This super soft snickerdoodle cookie recipe will instantly win you over! It truly is the best. It’s a classic recipe that makes soft and chewy snickerdoodle cookies with lots of flavor every time.
Snickerdoodles are one of my favorite cookie recipes! I love to make other fun snickerdoodle variations, like my pumpkin snickerdoodles, snickerdoodle fudge, snickerdoodle apple muffins, snickerdoodle hot chocolate and snickerdoodle pumpkin muffins.
Homemade snickerdoodles
One of my favorite Christmas cookies to make are snickerdoodles. It’s one of those recipes where I usually have all the ingredients on hand and is something I know everyone will love. My son, who claims to not like anything with cinnamon (even cinnamon rolls – yes I know), even loves these snickerdoodle cookies.
Now don’t get me wrong, a good classic chocolate chip cookie still has my heart, but there’s just something about a snickerdoodle that is so perfect. As I was looking through my archives, I couldn’t believe I haven’t shared this recipe before now. I’ve shared other fun snickerdoodle variations, but not the good ol’ classic recipe. So here we are friends.
What makes these soft snickerdoodle cookies so dreamy? The extra butter and brown sugar adds to the amazing flavor but the pillow top from the cream of tarter takes them over the top. I bake mine for 10 minutes, but I know every oven varies, so make sure to start watching them around 8 or 9 minutes. You don’t want to over cook these snickerdoodle cookies!
How to make snickerdoodle cookies
Follow the simple steps below to get started making this snickerdoodle recipe.
Step 1: Make the dough
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, 1 cup sugar and the brown sugar with an electric mixer. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Add in the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cream of tarter. Stir just until smooth.
Step 2: Refrigerate the dough
Cover the dough and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Coat with cinnamon sugar mixture
In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch size balls and then roll into the cinnamon sugar. Place onto the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
Step 4: Bake the snickerdoodles
Bake in oven at 350°F for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are slightly golden brown. The centers will look slightly under cooked and that’s okay. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes and they will firm up. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Baking tips for snickerdoodle cookies
Use cream of tartar: See that nice pillow top? That’s from the cream of tartar. You definitely don’t want to make these snickerdoodles without it!
Refrigerate the dough: This step helps the cookies stay thick and chewy. I usually refrigerate my dough for 30 minutes or so.
Don’t over bake: The cookies don’t take long to bake, so remove them from the oven when the edges are slightly golden brown. The centers of the snickerdoodles will probably look under cooked, but they’ll firm up after about 5 minutes as they cool. Then you’re left with perfectly soft and chewy snickerdoodle cookies!
More cookie recipes:
- Soft Molasses Cookies
- M&M Cookie Bars
- Soft Sugar Cookies
- Butter Cookies
- Ricotta Cheese Cookies
- Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
Soft Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter , at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tarter
For rolling the snickerdoodles:
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter, 1 cup sugar and the brown sugar with an electric mixer. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.
- Add in the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cream of tarter. Stir just until smooth. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon. Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch size balls and then roll into the cinnamon sugar. Place onto the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are slightly golden brown. The centers will look slightly under cooked and that’s okay. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes and they will firm up. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Store in an airtight container.
Nutrition
Enjoy! Hope these snickerdoodles become a new staple in your home and win you lots of new friends!
These cookies are so good! They are so perfectly soft and chewy!
We love these snickerdoodle cookies so much! Will make them many more times.
I noticed in the picture with the cookie balls they were placed on what looks like a Silpat with cookie placement. It said “Perfect Cookie”. Where can we find one of those?
I have a link to them in my shop under ‘bakeware’ https://www.iheartnaptime.net/shop/
Says 2 cups sugar in list, but 1 and 1/4 total in directions! How much goes where?!
The recipe calls for 1 cup of white sugar, 2/3 cups brown sugar in the dough and then 1/4 cup sugar for rolling the dough in. :)
This is my favorite recipe for snickerdoodle cookies. I made them for Thanksgiving.
So glad you love these! Thanks for leaving a comment and review Celeste! :)
Made these cookies for Thanksgiving. This is my favorite snickerdoodle cookie recipe.
I put them in for 30 min. I’m still new to baking. I think I may have possibly measured something wrong. When I took the batter out of the fridge it was really fluffy but when I touched it it would just stick to my fingers. I also could have over mixed. I have been watching some videos on cookies and I think that I could have possibly made some mistakes along the way. They still turned out delicious though just not as pretty as yours lol
I made these tonight and not sure what I did wrong. By the time I took the bowl out of the fridge the cookies were not able to be rolled into balls. I think I made a boo boo
Hi Amber! How long did you refrigerate them? I usually only put them in the fridge for 30 minutes. You could try skipping that step. I’m sorry these didn’t turn out how you expected!
These cookies look really soft and delicious. I would try this recipe out this weekend.
Hope you enjoy!
Yum, Jamielyn! Thank you for another goodie. I couldn’t see the printable recipe anywhere. Did I miss it? Thanks.
Hi Penny! The recipe is now up! :)