Snickerdoodle Recipe (With Video)

Servings:

Yield:

3 dozen

The combination of crackly edges, chewy centers, and the taste of cinnamon sets snickerdoodles apart and makes them a favorite cookie. Our snickerdoodle recipe is an easy classic. The cookies are made with sugar, flour, and vegetable shortening, which helps give them their special texture but doesn’t add much in terms of flavor, so we also use butter for richness.

Another ingredient that sets them apart from the usual sugar cookie is cream of tartar. It's used with baking soda as the leavener rather than baking powder—and it’s the cream of tartar that also gives snickerdoodles their characteristic tang. The dough doesn’t need any chilling so you can make them from start to finish in just over 30 minutes.

What Is a Snickerdoodle?

Snickerdoodles are sugar cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar, but there are a few other things that set them apart. One is that they are flavored with cinnamon and another is that they are baked at a higher temperature and for a shorter time than most cookies. Our snickerdoodles bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for just 10 minutes. This higher heat encourages the leaveners to activate fast, puffing the centers of the cookies as they bake. Then they fall when the cookies come out of the oven, giving them their signature soft crinkly tops and crispy edges.

And, the dough isn’t chilled prior to baking—so they are quick to make.

Key Ingredients

Vegetable shortening: Some snickerdoodle cookie recipes use all vegetable shortening. We’re generally team all butter for cookies, but with this snickerdoodle recipe we go with one stick (one cup) of butter and a half cup of shortening for the unique texture it gives the cookies.

Cream of Tartar: An ingredient you might not be familiar with, cream of tartar is a dry powder that’s the byproduct of the winemaking process—a lot of science happens as the grapes ferment, and we are left with an acidic powder with the ability to lift and stabilize baking ingredients. When used in combination with baking soda, cream of tartar creates a single-acting baking powder and adds a distinctive tang to the flavor of baked goods. In snickerdoodles, this tang balances out the intense sweetness of the cinnamon sugar.

Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon is America's favorite spice, appearing in everything from apple pie to cinnamon rolls to snickerdoodles. While it often plays a supporting role, cinnamon is front and center in snickerdoodles. Because of its prominent role, check your cinnamon is still fresh and has a lively scent before making this recipe.

Directions

Snickerdoodle Ingredients — Credit:
Jake Sternquist

Preheat oven and prep baking sheets; sift dry ingredients:

Preheat the oven to 400°F, with one rack in top third and one rack in bottom third of oven. Line baking sheets with Silpat baking mats or parchment paper; set aside. Sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Credit:
Jake Sternquist
Mix butter, shortening, and sugar:

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter, shortening, and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl.

Credit:
Jake Sternquist
Add eggs, then dry ingredients:

Add eggs, and beat to combine. Add dry ingredients, and beat to combine.

Credit:
Jake Sternquist
Mix reserved sugar with cinnamon; scoop cookies and roll in cinnamon sugar:

In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the ground cinnamon. Use a small (1-ounce) ice-cream scoop to form balls of the dough, and roll in cinnamon sugar. Place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Credit:
Jake Sternquist
Bake and cool:

Bake until the cookies are set in center and begin to crack (they will not brown), about 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheets after 5 minutes. Transfer the sheets to a wire rack to cool about 5 minutes before transferring the cookies to the rack. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Credit:
Jake Sternquist

Frequently Asked Questions

What does snickerdoodle mean?

Snickerdoodle means "snail noodles," or rather the German word schneckennudel means snail noodles and is the name of a cinnamon bun. Or the name snickerdoodles may be derived from snipdoodle, a Pennsylvania Dutch coffee cake. Another theory is that the name comes from the Dutch word snekrad which means crinkle and refers to the cracked surface of the cookies.
What do snickerdoodles taste like?

Snickerdoodles taste like a sweet buttery cookie with a cinnamon sugar flavor. Cinnamon is the only spice used and is the strongest taste in the cookie. You may also notice a tangy note to the flavor and the sweetness of the sugar the cookies are rolled in before baking.
Do snickerdoodles use baking powder?

Some snickerdoodles do use baking powder in place of cream of tartar and baking soda. Snickerdoodle recipes with baking powder do not have the characteristic slightly tangy flavor of ones made with cream of tartar. Without cream of tartar, snickerdoodles will have a more pronounced cinnamon sugar taste.