Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies

This easy snickerdoodle cookie recipe is simply the best! The cookies are so soft and chewy and stay that way for days after baking.

Ground cinnamon and granulated sugar are combined to create that sweet outer coating that the cookie dough balls are rolled in before baking. Also, you do not need to chill the dough! That means these cookies take less than 30 minutes to make from start to finish.

For even more snickerdoodle or cinnamon desserts, then check out these: snickerdoodle cupcakes, cinnamon streusel coffee cake, and apple cinnamon muffins.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love These Cookies
• Ingredients Needed
• Instructions
• Expert Baking Tips
• Recipe FAQs
• More Cookie Recipes
• 📖 Recipe

Why You'll Love These Cookies

• The cookies take less than 30 minutes to make.
• You don't have to chill the dough before baking.
• Each bite is soft and chewy.
• Cinnamon sugar and butter are the dominant flavors tasted.
• Cream of tartar is used to get that traditional snickerdoodle flavor!

Snickerdoodles have always been one of my favorite cookies (along with these chocolate chip cookies) so this recipe truly captures all of those iconic flavors we know and love inside of a snickerdoodle cookie.

You've got cinnamon, butter, and sugar capturing the most flavor on your tastebuds. But then there's also cream of tartar, which is a must. All of those ingredients combined (along with a few others) create this classic cookie recipe.

Ingredients Needed

Let's take a look at some of the ingredients we'll be using:

• Butter: The butter needs to be at room temperature in order to create that soft and chewy consistency. Be sure to use unsalted butter.
• Sugars: While the cookies are made with mostly granulated sugar, I do add just ¼ cup of brown sugar. This helps to add a bit more chewiness to the cookies.
• Egg & Egg Yolk: One large egg and one large egg yolk at room temperature is needed. Adding an egg yolk instead of another egg helps to ensure that the batter won't be too wet.
• Cream of Tartar: This is a must-used ingredient for snickerdoodle cookies. Not only does it add a slight acidic flavor, but it also helps the sugars to not crystalize, keeping the cookies very soft and chewy.

Instructions

Here are the step by step instructions:

1. Wet Ingredients: Cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and combined. Then add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract.

2. Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.

3. Combine Ingredients: Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet and mix at low speed, just until combined. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and use a silicone spatula to fold together any remaining loose ingredients.

4. Cookie Dough: In a small bowl combine the sugar and cinnamon and mix together. Use a cookie scoop to scoop out the dough and roll into a ball using your hands. Generously roll each cookie dough ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture until well coated and place onto the prepared cookie sheet.

5. Bake: Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers are soft and puffy. Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes before transferring them over to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Expert Baking Tips

• Baking Sheet: I recommend this specific baking sheet because it perfectly fits 12 cookies on the pan. I use them for all of my cookie recipes! Then I line my baking sheets with silicone baking mats.
• Measuring Flour: To help ensure you don’t add extra flour, follow these three simple steps: 1) Fluff up the flour using a fork. 2) Spoon the flour into your measuring cup. 3) Scrape a knife across the top of the measuring cup to level out the flour.
• Room Temperature Ingredients: If an ingredient calls to be at room temperature before baking, do it. This helps to ensure the best quality in both flavor and texture. For this recipe, you’ll want to remove the butter and eggs from the refrigerator 1 hour before you want to start baking.
• Cookie Scoop: I always use my 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop (#50) for all of my cookie recipes. I love the size and it’s my preferred cookie scoop.
• Perfectly Shaped Cookies: The trick to getting more circular cookies is to use a round cookie cutter to essentially “rotate or spin” around each cookie immediately when they come out of the oven. Since they’re really hot, the cookies will easily mold to that circular shape as you move around them.

Recipe FAQs

If you made this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below. I love hearing from you! Also, please tag me on Instagram and check out my Pinterest for even more recipe ideas.

It brings me so much joy to see you make my recipes. 🙂

Happy Baking!

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