Desserts · American
Snickerdoodle Cookies
A snickerdoodle is a sugar cookie that went to finishing school. The cream of tartar gives it a subtle tang and an impossibly soft, almost pillowy chew. The cinnamon sugar coating crackles as it bakes into those crinkled tops. And the name, which nobody agrees on the origin of, makes everyone smile before they even take a bite.
The texture lives in two details. Butter that is softened but still cool, creamed just until pale, not whipped into aerated fluff, which makes cookies spread. And a dough with enough flour to hold thick, tall cookies that stay chewy for days. Snickerdoodle dough also needs no chilling, which makes this a same afternoon cookie emergency solution.
Roll the balls tall, in generous 1.5 tablespoon scoops, and pull them from the oven while the centers still look slightly underbaked. They finish on the hot pan, and that carryover is the difference between soft and sadly crisp.
By the TasteBoard team. Timed in a home kitchen, with total time added up and safe temperatures checked.
Photo: @Heather from Seattle, WA / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Total
- 27 min
- Plus waiting
- 30 min
- Servings
- 18
- Course
- Desserts
- Calories, about
- 160 per serving
Instructions
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Why you will love it
No chilling, so the craving is answered within the hour.
Soft and chewy on day three, not just day one.
Cream of tartar gives the authentic tangy snickerdoodle flavor.
Simple enough for kids to roll and coat the dough balls.
The dough freezes in balls, so future cookie emergencies are pre solved.
Tips
Butter at 65 F (18 C) bends without breaking. Too soft and the cookies spread flat; the dough should feel like thick frosting, not pancake batter.
Do not overbake. Cookies that look done in the oven turn crisp on the counter, and snickerdoodles should stay soft.
Weigh the flour if you can. 344 g is the safety line between chewy and cakey.
Freeze extra dough balls uncoated, then roll in cinnamon sugar frozen and bake straight, adding 1 to 2 minutes.
Swaps and variations
No cream of tartar: what changes: they become soft sugar cookies. Replace with 2 tsp baking powder and skip the baking soda, but the classic tang disappears.
Pumpkin spice coating: what changes: add 0.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice to the cinnamon sugar for fall trays.
White chocolate snickerdoodles: what changes: fold in 0.75 cup white chocolate chips after mixing the flour.
Maple version: what changes: swap 2 tbsp of the sugar for maple syrup in the dough, and reduce flour by 1 tbsp.
What to serve
Cold milk, and if you have kids, dunking is mandatory.
Coffee or chai tea, both of which love cinnamon.
Vanilla ice cream pressed between two cooled cookies, for when dessert needs a promotion.
Storage and reheating
Room temperature: 5 days in a sealed container with a slice of bread tucked in, which keeps them soft in a way that sounds like folklore and is actually chemistry. Fridge dough keeps 3 days. Freezer: baked cookies 2 months, dough balls 3 months. To re crisp the edges of older cookies without drying them, 3 minutes at 300 F (150 C) in the oven works wonders.
Calories shown are an estimate from standard ingredients, not medical advice. Brands and amounts change the number.
Questions cooks actually ask
Why are my snickerdoodles flat?
Butter too warm, dough too little flour, or pans too hot between batches. Use cool softened butter, measure flour by weight, and cool the baking sheet between batches or the dough starts melting the second it lands.
Can I skip the cream of tartar?
You can, but then it is a cinnamon sugar cookie rather than a snickerdoodle. The tang and the tender chew are its signature. Buy the small jar, it costs little and lasts years for exactly this recipe.
Why did mine not crackle on top?
The coating wore off or the dough was too warm. Roll generously in cinnamon sugar right before baking, and if your kitchen is very warm, chill the dough balls 15 minutes so the tops set and crack properly.
Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes, covered in the fridge for up to 3 days, or frozen in balls for 3 months. Cold dough bakes slightly thicker, which is a feature, not a bug, so add a minute to the bake time from the fridge.
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