Classic Snickerdoodles – Soft & Chewy Cinnamon Sugar Cookies Recipe

I’m sharing my Snickerdoodle Recipe for tender, buttery, slightly tangy cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar and baked chewy, and I’ll reveal the small trick that keeps them irresistibly soft.

I still remember the first time I bit into a snickerdoodle and actually paused, not because it was perfect, but because it surprised me. The center is tender and pulls in a way that feels almost wrong while the outside gets that crackled cinnamon sugar kiss that makes you grin.

I love how simple things like room temp unsalted butter can make the whole batch forgiving, and the tiny quirks I leave in my approach give them a slight tang and chew you didn’t expect. I file this under Classic Cookies Recipes, the one I reach for when I want honest comfort.

Ingredients

• Butter: Rich fat that makes cookies tender and tasty, it’s mostly calories not many vitamins.
• Sugar: Pure sweetener, adds crunch and browning, gives carbs but no fiber or protein.
• Eggs: Give structure, moisture and some protein, yolks add richness and color too.
• Flour: Main carb base, provides gluten for chew, not much fiber unless whole wheat.
• Cream of tartar: Acid that gives tang and keeps cookie soft, tiny nutritional value though.
• Baking soda: Quick leavener, reacts with acid to puff cookies, no real nutrition here.
• Cinnamon: Warm spice, adds flavor with negligible calories, has antioxidants, smells amazing.
• Vanilla: Tiny bit makes flavors pop, no real nutrients, just aroma and sweetness boost.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temp
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temp
• 2 3/4 cups (about 345 g) all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon for rolling

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats, set aside.

2. Whisk together 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon fine salt in a bowl so it’s evenly mixed.

3. In a large bowl beat 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, with 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes; scrape down the sides so nothing’s hiding.

4. Add 2 large eggs one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated, then stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; try to use room temperature eggs so the dough mixes smoother.

5. Turn mixer to low and add the dry ingredients in two or three additions, mixing just until combined, dont overmix or the cookies get tough.

6. Cover the dough and chill at least 30 minutes in the fridge, or up to 24 hours for better flavor and less spread, it helps keep them thick and chewy.

7. In a shallow bowl combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon for rolling.

8. Use a tablespoon or small cookie scoop to portion dough (about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons each), roll into balls, then toss in the cinnamon sugar to coat; place on prepared sheets about 2 inches apart and gently press each ball down just a bit so they bake evenly.

9. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are set and centers still look slightly soft, rotate pans halfway if baking more than one; cool cookies on the baking sheet 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 375°F)
2. 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats
3. Large mixing bowl and a medium mixing bowl, for wet and dry stuff
4. Electric mixer or hand mixer (or a sturdy wooden spoon if you wanna do it by hand)
5. Measuring cups and spoons (1 cup, 1/4 cup, and teaspoons)
6. Whisk for mixing the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt evenly
7. Rubber spatula to scrape the bowl and a wooden spoon for folding
8. Cookie scoop or tablespoon for portioning, plus a small shallow bowl for the cinnamon sugar
9. Wire cooling rack and something to cover the dough (plastic wrap or an airtight container)

FAQ

Classic Snickerdoodles – Soft & Chewy Cinnamon Sugar Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Butter: swap 1:1 with vegetable shortening or solid coconut oil. Shortening makes thicker, softer cookies and less buttery flavor. If you use melted coconut oil, chill dough 30-60 minutes so they dont over-spread.
• Eggs: replace 2 large eggs with 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (1/4 cup per egg) for moist, chewy cookies, or use flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flax + 6 tbsp water, let sit 5 min). Applesauce can make them a bit cakier.
• Cream of tartar + baking soda: if you dont have cream of tartar, replace the 2 tsp cream of tartar and 1 tsp baking soda with about 3 tsp baking powder. Add 1/4 tsp lemon juice if you want a little of the classic tang.
• All purpose flour: use a 1:1 gluten free all purpose blend that contains xanthan gum, or swap for whole wheat pastry flour 1:1 for a nuttier taste. Whole wheat pastry will be slightly denser so chill the dough a little longer.

Pro Tips

– Chill the dough longer than 30 minutes if you can. I usually do at least 2 hours or even overnight cause the flavor gets better and they spread less, and if the dough is too hard to scoop just let it sit 5 to 10 minutes at room temp so it scoops easier.

– Measure flour by spooning into the cup then leveling or even better, weigh it. Packed flour makes dry tough cookies, and small differences change the texture more than you think.

– When creaming the butter and sugar, beat until really light and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes, and scrape the bowl a couple times. That air is what makes them soft, but dont overmix after adding the flour or the cookies get chewy and dense.

– For uniform size and shape use a small scoop and freeze the rolled balls on the tray for 10 minutes before baking if you want taller cookies. Also take them out of the oven while centers still look a bit soft cause they keep cooking on the sheet and you wont overbake.