Score all the bear hugs from the cinnamon lover in your life with this easy recipe for tangy, chewy, cinnamon-sugar-crusted snickerdoodles. The best part is that you probably already have everything you need to make a quick batch right in your pantry!
What Is A Snickerdoodle?
A snickerdoodle is a sugar cookie made with cream of tartar. The dough is rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking, creating a crackly pattern all over the surface as it cooks. Some historians say the snickerdoodle scored its name from the German term schnecke knödel which translates to “snail dumpling.” Others say the cookie was named by New England cooks that loved to give baked goods goofy names. Either way, it’s a must-have recipe in your cookie arsenal.
Why Cream Of Tartar?
Cream of tartar stops the sugar in the dough from crystalizing, yielding a chewy cookie instead of a crunchy one. It’s also what gives snickerdoodles their signature tang. Since most snickerdoodle recipes use a combination of cream of tartar and baking soda, I used baking powder to reduce the list of ingredients. Baking powder is a combination of baking soda and cream of tartar, with a touch of cornstarch thrown in to keep the two powders from clumping.
How To Know When Snickerdoodles Are Done
Snickerdoodles are made from pale white cookie dough, so it can be hard to tell when they’re done, as their color won’t deepen much. It’s best to set a timer, so you don’t have to play a guessing game about when to pull your cookies from the oven. There are also two visual cues that you can look out for:
- the edges darken a touch
- the top of the cookie will crack slightly
Can I Freeze The Dough?
You can absolutely freeze snickerdoodle dough. First, shape it into two-inch dough balls, but do not roll it in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Freeze the balls on a sheet pan in a single layer, and once they are frozen solid, place them in an airtight container. Separate layers with parchment paper. Defrost them in the fridge in a single layer. When you are ready to bake, roll them in the cinnamon sugar.
How To Store Snickerdoodles
You have two options for storing snickerdoodles: keep them at room temperature or freeze them. Avoid refrigerating the cookies, as it can dry them out and dull their flavor. Wait for the cookies to cool completely before storing them in an air-tight container lined with a paper towel to soak up moisture. They’ll stay fresh on your countertop for up to five days and in your freezer for up to six months.
Snickerdoodles
Servings 16 cookiesIngredients
- 8 Tbsp salted butter, softened ($1.20)
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided ($0.40)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar ($0.18)
- 2 large eggs ($0.78)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract ($0.57)
- 2 tsp baking powder* ($0.13)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.03)
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted ($0.30)
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon ($0.24)
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 325°F. Add the softened butter, 1 cup of granulated sugar, and the brown sugar to a bowl.
- Mix with a hand beater or stand mixer until the butter has lightened in color and has the consistency of a mousse, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add one egg. Mix to incorporate. Scrape down the side of the bowl again. Add the second egg and the vanilla. Mix to incorporate.
- In a separate bowl, mix the baking powder, salt, and sifted flour. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in two batches, incorporating it fully between additions, until a dough forms. Rest the dough, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
- Mix the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar with the tablespoon of cinnamon. Shape 2-tablespoon portions of the cookie dough into balls and place them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar twice.
- Bake for 5 minutes. Rotate the sheet pan front to back. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes more or until the sides of the cookies deepen in color. Wait a few minutes before placing them on a cooling rack.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!
How to Make Snickerdoodles – Step by Step Photos
Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 325°F. Add 8 tablespoons of softened butter, 1 cup of granulated sugar, and 1/4 cup of brown sugar to a bowl.
Mix with a hand beater until the butter has lightened in color and has the consistency of a mousse, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add one egg. Mix to incorporate. Scrape down the side of the bowl again. Add the second egg and the teaspoon of vanilla. Mix to incorporate.
In a separate bowl, mix the 2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 2 1/2 cups of sifted flour. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in two batches, incorporating it fully between additions, until a dough forms. Rest the dough, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Mix the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar with the tablespoon of cinnamon. Shape 2-tablespoon portions of the cookie dough into balls and place them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Roll all of the cookie dough balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture once. Then repeat.
Bake for 5 minutes. Rotate the sheet pan front to back. Bake for an additional 4 to 5 minutes or until the sides of the cookies deepen in color, and the tops have a distinctive crackle pattern. Cool the cookies on the sheet pan for a few minutes before using a spatula to place them on a cooling rack. Try not to eat them all in one sitting! (Beth and I failed.)
I should’ve read the comments before trying to make this recipe but it makes more like 2 dozen cookies not 16, the baking time and temp is too short and too low, and without the cream of tartar it’s more of just a cinnamon sugar cookie.
I suspect that subbing the cream of tartar and baking soda with baking powder changes the chemistry of the recipe, and probably also the flavor as baking powder is mild but cream of tartar gives almost a citrusy flavor. The cookies my family has always made come out more cracked across the top than these photos show. Also, we bake them at 350 for 10-12 minutes for the perfect balance of crispy outside and chewy inside.
I do understand the appeal of using one ingredient instead of 2, but I think you lose the uniqueness of a traditional snickerdoodle with this change.
Tasty, but turned out dome shaped and more caky than expected
Tastes pretty good but mine didn’t really flatten, was very much domed.
Did not work
I made these for my sister and I, we really enjoyed them!
Recipe taste great. Did have to crank up heat a bit, but good nonetheless!
350
This is the best tasting snickerdoodle, but I must say the temperature/cook time is way off. If I cooked them at 325 it took twice as long as the recipe suggested. At 9-10 minutes, they are completely raw still. Save yourself a stomach bug and turn the temp up to at least 350 degrees.
Made these yesterday. I’m not familiar with snickerdoodles. Are they supposed to remain very chewy in the centre? I’m doubting if they’re cooked enough, they’ve sunken in the middle a bit but do have the crackle on top. They’re not crispy or anything but very chewy. Very tasty and easy to make!
Hi, Charlie! Yes, snickerdoodles should be very chewy! Glad you liked them, too! ~ Marion :)