Snickerdoodles
10 ingredients · 8 steps · 1 hr 15 min
Classic snickerdoodles with crisp edges, soft chewy centers and a crackled cinnamon-sugar coating. Total time: 1 hr 15 min.
Snickerdoodles are soft butter cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking. Cream of tartar is the traditional ingredient: it gives the cookies their slight tang and chewy texture, and helps them puff and then settle into the familiar crackled tops.
Baking them just until the edges set keeps the centers soft. The cinnamon-sugar coating turns lightly crisp in the oven, so every bite has a warm spice flavor and a bit of crunch on the outside.
Can you make snickerdoodles without cream of tartar?
Yes. Replace both the cream of tartar and the baking soda with 2 teaspoons of baking powder. The cookies will still bake up crackled, but they will be a little less tangy and chewy.
Why did my snickerdoodles come out flat?
The most common cause is skipping the chill. This dough needs 30 minutes in the fridge so the cookies stay thick. Butter that was too soft or warm baking sheets can also make them spread, so let the pans cool between batches.
Do you flatten snickerdoodles before baking?
Not for this recipe. Roll the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls, coat them in cinnamon sugar and bake them round. They spread on their own and the tops crackle in the oven.
How do you know when snickerdoodles are done?
Bake them at 375°F (190°C) for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops are crackled. The centers will still look soft. Let them cool on the pan for 5 minutes so they firm up before moving them.
Can you freeze snickerdoodle dough?
Yes. Roll the dough into balls, coat them in cinnamon sugar and freeze them for up to 2 months. Bake straight from frozen and add 1 to 2 minutes. Baked cookies keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Ingredient notes and swaps
If you do not have cream of tartar, replace it and the baking soda with 2 teaspoons of baking powder, though the cookies will be less tangy and chewy.
Chilling the dough for 30 minutes makes it easier to roll and keeps the cookies thick.
How to make Snickerdoodles
Step 1
Whisk the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
Step 2
Beat the butter and sugar for 2 to 3 minutes until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
Step 3
Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed until just combined. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
Step 4
Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment.
Step 5
Stir together the sugar and cinnamon for the coating in a small bowl.
Step 6
Roll the dough into 1 1/2-inch (4 cm) balls, roll each in cinnamon sugar and place 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the sheets.
Step 7
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops are crackled.
Step 8
Cool on the pans for 5 minutes, then move to a rack.
Tips and storage
A cookie scoop gives you even 1 1/2-inch (4 cm) balls. Cookies of the same size bake in the same 9 to 11 minutes, so none dry out while the others finish.
Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for the most even color. If you bake both sheets at once, swap them between racks and turn them halfway through.
You can make the dough ahead and keep it covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. If it feels too firm to roll, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes. Balls that crack while you roll them bake into cookies with ragged edges.
Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar right before it goes on the sheet. The sugar sticks best to the slightly tacky dough, and it forms the crackled coating in the oven.
Variation: add a pinch of ground nutmeg to the cinnamon sugar. Serve the cookies with cold milk or coffee, or sandwich a small scoop of vanilla ice cream between two cooled cookies.
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Rolled, coated dough balls freeze well for 2 months. Bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes.
Recipe
Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour345 g all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp cream of tartar2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp baking soda1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened225 g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar300 g granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract1 tsp vanilla extract
Coating
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar50 g granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon1 tbsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
- Beat the butter and sugar for 2 to 3 minutes until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
- Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed until just combined. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Stir together the sugar and cinnamon for the coating in a small bowl.
- Roll the dough into 1 1/2-inch (4 cm) balls, roll each in cinnamon sugar and place 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the sheets.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops are crackled.
- Cool on the pans for 5 minutes, then move to a rack.
Notes
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Rolled, coated dough balls freeze well for 2 months. Bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes.
Nutrition (per serving, estimate)
- Calories
- 370 kcal
- Fat
- 16 g
- Saturated fat
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Sugar
- 29 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Protein
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 215 mg
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