These Soft Snickerdoodle Cookies are sweet cinnamon-sugar goodness. Buttery, chewy, and with a signature tang, these treats are a favorite for the holidays.
If you’re looking for more cookie recipes, you should try our Double Chocolate Cookies and Chewy M&M Cookies.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
These Snickerdoodle cookies are super soft and delicious, and perennial favorites during the holidays. I just love their unique flavor and they are the perfect addition to a cookie tray or dessert table.
- TASTE: These Snickerdoodle Cookies are super sweet and covered in cinnamon-sugar. Made with cream of tartar, they have a distinctive tanginess that makes them unique among all the other sugary cookies of the season.
- TEXTURE: They are soft and moist with a buttery finish. These cookies are addictively good.
- TIME: These cookies only take 30 minutes to make.
- EASE: This is a really easy recipe. Follow the photos and instructions and you’ll have no trouble creating these soft and chewy snickerdoodles.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Brown sugar- This adds moisture and a rich sweetness from the molasses.
- Butter- Use unsalted here as we are adding salt to the dough.
- Cream of tartar- This ingredient keeps the sugar from crystalizing so the cookies are really chewy.
- Egg yolk- This extra egg yolk adds fat and moisture to the cookies for extra flavor and texture.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Substitute the cream of tartar- If you have no cream of tartar, then you can substitute it AND the baking soda with baking powder. Or substitute the 1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar with 3 tsp. of lemon juice or white vinegar.
- Make it gluten-free- You can substitute the flour 1:1 with gluten-free all-purpose flour.
- Substitute the butter- You can use oil in place of the butter or use plant-based butter to make this recipe dairy-free.
- Add chocolate- Replace a little of the flour with cocoa powder and add chocolate chips for a chocolaty-cinnamon delight.
How to Make Soft Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Whisk the butter and sugars. In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together for at least a minute until it’s all combined.
- Add the vanilla and eggs. Whisk in the vanilla and room-temperature egg and egg yolk.
- Sift in the dry ingredients. Place a sifter over the bowl and add the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Fold it all together with a spatula until there are no patches of dry flour visible.
- Scoop the dough into balls. Using a medium-sized cookie scoop, scoop out the dough and roll it in your hands to make balls.
- Roll the cookie dough in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. In a small bowl, combine the additional granulated sugar and cinnamon. Then roll each ball of dough in it until they are fully coated.
Pro Tip: Bake the cookies as balls because they will spread a lot and flatten because of the melted butter. If you like them flatter, make a small indent in each ball.
- Bake. Place the snickerdoodle dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake them on the center rack of the oven for 9-10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow them to cool for a few minutes before removing them from the pan.
Recipe Tips
- Use the right amount of flour- When you measure out your flour, spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off with a knife before pouring it into the sifter.
- Fold in dry ingredients- To avoid over-working the dough, fold the dry ingredients in with a spatula so they mix just enough.
- Account for cookie spreading- Since these snickerdoodle cookies tend to spread, make sure they are arranged about 2-3 inches apart to keep them from molding into each other.
- Let them cool. These tasty cookies are really soft, so make sure they are allowed to cook for up to 15 minutes before you move them off the baking sheet to avoid them falling apart.
FAQs
Why do my snickerdoodles come out hard?
If your snickerdoodles are hard, make sure you are cooking them at a high enough temperature (at least 350 degrees F) so they don’t dry out while baking. Also, use cream of tartar to give them a chewy consistency.
How do you keep soft cookies from getting hard?
Once the cookies cool, place them in an airtight container. The only way to keep soft cookies soft is to keep air away from them. Don’t leave them uncovered or they will get hard.
Serving Suggestions
These Snickerdoodle Cookies are such a treat and perfect for serving on a dessert table. They’re delicious with cakes, cookies, and other sweet treats.
- Cookies: Serve them with White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies, Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies, or Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies.
- Cakes: Pair them with a slice of Pumpkin Cheesecake (VIDEO), Tiramisu Cake (VIDEO), Chocolate Mousse Cake, or Easy Carrot Cake.
- Chocolate: Serve these Snickerdoodle Cookies with Coffee Chocolate Mousse, Chocolate Creme Brulee, Chocolate Covered Dates, or Chocolate Caramel Pretzels Bars.
- Beverages: Enjoy a cookie with some Hot Chocolate, a Pumpkin Spice Latte, Brown Sugar Boba, or Iced Matcha Latte.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: You can make the cookie dough ahead of time and store it covered in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. When you’re ready, roll the dough, cover it in cinnamon sugar, and bake.
Storing: Store these Snickerdoodle Cookies by placing any leftovers in an airtight container at room temp or in the fridge. They will last for up to one week.
Freeze: Once these cookies have completely cooled, place them in an airtight container. They can stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost them overnight in the refrigerator when you’re ready to eat or serve them.
More Yummy Cookies!
Full Recipe Instructions
Soft Snickerdoodle Cookies
These Soft Snickerdoodle Cookies are so delicious & chewy. Their distinct flavor & cinnamon-sugar coating are perfect for any holiday platter.
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Servings: 25 cookies
Calories: 174kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 egg yolk room temperature
- 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp Cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon 
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of melted unsalted butter with 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup golden brown sugar , using a whisk. Whisk for at least 1 minute until everything is well combined.
- Now add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract along with 1 room temperature egg and 1 room temperature egg yolk. Whisk until it’s well combined.
- Place a sifter or fine-mesh sieve over the mixing bowl and add 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled off with a knife) along with, 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Once all of your dry ingredients are sifted into the egg and sugar mixture, mix it together using a spatula. Stir until there are no more patches of dry flour visible.
- Now grab your cookie scoop (mine was a medium-sized scoop that fits about 2 tablespoons inside) and scoop out heaping mounds of the cookie dough. Take each piece of cookie dough and roll it into a ball using your hands. 
- In a separate bowl combine 1/4 cup of granulated sugar along with 1 tablespoon of cinnamon.
- Now roll each dough ball into the cinnamon-sugar mixture until fully coated and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake on the center rack at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 9-10 minutes.
Notes
Storing and freezing Snickerdoodle cookies
- A great way to store Snickerdoodle Cookies is by placing the leftovers in an airtight container at room temp or in the fridge. They will last for up to one week.
- to freeze them, once they have completely cooled, place them in an airtight container. They can stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost them overnight in the refrigerator when you’re ready to eat or serve them. You can also freeze the cookie dough once it’s shaped into a ball and coated in cinnamon sugar.
Nutrition
Calories: 174kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 185mg | Potassium: 57mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 237IU | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg
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Hi, I’m Dina, so glad you stopped by! I believe life is too short for bad coffee and boring meals. With my easy to follow step-by-step recipes, you’ll be surprised at how quickly a wholesome and delicious meal can come together. I hope you find something you enjoy!
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Laura says
I like o bake and these cookies are very easy to make and taste great!
Dina says
I am happy to hear that you enjoyed these cookies Laura! 🙂
Pham McLean says
It was so good I loved it me and my daughter made some it was great!!!
Dina says
That is so awesome Pham! Thank you for your kind words!
Julia says
The dough is delicious but I cannot figure out the bake time! I’ve tried twice – the first time I think the balls were too big and it took 20 minutes to cook through (but once they cooled the exterior got really hard, although the centre was still soft). I just tried again but made them half the size and gently pressed the balls into thick discs as was suggested to another commenter, but they’re still not cooked! I’m nervous to keep them in the oven to avoid getting hockey pucks. Should these be flattened out more before baking? Is that what I’m doing wrong?
Dina says
Hi Julia, I am so sorry to hear that you’re struggling with this recipe. Every oven runs a little differently. I think you might need to lower the temperature and bake them longer. That way the exterior doesn’t get to hard from the higher temp, but it allows it enough time for the center to bake. I hope that helps!
Gina says
These were thick and chewy just as described. My favorite snickerdoodle recipe thus far
Dina says
I am so happy to hear that Gina! Thank you for taking the tome to write your kind feedback 🙂
Emily says
Should I be patting these down after rolling in cin sugar? Make Em a little flatter?
Dina says
Hi Emily, yes you would want to lightly pat them down before baking. Enjoy! 🙂
Josh says
I just made these. Just out of the oven. My cookies turned out flat. What could I have done wrong? Do not look like the picture. Smell good tho!
Dina says
Hi Josh, I am not too sure why your cookies turned out flat. Is there a chance that you misread the measurements for the baking soda or baking powder?
Erin says
Is 2 3/4 supposed to be 2 cups plus 3/4 cups of flour. Or two 3/4 cups (or 1 1/2 cups total) flour?
Dina says
Hi Erin 🙂 It is 2 and 3/4 cups of flour. I hope you love these snickerdoodle cookies! Let me know how this recipe turns out 🙂
Debra says
These really are the softest snickerdoodle cookies I have eaten I will do this recipe again I may cut back just a little bit on the sugar inThe Dough and may be a little more cinnamon for the top. Other than that these are perfect wonderful excellent five star cookie
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you so much Debra! So happy that you loved these snickerdoodle cookies so much 🙂 Glad to hear that this recipes will be a repeat in your home 🙂 I hope you find many delicious recipes on my blog 🙂
Madge says
These snickerdoodle cookies were so good! Super soft and full of a great cinnamon flavour! Thank you for the recipe, I will definitely be making these again!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you so much, Madge! I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed these snickerdoodle cookies! And thank you for taking the time to write such a kind recipe review!
Drey says
My wife made these snickerdoodle cookies and they were awesome! I have requested this recipe again. Thank you!
simplyhomecooked says
So happy to hear you loved these snickerdoodle cookies so much! Glad to hear this will be a repeat recipe 🙂 Thank you for your awesome feedback!
Allison Staley says
Hi, I was just wondering. In the ingredients list it says 1/2 cup of brown sugar. But in the instruction area it says 1/4 cup. Which one do I use?
Thank you!
Allison
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Allison, thank you for catching that typo. Follow the ingredient quantity of 1/2 cup to make these snickerdoodle cookies. Hope you love this recipe 🙂