Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodles: the cookie with the funny name and cozy personality. Soft in the middle, slightly crisp on the edges, and always ready to steal the show at any cookie gathering.
Baking Snickerdoodles is one of those feel-good kitchen moments that makes your whole place smell like a warm, cinnamon-scented dream. It feels like stepping into my cozy era—I’m talking messy bun, oversized hoodie, cinnamon everywhere kind of vibe. Somehow, I always “accidentally” eat one while it’s still warm, because honestly, who has the willpower to wait? Not me, and definitely not when snickerdoodles are involved.
Try some of our other cookies: Soft and Chewy S'mores Cookies, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies, or White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
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Ingredients for Snickerdoodles
- unsalted butter
- granulated sugar
- cream of tartar
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- all purpose flour
- baking soda
- salt
- ground cinnamon
FAQs
Great question! While both are buttery and sweet, snickerdoodles have a tangy twist thanks to cream of tartar, and they’re rolled in cinnamon sugar for that signature cozy flavor.
If you want true snickerdoodle vibes, yes! It gives that classic flavor and texture. If you don’t have it, you can sub baking powder (1.5 teaspoon per teaspoon of cream of tartar + baking soda), but purists might give you side-eye.
Yup! You can freeze the dough balls (roll 'em in cinnamon sugar first!) or the baked cookies. Just bake straight from frozen, adding a minute or two to the time.
Keep them in an airtight container with a slice of bread (yep, really!). The bread helps maintain that soft, pillowy texture. Just don’t eat the bread—it's the cookie hero behind the scenes.
The origin is a bit mysterious, but most food historians believe snickerdoodle comes from the German word “Schneckennudel,” which is a type of sweet, cinnamon-laced pastry. Over time, the name likely got funnier and fluffier as it was passed around by English-speaking bakers. Others think it might’ve just been part of a 19th-century trend of giving baked goods silly names—like doodlewhoppers or jumbleberries (okay, I made that last one up, but you get the idea).
In short: no one’s 100% sure, but let’s be honest—snickerdoodle is way more fun to say than “cinnamon sugar cookie.
Top Tips
- Don’t skip the cream of tartar: It’s not just a fancy pantry dweller—it gives snickerdoodles their signature tang and helps with that chewy texture. No cream of tartar? Your cookies might still be good, but technically, they’re just sugar cookies in disguise.
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Softened butter and room-temperature eggs mix better, resulting in a smoother dough and evenly baked cookies.
- Creaming your butter and sugar together until light and fluffy incorporates air into the dough, giving your cookies a better texture.
- Don’t Overmix: When adding the dry ingredients, mix just until combined. Overmixing can lead to dense cookies.
- Even Cookie Sizes: Use a cookie scoop to ensure all cookies are the same size for even baking.
- Bake One Sheet at a Time: For the best results, bake one tray at a time in the center of the oven. If you’re baking multiple trays, rotate them halfway through.
How to make Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes). Add the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla.
- Whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually mix into the wet ingredients until a soft dough forms. Chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes if you have the time—this helps them bake up thick and chewy.
- Mix together the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Roll the dough into 1.5-inch balls and coat each one generously in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are set and the tops are puffed and crackly. The centers might look soft—that’s perfect. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely (or sneak one while they’re warm, I won’t tell).
Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cups butter
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes). Add the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla.
- Whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually mix into the wet ingredients until a soft dough forms.
- Chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes if you have the time—this helps them bake up thick and chewy.
- Mix together the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl.
- Roll the dough into 1.5-inch balls and coat each one generously in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are set and the tops are puffed and crackly. The centers might look soft—that’s perfect. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
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