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.
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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?
Watch How to Make Snickerdoodles:
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]
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!