A snickerdoodle is a soft, chewy cinnamon-sugar cookie with a crackled top. This is my forever recipe. Each cookie bakes up tender in the center with set edges. They get rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking for that classic sweet-tangy bite.
The secret to a real snickerdoodle is cream of tartar. It adds the signature tang and keeps the crumb chewy. It also helps the tops crinkle in the oven. Skip it and you just have a plain cinnamon sugar cookie.
I keep a full cookie jar of favorites on the blog too. Try my Sugar Cookies or these Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. Both are easy any-day bakes.
Snickerdoodle Ingredients
Here is everything that goes into these snickerdoodles.
- All-purpose flour
- Cream of tartar: gives snickerdoodles their tang and chewy crinkle.
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Butter: softened to room temperature.
- Sugar: for the dough and for rolling.
- Eggs
- Ground cinnamon: stirred into sugar for the coating.
Full recipe quantities listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the article.
Variations and Substitutions
A few easy ways to make this snickerdoodle recipe your own.
- No cream of tartar: use 2 tsp baking powder in place of the cream of tartar and baking soda.
- Brown butter: brown the butter first, then chill it back to soft for a nutty depth.
- Add-ins: fold in white chocolate chips or a pinch of chai spice.
- Pumpkin spice: swap the cinnamon coating for pumpkin pie spice in fall.
- Gluten-free: use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend.
- Bigger cookies: scoop larger balls and add a minute or two to the bake.
Grab These Tools
You only need a few basics for this snickerdoodle recipe.
- Electric mixer: for creaming the butter and sugar.
- Cookie scoop: a 1 tbsp scoop keeps the cookies even.
- Baking sheets: light-colored pans bake more evenly.
- Shallow bowl: for the cinnamon sugar coating.
- Wire rack: for cooling the cookies fully.
How to Make Snickerdoodles: An Easy Guide
This is a one-bowl dough that comes together fast. Here is how it goes.
Mix the Dough
Whisk the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set it aside. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the flour mixture on low speed. Mix just until the dough comes together.
Roll in Cinnamon Sugar
Stir the sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow dish. Form 1-inch balls, about 1 tbsp of dough each. Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar to coat.
Place them on ungreased sheets about 3 inches apart. These cookies spread a lot, so give them room.
Bake
Bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes. Pull them when the tops have crinkled and the edges are set. The centers should still look soft.
Let the cookies rest a few minutes on the sheet. Then move them to a wire rack to cool fully.
5 Common Mistakes When Making Snickerdoodles
Here are the most frequent mix-ups to avoid when making snickerdoodles:
- Skipping the cream of tartar: this is what makes a snickerdoodle tangy and chewy. Do not leave it out.
- Crowding the pan: the dough spreads a lot. Space the balls 3 inches apart.
- Overbaking: pull them while the centers still look soft. They firm up as they cool.
- Wrong butter temperature: butter should be soft, not melted or cold. Melted butter makes flat, greasy cookies.
- Skimping on the coating: roll each ball fully in cinnamon sugar for the best crackle and flavor.
Make Ahead and Storage
Snickerdoodles keep well, and the dough freezes beautifully for later.
Storing Leftovers
- Room temperature: store in an airtight container up to 5 days.
- Keep them soft: tuck a slice of bread in the container.
Freezing
- Dough balls: roll, coat in cinnamon sugar, and freeze on a tray until solid.
- Baked cookies: freeze in a bag up to 3 months.
Reheating Snickerdoodles
- From frozen dough: bake straight from the freezer, adding 1 to 2 minutes.
- Warm again: 5 seconds in the microwave brings back the just-baked softness.
How to Serve This Snickerdoodle Recipe
Snickerdoodles are great on their own, but they play well with a few extras.
Snickerdoodle Add-Ins
- White chocolate: fold chips into the dough for a sweeter cookie.
- Espresso: add 1/2 tsp instant espresso for a mocha note.
- Sea salt: a tiny flake on top balances the sweetness.
What to Serve with Snickerdoodles
Pile them on a holiday tray with my Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies and Crunchy Oatmeal Cookies. They are a must for any Christmas dessert spread. Serve warm with coffee, cocoa, or a cold glass of milk.
How to Make the Best Snickerdoodles: Final Notes + Secrets
A few small things make a big difference in this snickerdoodle recipe.
- Cream of tartar is the magic: it reacts with the baking soda for tang, lift, and that crackled top.
- Measure flour gently: spoon it into the cup and level it, so the cookies stay soft.
- Use soft butter: room-temperature butter creams properly and helps the cookies spread.
- Underbake slightly: soft centers when they come out means chewy cookies once cooled.
- Double the batch: they vanish fast, and the dough freezes well.
FAQs About Snickerdoodles
Just skimming through? Here are some quick answers to the commonly-asked questions.
A snickerdoodle is a soft, chewy cinnamon-sugar cookie with a crackled top. It is made with butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and cream of tartar. Each ball of dough is rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking, which gives that classic sweet and tangy flavor.
Cream of tartar gives snickerdoodles their signature tang and chewy, crinkly texture. It is an acid that reacts with the baking soda to help the cookies rise and then crack on top. Without it, you end up with a plain cinnamon sugar cookie instead.
You can make snickerdoodles without cream of tartar, but the flavor and texture change. Swap in 2 tsp baking powder in place of the cream of tartar and baking soda. The cookies turn out milder and a little less tangy, but still soft and good.
Snickerdoodles fail to crinkle when the leavening is old or the dough is too cold. Make sure your cream of tartar and baking soda are fresh. Room-temperature butter and proper spacing also help the cookies spread and crack across the top as they bake.
Store snickerdoodles in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Add a slice of bread to the container to keep them soft. They also freeze well, so you can bake a batch now and save some cookies for later in the month.
You can freeze snickerdoodle dough easily. Roll the dough into balls, coat them in cinnamon sugar, then freeze on a tray until solid. Transfer the frozen balls to a bag and bake straight from frozen, adding one or two minutes to the bake time.
Snickerdoodles turn hard when they are overbaked or made with too much flour. Pull them when the edges are set but the centers still look soft. Measure your flour by spooning it into the cup so you do not pack in too much by accident.
This snickerdoodle recipe makes about 36 cookies using one tablespoon of dough each. You can make them larger for fewer, bigger cookies, but add a couple of minutes to the bake time. The recipe also doubles well when you need a big holiday cookie tray.
Other Cookies You’ll Love
- Sugar Cookies
- Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Crunchy Oatmeal Cookies
- Chewy Raspberry Cookies
- Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies
- Candy Cane Cookies
Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup sugar for rolling
- 1 ½ tbsp ground cinnamon for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt; set aside. With an electric mixer, beat the butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture, beating to combine.
- In a shallow dish, combine the 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon. Form 1-inch balls (using about 1 tbsp of dough per cookie) and roll each in the cinnamon sugar before placing on ungreased cookie sheets about 3 inches apart (these cookies spread significantly!).
- Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until the tops have crinkled and the edges are set but the centres are still soft. Let cool a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi Jennifer
Unfortunately we don’t get everything in Europe. What is cream of tarter and what do I replace it with?
Thanks
What part of Europe are you from but I would say order the cream of tartar on amazon. You can be sure they will have it available to order wherever you live.