The Best Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (2024)

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These Best Chewy Snickerdoodles are easy and irresistible snickerdoodle cookies with the classic cinnamon sugar coating. No mixer needed just two bowls and a whisk.

These cookies are so easy to make, just like my Perfect Sugar Cookies or the Molasses Cookies.

The Best Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (1)
Jump to:
  • Why This Recipe is the Best
  • Ingredients:
  • How to make snickerdoodles?
  • Why this recipe is the best?
  • Why should you chill the cookie dough?
  • How to properly measure out flour?
  • Tools you will need:
  • Tips for making the best snickerdoodle cookies!
  • More cookie recipes:
  • The Best Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe

Why This Recipe is the Best

Every time I tell my Hubby that I am making his favorite cookies, he says: "snickerdoodles!". You would think that the favorite would be a classic chocolate chip but it's not. It's a buttery, sweet cookie with cinnamon sugar to create a crispy coating.Every cookie is soft, chewy, not at all cakey and each bite melts in your mouth. You will be swooning over how delicious these cookies are and how easy they are to make!

These are The Best Chewy Snickerdoodles and a must-try recipe for any cookie lover! It's easy, you do not need a mixer to make the dough so you can easily whip these up anytime, almost anywhere.

Ingredients:

  • all-purpose flour - To properly measure it out, check out my tip below.
  • baking powder and baking soda - Necessary for proper rising and texture.
  • cream of tartar - Classic ingredient in snickerdoodles, it makes the cookies chewy.
  • butter - Use unsalted to control the flavor; follow the steps of melting and cooling for the best texture.
  • sugar - Use both, granulated and brown.
  • egg - Binds all ingredients together.
  • vanilla extract - Adds delicious flavor.
  • cinnamon sugar - The classic coating for snickerdoodles, adds crunch and flavor.

How to make snickerdoodles?

  • Start by melting the butter. I use a medium mixing glass bowl that's microwave safe. Heat up the butter until only partially melted. In my microwave, it takes 25 seconds, then I check the butter and often add 10 more seconds. Next, do not stir the butter but let it sit and cool.
  • Use this time to measure out and whisk the dry ingredients.Don't forget the cream of tartar that's a must in snickerdoodles. It gives them the signature flavor.
  • Once the butter is cooled, add brown sugar and granulated sugar and whisk for about 30 seconds. Add room temperature large egg and pure vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients to butter mixture and stir with a wooden spoon. The dough will be soft and sticky. Cover the bowl with saran wrap and chill for at least one hour.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Scoop the dough with 1.5 tablespoon size cookie scoop and roll in cinnamon sugar. Place on baking sheet and bake for 9 to 11 minutes. For me, the magic point was 10 minutes. The cookies will look puffed up once out of the oven but will deflate while cooling and have characteristic folds on top.

Please note what the mixture looks like when cooled, partially melted butter whisked with granulated sugar and brown sugar should look like. Refer to the photo below.

The Best Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (2)

Why this recipe is the best?

I know that every baker has their favorite, best cookie recipe. This is my go-to. For starters, I don't need to pull out my mixer each time I want to make a batch of these cookies. I can make it anywhere if I have my mixing bowls and a whisk. Second, I don't need to remember to pull out the butter from the fridge and wait for it to soften. I always forget and that's why almost all of my cookie recipes use melted butter. Third, the cookies are not at all cakey but chewy, buttery and the edge is slightly crispy. Just PERFECT!

Why should you chill the cookie dough?

Once chilled for at least 1 hour in the fridge, the dough will hold together. If you skip chilling the dough, the cookies will spread very thin during baking.Once chilled, You can easily scoop it and roll into balls in cinnamon sugar. If you want to add a surprise inside, like a square of a chocolate bar, a scoop of Nutella or a piece of caramel, you need the dough to chill so it's firm enough to do that.

The Best Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (3)

How to properly measure out flour?

Do not dip the measuring cup in flour bag. Stir the flour in the bag a few times, so it's not packed. Scoop the flour with a spoon into the measuring cup, then level off the top with a knife. Place flour in mixing bowl and repeat if needed. Do not use unbleached flour.

  • mixing bowls: You need one bowl for the dry ingredients and another for the wet ingredients.
  • whisk: Simple wire whisk is perfect for combining the dry ingredients and for whisking the melted butter with sugars. No mixer is needed as we are using melted butter so no beating it is required.
  • wooden spoon: I find it easier to combine the dry ingredients with wet ingredients with a wooden spoon.
  • large baking sheet: the cookie dough balls need to be spaced at least 2" apart. I like to use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, like Silpat, for lining the baking sheet.
The Best Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (4)

Tips for making the best snickerdoodle cookies!

  • Melt the butter only halfway. It should not be completely melted and hot! Place butter (it helps to slice it into tablespoon-size pieces) in a glass microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 20 seconds. Check and add 10 more seconds if needed. You should still be able to see good size solid butter pieces among the melted butter. Set the bowl with butter aside to cool completely.
  • Chill the dough so the butter can resolidify. If not chilled, the cookie dough balls with spread very thin during baking.
  • Do not overbake! Place the baking pan in the oven and bake the cookies for 9 to 11 minutes. The magic number for me was 10 minutes, exactly.
The Best Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (5)

More cookie recipes:

  • Cream Cheese Cookies
  • Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
  • Perfect Sugar Cookies
  • Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you like this recipe and make it, let me know in the comments below! Don't forget to rate it if you enjoyed it!

The Best Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (10)

The Best Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (11)

The Best Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe

Author: Anna

Easy and irresistible snickerdoodle cookies with the classic cinnamon sugar coating. No mixer needed, just two bowls and a whisk.

4.87 from 37 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

chilling dough: 30 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 18 cookies

Calories 135 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour see note
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • cup granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, soda, cream of tartar and salt. Set aside.

    1 ½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar, ¼ teaspoon salt

  • Place butter in a glass microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 20 seconds, check and microwave for 10 more seconds if needed. See note for tips!

    ½ cup unsalted butter

  • Cool butter completely. Add both sugars and whisk for 20 to 30 seconds. Add egg and vanilla and whisk just until combined.

    ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until all ingredients are combined.

  • Cover the bowl with dough and chill for at least 30 minutes.

  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.

  • Preheat oven to 350° F.

  • In a small mixing bowl or ramekin, combine granulated sugar and cinnamon. Scoop the cookie dough with a 1 ½-tablespoon size cookie scoop, roll into a ball and roll in cinnamon sugar. Place on prepared baking sheet, spacing the dough balls at least 2 inches apart.

    ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • Bake cookies for 9 to 11 minutes. For me the magic number was 10 minutes exactly. The cookies will look puffed up but will deflate while cooling and will have the classic snickerdoodle folds.

Notes

  • How to properly measure out flour: do not dip the measuring cup in flour bag. Stir the flour in the bag a few times, so it's not packed. Scoop the flour with a spoon into the measuring cup, then level off the top with a knife. Place flour in mixing bowl and repeat if needed.
  • Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use calorie counter you are familiar with.

Nutrition

Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 52mg | Potassium: 43mg | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 170IU | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 0.6mg

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment with rating below!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    Did you make this recipe? Let me know!

  1. Jen Oliver says

    The Best Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (16)
    Delicious. Followed recipe exactly, baked 9 minutes and they came out perfect. Chilled dough for 30 minutes and did not flatten. Thank you.

    Reply

  2. Judith says

    The Best Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (17)
    I’ve made these at least 10 times in the past two months. I make them to bring to work or as a quick treat. Tips: measure flour as suggested & sift it. Whip the sugars and melted butter together with a fork to bring down the butter’s temp and partially dissolve the sugar. Smaller cookies = higher cinnamon per cookie ratio.

    Reply

  3. Denise says

    The Best Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (18)
    I have a granddaughter that doesn’t like chocolate and this is her favorite cookie to eat and make. This recipe has replaced my husband’s prior favorite, chocolate chip, and he asks for them!

    Reply

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The Best Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (2024)

FAQs

Why do my snickerdoodles come out hard? ›

Snickerdoodles might turn out hard if they are overbaked or if the dough is too dry.

Why don t my snickerdoodles crack? ›

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.

Why are my snickerdoodles so flat? ›

Why are my snickerdoodles flat? Snickerdoodles can come out flat if 1) the leaveners you used (for this recipe, it's both the baking soda and the cream of tartar) are on the old side and no longer work, and 2) if you baked them at a lower temperature. First, figure out if it's your leavener.

Does cream of tartar make things crispy? ›

Cream of tartar makes cookies chewy, as it precludes the sugar in the dough from crystalizing, which would lead to crispiness (ie: the opposite of chewiness).

What happens if you add too much cream of tartar? ›

Keep in mind that more cream of tartar doesn't necessarily mean a better, more stable result. “Too much cream of tartar will impart a metallic, tin-like taste,” Molly warns.

What makes cookie soft and chewy? ›

Cornstarch helps product soft and thick cookies. Using more brown sugar than white sugar results in a moister, softer cookie. An extra egg yolk increases chewiness. Rolling the cookie dough balls to be tall and lumpy instead of wide and smooth gives the cookies a bakery-style textured thickness.

How do you keep cookies chewy? ›

Putting a slice of fresh white bread in the container with the cookies will help the cookies stay soft: fresh bread is moist, and that slice will give up its moisture for the greater good: keeping the cookies from drying out. We recommend white bread so that no flavor is transferred to the cookies.

Why are my cookies never crunchy? ›

You didn't press the batter down before sliding them into the oven. Your cookies will end up chewy when you leave the batter as-is. How can I make my cookies crunchy? Adding more butter to your recipe, baking your cookies longer, and letting them cool on the baking sheet will help give you crunchier cookies.

Why does snickerdoodle dough need to be refrigerated? ›

Refrigerating snickerdoodle dough lets the butter resolidify and prevents the cookies from flattening out in the oven. I recommend giving the dough at least 45-60 minutes of chilling time in the fridge before baking.

What can I 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 are my snickerdoodles spreading 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.

How do you make cookies fluffy instead of flat? ›

Try using baking powder instead of baking soda. Baking soda encourages spreading while baking powder puffs the cookies up. If your recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of baking soda, you would use 3 to 4 teaspoons of baking powder.

How do you fix crumbly Snickerdoodle dough? ›

Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process. This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.

Why do my snickerdoodles taste like flour? ›

Improper flour measurement is the #1 cause of your cookie dough being too dry or the cookies tasting like flour.

What is the benefit of cream of tartar in baking? ›

Culinary uses

Bakers often use cream of tartar in baked goods by mixing it with egg whites to help create stiff peaks in meringue. This prevents the formation of sugar crystals. Cream of tartar can be a substitute for anything from buttermilk to baking powder and lemon juice in your favorite recipes.

What is the purpose of cream of tartar in this recipe? ›

The most common recipes that call for cream of tartar are those that call for egg whites to be whipped, like angel food cake, genoise cake, meringue, and macarons. Jampel says that is because cream of tartar works as an egg white stabilizer that increases both the volume and shelf life of the meringue.

Does cream of tartar make things thicker? ›

Cream of tartar has several culinary uses including stabilizing egg whites and whipped cream, anti-caking and thickening, preventing sugar syrups from crystallizing and helping to keep boiled vegetables colorful.

Does cream of tartar matter in cookies? ›

Adding it to cake or cookie batters prevents sugar from banding together and crystallizing, meaning that it results in more of a tender chew—snickerdoodles and sugar cookies wouldn't be the same without cream of tartar. The same effect is why it's added to some frostings and syrups, where it helps keep things smooth.

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