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Snickerdoodle Cookies are a classic, and this is the BEST recipe for them right here. Tender, soft and chewy with cinnamon inside and a crispy cinnamon sugar coating, this will be your new go-to recipe!
These Snickerdoodle Cookies were always a family favorite, especially with my dad. He also loved my mom’s Peanut Blossoms and Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, but he would get so excited when my mom would make these cinnamon sugar delights that they usually didn’t last long. Flash forward to today, and they are still a family favorite, only now my kids are the reason they disappear so quickly!
Best Snickerdoodle Cookies
If you ask my daughter what her favorite flavor is, she’ll say cinnamon. She’s like a bloodhound – she can smell the warm scent of cinnamon from a mile a way. Her eyes get really big, her smile widens, and I swear you can sense the saliva pooling in her mouth as she salivates over whatever the cinnamon smell could be for.
It could be for these creamy Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes or my French Toast Pull Apart Muffins or anything in between, she’s not picky when it comes to all things cinnamon.
Truth be told, I’m not either. I love all those amazing warm, comforting scents of fall. Pumpkin Spice? You’re speaking my love language; and it’s got nothing to do with Starbucks.
There’s nothing better then biting into a warm, tender, chewy cookie that’s been coated with cinnamon sugar. Snickerdoodle cookies take a tiny bit more effort than regular drop cookies, but they’re worth it. Just a quick roll through that cinnamon sugar mixture and you’re good to go.
Want to really go crazy? Try stuffing them with caramel.
The first time I tried these it was like the heavens had parted and the angels were singing. They’re that good.
But there’s just something about a classic that takes you back to childhood and that just what these Best Ever Snickerdoodle Cookies do.
Best Ever Snickerdoodle Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1/2 cup butter 1 stick, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 3/4 cup flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
For Rolling:
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a large bowl cream together the butter and 1 cup of sugar. Add egg and vanilla and beat until blended.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. Add to the wet ingredients and mix well until a nice dough forms.
- Mix ¼ cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon together in a shallow dish (like a pie plate) and set aside.
- Divide dough and roll into balls about 1.5-2 tablespoons in size. (Using a medium cookie scoop is very helpful for this). Roll into a ball and then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on cookie sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cook completely.
- Store cooled cookies in a tightly sealed container for up to one week.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
More Cookie Recipes to Try
Love these Snickerdoodle Cookies? Try my Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars!
Well going by your direction of 2 tbls cookie scoop… the yield is 12
Cookies.. so to get to your 2 doz.. perhaps you should update your directions to 1 tbls I’m afraid I followed your directions and now I have one big blob on my cookie sheet 😣😑
A medium cookie scoop is about a tablespoon and a half and is the common size used for cookies. So it’s 1.5-2 tablespoons. If you got a huge blob on your cookie sheet your balls of dough were too close together.
I made this recipe in error. Followed the recipe and the cookies did not come out like other recipes I have used. Next day cookies were rock hard.
I’m sorry to hear that Anita. Is it possible they were overbaked? That’s the only time I’ve had my cookies come out hard.
Planning on making these but saw a comment about cream of tatar being called for in recipe, but don’t see it in the ingredients for instructions, am I missing something?
Hi Melinda, Some readers were confused because most Snickerdoodle recipes call for cream of tartar. Mine doesn’t; instead it has baking powder which actually has cream of tartar in it. Hope that helps!
Not a good recipe it came out like pie crust. I would recommend this recipe
Sounds like you must have missed something in the recipe. This cookie is far from pie crust.
Very disappointed, came out doughy
The recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar but there is no mention of this ingredient in the procedure of silting dry ingredients so I’ll just include it.
I’ve made these countless times and always get so many compliments. However, I’m about to make it again and the ingredients call for baking soda but the recipe says baking powder. In the past I’m pretty sure I’ve used baking powder so that’s what I’m going with, but maybe if it’s possible to update the recipe as to not confuse anyone? Either way, still love this recipe!
Weird! But thanks for the heads up. Yes, this recipe used baking powder. So glad you’ve enjoyed this recipe – it’s been used in our family for decades!
I’m not sure what I did wrong. When totally mixed, my “dough” was like pie crumb consistency. I really had to squeeze it to form balls and they never changed size or shape. Has this ever happened to you before?
Hmm, no that hasn’t happened to me before. Did you use softened butter and 1 egg?
My fiancé and I loved this recipe. So easy and delicious!! Thanks!!🍪😍
You are so welcome Shirin! Thanks for stopping by.
hi there, these look so good! Thank you for sharing! Can I bake these ahead of time and freeze them? If so, how long would they last? Thank you!
Yes you can bake and freeze. Cookies generally are best within 3 months of being frozen, but could go up to 6 months.
Made these for Christmas and they were the first ones to be gone! BEST snickerdoodle recipe I have ever made!!
That’s awesome Megan! Thanks for stopping by.
Can you make the dough ahead of time and freeze for a few days? Or will this change the flavor or consistency?
Yes, you can! Wrap the dough in plastic wrap a few times adn into a freezer bag. You can actually freeze this for up to a month.
I just realized the instructions measurements don’t change when you change the serving size, so be careful with that if making more than one batch!
Yes this is true and also why I don’t usually include measurements in my instructions. Ir can get confusing. But thanks for the reminder.
These look delightful! Salted or unsalted butter?
I usually use salted butter, but either will work. With salted butter, you can cut the amount of salt in half.
Thanks for responding to my question about this recipe having no cream of tartar in it.
I have now made your Snickerdoodle recipe twice and we love them! They’re better
than any other Snickerdoodle recipe I’ve tried. I love the texture and that they are
puffy. I tripled the recipe the 2nd time I made them.
Yay! Thanks for the review Linda, I really appreciate it. I’m so glad you loved the cookies!!
Before making these I have a question. There is no cream of tartar listed in the ingredients
and every recipe I’ve ever made calls for it. Could you please let me know?
The recipe calls for baking powder, which has cream of tartar in it. Enjoy!
Try adding peanut butter (and a splash of milk) with butterscotch/caramel flavored chips!
That sounds amazing!
I did the recipe as directed and my batch didn’t make 2 dozen (24) cookies. It only made 19 cookies but I will be using this recipe again, I may double the recipe though lol
Thank you Julia!
Thanks for sharing your feedback!
Shouldn’t the recipe call for baking SODA instead of baking POWDER?
No?
What is the difference? I’m not a baker
Baking soda would make the cookie darker since no acid was being added. Also baking soda would make for a flatter cookie since it it activates faster and at lower temps then baking powder. It’s a matter of taste between a soft or crisp cookie.
yes they are the very best
I love snickerdoodles, these look AMAZING!!