Everyone loves a warm, fresh-out-of-the-oven cookie, right? Well, this is one for the record books.
This cookie really has it all, crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. And the most amazing thing about these cookies is that they are ready from start to finish in just 30 minutes! Just make sure you’ve got a good amount of cold milk handy! These cookies are made for dunking!
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How To Make Snickerdoodles
First of all, you may be wondering: What is a Snickerdoodle? Well, it’s basically a super delicious sugar cookie that’s rolled in a combination of sugar and cinnamon. But, it’s so much more than that.
And what about that name? There’s some debate about that.
Let’s just get to making this classic cookie. And did we mention, it comes together in just 30 minutes?
Making the Classic Sugar Cookie
The dough for these cookies is buttery and not overly sweet, (don’t worry, the sugar-cinnamon mixture adds just enough warm sweetness to make them perfect).
We start by sifting the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl.
Cream together the softened 2 sticks of butter with the sugar with a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer.
EXPERT TIP: It’s important that your butter is room temperature, otherwise it will not reach the right consistency when you try to cream (or mix) it with the sugar. Let is sit out on the counter for a couple of hours and you’ll be fine. If you need to soften the butter quickly, then cut it into small cubes, and place it in a bowl on the stove near simmering water. Or, heat 2 cups of water in the microwave until very hot. Remove the water and place the bowl of cubed butter in it’s place and close the door for 10 minutes.
After you’ve creamed the butter and sugar, you’ll need to mix in the flour mixture and then roll 1 to 1½-inch balls in a mixture of ground cinnamon (2 tbsp) and sugar (½ cup).
Baking Tips for Snickerdoodle Cookies
Once you’ve rolled the dough into a 1- to 1½-inch ball and covered it in the sugar-cinnamon mixture, place them on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper.
There is no need to flatten the balls of dough before they bake. The heat from the oven will cause the butter to melt and the cookies will naturally flatten into large, circular cookies.
EXPERT TIP: It’s important to space the dough at least 2 inches apart on the parchment paper. This will keep the cookies from overlapping, or sticking to each other as they flatten and expand. If they do touch, don’t worry, they are easily separated. We recommend switching racks for the two baking sheets after about 5 minutes of cooking. If your cookies still feel like they are too soft, let them go for 12 to 15 minutes.
How To Store
Snickerdoodle cookies are amazing when served warm, but they are spectacular served at room temperature, too.
In the rare event that they aren’t all gobbled up within 15 minutes of them coming out of the oven, simply place them in a container with a lid and store them on the counter.
EXPERT TIP: It’s important to allow the cookies to cool for at least 3 to 5 minutes when they come out of the oven. This allows them to ‘set’ and solidifies that wonderful crispy exterior and chewy inside. We then transfer them to a couple of baking racks to allow them to cool completely.
There is truly something magical about these delectable cookies.
We often double or triple the recipe, wrap them up in fun plastic wrap, tie them up, and give them as gifts. Perfect during the holidays!
This is one cookie that lives up to the anticipation!
Other favorite cookies recipes to try are:
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies
But in the meantime, take a bite out of this!!
This snickerdoodle recipe makes about 24 large cookies.
Every time we serve them, they are gone within a very short amount of time. You literally can not eat just one (or two, or three!).
And we can’t stress this enough…when serving these amazing cookies, be sure to have plenty of cold milk on hand!
Ready to make the best cookie that even Santa Clause would swoon for? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies
Equipment
- Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- 2 large baking sheets lined with parchment paper
Ingredients
- 2¾ cups all-purpose white flour
- 2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, room temperature
- 2 cups sugar divided
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp cinnamon ground
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400°F.
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
- In a stand mixer, or with an electric hand mixer and a large bowl, cream the softened butter with 1½ cups sugar by beating them together for about 1½ minutes on medium, until fluffy and pale.
- Add vanilla, and then the eggs, one at a time, and beat until well blended and smooth.
- Gradually add in the flour mixture and continue beating until fully incorporated and the dough has come together, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the remaining ½ cup of sugar with the cinnamon.
- Roll portions of the dough into generous 1 to 1½-inch balls with your hands (the dough will be soft). Roll each ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Place on the baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies on the center two racks in the oven for 10 minutes. After about 5 minutes of baking, switch the sheets. The cookies will flatten on their own as they bake. If you made extra thick cookies, they may need to bake a couple more minutes. The cookies will harden somewhat as they cool.
- Remove the baking sheets and allow to rest for 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to baking racks and serve warm, or allow to come to room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
POST UPDATE: This recipe was originally published July, 2017, but was updated with improved tweaks to the recipe with new tips and photography and a fabulous new video in August, 2021!
The method mentions adding nutmeg, but in the video and ingredients NO nutmeg was mentioned.
Hi John! Thank you so much for bringing that to our attention! We recently revisited our recipe and made some minor tweaks and determined the recipe was excellent without nutmeg, it changed the classic taste a bit. We’ve updated the instructions to not include that ingredient. Thanks again and we hope you make them and love them as much as we do! If you do, please let us know. Kris & Wesley
Love how you both cook with such passion. Your videos are all fantastic. I’m constantly looking for one to view when I came across this one for Snickerdoodles. Love a good Snickerdoodle. Will be making these this weekend when it gets a little bit cooler here in Connecticut.