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Snickerdoodle, what a funny name, every time I say it I giggle a little! These cookies are as fun to make as it is to say their name and everyone loves them. They’re a classic cookie, similar to a soft sugar cookie but rolled in cinnamon and sugar. The sugary coating gives the snickerdoodle its characteristic cracking on the outside and it has a pillowy soft centre on the inside.
Now that we are moving into the holiday season, these snickerdoodles make a great edible gift to give friends and family. The recipe makes up a lot and the cookies’ shelf life is longer than the average cookie for an ideal choice.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Large eggs
- Pure vanilla extract
- Cream of tartar
- Baking soda
- Ground cinnamon
- Salt
Gifting – Edible Gift
Christmas has to be one of my favourite holidays for sharing home baked food, and making edible gifts. There’s something about the feeling of making homemade gifts from scratch, putting time and thoughtfulness into an idea that turns into something extra special!
Bag them, box them, or tin them, these cookies are meant for sharing; there is no doubt about it! With their warm, rich cinnamon notes the snickerdoodle pairs perfectly with a hot cup of cocoa or tea to share with a friend for the holidays (or perhaps just a treat for you)!
Add cookies in cute cellophane bags and attach them to a tin of speciality tea for some small hostess gifts. How about you, do you like giving or getting edible gifts around the holidays?
Tips for Perfect Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your butter and eggs are at room temperature. This helps to achieve the right consistency in the dough creating the perfect cookie!
- Proper Mixing: Mix dry ingredients separately before adding them to the wet ingredients. This ensures even distribution of ingredients, so you don’t get a clump of baking soda or cream of tarter!
- Handling the Dough: You should easily be able to roll and handle the cookie dough. If you find the dough it difficult or is sticking to you try chilling the cookie dough for at least 20-30 minutes.
- Uniform Size: Use a cookie scoop or a tablespoon to measure out the batter. When the cookie dough balls are all the same size it makes for even baking.
- Sheet Pan: Don’t overcrowd the cookies. Make sure to leave lots of space on the baking sheet for the best snickerdoodles. And make sure to bake one cookie sheet at a time for best results.
Easy Cookie Recipes
- Sugar Cookies
- Tollhouse Cookies/Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
How To Make Homemade Snickerdoodle Cookies
Step One: Make your snickerdoodle cookie dough. Add dry ingredients together; flour, cream of tarter, baking soda and salt, mix to combine and set aside. In a bowl of a stand mixer (or use an electric hand mixer) beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat until well incorporated. Then add vanilla extract. On low speed, slowly add your flour mixture and beat until dough comes together.
Step Two: In a small bowl mix together sugar and cinnamon. Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, scoop dough and roll into balls. Roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat the entire ball of dough then place on prepared cookie sheets approx. 1 1/2 inches apart. Repeat until all the dough is gone.
Step Three: Bake cookies until puffed, cracked and lightly browned on the bottom. Remove from the baking sheet and let cool on a wire rack.
Snickerdoodle Cookies
These are the best snickerdoodle cookies around, perfect for sharing with friends and family! They are pillowy soft with a subtle tang and warm cinnamon flavours. This is a super easy snickerdoodle recipe and they whip up in no time at all as there’s no need to refrigerate the dough!Â
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 36 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: German
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cookie Coating
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ËšF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat until well incorporated. Add vanilla extract.
- On low speed, slowly add your flour mixture and beat until dough comes together.
- In a small bowl mix together sugar and cinnamon.
- Using a small cookie scoop or a tablespoon, scoop dough and roll into balls. Roll the balls in the cinnamon and sugar to coat the entire ball then place on your prepared cookie sheets approx. 1 1/2 inches apart. Repeat until all the dough is gone.
- Bake cookies for 10-15 minutes until puffed, cracked and lightly browned on the bottom.
Notes
Bake one cookie sheet at a time for best results.
If you have a hard time getting really nice cracking on the cookies, take the cookies out halfway through baking and bang the cookie sheet on top of the counter, then place them back in the oven and continue to bake.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 102
- Sugar: 8.4g
- Sodium: 98mg
- Fat: 4.2g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 15.3g
- Fiber: 0.4g
- Protein: 1.3g
- Cholesterol: 21mg
FAQ’s
In my opinion yes, cream of tarter is an important ingredient! It plays a crucial role in perfecting the snickerdoodle recipe. Without it, your cookies will lack the signature tang
 as cream of tartar gives that tang in the cookie. If you find yourself without cream of tartar, an alternative is to use lemon juice.
There may be a few reasons for flat cookies. But the most common issue in snickerdoodle cookies is your butter is too soft. When the butter in your cookie dough isn’t firm enough while baking it will spread out as it bakes causing a flat cookie. If you find your dough is too soft before baking, pop the cookies (right on the baking tray) into the fridge to firm up.
Yes, you can freeze snickerdoodle cookie dough and it actually freezes well! Form the dough into cookie balls, roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture and place them on a baking sheet to freeze individually. Once frozen, transfer the dough balls to a sealed airtight container or freezer bag. Let the cookies defrost before baking
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I love hearing from you! Leave a comment with any questions or how your recipe turned out (your email address will not be published)!
In one word amazing. I bookmarked it. thanks for share.
Baked these as soon as you posted the recipe. From my husband and kids’ mouths: “The are the BEST cookies I’ve tasted”! Proof is in the pudding…er…cookie! Thank you for a recipe that will be used on repeat!
Aww, I love that! Thanks for sharing Meera. Happy holidays to you and your family!