Snickerdoodle Recipe (THE BEST Snickerdoodles)
This is the best snickerdoodle recipe – they’re soft and chewy with the perfect crispy edge. No chilling of dough required for these snickerdoodles!
I don’t know why, but I always associate cookies with Christmas. But these aren’t red or green, and they’re not cut out in the shape of Christmas trees, so I say that makes them perfectly acceptable to eat year-round. Don’t you think? If you disagree…you’re entitled to that opinion, so go ahead and bookmark these babies for Christmas time.
However, I highly recommend year-round cookies! Snickerdoodles are such classic cookies and with the perfect balance of chewy with crispy edges, they’re pretty irresistible. Along with my whole wheat chocolate chip cookies, these snickerdoodles are a go-to of mine. They’re a total crowd pleaser…and they’re nut-free which is a bonus for my household!
About this recipe
They’re easy to make; it’s a simple dough that doesn’t even need to be chilled. I tested them both ways and they were equally as chewy and delicious without the extra refrigeration time.
Now, I didn’t invent the wheel when it comes to snickerdoodles. They’ve been around for awhile but I figured it was time there was a Rachel Cooks version. It’s probably no surprise that the Rachel Cooks version involves ALL butter (no shortening) and a little extra cinnamon compared to other recipes I have seen. Oh and there’s the whole no-chilling of the dough thing. Did I mention that? I really don’t like chilling dough because a) it takes longer, and b) it gives me more time to eat all the dough.
FAQ
According to The Joy of Cooking (and wikipedia), it is German in origin but the Oxford English Dictionary believes the word’s origin in “uncertain” and more or less just a fun word someone made up.
Cream of tartar is what sets a snickerdoodle apart from a cinnamon sugar cookie. It gives the cookies a slightly acidic flavor which is the trademark of the cookie. Moreover, it keeps the cookie soft and helps them rise, when teamed up with baking soda.
Yes you can make these cookies without cream of tartar, but keep in mind that the cookies will lose their iconic tart flavor. For this recipe, use 2 teaspoons of baking powder instead of the cream of tartar.
Tip: Want to make these a little unique and have people wondering what’s just a little different about these? Try adding 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg to the dough. People will flip over them!
Freezing Directions
These will freeze great. If you freeze the dough, wait to roll it in the cinnamon sugar mixture until you’re ready to bake them. You can also freeze them already baked, as well.
They will keep in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Love Cinnamon?
Make sure to check out:
- double cinnamon crinkle cookies
- cinnamon roasted chickpeas
- cinnamon vanilla bean meringues
- cinnamon ice cream (no churn!)
- maple cinnamon chia pudding
- cinnamon toast crunch bars
Snickerdoodle Recipe
This is the best snickerdoodle recipe - they're soft and chewy with the perfect crispy edge. No chilling of dough required for these snickerdoodles!
Ingredients
for cookies:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For rolling:
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF. If desired, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and sugar and use an electric or a stand mixer to beat for 2-3 minutes or until fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.
- On top of the wet ingredients, add flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Gently mix those together before mixing into the wet ingredients. Mix until combined, do not overmix.
- In a small bowl or plate, combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.
- Use a 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop to scoop out dough and roll into balls. Roll in cinnamon sugar mixture and place on cookie sheet. Place cookies about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until set. Be careful not to overbake. Let cool for 1-2 minutes on cookie sheet before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- I tested these with and without chilling dough and found it slightly increased bake time but did not change the appearance, taste, or texture of the cookies. If you're a dough chiller, go for it, but I didn't find it necessary for this recipe.
Recommended Products
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 34 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 129Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 58mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 0gSugar: 10gProtein: 1g
RachelCooks.com sometimes provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as they are not calculated by a registered dietician. Please consult a medical professional for any specific nutrition, diet, or allergy advice.
49 Comments on “Snickerdoodle Recipe (THE BEST Snickerdoodles)”
Made these with a little nutmeg. OMGPerfect on 1st try and I can’t bake. Love them.
Yum, I love nutmeg! So glad you liked this recipe!
I use this recipe to make biscochitos. I substitute anise extract for half of the vanilla, i.e. 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 1 tsp anise extract. They are so good!
Those sound so yummy! Thanks for sharing!
I love this recipe so much! I’ve made this recipe many times and every time the cookies turn out amazing! Definitely recommend!!!
So glad to hear it! It’s one of our favorite recipes, too!
why cant i use salted butter?
You definitely can, but you may want to reduce the salt in the recipe by a little bit.
I have not made my grandmother’s snickerdoodles in years, so I thought I’d look at recipes online to see if anyone had gotten fancy with the concept. Browning the butter? Aging the dough? Nope, this easy recipe is the same as hers, so I know they’ll turn out well.
Ahhh I love that so much! I hope you love the cookies!
I’m in the UK and came across Snickerdoodles on a recent trip to the USA and loved them. Had a go at making them using this recipe (once I figured out the cups conversion!) and they were great and took me back to a great holiday.
So glad to hear it! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
this recipe kind of sucked. the cookie dough was too runny and it got all over the inside of my oven.
This dough shouldn’t be even close to runny. Are you sure you used the correct amounts of all of the ingredients?
Could you bake using a convection oven? Should I lower the temperature to 375?
I haven’t tested them that way, let me know if you give it a try!
how did they turn out???
I used convection oven for 9:30 minutes at 400….perfect!
Awesome! Thanks for sharing!
I just made the snickerdoodles! They turned out perfect !!!
So glad to hear it! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment, Jackie!
How long is it??
And how dose it have no sugars??????
Hi Zaidee, these cookies do have sugar in both the dough and then the cinnamon sugar mixture you roll them in. 1 1/2 cups in the dough, 3 tablespoons in the cinnamon sugar mixture. You will bake them for 10 minutes (or until set) as directed in the recipe card. I hope that helps!
These are the best snickerdoodles I’ve ever made. They came out PERFECT . And they taste fantastic. I did chill the dough for about 30 minutes, just to harden it up a bit. But overall delicious
Oh I’m so glad to hear it! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment. :)
Oriental 5 spice is really good as well
Ooooh I bet that’s so yummy!
Royal Cinnamon from Burlap and Barrel is incredible! It is sweet enough on its own.
Good to know!
Hello can I use 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar and can I add 1tbs of cinnamon to the dough
Hi Erick, I think I responded to this question on Instagram (guessing that was you?), but in case anyone else has a similar question, I’ll answer here as well. I haven’t tried making these cookies that way, but I think it will work. Let me know if you give it a go!
Is cream of tartar necessary? I’m in a vacation cabin in the mountains and have all the ingredients except for that. Will it still work?
They won’t have that signature snickerdoodle taste without it, but they’ll taste more like a cinnamon sugar cookie. They’ll still be super tasty! To help them rise, if you have baking powder, I’d leave out the cream of tarter AND the baking soda and substitute with 2 teaspoons baking powder. I haven’t tested that, but it should work. Let me know if you try it!
Can this be refrigerated over night then baked, started late and would love to make them with my son
Yes! I’ve done that and they still turn out great!
Great recipe. Sweet, crispy on the outside and fluffy and moist on the inside. Very easy to make. I made the cookies with my friend Kate – who never bakes. They came out perfect! This recipe makes about ~ 24 cookies. Just stop looking at other recipes and make this one!
I’m so glad you liked them! Thank you for the kind words and for taking the time to come back and leave a comment – it means a lot to me!
I know Snickerdoodle cookies and these here are not it, they tasted just like sugar cookie with a pinch of cinnamon, still good though but I wouldn’t call them Snickerdoodle cookies.
Hi Taymeka,
I’m glad you liked the cookies! I think they taste just like snickerdoodles, and are in fact snickerdoodles. If you look at other snickerdoodle recipes, you’ll probably find they are similar. Regardless, I’m glad you liked them! :)
Great cookies! My granddaughters loved making them and eating them.
I’m so glad to hear it! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
I made these cookies to give to our post office and fire/police department and they are AMAZING!!! they are sweet and crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. I’m only twelve and found this recipe super easy to do with my 5 year old sister. Thank you for the recipe.
What a kind thing to do for such valuable members of the community! I’m glad you liked them, thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
These cookies are the bomb! I made about 150 today. My sister, the cookie critic LOVE them! I made these for our ladies tea at church, which is in 2 days. I’m going to have to hide them so they don’t disappear! lol I know they will be a huge hit! Thank you Rachel and Merry Christmas!
Oh my goodness, thank you! That’s a lot of cookies, I’m impressed! Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a comment, it means a lot to me! Merry Christmas!
Those cookies are sooooo good!I did refrigerate the dough. I thought it was to soft to roll.I am not a cookie person.But they were delicious.
Oh, yay! I’m so glad to hear you liked these cookies! Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a comment!
these look delicious, and we do love snickerdoodles.
Thanks Denise!