Snickerdoodles mix the warmth and spice of cinnamon into a traditional sugar cookie. They’re a little crispy around the edges and soft and chewy in the middle. A homey taste of Fall and Winter baking at its best!
The other nice thing is they are so simple to make. For me, it wouldn’t be a Christmas cookie plate without a few Snickerdoodles rounding things out.
The Ingredients
It’s all the standards, really. I’m guessing you have all of it in your pantry, already.
- Butter
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Flour
- Cream of Tartar
- Baking Soda
- Cinnamon
- a little extra sugar for rolling the cookie balls
Some of you may not have cream of tartar on hand and you might even wonder what it is and if you could leave it out.
Cream of Tartar is an acidic by-product left over from making wine.
It is a white powder that serves several purposes in cookie baking.
First, it leavens (helps things to rise).
Secondly, cream of tartar can prevent over-browning in baked goods.
It also enhances flavor, by minimizing bitterness that can come from baking soda and by adding a slight tangy flavor to the finished product.
It’s definitely a necessary ingredient in this recipe. It’s also good for helping meringue and whipped egg dishes hold their light, airy volume. You won’t regret having this ingredient in your spice rack.
How to Make Snickerdoodles
- Cream together the butter and sugar. I use my *Bosch stand mixer, just as a force of habit, but seriously, you can definitely make these by hand. Get a good-sized glass or stainless steel *batter bowl that is at least 2 quarts and has a handle. It’s also smart to have a set of sturdy *wooden spoons (Bamboo are the best. They last forever.)
- Once the butter and sugar are mixed, beat in the eggs and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients and get those mixed in.
- Chill the dough. Seal it in a container with a lid and pop it in the fridge for about 30 minutes to an hour. Having it cold makes it easier for you to handle and roll balls of dough without getting all sticky. It will also prevent the snickerdoodles from spreading too quickly in the oven and becoming flat.
- Once the dough has chilled, scoop out dough and roll it into 1 1/2 inch balls. You can do it by hand, but I find that I get more uniform cookies using a #50 cookie dough scoop [affiliate link].
- Mix the cinnamon and 1 cup of extra sugar together in a container. Then drop each cookie dough ball into the mixture, roll it around to be sure it’s fully coated and then place it on a greased or lined cookie sheet.
I use silicone mats to line my cookie sheets, now. And I do have a couple of the Silpat brand ones, but I also have a much less expensive set that works just as well.
It saves me having to buy parchment paper or pan spray and they are good for so many other uses. Plus, clean-up is quick and easy.
If you get a chance, I highly recommend adding silicone baking mats [affiliate link] to your kitchen tool set.
- Bake the cookies at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes. This is another cookie recipe that you do NOT want to over-bake.
The cookies should be lightly browned and crisp around the edges, but still quite soft in the center.
I always start with 8 minutes and add time if it’s needed. Check them at 1 minute intervals after that, until they get to the desired doneness.
Leaving snickerdoodles in the oven too long will make them hard and dry after they cool. - After removing them from the oven, leave the Snickerdoodles on the cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring them to the cooling rack.
That extra 2 or 3 minutes gives them time to finish “baking” and setting up, even though they are out of the oven.
See! You did it! It was SO easy and you’re amazing!
Enjoy the cookies, Friend! Stop by again, soon.
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Snickerdoodles
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 3 dozen 1x
Description
Snickerdoodles mix the warmth and spice of cinnamon into a traditional sugar cookie. They’re a little crispy around the edges and soft and chewy in the middle. A homey taste of Fall and Winter baking at its best!
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup butter
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons homemade vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups flour, (spooned and leveled or 379 g)
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For rolling the cookies in:
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar together in the bowl of your *stand mixer (or in a large bowl, by hand).
- Beat in eggs.
- Add flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Mix to until dough forms.
- Mix together the cinnamon and sugar for coating cookies.
- Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch diameter balls and roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Place on a greased or lined cookie sheet and bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes, depending on your specific oven.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Cookies
- Cuisine: American
Need More Great Cookie Recipes?
- Mexican Wedding Cookies, from Arlene, at Flour on My Face
- Candy Cane Cookies, from Lois, at Walking on Sunshine Recipes
- Ugly Christmas Sweater Cookies, from Lenny, at Fat Dad Foodie
Date and Walnut Filled Cookies
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
About Glenda
I believe cooking from scratch doesn’t have to be complicated and that YOU can do it. My simple recipes, tutorials, and cooking tips will help you get weeknight dinners on the table with less stress. Forget takeout or the drive-thru. Let me show you how to make homemade easy. Read more...
