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A red and green Christmas snickerdoodle on a small plate with a bite taken out of the top green cookie.
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Christmas Snickerdoodles

These Christmas Snickerdoodles are everything you love about a classic snickerdoodle cookie, but dressed up in the most festive way. They’re soft, chewy, and rolled in colorful sanding sugar, making them the perfect easy holiday cookie for gifting, parties, or just a fun Christmas treat.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword christmas snickerdoodles
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes
Servings 26 -30 cookies
Calories 163kcal
Author Tawnie Graham of Kroll's Korner

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 2 tsp. cream of tartar
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. fine salt
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • pinch of ground cardamom
  • 1 cup butter unsalted, just barely softened*
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 Tbsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
  • Christmas red/green/white sugar for rolling I use: red sugar, green sugar, and white sugar (or this one)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a few baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom. Set aside.
    3 cups all purpose flour, 2 tsp. cream of tartar, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 tsp. fine salt, 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, pinch of ground cardamom
    Side-by-side image of whisking all the dry ingredients together in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
  • Cream the butter and sugars: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl as needed.
    1 cup butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup light brown sugar
    Side-by-side image of beating the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
  • Add eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
    2 large eggs
    Side-by-side image of adding the eggs one at a time to the butter and sugar combination and mixing until combined.
  • Mix in vanilla: Mix in the vanilla bean paste.
    1 Tbsp. vanilla bean paste
    Side-by-side image of adding the vanilla bean paste to the wet ingredients and mixing until combined.
  • Combine wet and dry: Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix on low until just combined. Do not overmix.
    Side-by-side image of adding the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mixing until dough forms.
  • Scoop and roll: Using a 1½ tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop and roll each ball in the holiday-colored sanding sugars to fully coat. I like to set up a little station with 3 bowls and place each sugar in a bowl and alternate colors as I go. Also, feel free to add a small pinch of cinnamon into the sanding sugars to get that snickerdoodle cinnamon sugar vibe.
    Christmas red/green/white sugar for rolling
    Scooping the snickerdoodle dough and rolling in colored sugars then placing on parchment-lined baking tray.
  • Bake: Place cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake for 7-9 minutes, or until edges look set but centers appear soft and slightly underdone. I always pull mine out at 7 minutes. Do not overbake because they will continue to set as they cool, and there’s nothing worse than a dry snickerdoodle! Start Timer
    Six christmas snickerdoodles baked on parchment-lined baking tray.
  • Finish: If needed, cookie-scoot into perfect circles using a round cutter right after baking. Sprinkle a little extra Christmas sugar on top for sparkle. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. ENJOYY!! Aren’t they so cute?!
    Six Christmas snickerdoodles baked on a parchment lined baking tray and sprinkled with extra sugar.

Notes

  • *Butter: If the butter is left at room temperature for too long, the cookies will be flat. When you press your finger into the butter, it should barely leave an indent.
  • To store: Store these snickerdoodle cookies in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. 
  • To freeze: Scoop the dough into 1½ Tbsp. sized balls and freeze in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. You can bake the frozen cookie dough from frozen, just add an extra minute or so to your bake time.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 163kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 151mg | Potassium: 89mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 237IU | Vitamin C: 0.002mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg