Soft & Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookies

These tender Snickerdoodle Cookies have a soft center, crackly tops, and the warming flavors of cinnamon sugar!

A classic cookie, with a chewy texture and a light tang, we think these are the perfect Snickerdoodle Cookie! What’s not to love? They are easy, full of flavor, use simple ingredients, are soft, and ready in less than 30 minutes.

Every bite is so satisfying! Cookie perfection!

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Ingredients Needed

Homemade Snickerdoodle Cookies are comforting favorite cookies for a reason. They are easy to prepare and you probably already have all 9 ingredients needed to make them in your pantry and refrigerator right now!

• FLOUR – use all-purpose flour for the best structure
• CREAM OF TARTAR – the key to giving Snickerdoodles that classic tangy flavor. An essential ingredient that works in combination with baking soda to create an acidic chemical reaction
• BAKING SODA – this leavening agent works in conjunction with the cream of tartar. Without it, the cookies would be flat and lack the beautiful crackle on top
• CINNAMON – this separates Snickerdoodles from sugar cookies! Make sure to use your best cinnamon for this recipe because it’s the star of the show and it’s used in both the dough and the cinnamon sugar coating
• SALT – helps balance sweetness and enhance any baked good
• BUTTER – we use unsalted butter, and it should be room temperature but not warm
• SUGAR – regular granulated sugar which is used in both the dough and the cinnamon sugar mixture for the coating
• EGG + EGG YOLK – the added egg yolk makes these cookies beautifully soft. Room-temperature large eggs work best
• VANILLA EXTRACT – use pure extract. Have you tried making Homemade Vanilla yet? It’s easy and there are only two ingredients.

How to make the perfect Snickerdoodle Cookie

You can make these cookies fast without chilling the dough, so if you’re planning to bake them right away, preheat the oven to 375˚F before you get started mixing.

TIP: Use a handheld mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. You could also mix the dough by hand with a wooden spoon as my mother-in-law does, however, it’s a bit of a workout creaming the sugar and butter!

• CREAMING: In the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or a hand mixer, begin creaming the butter and the sugar together on medium speed.
• This will take about 3 minutes and is important for whipping air into the cookie dough and helping the butter coat the sugar. Scrape the sides of the bowl once or twice while mixing.
• DRY INGREDIENTS: While the butter/sugar mixture is creaming blend in a separate medium bowl: flour, cream of tartar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

• COMBINE: Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract to the butter/sugar mixture and blend on medium speed until combined.
• MIX: Add half of the reserved flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. Add the remaining flour mixture and blend until no streaks remain.
• OPTIONAL CHILLING: Cover and chill the dough for 30 minutes (or up to 24 hours). Chilling will result in a puffier cookie.

• PREP PAN: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, if desired
• CINNAMON SUGAR COATING: Mix 1/4 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl to make the coating
• SCOOP THE DOUGH: Scoop cookies and roll them into smooth, round balls (we make ours about 2 inches around using a cookie scoop)
• COATING: Drop the rounded balls into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and coat the entire cookie twice to ensure they are heavily coated

• BAKE: Place the coated cookie dough balls on the prepared pan, spaced evenly apart (about 3 inches), and bake for 8-11 minutes.
• CHECKING FOR DONENESS: The edges will be set and the middle of the cookie will still be a bit soft and crackly. The color should be light golden, but not pale. The cookies will puff up in the oven and settle back down while cooling.
• COOL: Let the cookies rest on the pan for 1-2 minutes and then remove to a wire rack for at least 5 minutes to allow them to firm up.

How to Store Baked Snickerdoodles

• ROOM TEMPERATURE: Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container for 4-5 days (we’ll be surprised if there are any leftovers after the first day – we had to hide a few to test this part!)
• FREEZER: These cookies freeze beautifully! Store cooled baked cookies in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
• FREEZING DOUGH: Roll cookies into balls and freeze for up to 3 months, remove from freezer when ready to bake and let thaw for 30 minutes, then roll in cinnamon sugar coating and bake.

Do I need to chill Snickerdoodle cookie dough?

• Nope! This easy recipe doesn’t require chilling because of the high flour content.
• You can chill the dough, covered, for up to 24 hours before baking. The result will be a puffier cookie with less crinkly tops.
• If it’s a very hot day (or just hot in your kitchen) you can chill the dough for 10 -15 minutes and this will help the cookies retain their shape.

Tips & Hints

• Why are my Snickerdoodles dry? Dry cookies usually indicate too much flour in the dough. Be sure to lightly add flour to a measuring cup with a spoon. Never scoop flour directly from the container because that will compress it and you will end up with extra flour.
• Why are my Snickerdoodles hard? They’ve been overbaked. Start checking them at the 8-minute mark and remove them when they are still a little soft because they will continue cooking slightly on the pan while they cool. Slightly underbaked is the way to go!
• We always use parchment paper when we bake cookies to line our baking sheets. It makes clean up a breeze!
• Use room-temperature butter and eggs for the best results
• Check your cream of tartar and baking soda for freshness before using
• Want a flatter cookie? Rap the cookie sheet gently at the end of the bake to help deflate the cookies.

More fun cookie recipes and dessert ideas

• Good old-fashioned Drop Sugar Cookies with no rolling or cutting are a cinch. Frosting optional!
• A gooey Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie is fun for a crowd
• Double Chocolate Chip Cookies are ideal for the dark chocolate lover
• Sugar Cookie Bars are simple and delicious. Add sprinkles for the kids!