Bring on the festive season with these snickerdoodle cookies that are soft and chewy in the center with a crispy-edged cinnamon-sugar coating. With a signature tang, these cookies are favorites for the holidays!
When I think of Christmas time, I think of snickerdoodle cookies. It is one of the classic holiday treats my mom used to make for our whole family. It has become a part of childhood memories when the smell of cinnamon was spread over the kitchen, we knew that mom was making snickerdoodles.
The snickerdoodle fragrance brings me such a cozy feeling. It fills the air with a tempting aroma of cinnamon and butter, making your house smell like festive holidays. You may see snickerdoodle flavor in everything, from drinks to scented candles; nothing quite beats the original snickerdoodle cookie though. They are so soft and deliciously buttery, puffy-looking like pillows. The great thing about snickerdoodle cookies is you only need a few simple ingredients and in less than 20 minutes you will have freshly baked aromatic cinnamon sugar coated cookies the whole family will love.
NO CHILLING TIME
A good part about this recipe is that you don’t need to chill the cookie dough. Why? The first reason is that you want your snickerdoodle cookie balls to spread in the oven so the dough should be baked at room temperature. The second reason is that there is enough flour to create the strong cookies, which now you can skip chilling the dough.
CREAM OF TARTAR
Cream of tartar is a white acidic powder that is typically used to add volume and thickness to baked goods. Cream of tartar will help give the snickerdoodle its traditional tangy flavor and the chewiness it should have. If you don’t care about the classic taste from old-fashioned snickerdoodles, you can use 2 teaspoon of baking soda instead of the cream of tartar. In case you are running out of cream of tartar or do not have it on hand, feel free to substitute it with 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar.
TIPS FOR MAKING THE SOFT AND CHEWY SNICKERDOODLES
- Ingredients should be at room temperature, especially butter and eggs.
- Measure the ingredients correctly. Too much or too little flour will affect cookies’ texture. The amount of flour used in this recipe is enough to create a softness and chewiness in these cookies, make sure you measure it right.
- Do not over mix. Overmixing is the fastest way to ruin the baked goods in most cases. An excessive mixing of the dough can create the gluten to the dough, causing the toughness in your final products. Make sure you mix until no clumps of flour remain.
- Do not over bake. Over baking will result in cakey cookies. You want to bake until the edges of cookies begin to brown and the center still looks slightly underbaked. Take them out of the oven after about 10-11 minutes and let them cool in the rack. This will keep the middle of the cookie soft and chewy.
- Coat the cookie dough balls: I believe coating is the best yet the most important part in making snickerdoodles. Roll the cookie dough balls in the cinnamon-sugar mixture twice so you get enough coating on the edges.
HOW TO STORE SNICKERDOODLES?
Snickerdoodle cookies stay soft and chewy even a few days after baking. It makes them the perfect treat to take along to holiday get togethers or to give away as gifts. They are just one of those classic desserts that everyone will get excited when they see and smell the aroma of fresh baked snickerdoodles. Just make sure you put them in an airtight container or proper gift box to help them taste fresh much longer.
And because today is Christmas Eve, MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU!
If you try this Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe, let me know by tagging me on Instagram or leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating. I’d love to see how they turn out for you!
More Holiday Cookie Recipes:
Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoon (8g) ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon (3g) salt
- 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks/170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (125g) brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoon (8ml) pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/175° C. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
- In a mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium speed about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time and vanilla extract, beat until combined. Scrape down the sides as needed. On a low speed add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and beat just until combined. Do not over mix. At this point the dough is thick enough, therefore requires no chilling time.
- Make the cinnamon-sugar coating: In a small bowl, toss together sugar and cinnamon.
- Shape the dough into balls, preferably 2 inch round balls. You can use a cookie scoop to scoop the dough out, roll them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, and place on the prepared baking sheet. You can use your hands or the back of a spoon to slightly flatten each cookie out if desired. Bake for about 10 minutes minutes, until cookies begin to brown at the edges but the center is still soft. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes then gently transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The leftovers can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Notes
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