Classic Snickerdoodle Cookie
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A Classic Snickerdoodle Cookie never goes out of style. (Hey Siri, play Style by Taylor Swift ?) Snickerdoodle cookies, in any variation, are one of my all time favorite cookies!
You will love these soft, pillowy cookies with their tender and fluffy texture. The centers are so soft they practically melt in your mouth and the exterior is gently crisp but yields easily to pressure, enhancing the cloud-like eating experience even more.
A few other reader favorite snickerdoodle recipes include these giant snickerdoodles made with white chocolate chips, my gingerbread snickerdoodle cookies, apple butter snickerdoodle cookies, and these pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies.
You just can’t resist the cinnamon and buttery notes and the classic flavors of this sweet treat. It’s a must make for the holiday or just for a year-round staple everyone will love.
- Texture: Shortening has a higher melting point than butter. When used in snickerdoodles, it helps the cookies maintain their structure and height during baking, leading to a slightly thicker, softer, and often more pillowy texture. This is particularly desirable if you prefer a less flat and more puffed-up cookie.
- Flavor: While shortening doesn’t impart the same rich flavor as butter, it provides a neutral taste that allows the flavors of cinnamon and sugar to stand out more prominently. If you enjoy the pure sweetness and spice of snickerdoodles without the buttery undertones, shortening is an excellent choice.
- No Refrigeration Needed: Dough made with shortening often doesn’t require refrigeration before baking (though it can still benefit from it). This is because shortening doesn’t melt as quickly as butter, so the dough can be easier to handle and less sticky at room temperature.
Why this recipe works
- No chill time!
- Bakes perfectly every time, no spreading or wonky shaped cookies.
- Using cake flour helps make the cookies softer and more tender, giving them a delicate crumb structure. You can use all purpose flour though, if you don’t have cake flour in your pantry.
- Simple ingredients and simple preparation, nothing fancy with this classic cookie!
- Snickerdoodles have a buttery, sweet flavor with a notable hint of cinnamon. The cream of tartar adds a subtle tanginess, setting them apart from other sugar cookies.
- They are known for their these slightly golden hue with a surface that’s crinkled and cracked, showcasing the cinnamon-sugar dusting.
- My cookies are soft and pillowy with chewy middles and slightly crisp edges.
Why use cream of tartar in snickerdoodles?
- Cream of tartar is essential in snickerdoodles for its flavor, texture, and leavening properties. It contributes to the cookies’ distinctive taste and texture, making them different from other types of sugar cookies.
- Unique Flavor: Cream of tartar imparts a distinctive tangy taste to snickerdoodles, setting them apart from other sugar cookies.
Ingredient Notes
For the ingredient measurements and entire recipe, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the blog post where the recipe card is located.
- Shortening: This is used in place of butter. It helps the cookies maintain their shape during baking and results in a softer texture. You can use softened butter if you prefer.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar is used in the dough and also mixed with cinnamon for the coating.
- Light brown sugar: In my recipe testing, I found adding in some light brown sugar helps kee the cookie moist and chewier, than when made with only granulated sugar. The brown sugar also adds a subtle but rich depth of flavor to the cookies and keeps the cookies nice and soft.
- Eggs: Eggs bind the ingredients together and contribute to the texture of the cookies. Be sure they are at room temperature.
- Flour: I like to use cake flour for my snickerdoodles. However, all-purpose flour is typically used as the base for the cookie dough and is perfectly fine to use as well.
- Cream of Tartar: This is a key ingredient in snickerdoodles, giving them their classic tangy flavor and chewy texture.
- Baking Soda: (not baking powder) acts as a leavening agent, helping the cookies rise and become fluffy.
- Salt: Enhances the overall flavor of the cookies.
- Cinnamon: Mixed with sugar for rolling the cookie dough balls in before baking. This gives snickerdoodles their distinctive flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: added for additional flavor.
Step by Step Directions
For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the bottom of the blog post to the recipe card.
- Sift together the dry ingredients.
- Cream together the shortening and sugars.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract.
- Fold in the dry ingredients.
- Scoop and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Bake & enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Measure the flour properly by using the spoon and level method. Too much flour can make snickerdoodles dry and dense.
- Don’t Overmix the Dough: Mix the dough just until the ingredients are combined. Over mixing can develop too much gluten, making the cookies tough. To combat this, I like to fold in the dry ingredients just until no more dry flour pockets are left.
- Cream of Tartar: Don’t skip the cream of tartar. It gives snickerdoodles their classic tangy flavor and chewy texture. It also reacts with baking soda, helping the cookies rise.
- Don’t Over bake: Snickerdoodles should be removed from the oven when they’re just set and barely starting to turn golden around the edges, I always bake mine for 8 minutes.
- Don’t let them rest on the cookie sheet for too long: once out of the oven, I only give the cookies about 1 minute to rest on the cookie sheet then I carefully place them on a wire cooling rack. Letting these cookies sit too long on the cookie sheet will make them dry.
- Quality of Cinnamon: Use high-quality cinnamon for the coating, as it’s a dominant flavor in snickerdoodles. Fresh, aromatic cinnamon can make a significant difference in taste.
Variations
- Chocolate Chip Snickerdoodles: Incorporate chocolate chips into the dough for a delightful combination of cinnamon and chocolate flavors.
- Lemon Snickerdoodles: Infuse the dough with lemon zest and a touch of lemon juice for a fresh, citrusy take on the traditional recipe.
- Maple Snickerdoodles: Try my maple cookies that taste just like snickerdoodles with an Autumn twist!
- Snickerdoodle Bars: Instead of individual cookies, press the dough into a pan and bake it as a bar cookie. Cut into squares after baking.
- Almond Snickerdoodles: Add ground almonds or almond extract to the dough for a nutty twist.
- Chai Spice Snickerdoodles: Mix chai spices like cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and black pepper into the cinnamon-sugar coating for a spiced, aromatic version. Or, just make my chai cookies!
- Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles: Substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend to cater to those with gluten sensitivities.
- Salted Caramel Snickerdoodles: Add caramel bits to the dough and finish with a light sprinkle of sea salt for a sweet and salty treat.
Storage
- Store at room temperature in an air tight container for up to 5 days.
- Freeze up to 3 Months: Snickerdoodles can be stored in the freezer for up to three months without significant loss of quality.
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Ingredients
- 2 2/3 cups cake flour, spooned and leveled (all purpose flour will work too!)
- 2 tsp. cream of tartar
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 cup vegetable shortening (such as Crisco)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
For rolling
- 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
- 2 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 375°F and line a couple baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Sift together flour, cream of tartar, salt, and baking soda in a mixing bowl. Set aside.2 2/3 cups cake flour, spooned and leveled, 2 tsp. cream of tartar, 1 tsp. kosher salt, 1 tsp. baking soda
- Cream the shortening and both sugars using the paddle attachment on stand mixer. Cream for ~3 minutes, scraping down sides as needed.1 cup vegetable shortening (such as Crisco), 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- Add in the eggs and vanilla. Mix again until combined. Turn off the mixer.2 large eggs, room temperature, 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
- Fold in the dry ingredients just until combined, do not over mix. (The dough may be little sticky but i was able to work with it just fine, but feel free to chill a bit if needed).
- In a small dish or bowl combine the sugar and cinnamon.2 Tbsp. granulated sugar, 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- Scoop cookie dough with a 2 tbsp. scoop & roll into balls, then roll in the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
- Place cookies on the prepared baking sheet. I like to bake 6 at a time. Overcrowding the cookie sheet can cause the cookies to spread.
- Bake for just 8-10 min. Do not over bake.
- They look very soft and puffy right out of oven and almost underbaked but as they cool they’re perfectly soft and chewy. Let cool on the cookie sheet for just 1 minute, then carefully transfer to wire rack to cool completely. They settle as they cool.
- Last step…enjoy!!
Video
Notes
- Store at room temperature in an air tight container for up to 5 days.
- Freeze up to 3 Months: Snickerdoodles can be stored in the freezer for up to three months without significant loss of quality.
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.
Why are my snickerdoodles so flat?
Flat snickerdoodles can result from a few factors: too much butter or shortening, not enough flour, over mixing the dough, expired leavening agents, or not chilling the dough before baking.
Can I make snickerdoodles without cream of tartar?
Cream of tartar is a key ingredient in snickerdoodles, giving them their classic flavor and texture. I would not skip out on it.
Yes, snickerdoodles freeze well. You can freeze the dough balls before baking for up to 3 months. I would freeze without the cinnamon sugar coating. When ready to bake them, let the cookie dough balls come to room temperature for about 45 minutes, roll in coating then bake as directed. You can freeze the baked and cooled cookies in an air tight or freezer safe container for up to 3 months as well.
Why are my snickerdoodles hard?
Hard snickerdoodles can be due to overbaking, too much flour, or not enough fat in the dough. Also, storing them improperly can cause them to dry out and harden.
Snickerdoodles are characterized by their coating of cinnamon sugar and the use of cream of tartar, which gives them a unique tangy flavor and chewy texture. Sugar cookies, on the other hand, are typically plain or decorated with icing and lack the cinnamon flavor.
Photography: photos taken in this post are by Megan from The Broke Girl Table.
Recipe seemed rest easy to follow! However, when rolling the dough, it seemed to “crack” a little. Did I over mix? When baking, 10 minutes did not seem long enough (for my oven at least). So I baked an additional minute and that seemed better. They did spread and crack a little, but looked good! I feel they aren’t as sweet as I would like them, and feel like I’m left with that little sour after taste. Questioning where I went wrong since this seemed like an easy recipe!
Hi Bri! I am so sorry to hear. I recipe tested this MULTIPLE times to make them just perfect. I am wondering if you used too much flour, or not enough shortening. Did you spoon and level the flour or just scoop the measuring up right into the bag? The cookies are very soft right out of the oven but they set up perfectly and stay soft and chewy. The sour taste I am thinking if from the cream of tartar. This ingredient is what separates snickerdoodles apart from a regular sugar cookie. You could try using less, maybe 1 tsp. would give you less of that flavor you’re experiencing. You can also scoop and chill the cookie dough balls prior to baking to prevent spreading but in my testing I found it wasn’t necessary.
These cookies are amazing and so easy to make! Definitely recommend the shortening over butter as specified in the recipe. My kids loved helping make them and we are devouring them.
I am sooo glad! The shortening is really key I agree:) Thank you && Merry Christmas!