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This Snickerdoodle Recipe took years to perfect. It makes soft, fluffy cookies with a crisp exterior and just the right amount of cinnamon.
I have a lot of recipes for cookies, but one of my favorite cookies to make is snickerdoodles. I’ve been holding off on posting this until the recipe was perfected. I have spent hours in the kitchen trying to get the formula right. And finally, after lots of trial and error, I created the Snickerdoodle Recipe. They are just perfect – soft and fluffy, with a sweet and tangy flavor.
Why This Is the Best Snickerdoodle Recipe
- The perfect combination of butter, vanilla, and salt flavor the cookies flawlessly.
- The addition of cream of tartar gives these snickerdoodles their signature tang.
- Baking soda helps to create a light and fluffy texture.
- Cinnamon & Sugar provides the cookies with a delicious flavor and a crispy exterior.
What Are Snickerdoodles
Snickerdoodles are a type of sugar cookie made with butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. They are typically rolled in a mixture of sugar and ground cinnamon before baking. Snickerdoodles are soft and chewy, and they taste delicious when they are fresh out of the oven.
To Press or Not to Press
I was always taught to press the balls onto the cookie sheet to create a flatter cookie surface, but this is a personal preference.
Many home bakers out there think a Snickerdoodle Recipe should create a fluffy rounded cookie. If you like a puffier cookie, leave the balls intact when baking.
Ingredient Notes
Butter: Although you can use margarine as a butter substitution in this recipe, it is not recommended. Butter will give your cookies a richer flavor and a softer texture.
Sugar: Use granulated or caster sugar in this recipe.
All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour is the best type of flour to use for this recipe. It has a medium protein content, which makes it perfect for cookies.
Egg: The recipe calls for 1 egg. Most eggs are around 2 ounces but can vary in size. If you have a particularly large or small egg, you may need to adjust the amount of sugar and butter slightly.
Vanilla: When it comes to baking, vanilla is one of the most important ingredients. You can use a few different types of vanilla in this recipe – pure vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or vanilla sugar that can be used in place of the sugar.
Cream of Tartar: Cream of tartar is an acidic ingredient that helps to add stability and structure to the cookie dough. It also gives the cookies a slightly tangy flavor. Some say cream of tarter is what makes a snickerdoodle and snickerdoodle, but if you can’t find it, mix one teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice with the wet ingredients.
Baking Soda: This helps to create a light and fluffy texture. Be sure to check the date on your baking soda and make sure it’s fresh.
Cinnamon: The addition of cinnamon gives these cookies a warm flavor. You can add more or less, depending on your preference.
Step By Step Instructions
Add the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt to a sieve. Sift it together into a large mixing bowl and set it aside.
Sifting dry ingredients together helps to combine them evenly, removes any lumps, and makes it a bit lighter. This is especially important when making snickerdoodles, as it helps to create a light and fluffy texture in the cookies.
To cream butter and sugar together, start by adding the butter to a bowl. Then, add the sugar and mix until the two are well combined. The mixture should be light and fluffy.
Add the eggs and beat until smooth and creamy. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber scraper as needed and mix in the vanilla.
With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients to the wet ones in three different stages. Be sure to mix any of the butter mixture at the bottom of the bowl. The dough will be thick.
Shape the dough into 1¼-inch balls.
Mix the sugar and the cinnamon together in a bowl. Be sure to use a big bowl with plenty of room to roll the dough.
Roll the balls in the cinnamon and sugar.
Place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
For a flatter cookie – press the dough down slightly before baking! This will give you a more traditional snickerdoodle cookie shape. For a puffier cookie, leave them intact.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until set.
Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack to cool before serving. This Snickerdoodle recipe makes about 40 cookies.
Storage & Freezing Instructions
Once cooled, you can store snickerdoodles in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
To freeze the baked snickerdoodles: Place the cooled cookies in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months.
To Freeze the dough: Shape the dough into balls and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze until firm, then transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw overnight and bake according to the recipe instructions.
Erren’s Top Tips & Variations
- Use good quality butter, as it will make a difference in the flavor of your cookies.
- Don’t overmix the dough. Overmixing will result in tough cookies.
- If the dough is too sticky, add a little extra flour.
- Be sure to check the date on your baking soda and make sure it’s fresh. This will help to create a light and fluffy texture.
- Use a cookie scoop to get your cookies all the same size. This will help them to bake evenly.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This will help them to stay soft and fluffy.
- For a flatter cookie – press the dough down slightly before baking! This will give you a more traditional snickerdoodle cookie shape.
Rate This Recipe
Recipe
Best Ever Snickerdoodle Recipe
Ingredients
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1⅔ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup butter (softened)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
Cinnamon-Sugar Coating:
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.
- Whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- Using a mixer, beat sugar and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber scraper as needed.
- Add the eggs and beat until smooth and creamy; scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber scraper as needed.
- Mix in the vanilla.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three batches until just combined. The dough will be thick.
- Shape the dough into 1¼-inch balls.
- Mix the sugar and the cinnamon together in a bowl and then transfer onto a plate.
- Roll balls in cinnamon and sugar mixture. Place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. For a flatter cookie – press the dough down slightly before baking! This will give you a more traditional snickerdoodle cookie shape. For a puffier cookie, leave them intact.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack to cool before serving.
Tips
- Use good quality butter, as it will make a difference in the flavor of your cookies.
- Don’t overmix the dough. Overmixing will result in tough cookies.
- If the dough is too sticky, add a little extra flour.
- Be sure to check the date on your baking soda and make sure it’s fresh. This will help to create a light and fluffy texture.
- Use a cookie scoop to get your cookies all the same size. This will help them to bake evenly.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This will help them to stay soft and fluffy.
- For a flatter cookie – press the dough down slightly before baking! This will give you a more traditional snickerdoodle cookie shape.
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