Description
Classic Snickerdoodle cookies featuring a soft and chewy texture with a crisp cinnamon-sugar coating. These cookies are quick to prepare and perfect for any occasion, delivering a nostalgic taste with a slight tang from cream of tartar and a wonderful cinnamon aroma.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks), softened
- 1 and 1/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
For Rolling
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking.
- Make the Dough Base: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat 1 cup of softened butter for a couple of minutes until smooth, scraping the sides and bottom as needed to achieve an even texture.
- Add Sugars: Incorporate 1 and 1/3 cups granulated sugar and 1/3 cup packed brown sugar into the butter. Beat for 2 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and free of lumps, scraping the bowl regularly.
- Mix in Eggs and Vanilla: Add 2 large eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Beat until the mixture is smooth and homogenous, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even incorporation.
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: Spoon and level 3 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour into a bowl. Stir in 1 teaspoon baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar using a small spoon or teaspoon to evenly distribute all dry ingredients.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Slowly beat the dry flour mixture into the wet butter mixture. Avoid overmixing; stop when most of the flour streaks disappear, then finish by scraping down the bowl edges and mixing for just a few additional seconds to combine fully without toughening the dough.
- Shape the Cookies: Using a large cookie scoop or spoon, portion dough balls about 1.5 to 2 inches across. This size helps achieve the ideal cookie thickness and chewiness.
- Roll in Cinnamon Sugar: Mix 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 1 and 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon in a bowl. Roll each dough ball thoroughly in this cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat evenly.
- Arrange on Baking Sheets: Place the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. Approximately 12 cookies fit per 11×17 inch baking sheet.
- Bake: Bake the cookies at 350°F for 9-11 minutes until the edges are just set and the centers remain slightly shiny but not wet. Avoid overbaking to maintain soft, chewy centers.
- Shape While Warm: Immediately upon removal from the oven, use a spoon to gently push the edges of each cookie toward the center within 30-60 seconds. This rounds the cookies and thickens the center for an ideal texture.
- Cool: Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 3-5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack. Allow them to cool just enough to handle without crumbling.
- Final Cinnamon Sugar Coating: While still warm and stable enough to handle, dip each cookie back into the cinnamon-sugar mixture, coating both sides for a flavorful and crunchy exterior edge.
- Freeze Option: Dough balls can be rolled in cinnamon sugar, placed in a ziplock bag, and frozen for up to 3 months. Bake frozen dough directly, adding a few extra minutes to baking time for perfect fresh cookies anytime.
Notes
- If concerned about using the same cinnamon-sugar for the final coating as used for rolling the raw dough, prepare a fresh batch of 1/3 cup sugar and 1 and 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon for dipping the baked cookies.
- Do not overmix the dough to prevent tough cookies—stop mixing when flour streaks mostly disappear.
- Underbaking slightly ensures soft, chewy centers; avoid drying out the cookies by removing them quickly once edges are set.
- Shaping the cookies immediately after baking preserves their classic thick and round shape with chewy texture.
- Freezing cookie dough balls is convenient for baking fresh cookies on demand without thawing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 147 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 26 mg