Snickerdoodles
Snickerdoodles are buttery sugar cookies with two differences: a thick coat of cinnamon sugar and a little cream of tartar in the dough. The cream of tartar gives them a gentle tang and a soft, chewy middle, and the cookies puff in the oven, then settle into crinkly tops as they cool.
Published
- Prep Time
- 20 mins
- Cook Time
- 11 mins
- Chill
- 30 mins
- Total Time
- 1 hr 1 min
- Servings
- about 30 cookies
How do you make Snickerdoodles?
To make snickerdoodles, cream 225 g softened butter with 300 g sugar, beat in 2 eggs and vanilla, then mix in 345 g flour, 2 tsp cream of tartar, 1 tsp baking soda and salt. Chill the dough for 30 minutes, roll 30 g balls in cinnamon sugar and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 9-11 minutes, until the edges are set but the centres still look soft.
- Total time
- 1 hr 1 min
- Calories
- 145 per serving
- Protein
- 2 g
- Yield
- about 30 cookies
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Method
- Baking
Ingredients
Cookies
Cinnamon sugar coating
Equipment
Stand mixer or hand mixer · 2 mixing bowls · Small bowl · 2 baking sheets · Parchment paper · Kitchen scale · Wire rack
Quick Directions
Mix the dry ingredients
Whisk the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a bowl so the leaveners are evenly spread through the flour.
Cream the butter and sugar
Beat the butter and the 300 g of sugar on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
Make the dough
Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until no dry flour remains.
Chill the dough
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes, until the dough is firm enough to roll without sticking to your hands.
Shape and coat
Roll the dough into 30 g balls (about 2 level tablespoons).
Bake
Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 9-11 minutes, until the edges are set.
Cool
Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up, then move them to a wire rack to cool.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these detailed steps to make the perfect snickerdoodles.
Mix the dry ingredients
Whisk the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a bowl so the leaveners are evenly spread through the flour.
Cream the butter and sugar
Beat the butter and the 300 g of sugar on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, scraping down the bowl.
Make the dough
Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until no dry flour remains. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
Chill the dough
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes, until the dough is firm enough to roll without sticking to your hands. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 180°C (350°F), line two baking sheets with parchment paper and stir the coating sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl.
Shape and coat
Roll the dough into 30 g balls (about 2 level tablespoons). Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar until thickly coated and set them 5 cm (2 inches) apart on the baking sheets. Keep the rest of the dough in the fridge between batches.
Bake
Bake one sheet at a time for 9-11 minutes, until the cookies have puffed, the edges are set and just barely golden, and the centres still look soft and slightly underdone. They sink and crinkle as they cool.
Cool
Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up, then move them to a wire rack to cool.
Recipe Tips
- Soften the butter until it holds a dent when pressed but isn't greasy or melting. Butter that is too warm makes the cookies spread thin.
- Take the cookies out while the centres still look underbaked. They finish setting on the hot sheet, and an extra minute or two turns them crisp instead of chewy.
- Coat the dough balls generously. The thick layer of cinnamon sugar bakes into the crackly crust that makes a snickerdoodle.
- Weigh the flour if you can. Too much flour makes the cookies dry and cakey, and they won't crinkle.
Variations
- Replace 100 g (1/2 cup) of the granulated sugar in the dough with packed brown sugar for a softer cookie with a light caramel flavour.
- Add 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg or cardamom to the cinnamon sugar.
- Make bigger cookies: roll 45 g balls and bake for 11-13 minutes. You'll get about 20.
- Make snickerdoodle bars: press the dough into a parchment-lined 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 inch) pan, sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 20-25 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centre is just set.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 145 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 2 g |
| Carbs | 20 g |
| Fat | 6.5 g |
| Saturated fat | 4 g |
| Fibre | 0.5 g |
| Sugar | 11.5 g |
| Sodium | 85 mg |
Estimated from the listed ingredients; values vary by brand.
Related Recipes
Storing & Reheating
- Fridge
- Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freezer
- Freeze the coated dough balls on a tray, then bag them for up to 3 months and bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes. Baked cookies freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat
- Warm baked cookies in a 150°C (300°F) oven for 3 minutes to soften them.
Snickerdoodles FAQs
What does cream of tartar do in snickerdoodles?
Cream of tartar is a dry acid. It reacts with the baking soda to make the cookies puff quickly and then settle into soft, crinkly tops, and it gives snickerdoodles their faint tang. It also helps keep the centres soft and chewy.
Can I make snickerdoodles without cream of tartar?
Yes. Replace both the 2 tsp cream of tartar and the 1 tsp baking soda with 2 tsp baking powder. The cookies will still be good, but they lose the tang and taste more like cinnamon sugar cookies, with a slightly cakier, less chewy texture.
What is the difference between snickerdoodles and sugar cookies?
Snickerdoodles use cream of tartar with baking soda, which gives them a tangy flavour and a chewy, crinkled texture, and they are rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking. Sugar cookies are usually leavened with baking powder or baking soda alone and are often plain or rolled in plain sugar.
Why are my snickerdoodles flat?
Usually the butter was too soft or the dough was too warm when it went into the oven. Chill the dough for 30 minutes, keep the dough in the fridge between batches, use cool baking sheets and check that your baking soda is fresh.
Do I have to chill snickerdoodle dough?
A 30-minute chill firms the butter, so the dough is easier to roll and the cookies spread less and bake up thicker. You can chill the dough for up to 2 days; if it's too firm to roll, let it stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.
Disclaimer
- Nutrition information is an estimate based on the listed ingredients. It changes with the brands, portion sizes and swaps you use.
- Read ingredient labels for allergens and for diet claims such as gluten-free or vegan. Products and their ingredients can change.
- Cooking times are a guide, since ovens, air fryers and slow cookers all run differently. Use a food thermometer and cook meat, poultry and fish to the safe internal temperatures in government food safety guidance.
- This recipe is general information, not medical or nutrition advice. If you have an allergy, a health condition or a special diet, check with a qualified health professional.
