I’ve tried a lot of cookies over the years and I’ve made a lot of cookies over the years. This recipe for Snickerdoodle Cookies is the best one I’ve ever had. Hands down.
Snickerdoodle Cookies
I am a vanilla and caramel girl. I bake with chocolate a lot because 3 of the other 4 people in my family love it (JJ is with his momma!). Finding a recipe that doesn’t contain chocolate makes me sooo happy. Yes I’ve made Snickerdoodles before several times. But with this recipe I just couldn’t stop eating them. They are magical. They are soft in the middle, a little crispy around the edges if you bake them just right. The cinnamon and sugar combo are to die for. Yum!
What is a Snickerdoodle
A lot of people think that snickerdoodles are just sugar cookies with some cinnamon on them. While that might seem like the case, there is one important ingredient that sets them apart, besides the cinnamon. It’s cream of tartar. If you’re wondering what on earth cream of tartar does, it makes the cookies chewier and gives it a tang.
How to make Snickerdoodles
Now that we got that cleared up, how do you make these favorite cookies? You will need the following:
- butter
- granulated sugar
- brown sugar
- eggs
- vanilla
- flour
- salt
- baking soda
- cream of tartar
- cinnamon
- hand mixer or stand mixer
- baking sheets – these are my favorites
- measuring spoons – favorites for dry ingredients!
- spatula
- cookie scoop
I make these snickerdoodle cookies a lot for friends and family. I’ve had a few kids request them even though they said they hated cinnamon. (I know, kids are weird sometimes aren’t they?)
Best Snickerdoodle Recipe
My notes on this are- use real butter (always) and to not over bake. The key to this and all of my favorite cookie recipes is to not bake them too long. I know ovens vary – some bake things quicker than others. I err on the side of under than over because they continue to cook after you take them out of the oven. Same thing goes for my favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies. I used the palm of my hand to flatten them a bit after adding the balls to the cookie sheet. You don’t have to do that. But they turned out A+ in my book.
Another note is that normally when making cinnamon/sugar mix, it’s usually 2 Tbsps of sugar to 1 tsp of cinnamon. I usually end up adding more sugar. But it’s just a personal preference of mine- less cinnamon, more sugar.
Other Snickerdoodle Recipes
Love this Snickerdoodle recipe? Then you’re going to love these other recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
- Snickerdoodle Blondies
- White Chocolate Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Chunky Cinnamon Snickerdoodle Cookies
Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe
If you love this Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe as much as I do, please write a five star review, and be sure to help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!
Best Snickerdoodle Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 c unsalted butter (2 sticks) softened
- 1 c granulated sugar
- 2/3 c brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 c flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
Topping
- 8 tbsp granulated sugar (or 1/2 c)
- 4 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- In a bowl, cream softened butter and sugars together.
- Add eggs and vanilla.
- Beat until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, combine the rest of the cookie ingredients.
- Slowly pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix well.
- Chill dough in refrigerator for 30 - 60 minutes.
- Combine topping sugar and cinnamon together.
- Roll dough into small balls and in the cinnamon/sugar mix.
- Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes depending on your oven.
- Do NOT over bake.
Video
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from Lovin’ From the Oven.
So what do you think? Ready to try the best hands down ever Sugardoodle Cookies?
I have tried chocolate, banana and oatmeal cookies. This one looks amazing though. I love cinnamon and wait for winters to start adding it in almost everything! I am definitely trying this one.
I can’t wait to try this recipe! Often, I make chocolate chip cookies for my office using the recipe from your book. I’m sure my co-workers will appreciate a change.
That makes me so happy Erica! I hope you love these as much as the chocolate chip. I make these 2 cookies recipes the most. ;)
These are my favorite cookie of all time. I have never tried it with brown sugar, but might just try it next time I make them. What truly makes an OUTSTANDING Snickerdoodle cookie is to use 1/2 of a vanilla bean instead of liquid vanilla. You truly cannot get a better flavor than to use a fresh bean!
I had to come back here and tell you how absolutely right you are! I made these yesterday and they are totally scrumptious! Since it’s just hubby and I at home now, in the future I’ll be halving the recipe. We probably started with just over three dozen cookies and they’ll all be gone by the end of tomorrow. Delicious can obviously lead to gluttony for some of us who seem to have no willpower! This recipe is definitely a keeper! I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog and have saved numerous other recipes to try. Thank you! ?
Linda! I’m so glad that you loved this recipe. Yuuuum. “Delicious can lead to gluttonly” – isn’t that the truth. Lol. Enjoy!
I’ve never had snickerdoodles before so I decided to try these out. Not sure what they are suppose to taste like in the end but mine were slightly buttery tasting and crumbly/soft in the middle. Should they be different?
These are seriously amazing! How much pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice should I add to the recipe to make pumpkin snicker doodles?
I’m planning to make these today :D I have a question though, do i have to slightly flatten the cookies before baking or will they just spread and get flat while baking? Thanks
I just took the first batch out of the oven and they are a flop! Literally. The dough was so very soft and sticky before baking, and then they haven’t risen at all. I baked them for the 14 minutes and they are still very flat and doughy. What did I do wrong!!! The only thing I changed was I omitted the salt because I only had salted butter on hand. I did read a comment earlier that someone else had done this and they turned out just fine. They still taste good, just very sweet. Bummed :(
Okay….second batch I baked about 5 minutes longer with the dough coming straight out of the fridge. They are a little better but still look absolutely nothing like the pictures here. They are as flat as a piece of expensive paper and crispy on the outside and a bit gooey in the middle. They do taste good, but I will keep searching for a good recipe with a little more lift to the cookie.
Was not liking the stickiness of the dough, finally just mixed the cinna-sugar into the dough and made them that way….really good but prefer my other recipe as the dough is not as messy for me
I believe these to be the best. Much like the gourmet snickerdoodles sold for fund raising in schools. They are exquisite s tieas are these. Thank you!!!!
Is this all purpose flour?
I wanted to surprise my mom because she had been having a very rough few months and I knew that Snickerdoodles were her favorite, I found your recipe on Pinterest and I have to say that these really are the best snickerdoodles I have ever had. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe with everyone!
I would love to print out the snickerdoodle recipe but the print option just goes to a blank page. Is there any way this could be corrected? thank you!!
I can’t wait to try making these. I have been looking for a good Snickerdoodle recipe for a long time and most just miss the mark somehow. My biggest question is do these turn out more crunchy or chewy? I’m a fan of chewy cookies personally
I have to admit the substitutions I was forced to make because mid-cookie-making I realized I’m a terribly unprepared baker.
Instead of baking soda, I used 4 tsp of baking powder.
Instead of cream of tartar, I used 1 1/2 tsp of vinegar.
(Thank you, Google!)
I’m sure they’re different than yours, but they’re still amazing!! I will definitely be making these again (but I’ll be prepared next time!).
How many will this recipe make? I need to have a lot for a party wondering how many times to multiply it.
This recipe is a keeper!!! These were absolutely the best snickerdoodle cookies I’ve ever eaten. Everyone LOVED them and they were super easy to make. I followed the recipe exactly and the came out perfect!
Tami
Made these and doubled the receipe. You are right Best snickerdoodles ever
Sooo addictive and delicious will become one of my favorites of all time Thx!!
About how many cookies does this recipe make?
I just made these cookies tonight! Found it on pinterest, it was very popular so I thought I’d give it a shot. They are delicious! My oven ended up taking about 23 minutes to get them fully cooked, and the last 5 minutes were at 350 because I was getting impatient, lol. Maybe I made them too big or something.. the size of mine were a little bigger than a cotton ball. I also didn’t flatten them so that could be why. Either way, great cookies, just took a little longer than expected :)
These really are the best snickersdoodle cookies ever. No joke, I make them often and everyone wants the recipe. My only change was using dark brown sugar because the first time I made them that’s what I had on hand. LOVE THEM!!!!
I have a quick suggestion. The directions should be changed so that we don’t preheat the oven first since the dough has to chill for 30 minutes. No reason to have the oven on that long especially on a hot summer day.
Preheat the oven only means to preheat before putting in. Oven needs to be that temp. when u put in the cookies could be today or tomarrow. It doesn’t mean u have to turn oven on right away lol
Definitely not for everyone. I like the addition of the brown sugar but I miss the cream of tartar flavor and the butter is overwhelming. I think it needs to be half butter and half shortening. Cookies were very flat. Needs a little more flour.
Hi! How many would each batch make? Thanks :)
I got 40 cookies with a standard cookie scoop. ;)
Made these last week, and yes, best ones I’ve ever made. Tastes as good as the best I’ve eaten. Snickerdoodles are a surprisingly hard recipe to get right, most I’ve tried miss the mark. This is a 10. Loved them!
How many cookies does the recipe for the snicker doodles make? Thanks
These turned out AMAZING! Thank you so so so much!
Holy cow! I saw the pin on Pinterest and decided to give it a go. If you are hesitant to try these just stop debating with yourself right now. These are delicious! I guess I have a weird oven because I had to bake these bad boys for 14 minutes.
I can’t wait to try the snickerdoodles. I made some last week for my daughter’s school and they did not turn out well. They didn’t spread and were just little cookie balls. They tasted fine but looked horrible.
Great recipe – made them for the office and people loved them. One person called them “pillows of goodness”
Substitutions:
Becel Buttery margarine for butter (added an extra 2 teaspoons) – I find using margarine makes for a softer, more chewy vs. crumbly cookie
Extra 1/4 cup of graham cracker crumbs (for a richer flavor)
Extra tablespoon of dark brown sugar
Extra 1/2 tsp of vanilla
Thanks Annette! I love that “pillows of goodness.” I’ll take it. :) And I agree! Thanks for the comment.
These snickerdoodles look yummy! Thanks for sharing them at The Pin Junkie. Just wanted to let you know they were featured at this week’s party!
These look yummy! Tomorrow will be baking day at my house. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Just stopped by from the Pin Junkie Friday Link Party.
Val
We all loved the Sinckerdoodles. My grandson 8 and his friend 7 helped make them so they got to help eat them!
I really like your website and I will try your chessey dinner rolls next!
Okay, had to try these as I adore snickerdoodles! I didn’t have unsalted butter, so I used regular and simply omitted the additional salt called for in the recipe. OMGosh!!! You were not kidding – these truly are the best snickerdoodles I have ever eaten! Thanks so much for this recipe!!
These came out perfect. No need to refrigerate the dough, I also cooked in convection oven at 325 because my oven wouldn’t go any lower. They are tasty, buttery and perfect. I will definitely make again and again!
These look amazing! I’m going to make them today for my kiddos! Thanks for sharing!
I’m so mad at you about these. So, so mad. You do not lie. They are 100% the best. Just don’t tell my grandmother.
These look DELISH can’t wait to try them!
I made these AWSOME cookies yesterday. Holy Cow! My husband couldn’t stop raving about them. This recipe is so easy. I’ve tried many years ago to make snickerdoodle cookies but never had much luck. This is a keeper. Thanks for sharing.
The dough is in my fridge for the half hour now! Can’t wait to get them in the oven and try them!
These look so good! Cannot wait to try them. I love snickerdoodles and always forget about them.