Description
Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies deliver a soft, chewy texture with a distinct cinnamon-sugar coating. These cookies are made with a perfect blend of butter, sugars, eggs, and cream of tartar to achieve their signature tangy flavor and tender crumb. Ideal for a cozy treat with a glass of milk, they are simple to prepare and freeze well for future baking.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks, softened)
- 1 and 1/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven. Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to ensure cookies don’t stick.
- Make the Dough – Cream Butter. In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the softened butter for a couple of minutes until smooth and creamy, scraping down the bowl sides occasionally.
- Add Sugars and Beat. Incorporate the granulated sugar and brown sugar, beating for 2 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and free of lumps.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla. Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract thoroughly, scraping the bowl to create a smooth homogenous batter.
- Combine Dry Ingredients. Spoon the flour into a measuring cup without packing it, then in a separate bowl stir together the flour, baking soda, kosher salt, and cream of tartar.
- Mix Dry into Wet. Gradually add the dry mixture to the butter mixture and beat gently to combine, then use a spatula to scrape down sides. Beat just until the flour streaks disappear to avoid over mixing.
- Scoop Dough. Using a large cookie scoop or spoon, portion out dough balls about 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter.
- Roll in Cinnamon Sugar. In a bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Roll each dough ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat well.
- Arrange on Baking Sheet. Place the coated dough balls spaced 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheets, fitting approximately 12 cookies per 11×17 inch sheet.
- Bake Cookies. Bake in the preheated oven for 9 to 11 minutes until the edges are barely set but the centers remain slightly shiny. Avoid overbaking for soft, chewy results.
- Shape Cookies. Immediately after removing from the oven, use a spoon to gently push the edges of each cookie inward to create a round shape with a thicker, chewier center, working quickly before the edges harden.
- Cool. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 3 to 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling for a few minutes.
- Final Cinnamon Sugar Coat. While still warm but sturdy enough to handle, dip each cookie back into the cinnamon sugar, coating both sides for an extra crunchy cinnamon-sugar edge.
- Serve and Enjoy. Enjoy the cookies fresh with a glass of milk or your favorite beverage.
- Freezing Instructions. Shape dough into balls and roll in cinnamon sugar, then store in a ziplock freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen adding 2-3 extra minutes to baking time without thawing for fresh cookies anytime.
Notes
- Make sure not to pack the flour when measuring; spoon it lightly into the measuring cup for accurate measurement.
- Do not overmix dough to avoid tough cookies; some flour streaks initially are acceptable.
- Underbaking slightly produces soft, chewy snickerdoodles; avoid overbaking to prevent dry, chalky texture.
- Shaping the cookies immediately out of the oven yields their classic fluffy center and round shape.
- Dipping cookies in cinnamon sugar after baking adds to the signature crunchy cinnamon edge.
- The dough can be frozen and baked later straight from the freezer, making it convenient for advance preparation.
