These delicious soft snickerdoodle cookies are a cinnamon sugar dream. They are a must have in my holiday cookie boxes each year. Perfect, pillowy soft, melt in your mouth, thick, snickerdoodles, what's not to love?
Snickerdoodles are the perfect compliment to your Christmas cookie boxes or Christmas cookie baking extravaganza. However, they are so good all year round so please do not wait until Christmas time or the holidays to make these!
I love these snickerdoodle cookies so much that I decided to make a fun twist on this recipe, by doubling the size of the cookie and stuffing them with a homemade thick caramel center. Once you master these, definitely go check these caramel stuffed snickerdoodle cookies out!
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Ingredients for Snickerdoodles
This recipes uses basic baking ingredients with one additional ingredient you may not always carry on hand. That is cream of tartar. This is a snickerdoodle cookie signature ingredient that gives the cookie a bit of tanginess that is super easily balanced by the sweetness of the cinnamon sugar mixture. A little goes a long way here.
- All Purpose Flour
- Unsalted Butter
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is not necessarily traditionally used in snickerdoodle cookies, but I just love the additional flavor and texture it offers these already amazing cookies.
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Baking Soda
- Cinnamon
- Cream of Tartar: This is a traditional signature ingredient in snickerdoodles. It gives a slight tang. A little goes a long way. It also adds to the already soft and expected texture of the traditional snickerdoodle cookie.
- Salt
How to Make Snickerdoodle Cookies
These cinnamon sugar snickerdoodle cookies are so easy to make and resemble the steps of many other cookie recipes! We start by creaming the room temperature butter and both sugars together until light and fluffy. It's important that the butter is at room temperature so that it combines properly with the sugar.
Then, mix in the eggs and vanilla and beat until completely combined, scraping down he bowl often.
Then add in the dry ingredients that have been premixed together in a separate bowl. Be sure to slowly add the flour mixture in so that it doesn't fly everywhere while you run the electric mixer. I always keep my stand mixer on the lowest speed for this.
Once the cookie dough forms, it will be thick and soft. Now, you want to scoop even sized 1 ½ tablespoon sized cookie dough balls out and roll them smooth in the palms of your hand. I love using my cookie scoop to ensure each cookie is the same size.
Next, roll each cookie dough ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture to get a nice even coating. Place snickerdoodle cookies on the prepared parchment lined cookie sheet about 2 inches apart from one another.
Bake for 9-11 minutes being careful not to overbake! Let cookies cool on the cookie sheet for five minutes or so before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy the softest snickerdoodle cookies you've ever had!
Equipment for Snickerdoodle Cookies
You do not need special equipment to make these cinnamon sugar snickerdoodle cookies except for an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. I personally use an electric stand mixer for this recipe because the cookie dough is thick, but you can use an electric hand mixer as well. Just be sure to take your time when adding in the dry ingredients.
You will also want cookie sheets and parchment paper or silicone mats to line the baking sheet with.
I also highly recommend having a good cookie scoop on hand. They can be used for so many things other than cookies as well but they are especially helpful when you are trying to get uniform sized cookies. I use my medium sized scoop (1 ½ tablespoon size) for these cookies.
How to Store Snickerdoodle Cookies
These cinnamon sugar snickerdoodle cookies stay good in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days. You may also freeze the pre-scooped cookie dough balls in an airtight container or freezer Ziploc bag for up to 3 months. Be sure to bake them from frozen when you are ready to bake them.
If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to check out my other cookie recipes!
Top Tip
Avoid overbaking these cookies. These cookies are formulated to be super soft and thick but if you overbake them, they will lose their beautiful intended texture.
I also always recommend measuring your flour correctly and instead of just scooping your measuring cup into your flour jar, you should be fluffing the flour first by mixing it around in the jar with a spoon or whisk to aerate it. Then spoon the flour into the measuring cup overfilling it, and then take a flat utensil such as a butter knife and level off the top to ensure an even cup of flour. Do NOT ever pack down the flour.
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Cinnamon Sugar Snickerdoodles
Equipment
- electric stand or hand mixer fitted with paddle attachment
- cookie sheets
- parchment paper or silicone mat
Ingredients
Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter ((2 sticks) room temperature)
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar ()
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Cinnamon Sugar for Rolling the Cookies in
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat.
- With an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together room temperature butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Then mix in the eggs and vanilla extract. Be sure to scrape the bowl down and mix again as needed to ensure all ingredients are combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together including the flour, cream of tartar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Then carefully and slowly add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients mixing on low. Be sure to scrape the bowl down as needed. The cookie dough will form and be soft and thick.
- Make the cinnamon sugar mixture by combining ½ cup of sugar and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Using a cookie scoop or spoon to scoop equal sized cookie dough balls, around 1.5 tablespoons each. Roll the cookie dough into smooth balls with your hands and then roll them into the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Place cookies on prepared baking sheet(s) at least 2 inches apart from one another. Bake for 9-11 minutes. Do not overbake. Let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Let us know if you made this recipe!