Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe: Soft, Chewy Cinnamon Sugar

Classic snickerdoodle cookies are the soft, chewy, cinnamon-sugar icons of the American cookie jar: pillowy centers, crackled golden tops, and that unmistakable tang from cream of tartar that sets them apart from every other sugar cookie. One bowl, thirty minutes, and a kitchen that smells like a bakery.

The magic is in two small details. Cream of tartar gives the crumb its tender chew and gentle tang — skip it and you just have a sugar cookie. And a short chill before baking keeps the cookies thick instead of flat, so they stay soft in the middle while the edges turn lightly golden. Roll them generously in cinnamon sugar, because that sparkly coating is half the pleasure.

Soft, chewy and rolled in cinnamon sugar — the classic cookie jar favourite.

Recipe Info

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 12 minutes
• Total time: 1 hour (includes 30 minutes chilling)
• Servings: 24 cookies
• Calories: ~150 kcal per cookie

One bowl of pantry staples — snickerdoodles start here.

Ingredients

• 280 g / 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 115 g / 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 200 g / 1 cup granulated sugar
• 50 g / 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• For rolling: 50 g / 1/4 cup granulated sugar + 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Whisk the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar for 2–3 minutes until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
3. Combine the dough: Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two additions, mixing on low speed just until no flour streaks remain. Do not overmix — a soft, slightly sticky dough is exactly right.
4. Chill the dough: Cover the bowl and chill for 30 minutes. This firms the butter so the cookies bake up thick and soft instead of spreading thin.
5. Roll in cinnamon sugar: Preheat the oven to 190 °C / 375 °F and line two baking trays with parchment. Mix the rolling sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Scoop the dough into 24 balls (about 30 g each) and roll each one generously in the cinnamon sugar.
6. Bake: Place the balls 5 cm apart on the trays and bake for 11–12 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden but the centers still look soft and puffy. They will finish setting as they cool.
7. Cool and enjoy: Let the cookies rest on the tray for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack. Serve warm with cold milk, or store once completely cool.

Crackled outside, pillowy inside — the perfect snickerdoodle bite.

Tips & Variations

• Do not skip the cream of tartar. It is the defining snickerdoodle ingredient — it gives the tang and the chewy texture. Baking powder is not a substitute here.
• Chill, even briefly. Thirty minutes in the fridge is the difference between thick, pillowy cookies and flat, crisp ones. In a warm kitchen, chill the scooped balls too.
• Pull them early. Snickerdoodles should look slightly underdone in the center when they come out — they set as they cool. An extra minute in the oven is the difference between chewy and crunchy.
• Weigh the flour. Scooping from the bag packs in too much flour and makes dry cookies. Spoon it into the cup and level it off, or better, use the 280 g weight.
• Add a brown butter twist. Brown the butter first and let it cool before creaming — it adds a toasty, caramel depth that makes these taste bakery-made.
• Make them ahead. Scoop the dough balls, roll in cinnamon sugar, and freeze on a tray. Bake straight from frozen, adding 2 minutes to the bake time.
• Store them soft. Keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days, with a slice of bread tucked inside to keep them moist. They freeze well for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Note

Per cookie, classic snickerdoodles provide roughly 150 kcal with about 2 g of protein, 22 g of carbohydrate and 6 g of fat. They are a treat, not a health food — the sugar and butter are the point — but the recipe uses no frosting or filling, and the cinnamon adds flavour without calories. Enjoy one or two with a glass of milk rather than half the batch, and the batch is easy to share.

Sponsored: see today's deals on recommended kitchen essentials

FAQ

Why are my snickerdoodles flat?

Usually warm dough or too-soft butter. Chill the dough for 30 minutes, make sure the butter is softened but not melty, and check that your baking soda and cream of tartar are fresh.

Can I make snickerdoodles without cream of tartar?

You can substitute 2 teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar, but the flavour and chew will not be quite the same. Cream of tartar is inexpensive and worth keeping in the pantry for this recipe.

Can I freeze snickerdoodle dough?

Yes — scoop and roll the balls, freeze them solid on a tray, then bag them for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen at the same temperature, adding about 2 minutes.

Why did my cookies turn out crunchy instead of chewy?

They were overbaked, or the dough had too much flour. Pull them when the centers still look soft and puffy, and measure the flour by weight (280 g) if you can.

How should I store snickerdoodles?

In an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. A slice of bread in the container keeps them soft, and baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months.

Soft, chewy and dusted in cinnamon sugar — classic snickerdoodles are the cookie that never lasts long in the jar. If you try them, tell us in the comments whether you kept them classic or tried the brown butter twist.