Giant Snickerdoodle Cookies
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After making these giant chocolate chip cookies I knew I had to make a variation of them right away. Say hello to the best snickerdoodle cookie recipe you’ll ever have.
Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookies have been one of my favorite cookies for as long as I can remember.
Chocolate Chip Cookies will always have a place in my heart but a soft, chewy, thick snickerdoodle cookie always hits the spot.
Most snickerdoodle cookies are typically a pretty flat cookie. And I don’t like that.
I want a soft in the center, barely baked, giant snickerdoodle cookie. And this cookie is exactly that, plus white chocolate chips!
This recipe is a complete spin off of my newly famous giant chocolate chip cookie recipe so I am so excited to share this next recipe with you.
I hope it’s the best snickerdoodle cookie recipe you will ever make!
It actually originated in 19th-century New England. It’s a whimsically named cookie that has a characteristically crackly surface and can be either crisp or soft (these are soft!)
The dough in snickerdoodle cookies sometimes contains cinnamon and nutmeg as well as raisins and nuts. I only added cinnamon and mine but think a pinch of nutmeg would be a delicious addition.
I think these would be yummy with macadamia nuts too but my husband is allergic to all nuts so I try not to bake with nuts too often.
Traditionally, snickerdoodle cookies are sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar before being baked so I rolled these dough balls in cinnamon & sugar.
The name appears to have no particular meaning or purpose other than being fun!
Ingredient Notes
- All-Purpose Flour: Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and be sure it’s leveled. Do not scoop the flour out of the container/bag with your measuring cup because you could end up with 50% more than you need.
- Spoon and level by using a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup and use the back of a knife to level off the top of it.
- Cake Flour:Cake flour is finer, softer and lighter than All-Purpose Flour and I find using a mix of both cake flour and All-Purpose results in the perfect cookies.
- You can find Cake flour in most grocery stores, usually on the top shelf.
- Corn Starch: Seems weird to add cornstarch to cookies, right? But cornstarch is key to giving cookies that delectably soft center that’s just to die for. It also helps to keep the cookies thick and GIANT!
- Baking Powder: leavening agent for the cookie.
- Baking Soda: Another leavening agent but about four times as strong as baking powder.
- Salt: Don’t ever forget the salt! Salt is so great in baking because it intensifies the body’s ability to taste the sweetness of the sugar. Yum! We want that.
- Cinnamon: because snickerdoodle cookies.
- Butter:Cold, unsalted butter is used in this recipe. Not melted or frozen or room temperature. Cold butter straight from the fridge.
- This can be a confusing step in many recipes and possibly recipes have conflicting opinions on this, but this cookie is best with cold butter.
I get all of my ingredients ready to go and then once it’s time to start the mixer, I take the butter out and cube it up.
- Brown sugar: I’ve tested this recipe with both light and dark brown sugars and you can use either! I use more brown sugar in the recipe compared to granulated white because it results in a more moist, soft and chewy cookie.
- Granulated white sugar: Even though we’re using more brown sugar than white, the white sugar is still necessary. It helps these giant chocolate chip cookies spread a little bit so they don’t look like baseballs!
- 1 whole egg (egg yolk + egg white): at room temperature. Using room temperature eggs can help result in a lighter and fluffier cookie.
- 1 egg yolk (just the yolk, no white): Another way to promise a super chewy chocolate chip cookie is to use an extra egg yolk! The extra egg yolk adds richness, soft tenderness, and binds the dough.
- Vanilla Extract: Adding in a teaspoon helps to enhance the overall flavors in the cookie.
- White Chocolate Chips: These totally elevate snickerdoodle cookies. I use the Ghirardelli Classic White Chips, they add the perfect amount of sweetness and are velvety smooth.
I intentionally chose to make this best snickerdoodle cookie recipe without cream of tartar for a few reasons.
Cream of tartar typically lends a soft, chewy center and a tangy taste to snickerdoodle cookies that we all love so much.
However, I made two batches – one with and one without cream of tartar and there was not a big different in taste at all. But…
There was a difference in appearance. The cookies made with cream or tartar were flat and had crinkly tops and the snickerdoodle cookies without cream of tartar were beautifully risen, fluffy, giant with less crinkly tops.
Step by Step Directions
See the recipe below for the full instructions.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugars together
- Then add in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract and blend until mixed.
- Gradually add in the flour mixture until ingredients are incorporated.
- Then add in the white chocolate chips and mix just until the chocolate chips are incorporated.
- Measure out ~6, 5.5 oz. cookies.
- Roll the cookie dough balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Bake cookies for ~10-11 minutes.
Let them rest on the cookie sheet for 15 minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack. It’s hard to wait. Trust me, I’ve been there. Allow the cookies cool on the cooling rack to finish cooling completely. Cameron likes to enjoy them 15 minutes out of the oven, and I like them best ~45 min-1 hour later. Enjoy with a big tall glass of milk!
Expert Tips
- These best ever snickerdoodle cookies with soft and chewy centers have a few secrets:
- No chilling required! Don’t you just love a no chill cookie recipe? These cookies will not flatten out like pancakes, they stay nice and sturdy even without the chill time. Woo!
- Use a mix of both All-Purpose flour and cake flour: I’ve tested without cake flour and the cookie is more dense. It’s still delicious, but I just love the cake-y center when using a combination of both flours.
- Double up the cookie sheets: Optional but works! Double panning is a tip to slow the heat to the bottom of the cookie. To do so, simply flip a cookie sheet upside down. Then, place another cookie sheet on top of it (so the bottoms are touching). Place your cookies on top of the top sheet and bake your cookies!
- Barley baked: Pull the cookies out before you think they are done (10-11 min): I bake mine in our oven for exactly 10 minutes.
- The cookies will continue to cook a little once you pull them out of the oven and let them cool on the cookie sheet for 15 minutes. Plus, we want a super gooey and soft center so please do not over bake these beauties!
- Add an extra egg yolk: It’s just science. Adding in 1 whole egg (egg + white), plus an extra egg yolk (with no white) results in a chewy, delicious, amazing cookie.
- Make each cookie GIANT: 5.5 oz. to be exact. Using a food scale is easiest. I like to pinch the tops of the cookies to keep them nice and tall. Do not flatten them or use a cookie scoop or disher to scoop out onto your cookie sheet.
- If you want to make the cookies smaller that’s fine too. Adjust baking time as needed.
- No cake flour? No problem. I tested this recipe using a “homemade cake flour” recipe. It resulted in a very similar product and I thought it was better than the 100% All-Purpose cookie.
- To make homemade cake flour, you’ll need 14 Tbsp. All-purpose flour and 2 Tbsp. corn starch. Mix these together and sift them twice to get them fully mixed and aerated. This will make ~1 cup flour. You only need 3/4 cup for this recipe.
I have also tested this recipe using 100% All Purpose Flour. The cookie seemed more dense, but still resulted in a delicious cookie recipe. I still recommend using cake flour or “making” cake flour if you can’t find it in stores.
- Yes, these snickerdoodle cookies freeze beautifully! Freeze them once they have cooled in a Ziplock baggie, Stasher bag, or freezer friendly container.
- They will freeze for up to 3 months.
- To thaw, I like to leave them out on the counter for 30-60 minutes. Or to speed things up you can pop them in the microwave for ~30 seconds.
Can I make these gluten free?
Yes. I did test this best snickerdoodle cookie recipe out in a gluten free version myself! To make them gluten free: Replace both the All-Purpose flour and Cake flour with: Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour .
The cookies are very similar in taste and appearance and a great option for those who need GF cookies!
Yes, you can double the recipe. Be sure to follow the measurements exactly, use a large enough stand mixer for all of the dough to fit.
When doubling the recipe, I realize you need 5 cups of chocolate chips and that is A LOT.
If 5 cups seems like TOO many chocolate chips for your preference, scale back. Start with maybe 3 or 4 cups and then gradually add in a little more until you think it has the perfect amount.
You can also made these into 3 oz. cookies if you want smaller cookies. Bake time ~9-10 minutes.
Can I make these if I don’t have a stand mixer?
Use a hand-mixer on low speed if you do not have a stand mixer. Mixture may seem crumbly, keep mixing.
What can be better than chewy snickerdoodle cookies? Happy baking!
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Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 3/4 cup Cake Flour*
- 1 tsp. corn starch
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup cold, unsalted butter, cubed (8 Tbsp.)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed (light or dark)
- 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 1/2 cups white chocolate chips*
For the cinnamon/sugar topping
- 2 Tbsp. white granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Whisk together the All-purpose flour, cake flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cornstarch and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Place the cold, cubed butter into the bowl of a stand mixer and secure the paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on the lowest setting. I keep mine on “stir” the whole time.
- Let the mixer cream the butter for 30 seconds, and then add in the brown sugar and mix 30 seconds, followed by the white sugar for 30 seconds or until light and fluffy.
- Then add in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract and blend until mixed. If any of the butter gets stuck on the paddle attachment use a rubber spatula to knock it off.
- Keep the mixer on low speed, gradually add in the flour mixture. I add in about 1/4 cup at a time. Slowly and carefully add it in a little at a time until ingredients are incorporated.
- Then add in the white chocolate chips and mix just until the chocolate chips are incorporated. Turn off the machine.
- Measure out ~6, 5.5 oz. cookies. I like to use a food scale for this but if you don’t have one, simply eye-ball it. Cookies will be a little smaller than a fist, huge I know! Keep the cookies nice and tall and don’t flatten them. Roll the dough in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place cookies on a cookie sheet. You can use a silicone baking mat or parchment paper if you prefer.
- Bake cookies for 10-11 minutes (see recipe notes if cookies are gooey). The secret is to pull them out before you think they are done. Let them rest on the cookie sheet for 15 minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack. It’s hard to wait. Trust me, I’ve been there. Let the cookies cool on the cooling rack to finish cooling completely. Cameron likes to enjoy them 15 minutes out of the oven, and I like them best ~45 min-1 hour later. Enjoy with a big tall glass of milk!
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Notes
- Let the cookies rest: If your cookies are turning out too gooey, let them rest longer. I recommend at least 15 minutes on the cookie sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. They are even better if you let them sit and enjoy the next day. Your cookies aren’t ruined, just let them rest!
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
How can I get more sugar and cinnamon on top?? Mine came out with hardly any on them.
Please and thank you
You can try scooping the dough, chilling for 30 minutes and then rolling in cinnamon/sugar prior to baking.
OMG I LOVE THESE COOKIESSS !! ahhh! i was wondering if can i make these with browned butter and chill the dough overnight ??
Thank you soo so much! Ooo I bet that would work. I haven’t tested it out so I can’t say for sure, if you try it out please let me know how it goes 🙂
Can I make these without white chocolate chips?
yes 🙂
These are delicious! Mine look exactly as pictured…I did have to cook mine for a few minutes longer, using a regular Nordicware sheet pan in my electric wall oven. I will definitely make them again, though probably smaller next time. Thanks for a great recipe!!
Thank you so much Paula! I make them smaller often too, so glad you enjoyed! xo, Tawnie
I followed the recipe to the letter and had a completely raw cookie. 10 minutes is not enough time for a cookie of this size.
Cook them longer if you want but I always suggest letting them rest on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes and even better enjoying the next day! xo, Tawnie
Any suggestions for altering this recipe for baking at 4400ft elevation?
Hi Melissa! Unfortunately I don’t have any tips. Maybe this could be helpful: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking — if you find success let us know!! xo, Tawnie
Do u still bake at 400, even if u make smaller cookies (like 3oz)? Planning on making tomorrow, I’m curious (and trying to perfect smaller cookies). I’ve made both your giant choc chip, and cookies & Cream Cookies (giant) and they are fabulous!! Ty!
Hi Natalie! 🙂 thank you! so, I keep it at 400F in our oven but you can play around with 375 and see if that works for you too. I hope you love the snickerdoodles!
I tried this recipe because I’m n love with Krolls cookies. However, I think I may have done something wrong. The dough was extremely dry and crumbly. Why does this recipe only use 1/2 cup butter, when the others use 1 cup?
Hi Sharon! Thank you so much for making these however I am SO sorry your dough was dry. You may know this already but usually the case with dry dough is from this issue: Did you use the spoon & level method when measuring your flours? Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and be sure it’s leveled. Do not scoop the flour out of the container/bag with your measuring cup because you could end up with 50% more than you need. Spoon and level by using a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup and use the back of a knife to level off the top of it. I use 1/2 cup ( 8 tbsp.) butter in this recipe; this recipe is a spin off Kroll’s Kookies: https://krollskorner.com/recipes/desserts/krolls-kookies/ – I do have other recipes that use more butter but those recipes also call for more flour. I hope this helps. And I know how frustrating baking can be sometimes! xo, Tawnie
I made these GF for my sister for her birthday and now she wants me to make them all the time for her! She said that this is the best cookie she has ever had! Thank you! This should be a 5 star but it wouldn’t let me lol
Oh my gosh I am so glad, what a sweet sister you are! So glad she enjoyed and I hope she had a great birthday! xo, Tawnie
These turned out AMAZING! 🤩 I am obsessed!
SO pretty!! Thank you so much!!