
My kiddos LOVE these cookies. I’m planning on making them for my daughters bake sale. I’ve never doubled/tripled the recipe. What are your thoughts?
Hi Mercedes, I have done this around the holidays, and never had a problem. Enjoy!
When i make these these cookies they’re always a hit. I omitted the cinnamon sugar mixture for a couple of of the cookies for my mom. she loved the plain cookies but asked if i can add peanut butter to the recipe. Since i know she likes how these cookies come out (instead of following one of your peanut butter cookie recipes) i was just wondering if there are any changes in the recipe if I add regular smooth peanut butter. How much peanut butter should i add into the recipe? Can i just scoop peanut butter out of the jar and straight into the butter and sugar and cream them together then? Thanks!
Hi Melissa, You would add the peanut butter as you noted, but it would change the consistency of the cookies. You may need to play around with the ratios of flour, butter, etc.
These cookies were a hit with my family! I had to keep baking just to feed them! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Michelle! Any ideas why it didn’t flatten enough after baking? It flattened slightly but not similar to the pictures. Your blog is our favorite! Thanks for your help!
This Snickerdoodle recipe brought me to this website, and now I’m hooked! My husband asked me what I wanted for dessert, and after looking up some things online I ended up here with this recipe. He made them, I ate them:) And now I want to make everything posted here…thank you!
These are beyond. And with ice cream – next level beyond. I was going to take them to work but now I think this batch is going in the freezer as dough so that I can pop a couple into the convection oven now and then. I fear baking too many of these at once because I will devour them. Thank you for a perfect recipe. I have been looking for a soft snickerdoodle ever since I tried the ones at Noodles. Mine came out a bit flatter than theirs do, but maybe from frozen they’d be a bit thicker.
These are addictive and simply amazing cookies!!!
These are the best snicker doodles the only thing i did differently was not chill the dough but they still came out perfect
These are amazing cookies, I made them for my son to take to school.
I did adjust the sugar/cinnamon mixture for the final step. I always roll them in the mixture and pat them flat. Then put them on the cookie sheet. This is a trick that I learned a long time and makes them perfect.
These cookies are the best snickerdoddles I have ever eaten. I have made them twice in one week. Getting ready to make a third batch. Thanks for sharing!
I made this about a month ago and my family loved them so much that they want me to make some for the holidays! My mother has been making snickerdoodles since I was little and she is quite a critique of my baking. When she tried these she was so amazed at how soft and delicious they were. That is a huge compliment ha! So thank you for this amazing recipe! Now off to go bake some more!
I just made these and they are delicious! This is the perfect Snickerdoodle recpie. It tastes like (the better parts of) my childhood.
I wanted to try my hand at snickerdoodles this year (for the first time ever!) because they’re one of my absolute favorite cookies. This recipe was GREAT! I used margarine instead of butter and foil instead of parchment (I hate parchment paper) and didn’t chill the cookie sheets… but they still turned out crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside, tasty tasty tasty! They needed a little bit longer to cook in my oven (not tested for temperature) but well worth the wait. This recipe is going in my recipe box and it will be my go-to every single year. THANK YOU!!
Just took the first batch out of the oven….FABULOUS COOKIES!!!!!!! Whole family says I’m the new Queen baker!!! YAY!!! Thanks for sharing!!! Blessings!
I tried the recipe last night, but mine came out all puffy… what did I do wrong?
Hi Michelle,
I don’t have cream of tartar. Any substitute for it?
Hi Suad, Unfortunately, cream of tartar is a crucial ingredient to snickerdoodles.
My mother inlaw always declares she is keeping me if my husband and I ever divorce cause she loves these cookies, I’m not allowed in there house without 2 things these snickerdoodles and German chocolate cake. My sister inlaw visited recently she NEVER eats sweets like ever and she couldn’t stop , 100% these are true hit!
I have had great success with this recipe! Thanks a ton.
Immediately goes to my top five cookie recipe favorites! I can’t believe I only saw this now! I love all your recipes!
I’ve been searching through recipe after recipe, and I stumbled upon this great blog. I can’t wait to try this recipe!
The whole chilling the pan actually made things worse for me. When I just kept it out of the fridge they came out looking like yours
These look stunning! Does the recipe call for white or brown sugar? Another site uses brown sugar and I’m not sure if it only applies to that particular recipe or if all snickerdoodles use brown sugar. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Hi Allison, This recipe uses granulated sugar; my apologies for not making that clear!
I love snickerdoodles and have been baking them since I was a young teen, from a recipe my Aunt had given me. They’re a bit tricky because to get them just right you have to time them perfectly. They turn out best when they’re chewy inside but lightly crunchy outside. These type of cookies will absolutely spread too much if you don’t have chilled dough but I’ve never needed to chill the cookie sheets. With these cookie you’ll want to take them out of the oven even when they don’t appear to be done and they’re “too soft”. They crisp up as they cool. Form the dough into balls about 1 rounded tbsp with a cookie scoop if you have one. Forming the dough into balls definitely help keep them as thicker cookies or else the dough will soften and spread out too much during baking. The recipe I use has half shortening and half butter. If you used only butter they’d get more crisp but if you used only shortening the dough would be greasy and spread out way too much so using both together is the best way to get perfect snickerdoodles. I think my Aunt got her recipe from an old Betty Crocker cookbook. I love your idea for the cookie ice cream sandwich – stellar idea!! A farm near where I live makes homemade Tahitian vanilla ice cream. I’ll have to make some cookie sandwiches soon :) The flavor would go so well with the Snickerdoodles.
I was wondering if we can make the dough ahead of time and freeze it for a few days before baking? If I can freeze it, is it best to freeze them in the little ball shapes? Then add the cinnamon sugar the day i’m baking.
Also, you have a few chocolate chip cookie recipes and i was wondering which one do you think is best to make chewy choc chip cookies? and is it ok to freeze the dough as well?
Hi Melissa, If it is only a couple of days, I would just refrigerate the dough. However, I would not shape them until you are ready to bake. My favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe is the NY Times Chocolate Chip Cookies: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2012/10/16/the-new-york-times-chocolate-chip-cookies/. That dough can actually be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
when whisking the dry ingredients, do I need to sift it first?
Hi Samantha, Not usually, unless a recipe specifically calls for it.
I stumbled across this recipe and decided to give it a shot. My dad took some into his work, and his coworkers have been emailing him all day asking me to make more!
wow! I absolutely love this recipe! I used it to make 4 dozen for a church function and they were gobbled up by kids and adults! thank you so much for you site and recipes!!! new avid follower!!!
i made these but they would not turn out flat but stay in a round ball shape and if tried let it flatten in the oven it would burn
These cookies are absolutely incredible. I’m eating one as I write this, and I cannot get over the flavour, the texture and just how beautiful these cookies truly are! I’ve never tasted a snickerdoodle this divine before. Thanks so much for the amazing recipe. :-) I’ll be making these as often as I can.
Is it necessary to chill the dough?
Yes, if you don’t, the cookies will spread and be quite flat.
Very good cookie. I was trying to replicate the snickerdoodles from The Great Cookie for my husband. He ate about 2 dozen before I even put them away. Guess they were a hit! Great job!
These are great!! :) thank you!
This is for the lady who wondered what was her problem in making snickerdoodles.
Reading the various recipes online, I believe the difference between them is the oil. 1 cup butter in one recipe, and 1/2 cup butter plus 1/2 cup shortening in the other.
These are excellent! I have tried many other snickerdoodles that say they are soft on the inside & crispy on the outside, but they didn’t turn out well. I love that these stay puffy and soft. This is a keeper!
I just made these — my first attempt at Snickerdoodles! — and they came out great. I have made several recipes from your blog now, and each one has been a success. Thank you for posting things that are consistently delicious! It’s great to have such a reliable blog to go to for the recipes I want.
I have to agree with your post! I am now truly addicted to the site and have also been coming back just to get new ideas for dinners that my hubby and 4 year old will like that are fairly easy to follow recipes that actually turn out great!
This is the old Betty Crocker recipe! (with the 1 difference being that her’s calls for salted butter). Been baking these since I was about 5 years old. Only you’ve beenb aking them at 350 when the original calls for 400 for 8-10 minutes. Why wait until Christmas? These are a “daily” cookie at our house. And it’s the first recipe I teach any kid that wants to learn (because the dough can be successfully refrigerated forup to 3 weeks). Congratulations on finding a Snickerdoodle recipe that works well! Best with Constant Comment tea or works great as a sandwich cookie using buttercream frosting. ;)
I just made these and they are so awesome…I did make a couple of alterations…I added about two tablespoons of cinnamon to the dry ingredients and 1/8 tsp. almond extracts to the butter/sugar mixture. And since I am a soft cookie person and like larger cookies, I made the balls about 2-2 1/2 inches and cooked for 10 minutes…they made bigger, softer cookies. They are so good, my son ate 9 of the 1 inch cookies and my mother-in-law, who was here visiting, stole a dozen of the cookies to take home. Great recipe. Thank you!!!!
Mmm. I love soft snickerdoodles! I used this recipe to make mine, and they were so good! I also tried baking the same recipe at 400F to see the difference, and I found that the higher temperature actually gave soft AND chewy cookies. Both are delicious, but I hope you try it this way next time! :D
Here are some pictures to show the difference in the textures!
http://thekitchenkook.blogspot.com/2013/01/classic-snickerdoodle-cookies.html
Michelle, another difference I noticed is that snickerdoodles are usually baked at 400F so your recipe uses a relatively lower temperature. Hmm. I wonder if that’s the difference. I’ll have to try both temperatures and report back!
I’ve updated below!
Seems to be a great recipe, but my cookies did not flatten out nearly as much as the ones shown in the picture.
I just made a double recipe of these today. They are THE BEST snickerdoodle cookies I have ever tasted!!! Thank you so much for your awesome recipes!! I can’t wait to make a few of the other cookie recipes later this week! :o)
argh i just made snickerdoodles using the betty crocker recipe (exact same ingredients above, but no chlling) which is the recipe my mom uses and her cookies always come out perfect. BUT…mine came out super flat and crunchy. Sigh. But the flavor is great.
The thing is that I live at over 9,000 feet in altitude, and I didn’t adjust for it in the recipe, I was hoping it would turn out alright. Do you think if I added less baking soda next time they would be puffier?
Christine
Hi Christine, Unfortunately I wouldn’t have a clue as to how to alter the Betty Crocker recipe, as I’ve never used it. For high altitude baking, I’d follow whatever adjustments you typically make for other recipes.
Love these snickerdoodles!!! I make them for my husbands work and they are always asking for more! Thanks for the awesome recipe :)
Best cookies EVER! Everyone loves it when I make these cookies!! Yes it takes longer to make BUT we’ll worth it:)
Happy Tasty Tuesday! We love this snickerdoodle recipe and it is featured on our Christmas Cookie recipe round-up this week! Thanks!
http://4virtu.com/2012/12/tasty-tuesday-christmas-cookie-recipes/
Oh oh ohhhhhhh my goooeness! These cookies were perfect. Addictive. I ate the whole first round by myself except for 1 and a half. My hubby who is not a cookie lover said these taste better than the ones I get from the store and had a good taste to them (just the right amount of crunch and chewy gooeyness (I made up a word for this cookie). I have been looking for years for a recipe to mimic my favorite snicker doodle cookie that I get from the ” great American cookie” and this is it. Those other recipes that say they are copy cat ( fall short). This is it. I was excited that any time I had a craving for my favorite cookie I could just bake it ( I moved states and only get this cookie when I go back and visit my hometown). But now thanks to this recipe I can have them any time I want. The only down side is that having this recipe is dangerous for me, because I will bake them and keep.going back for more and eat them all which can’t be good. I added cinnamon to the dough. I recommend a tsp or two depending on how.much you like the cin flavor. Thanks bunches for the awesome recipe.
This is the best “sugar cookie dough”-based recipe I’ve tried. I’m so glad a co-worked turned me onto your site. She told me that anything I chose would be a hit. She was right. I’ve now made these cookies a few times, and I cannot emphasize the difference chilling the baking sheets make. I learned the hard way :-/ Thanks for recipe and keep them coming :)
I know! I love Brown Eyed Baker. Whenever I’m looking for a recipe, I hit this website first! Michelle hasn’t failed me yet :)
Hi Danielle,
I actually have halved this recipe many times and (like Michelle expected) they come out exactly like they do when I’ve made the whole recipe!
Do you think I can halve this recipe? My waistline and I don’t need 4 dozen cookies laying around!!!!
Hi Danielle, Although I haven’t done it, I think you could halve this recipe without a problem. Enjoy!
Just let these cookies cool but it was hard to wait. They are perfect! I took your advice and kept everything cold before baking. They are so good! Can’t wait to give them out to my daughter’s softball team. Thank you. So far ALL of your recipes have been flawless. You are now my Go TO Girl for baking.
I’ve actually never had a problem with Snickerdoodles, and I’m using The Bake Sale Cookbook.
The recipe I use states that you need to use either all margarine, or use half margarine and half butter. I do the half and half thing, and everyone loves my cookies.
Your blog is my new “go to” place for recipes. After trying several of your recipes I now trust that whatever I choose to make from browneyedbaker will be fantastic! Loved the snickerdoodles, this recipe is fantastic. Since the recipe has so much emphasis on keeping everything cool, I rolled and dipped the dough balls and placed them in a tupperware bowl set over another bowl with ice cubes/water. This helped to keep them cool until I was ready to remove the baking sheets from the fridge.
Kathy I read your comment before trying these and used your bowl over ice trick. Cookies were wonderful. Great recipe and your tip was helpful as well.
Wow, these cookies are amazing! I’ve never ever heard of or eaten a snickerdoodle before, but I’m pretty sure I’m not gonna try any other snickerdoodle recipe except for this one :D
Mine came out puffy then flatten greatly when cooled. Any suggestions?
Hi Grace, Well, this sounds like most snickerdoodles. These cookies, as you can tell from the pictures, are fairly thin. They should still be chewy though (not crunchy).
Oh and by the way I loved them so much I shared the recipe on my blog: learnasyougocook.blogspot.com
I tried these and they are delicious! I stuck them in my freezer and just heated one up when I needed it. These will be made again:)
These were delicious! My only problem is that sticking the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes (actually longer) still resulted in super stick dough that sucked to roll into balls. Freezing it for 30 minutes helped for the first few balls on the pan until they thawed out.
Still, the end result was amazing and now I’m having to guard the cookie jar so my husband doesn’t eat them all. :)
I had the same problem – even after putting them in the freezer, the dough was unusually sticky and difficult to roll in the cinnamon-sugar. The flavor was there, but I disliked how thin these cookies were. Going back to my old snickerdoodles recipe. I should have paid more attention to the photos. I like my snickerdoodles puffy – soft in middle and crispy on the edges.
im new at these stuff of making cookies :( so i have a question, what is cream of tartar?? how do they sell it??
Cream of tartar functions a bit like baking soda and baking powder, and is a very common ingredient in snickerdoodle cookies. You can usually find it in the baking aisle, with the other herbs and spices – where you would find the cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.
I tried looking through the comments but didn’t see it, maybe I missed it, but the recipe says 1-1/2 cups sugar. Then step 3 says cream butter and sugar, and step 6 says combine cinnamon and sugar. Guess I’m just wondering how much to use for the dough itself, and how much to use to coat the dough?
Ignore me! It’s been a long week. I found the 3 tbsp sugar at the bottom of the recipe. Going to try making these tonight for my dad, an avid snickerdoodle lover always looking for the perfect snickerdoodle but never finding it, lol. I’m hoping this is the one that does it for him! :)
what is that brown stuff?? sugar and cinnamon??
oooh…it was sugar and cinnamon hahaha sorry :/
I made these the other day and they turned out amazing! The texture was perfect, crisp on the outside with a soft and chewy interior and the flavor had a hint of tang to it from the cream of tartar, which complemented the sweetness and cinnamon flavor perfectly! Thanks so much! This will definitely be my new go-to snickerdoodle recipe!
heh. Sorry…! I just saw it yields 4 dozen! I read too fast sometimes! :)
I’m about to make these tomorrow! :) Any calculations on approx. how many this recipe makes?
Thanks!
~Wendy
I’ve tried making these twice now and both times I have had to throw out all the dough! The dough itself tastes great, but something is off with the texture. They stayed flat, but completely crumbled apart when I tried to scoop them off the pan. Does anyone know what I could be doing wrong?
Hi Jenn, Did you make any alterations at all to the ingredients or technique? The other problem might be oven temperature – do you use an oven thermometer to ensure an accurate temperature?
I just made these this weekend. Mine did not lay as flat, but they are soft, chewy, and just all around good! Thanks!
These are delicious! I am in the midst of making these, and I am enjoying much!
My coworker’s birthday was yesterday and she asked for Snickerdoodles so of course I obliged with this recipe. So amazing! They were picture perfect and I had to get them out of my house so into care packages they go!! Thanks BEB!
I stumbled across this website because I wanted to make Halloween treat bags for my students. They weren’t as flat as your picture, but they were absolutely wonderful! Let’s just hope the kids love them on Monday…if they make it that far, lol.
Well, I just made snickerdoodles with another recipe from a trusted cookbook, but my cookies came out dome shaped. I suppose this is not bad, but I prefer them to be flat like yours — I have your original problem in reverse. I noticed the only difference between the recipe I used and this one is more flour and the addition of salt. I thought I’d ask a more experience baker, do you think perhaps that’s what did it?
It’s possible, but it could also be a temperature difference in your oven. Without actually testing the recipe, it would be hard to say exactly, but those are likely.
Just made these cookies, and for me, 10 minutes was not long enough. I tried another batch at 11, and it was still a little underbaked on top. I thought snickerdoodles could make it into my top 10 cookies list, but I think not. The recipe was great. Snickerdoodles just aren’t my kind of cookie, even though I loooove cinnamon.
I tried your recipe and still had the same flat, crunchy snickerdoodles. =( WHY DO THESE THINGS EVADE ME SO? The only time they came out right was when I first made them 3 years ago, since then, nothing but trouble.
This is the BEST recipe for snickerdoodles. My husband told me to throw out any other recipes I have, “this is the one” (when he says quit trying to find something better and get rid of any other recipes, that is a high compliment:). I’ve taken them to multiple gatherings and every time someone asks for the recipe. I follow the recipe step by step, including chilling the dough and pans between batches. These cookies turn out just like the pics show, and taste delicous, they are soft too! Thanks for posting! Getting ready to whip up a batch for a dinner party tomorrow, I’m in charge of dessert:)
Not gonna lie, I found your blog when I was looking up pictures of what snickerdoodles are supposed to look like for my roommate. I made snickerdoodles tonight and I had THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. It turned into a huge, snickerdoodle pie! My roommates were elated, of course, because it still tasted like a snickerdoodle, but it just wasn’t the same for the little perfectionist baker inside.
Next time, I’m going to try your recipe!
these were the best snickerdoodles I have ever had. I love how soft they were. thanks for the recipe!
Yay! You’re welcome!
Would love to pack frozen cookie dough in care-pkg for my daughter w/ this recipe for Snickerdoodles. However, not sure if I am able to roll final batter in cinnamon and sugar so that all she’ll have to do is scoop and bake. ????????
Hi Valerie, How nice of you!! I probably would not. I would probably send her instructions to combine the sugar and cinnamon in a little bowl and then scoop and roll the cookies in the mixture.
The first time I made these, I accidentally used baking powder instead of baking soda. I was making 4 different kinds of cookies for a holiday bake off thing at work and got confused.
The cookies turned out amazing, however they didn’t flatten; they kind of poofed. So they were like mini snickerdoodles, but I found that the smaller size increased the vanilla and butter flavor so each cookie was an intense snickerdoodle experience.
Since then, I’ve tried it with the original baking soda, and haven’t liked them as much, so now I use whole wheat flower and baking powder and they’re awesome.
Thanks for the best snickerdoodle recipe ever!
You are welcome, I’m glad that a snafu helped you find a recipe that you love!
Baking powder is approximately 2/3 baking soda and 1/3 cream of tar tar along with other little bits in it that make it baking powder. So, replacing the cream of tartar and baking soda with baking powder should work just fine
What do you think the cream of tartar does for the snickerdoodles? I recently made them sans the tartar, and I thought they were tasty. I’ve seen some recipes with and some without. Any ideas?
Would anyone had the recipe for these cookies, but using Splenda instead of sugar? This is one of our family favorites, but my husband is now diabetic.
Hi Joan,
I’ve never used Splenda in these (or other baked goods) but my understanding is that it can substituted on a 1:1 basis for regular sugar. I say give it a shot, and then report back and let us know how they turned out!
Joan did you ever try it with Splenda? My husband is also recently diabetic and really feeling it.
Late to the party here but for future reference I used half sugar and half Splenda and they came out great!
LOVE your photography. Can’t wait to try out this recipe for Labor Day weekend
These look perfect! I’m going to give these a try. Any idea how many days they will keep?
Hi Tina, If you keep them sealed up in an airtight container they should stay good for up to about 5 days I would guess. Cookies never last very long around these parts, so I’m giving you my best educated answer :)
Made these today on a whim. I cheated and didn’t chill the dough or the cookie sheet. They were absolutely delicious and chewy and perfect. Yum.
Hey I tried these cookies for a party the other day and they were a hit! Definitely a keeper! Love the photos as well!
I always made a tone of these during the holidays they are addictive. Their also pretty flexible working with cream icings as sandwich cookies & substituting flavors with different extracts (minus cinnamon) but I was kinda curious how these cookies ever got their name of snickerdoodles if there was not one snickers in it? lol :o)
Angela, I usually place some aluminum foil on the tray and I have no problems.
Hi Michelle,
I REALLY want to try baking this but I just realized that i have no parchment paper or a baking mat or what-so-ever. So I was wondering if maybe I could just grease the baking tray and omit the parchment paper? Will the cookies stick?
THANKS.
-Angela
I’m an Australian, where Snickerdoodles are virtually unknown. In fact, before I became something of an avid baker myself, I, nor anyone I knew, had ever heard of them. All I’ve ever really known is that they’re dipped in cinnamon sugar, which always had me intrigued, as I love anything with cinnamon sugar.
Anyway, I decided to make some today, after a small batch of Ginger nuts got me in the mood. I used this recipe, and good god was I delighted. This recipe results in pure happiness, concentrated into a cookie. Thank you very much for the recipe, and if anyone’s on the fence about making them; do it! There’s no possible room for disappointment.
These came out excellent.
Thank you for the recipe, as well as the tip about baking powder. I don’t have cream of tartar, so substituted the baking powder for the baking soda and cream of tartar. Came out wonderful!
I had to let them about 30 minutes in the oven.
But they got great!
The dough is chilling right now.
I can’t wait to see and try the snickerdoodles fresh from the oven!
Kisses from Brazil :)
i love this it is yummy and deliocous
Michelle, thanks for the substitution info — I’m in eastern Europe and can’t get cream of tartar. I used baking powder and the results were great! :) Thanks!
How funny, the snickerdoodles that I bake always come out way too puffy! They don’t spread at all, so I spread them myself a little bit before baking them. I do use half butter and half shortening though. But this ones do look really good :)! I may try them in the future.
I’m a little late to the party here, but thought I’d toss my two cents in…
I noticed another Kim mentioned not being able to have sugar. Thought I’d let you all know that I make my snickerdoodles with Splenda instead of Sugar and they’re still very yummy!! They don’t look the same. For some reason they come out shaped like little bon-bons, but they taste great!! :)
Thank you so much Michelle for ur quick response! Wll let u know how they turn out!
Hi Disha – If you don’t have cream of tartar, you would substitute baking powder for both the baking soda and cream of tartar.
For this recipe, use 4 teaspoons baking powder and omit BOTH the baking soda and cream of tartar.
(For future reference, the substituting formula is 1 teaspoon of baking soda for every 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar.)
Hi Michelle,
I love ur website. I’ve been wanting to bake these since the day i saw them here but cream of tartar is not available in the stores around here. I’m form India.
Anyway, is there any other ingredient I could substitute it with?
-Disha.
Hi Karissa – Oh gosh, a pumpkin/cream cream icing sounds absolutely fabulous sandwiched between these cookies!! Love that idea!!
Thank you for passing along the snickerdoodle sandwich cookie idea! I used a pumpkin/cream cheese icing to make sandwich cookies, and it was fabulous! I also added a little cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg to the cookie dough.
Hi Tyler – So happy to hear you enjoyed these! Thanks for coming back and sharing your results!
I found this recipe via google, and made them this morning and they turned out great. Thank you!
These cookies are incredible. They come out so soft, chewy, perfect. They might be my favorite cookie!
Hi Lauryn – Yes, you can definitely make the dough and it chill overnight before baking. Enjoy! :)
These cookies look amazing! Do you think it would be ok if I made the dough and let it chill overnight before baking?
YUM! I made these Friday night last minute and brought them for get-together and they were a huge hit – so tasty. Easy to eat a lot of them! I’m usually a chocolate girl but these are my new favorite go-to cookies…
i love snickerdoodles!!!
I have never made snickerdoodles but decided to try these tonight. They are DELICIOUS!! May be my new favorite cookie!
These look amazing and making them into ice cream sandwiches takes them over the top!
I love snickerdoodles and it’s been a long time since I last had one! Thank you for sharing this recipe! Im making this right away!
Yum, totally loving the ice cream sandwich idea. I’m definitely going to try that!
Hi Kim,
You can definitely use your salted butter, just omit the 1/4 teaspoon of salt that is called for in the recipe. I hope you enjoy these and have a great trip!
-Michelle
What would happen if I used salted butter? We are going on a trip tomorrow and I thought about making these for hubby, boys to snack on. Only have salted butter in fridge. Not a good idea? I can’t have sugar otherwise I would LOVE to try one of those sandwiches! hmmm
These look delicious! I haven’t made or eaten snickerdoodles in ages…
Your snickerdoodles look perfect. That is exactly the way I wish mine would look instead of puffy. I’m going to have to try your recipe!
Ooooh those look terrific! I don’t really have a go-to snickerdoodle recipe so I’ll definitely be giving these a shot. I hope mine look as tasty as yours!
Snickerdoodles are one of my all-time favorite cookies, and although I have my go-to recipe every time I make them…. I think I am going to have to give this one a try! The look delicious!
Your ice cream sammys looks soo much better than the ones I’m used to!
They look great! Snickerdoodles are one of my favorite cookies. Glad you liked the ice cream sandwich idea – homemade cookies make the best ice cream sandwiches!
The only thing missing from my pantry is the cream of tartar otherwise I would be all over this recipe! :) I’m not a huge fan of this cookie for the exact same reasons you stated. They are always too crunchy and flat. Based on the pictures though this recipe looks like the diamond in the rough. Thanks.
My absolute favorite type of cookie, and yours do look so soft and delicious! Glad you conquered this :)
Seriously making my eyeballs drool. Look at all the cinnamon!!! So good!
Thank you for posting this recipe. I have also had a horrible time with snickerdoodles and my little boy loves them and asks for them often!
These sound like a great recipe! I don’t like crunchy Snickerdoodles either. Your pictures are beautiful!!! And Elly is a genius – snickerdoodle ice cream sandwiches sound amazing!
Snickerdoodle ice cream sandwiches are yummy!! Have you tried snickerdoodle ice cream?
Ooh yum!! These look great! Glad you finally had success with them, I love snickerdoodles! How about trying the muffins adaptations from peabody’s site.. they are even better!!