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.
PrintSnickerdoodle Cookies
Make your day sweeter with homemade snickerdoodle cookies!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 4 1/2 dozen 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Bake
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
- 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.
- Preheat the oven to 375 F and line the baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of sugar with the cinnamon.
- 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 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 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.
