Best Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe

How To Make Snickerdoodle Cookies

INGREDIENTS

• Flour: All-purpose is the Goldilocks flour, with just the right amount of protein to create cookies that have good structure but are neither too tough nor too crumbly.
• Cream of Tartar: Fundamental to the flavor and texture of snickerdoodles, cream of tartar is a mild acidic compound that lends a gentle tang to the cookies and activates the baking soda, which gives them a bit of lift, so they bake up soft and chewy.
• Salt: Salt provides balance and flavor enhancement.
• Baking Soda: Baking soda works in tandem with the cream of tartar to give the cookies just the right amount of lift to achieve the tender, chewy texture we’re after.
• Unsalted Butter: Butter temperature is a key factor in the success of these cookies, ensuring you get the right amount of loft and spread. With that in mind, be sure to start with softened butter, just soft enough to leave an indentation when you press it with your finger.
• Sugar: Granulated (white) sugar brings a neutral sweetness that balances the warm spice of the cinnamon. Plus, it gives you that classic cracked top.
• Eggs: A culinary multitasker, eggs are here tasked with leavening, enriching, and binding. I go for size “large” when shopping.
• Cinnamon: They’re not snickerdoodles without the signature cinnamon sugar top!

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Start by whisking together the flour, cream of tartar, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl; set the dry ingredients aside.

Grab a large bowl and a handheld mixer and beat the softened butter with 1 1/4 c. sugar, starting on low speed and gradually increasing to medium-high, until the mixture is pale and creamy. Add one of the eggs and beat to blend; add the second egg and do the same. Beat in vanilla. Now, add dry ingredients and beat on low speed just until combined and no bits of dry flour remain; once the flour goes in, it’s important to mix minimally to avoid excessive gluten development that could toughen the cookies. Cover the bowl and chill the cookie dough for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

Make the cinnamon sugar by whisking the cinnamon and remaining 1/4 c. sugar in a small shallow bowl.

Once the dough is chilled, you are ready to portion it into cookies and get to baking. Preheat oven to 350° and line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Scoop the dough with a medium (about 2-Tbsp.) cookie scoop and roll between your palms to form smooth balls. Toss in cinnamon sugar to coat.

Arrange the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing 2″ apart. Bake the cookies until puffed and the edges are just set, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• How to make soft snickerdoodles: What makes these snickerdoodles so good? They’re thick and substantial, but with an inside that is anything but dry. A lot of snickerdoodles turn out crispy or cakey, but these have my ideal cookie center: One that, when properly baked, is chewy with a bit of denseness to it that makes the bite oh so satisfying. My secret for extra-soft snickerdoodles? First, I slightly underbake the cookies to keep them from drying out. Cookies have a lot of carryover baking after coming out of the oven, and you don’t want to risk overbaking them, so I slightly underbake to ensure they stay soft. Second, I don’t skip out on the key snickerdoodle ingredient: cream of tartar.
• What does cream of tartar do? Cream of tartar (aka potassium bitartrate) is a stabilizer that’s commonly used in baked goods such as meringues (see also lemon meringue pie and marshmallow frosting) that get their volume from egg whites. It’s essential to classic snickerdoodles, providing the cookie’s signature tangy flavor and soft, chewy texture.
• Can I substitute cream of tartar? I often see lemon juice and vinegar as substitutes for cream of tartar, but I don’t recommend that for these cookies. Neither will offer quite the same chewiness, and both add undesirable flavors of their own. If you are really in a pinch, I would replace both the baking soda and cream of tartar with 2 tsp. baking powder. Baking powder is essentially baking soda and an acid, so it will result in a similarly chewy texture. However, baking powder won’t give you the tangy flavor that cream of tartar provides. All in all, I highly recommend using cream of tartar for the best snickerdoodles.
• Can I prepare the cookie dough ahead of time? Snickerdoodles are great to prep ahead of time. The dough can be made the day before and kept in the refrigerator. After shaping the dough into balls, they can be frozen for up to 1 month. Let the dough thaw in the refrigerator before rolling it in cinnamon sugar.

Snickerdoodle Variations

Our classic snickerdoodles are perfect on their own, but if you want to get a little more off the beaten path, we’ve got plenty of creative spins to explore. Our brown butter snickerdoodles amp up the comfort even more by adding nutty brown butter to the classic snickerdoodle base. Looking for seasonal variations? Our pumpkin snickerdoodles bring all the charm of fall’s favorite produce. Once the weather gets even cooler, try our eggnog snickerdoodles for the coziest Christmas cookies you’ve ever had the pleasure of eating.

Storage

If you have any leftovers, the baked cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.