Snickerdoodle Cookies
Classic snickerdoodle cookies with cinnamon-sugar coating and a soft, chewy center.
If you only plan to make one special cookie for the holidays, make it snickerdoodles! The cinnamon-coated cookies are always a huge hit, and they are delicious. Their soft, chewy texture and cinnamon and sugar coating and flavor makes them irresistible. Cream of tartar is the ingredient that gives snickerdoodles their distinctive tangy flavor, and it helps leaven the cookie. While the holidays are the perfect time to make a snickerdoodle cookies, you don’t have to wait for a holiday. Make a batch today!
This version is made with shortening, which gives them a crackled appearance and lightly rounded tops. Feel free to use butter, but keep in mind that they will flatten and spread a bit more and timing may be slightly less.
The cookies are best cooked for 8 to 10 minutes. They should look set but slightly moist in the crackles. They will be soft in the center, crisp around the edges, and slightly chewy. However, if you cook them a bit longer, they will be crisp. If you like crisp cookies, perfect, but if you like a softer cookie, there’s a solution. Wrap a cookie loosely in a paper towel and microwave it for 20 to 30 seconds.
Ingredient Notes
- Shortening: Creates puffier cookies with a crackled top and tender center. Butter can be used, but cookies will spread more and may be crispier.
- Cream of tartar: Provides that signature snickerdoodle tang and helps activate the baking soda.
- Cinnamon-sugar: Essential for that iconic coating—don’t skip the roll!
Steps to Make Snickerdoodle Cookies
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar and shortening together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and mix just until blended. Chill the dough for about an hour to help the cookies maintain their shape.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon for coating.
- Roll the chilled dough into 1-inch balls, then roll each in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place on the baking sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cookies are set but still soft in the center. The tops should be crackled and slightly moist.
- Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Variations
- Use butter instead of shortening. This results in flatter cookies with more browning and crisp edges.
- Microwave to soften. For a softer texture after baking, microwave a cookie loosely wrapped in a paper towel for 20 to 30 seconds.
- Add a hint of nutmeg. Just a pinch in the dough adds a warm spice note.
How to Store (and Reheat)
Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Room Temperature: Keep in a sealed bag or container for up to 2 weeks.
To Soften: Microwave a single cookie in a paper towel for 20 to 30 seconds for a warm, soft texture.
Snickerdoodle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups 298 grams granulated sugar
- 1 cup 227 grams vegetable shortening
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups 354 grams all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
For the Coating
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Make the cookie dough. In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the sugar and shortening until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well blended. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cream of tartar, soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until combined. Chill the dough for 1 hour.
- Prep the oven and baking sheets. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line the baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Make the cinnamon-sugar. In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of sugar with the cinnamon.
- Shape and coat the cookie dough. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls, then roll in the sugar-cinnamon coating mixture. Place on the baking sheets, leaving 1 1/2 inches of space between them.
- Bake. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until set but not too firm. The crackled areas should look slightly moist. They won’t crackle as much if you use butter in this recipe.
- Cool and store. Cool the cookies in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container or food storage bag for up to 2 weeks or refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.
