The Best Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe - Cookies for Days (2024)

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I have been on the hunt for the best snickerdoodle recipe. I kept coming up empty, so I decided to create it. Hello, favorite snickerdoodles!

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The Best Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe - Cookies for Days (1)

Why this is the Best Snickerdoodle Recipe

When it comes to snickerdoodle cookies, I am *extremely* picky. To me, the best snickerdoodle cookie is one that is soft and ultra chewy. The base of the cookie should be able to stand on its own, but is absolutely amplified by the deliciously cinnamony-sugar coating on the outside. They should have a nice golden crisp on the exterior and a little bit of spread to keep them from being too poofy.

If this is also your definition of the best snickerdoodle recipe, then consider it your lucky day because that is the exact cookie this recipe will give you. This may sound presumptuous, but you’re going to want to go ahead and just double this recipe (they freeze great!)

What is a Snickerdoodle?

A Snickerdoodle is a classic American cookie characterized by its soft, chewy interior, a tangy undertone, and a slightly crisp exterior coated in cinnamon sugar.

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Best Snickerdoodle ingredients

Cookie Base

  • Salted butter softened – I always, always use salted butter. If you don’t have any on hand, you can use unsalted and add an extra pinch of salt to the dough.
  • Margarine softened – For the margarine, you want to buy the cheap, store brand sticks of margarine. No spreadable tub, no imperial or blue bonnet! If you can’t find any other margarine, you can just sub butter and use all butter. The cookies won’t spread quite as much but they will still be tasty. For more info on why I’m specific about my margarine, check out my post on Butter vs. Margarine!
  • Granulated sugar – The base of this cookie is a sugar cookie base, so we don’t need brown sugar here.
  • Egg
  • Light corn syrup – This is what makes these cookies ultra chewy.
  • vanilla extract
  • All purpose flour
  • baking soda – The soda helps promote spreading and browning on the edges.
  • salt

Cinnamon- Sugar Mixture

  • Granulated sugar
  • Cinnamon
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How to make the Best Snickerdoodles

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer, cream together the butter, margarine and granulated sugar until light in color and fluffy in texture (approximately 2 minutes).
  3. Scrape the sides and add the egg, corn syrup and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
  4. Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix until a soft dough forms.
  5. Portion out the dough into desired size. For small cookies, use 1 1/2 tbsp of dough or a #40 scoop. For larger cookies, use 3 tbsp of dough or a #24 scoop.
  6. In a small bowl, combine the ingredients in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
  7. Roll each cookie dough ball into the cinnamon and sugar mixture and arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
  8. Bake at 350° F for 9-11 minutes or until the cookies have spread and the centers no longer look glossy. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 5-10 minutes.
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Best Snickerdoodle Recipe variations

One of my favorite things to add is toffee. If this sounds like something you need to try, check out my toffee doodle recipeand thank me later!

How to store the Best Snickerdoodle

Once cooled, store your cookies in an airtight container on the counter for 3-5 days! These cookies also freeze really well and can be stored in a resealable freezer bag for up to 3 months!

The Best Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe FAQs

Sugar Cookie vs Snickerdoodle

For a long time I wondered if there was even a difference between sugar cookies and snickerdoodles and if I could just roll sugar cookie dough in cinnamon sugar. While you definitely can do that, you will be missing out on some of the textbook yumminess of a classic snickerdoodle. Snickerdoodles contain an ingredient called Cream of Tartar that give your cookie a subtle tang. Additionally, they usually have a nice crisp edge without sacrificing the soft interior. If you opt for a sugar cookie dough, you’ll miss the tang and the exterior texture – which is a huge shame in my book.

What is the purpose of rolling the dough in cinnamon sugar?

The delicious cinnamon-sugar coating is the textbook feature of a delicious snickerdoodle. You can use this base recipe for a yummy sugar cookie if you’d like though!

Why don’t my snickerdoodles crack?

Cracks on the surface of snickerdoodles are a signature look. If yours aren’t cracking, your oven may not be hot enough or your ingredients may not be fresh enough!

Are snickerdoodles supposed to be undercooked?

I always recommend slightly underbaking your cookies and then letting them finish baking through cooling on the pan. This will ensure you don’t overbake your cookies and end up with a dry, hard cookie!

Why are my snickerdoodles flat and crispy?

Boo! Crispy snickerdoodles are NOT where it’s at. Double check your oven temperature is correct – an oven that isn’t hot enough can cause the butter to melt from the dough too quickly and over-spread.

Then, ensure you are not overbaking your cookie. You want to remove snickerdoodles before the edges start to turn golden to ensure they stay nice and chewy.

Finally, check the expiration dates on your ingredients! You’ll be amazed by how using fresh ingredients can help your cookies rise & puff up just like they’re intended to.

The Best Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe - Cookies for Days (5)

More Amazing Recipes like this Best Snickerdoodle Recipe!

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  • Salted Caramel Cookies
  • Almond Joy Cookies

The Best Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe - Cookies for Days (6)

The Best Snickerdoodle Recipe

I have been on the hunt for the best snickerdoodle recipe. I kept coming up empty, so I decided to create it. Hello, favorite snickerdoodles!

3 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

Servings: 32 small cookies

Calories: 78kcal

Ingredients

Cookie Base

  • 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup margarine*, softened Buy the cheap, store brand sticks of margarine. No spreadable tub, no imperial or blue bonnet! If you can’t find any other margarine, you can just sub butter and use all butter. The cookies won’t spread quite as much but they will still be tasty.
  • 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp light corn syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp (heaping) cinnamon

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

  • Cream together the butter, margarine and granulated sugar until light in color and fluffy in texture.

  • Scrape the sides and add the egg, corn syrup and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.

  • Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix until a soft dough forms.

  • Portion out the dough into desired size. For small cookies, use 1 1/2 tbsp of dough or a #40 scoop. For larger cookies, use 3 tbsp of dough or a #24 scoop.

  • In a small bowl, combine the ingredients in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

  • Roll each cookie dough ball into the cinnamon and sugar mixture and arrange on the prepared baking sheet.

  • Bake at 350° F for 10 – 13 minutes or until the cookies have spread and the centers no longer look glossy. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 5-10 minutes.

Find Cookies for Days on Instagram!Follow @cookiesfordaaays for new recipes daily!

Nutrition

Calories: 78kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 57mg | Potassium: 14mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 8IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg

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The Best Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe - Cookies for Days (2024)

FAQs

Can snickerdoodle cookie dough be refrigerated overnight? ›

Yes! Prepare the snickerdoodle cookie dough, scoop it, roll it in sugar, and refrigerate it overnight. Cookie dough that's been in the fridge for longer than 2 hours should sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before baking, to take the chill off. You can also freeze your prepared cookie dough for up to 2 months.

Do snickerdoodle cookies go bad? ›

A: Yes they do have an expiration date printed on the box. I buy a dozen boxes each December to last the year which is when the expiration date is on mine.

Why did my Snickerdoodles come out flat? ›

If your cookies repeatedly turn out flat, no matter the recipe, chances are your oven is too hot. Here's what's happening. The butter melts super quickly in a too-hot oven before the other ingredients have firmed up into a cookie structure. Therefore, as the butter spreads so does the whole liquidy cookie.

Can you refrigerate cookie dough for 5 days? ›

Homemade cookie dough should be stored in small containers in the refrigerator for two to four days or freeze for two months. Alternatively, small quantities of dough can be frozen and thawed in the refrigerator as needed.

What happens if you leave cookie dough in the fridge too long? ›

How Long Can Cookie Dough Be Stored in The Refrigerator? The fact is, no matter how divine and delicious cookie dough is, it is a raw product that contains eggs and butter. Over time, it'll become rancid, on top of the lurking danger of salmonella and E. coli.

Can I leave cream of tartar out of a cookie recipe? ›

You can also simply leave out the cream of tartar from a recipe, which may result in baked goods that are not as fluffy, but will still work out and taste good.

Why did my snickerdoodles spread so much? ›

“Baking cookies in a too-cool oven will cause the fat to melt before your cookies set up, leading to spreading,” Dawn says. Grab an oven thermometer the next time you're in the grocery store so you can be sure your oven is at the correct temperature.

Why do my snickerdoodles taste bitter? ›

Cream of tartar is what gives snickerdoodles that tanginess. I've found that a lot of people are very sensitive to the tangy flavor of cream of tartar and the bitter, metallic flavor baking soda can have.

What cookies stay fresh the longest? ›

Dry cookies, like shortbread cookies, gingersnaps, and Danish butter cookies, will stay fresher for longer because they have very little moisture. Dry cookies become stale when they suck up moisture from the air - causing them to become soft and lose their snap.

What is a substitute for cream of tartar in snickerdoodles? ›

You can either replace cream of tartar with baking powder at a 1:1.5 ratio (1 teaspoon cream of tartar : 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder), or you can replace cream of tartar with the combination of baking soda and either lemon juice or vinegar (as with this recipe).

Why do they call it a snickerdoodle? ›

The Joy of Cooking claims that “snickerdoodle” comes from “Schneckennudel,” a German word that literally means “snail noodles.” Schneckennudels don't have anything to do with snails or noodles, though—they're actually delicious-looking German cinnamon rolls.

Why is snickerdoodle dough so sticky? ›

Cookie dough can be sticky for various reasons, such as using too much liquid, not adding enough flour, or not chilling the dough enough. It can also be affected by humidity and temperature.

How to keep snickerdoodles from getting hard? ›

Snickerdoodles might turn out hard if they are overbaked or if the dough is too dry. Be sure to keep an eye on them as they bake – when the edges are set but the centers are still soft and puffy, they are done. Also, make sure you're not adding too much flour.

Can you refrigerate shortbread cookie dough overnight? ›

The dough (and its variations) can be prepared and refrigerated overnight or frozen up to 3 months, covered tightly with plastic wrap; thaw frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before using. The baking time for each variety of shortbread will vary depending on the kind of pan and cutters used.

How to store Snickerdoodle dough? ›

To freeze raw dough, roll into a log using wax paper and store in a freezer-safe container or Ziplock bag for up to three months. You can also roll the chilled, raw dough into balls, roll them in cinnamon sugar, and freeze the same way.

What cookie dough should not be refrigerated? ›

As Martha Stewart explains, for cookies that are intended to be served thin, crispy, or crunchy, refrigerating raw cookie dough isn't required. Simply prepare the batch and skip the chilling step so that when the cookies bake, they spread out over the hot baking pan.

How do you store homemade cookie dough overnight? ›

Plastic wrap: Roll the cookie dough into a log and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge (2 -4 days) or freezer (up to 3 months).

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