Snickerdoodles
My Snickerdoodles recipe is finally here! It’s based on a recipe that my friend shared with me in high school. I’ve since adapted that recipe to make a smaller batch (no joke, her original recipe made like eight dozen cookies), while still maintaining everything you love about Snickerdoodles and packing in that sweet cinnamon flavor.
Snickerdoodles have made their way into my collection of favorite cookie recipes over the last several years. I admittedly forgot about them for a while (shame, I know), and uncovered that old recipe a few years ago when I wanted to try something different in my holiday baking. Now with cookie season in full swing, it feels like the perfect time to share my version of this delicious cookie!
My fiancé describes Snickerdoodles as the perfect all-around cookie. Not quite the greatest of all time (he says those are my brown butter chocolate chip cookies), but they deliver on everything you want out of a cookie. Soft, buttery, a little chewy, warm cinnamon flavor—”like a hug in a cookie.”
Classic Snickerdoodles are delicious just the way they are – rolled in lots of cinnamon sugar. But you can add so many other spices and flavors to the cinnamon sugar to kick ’em up a few notches! Some of my favorite variations are:
- Pumpkin Spice
- Chai
- Gingerbread
- Cardamom & Cinnamon
- Orange & Spice
Let’s make Snickerdoodles!
To make them, you will need:
- Butter (softened, at room temperature)
- An egg and egg yolk (also at room temperature)
- Sugar
- All-purpose flour
- Milk
- Vanilla extract
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Cream of tartar
- Cinnamon sugar for coating
I know cream of tartar sounds odd to have in a cookie recipe, but I promise it makes a huge difference! Cream of tartar really helps give Snickerdoodles their iconic super soft texture. I forgot to add it to my dough once and that batch was not the same.
First, combine the dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar to a mixing bowl and set aside.
Cream together the butter and sugar. It should be light and fluffy after 3-4 minutes of beating in the stand mixer or hand-held mixer.
Next, add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and milk. Mix well after adding the eggs. Then add the vanilla and milk and mix again.
Add the dry ingredients. Carefully add in the flour mixture and mix slowly until a dough forms. It should be a pretty thick dough!
Chill the dough. Cover and chill the dough for at least two hours.
Scoop and shape the cookies. Use a spoon or small cookie scoop to portion the dough into roughly 1-inch balls. Roll the balls in your hands, and then coat generously in a cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place the dough balls on a lined baking sheet 1-2 inches apart.
Bake the cookies. Bake at 375ºF for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges just start to turn golden brown. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Like with most of my cookie recipes, you can freeze the pre-portioned Snickerdoodle cookie dough balls and keep them on hand for on-demand cookies. Baked Snickerdoodles will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for one week. Try one warmed up with some vanilla ice cream (and a drizzle of caramel sauce if you’re super extra) for a real treat!
Did you enjoy this recipe? You might also like:
- Orange Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Orange Cardamom Scones
- Pumpkin Bread
- Funfetti Blondies
Thanks so much for reading and eating along, y’all! If you’re craving more, follow me on Instagram and Pinterest, and sign up for my email list so you never miss a recipe. If you make one of my recipes, tag me on Instagram or share a photo on my Facebook page so I can see your work!
Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp milk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2/ cup cinnamon sugar coating
Instructions
- Cream softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and milk, and mix again until combined.
- Carefully add in flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar. Mix until a thick dough forms.
- Cover and chill the dough for at least two hours.
- When chill time is over, preheat the oven to 375ºF, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Use a large soup spoon or a medium cookie scoop to portion the dough into balls, roughly 1 inch in diameter. Roll the dough balls in the cinnamon sugar coating and place on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the bottoms and edges are golden brown.
- Enjoy warm, or move cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
