Classic Snickerdoodle cookies recipe for the best Snickerdoodles ever! Soft & chewy with great cinnamon sugar flavor and that traditional snickerdoodle texture.
My oldest son adores Snickerdoodles so I make them often. I’ve used the same recipe for years- if it ‘aint broke and all that. It’s easy and my kids love spooning the sugar over the dough. I adore the simple flavor of Snickerdoodle cookies, so really, everyone wins!
Do you have to have Cream of Tartar for Snickerdoodles?
Cream of Tartar is one of the ingredients that gives Snickerdoodles its distinct flavor & texture. It makes it so that these cookies don’t just taste like sugar cookies with a cinnamon sugar coating. The flavor is unique and fairly difficult to replicate. Nevertheless, if you’re out and don’t want to run to the store, you can substitute baking powder instead, being as baking powder actually contains Cream of Tartar!
Tips to get the PERFECT Snickerdoodle Cookies:
Three kitchen items make these cookies come together quickly and easily. I actually use these items in nearly every cookie recipe I make, so they’re quite versatile. First, I line my cookie sheets with a piece of parchment paper. They’re sold in sizes that fit a 12×16 cookie sheet perfectly and enable to cookies to bake well without sticking- and no mess from spraying oil on the cookie sheets! Parchment is especially useful for this recipe as the dough is quite soft. It makes clean up a breeze!
The second item is a KitchenAid mixer. I love mine! I have a Bosch as well but I find I use my KitchenAid for cookies. There is a cookie paddle that comes with every mixer that you attach to the top of the mixer. They’re easy to use and help you mix the ingredients uniformly. I also use the metal whisk attachment in this recipe to make the frosting. It whips it up super fast! Add this to your wish list because it’s one of my all-time used small appliances ever!
The third item is a cookie scoop! Years and years ago I used to use 2 spoons to measure and scrape cookie dough onto the pans. It wasn’t a perfect process and I often ended up with oblong cookies in various sizes. A friend of mine brought cookies to a party and I noticed each and every one of her cookies looked PERFECT. Her secret? A cookie scoop! They come in three sizes- 1/2 tablespoon, 1.5 tablespoon and 3 tablespoon scoops. I used the middle size- 1.5 tablespoon for these, and most other cookies. (Although when I’m serving a large crowd, I use the small cookie scoop. People love having a smaller cookie, especially at an event with several other desserts.)
The BEST Snickerdoodle Recipe
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 1/2 cup shortening (I used butter flavored Crisco)
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 TBSP vanilla
- 2 3/4 cups flour + 2 TBSP flour
- 2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- cinnamon-sugar mixture (3 TBSP sugar + 2 tsp cinnamon)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, the eggs and the vanilla. Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls.
Mix the 3 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in mixture, then spoon cinnamon-sugar mixture over each cookie, turning once and doing the same on the other side. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
Bake 8 minutes exactly! Remove from oven and let cookies cool on the baking sheets for an additional 2 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Enjoy!
THE BEST SNICKERDOODLE COOKIES
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 1/2 cup shortening I used butter flavored Crisco
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 TBSP vanilla
- 2 3/4 cups flour + 2 TBSP flour
- 2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- cinnamon-sugar mixture 3 TBSP sugar + 2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, the eggs and the vanilla. Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls.
- Mix the 3 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in mixture, then spoon cinnamon-sugar mixture over each cookie, turning once and doing the same on the other side. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
- Bake 8 minutes exactly! Remove from oven and let cookies cool on the baking sheets for an additional 2 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Enjoy!
Adapted from Allrecipes.
CranberryMorning says
Yum! These look amazing. I think it’s time I make them again. Thanks for the recipe.
Diana says
I just made those and they turnes out amazing. I did reduce the sugar by quite a lot, but thats just my taste! Thanks for the recipe!
Jessica says
So glad you liked them!
Jane says
This is the same recipe I’ve been using since the 80’s. I use all butter, though. These cookies am truly are amazing. The recipe came to me through my graduate school roommate’s boss.
Kim says
Today was my first time making snickerdoodles. But it won’t be my last!! Yummy recipe.
Nellie says
Aren’t they so yummy?!? Glad you enjoyed them Kim!
Kelly says
Which butter do you prefer to use?
Jessica says
I use salted butter!
Deb says
I baked in my gas oven on convection bake and they were not finished in 8 minutes but 2 minutes more did the trick on the next tray. I’m not sure I like convection baking.
Delene Wilson says
I LOVE using your recipes. The directions are easy to follow and it is a breeze to locate the “print” button. I have many of your recipes but most of them don’t mention the quantity that it makes. Its important for me to know because I’m usually not just baking them for home, I’m baking them for a school classroom or church group and it would be beneficial it they included quantity,
Jessica says
I know, I’m sorry! We’re slowly going through all of our older recipes and adding this information. : ) Most of our cookie recipes make 2.5 -3 dozen.
Cjh says
Easy and yummy
Alison says
Thank you!