Here is my reader favorite recipe for soft and thick snickerdoodles. These soft-baked snickerdoodle cookies only require about 30 minutes start to finish!
Snickerdoodles are a timeless classic, just like a good batch of chocolate chip cookies or peanut butter cookies. Like drop sugar cookies wrapped in a cinnamon sugar hug, these irresistible cookies never go out of style. My recipe yields the softest and thickest snickerdoodles you’ll ever taste. I like to call them snickerdoodle pillows because they are perfectly fat and puffy! Much too often you’re left with flat, crispy, and thin cookies. The only remedy is to submerge them in a tall glass of milk. But what about starting out with a kitchen tested recipe for soft-baked snickerdoodles? You’ve come to the right place. 🙂
How to Make Soft Snickerdoodles
How do you make snickerdoodles puffy and soft? The secret’s in the ratio of butter to leavener to flour to egg. Don’t use shortening here; you’ll miss the flavor of butter. Slightly under-baking the snickerdoodles also guarantees a softer cookie. Take them out of the oven after about 10-11 minutes. This will keep the interior of the cookie soft and chewy.
Why is Cream of Tartar in Snickerdoodles?
Instead of baking powder, use cream of tartar and baking soda in snickerdoodles. Sure, you could use 2 teaspoons of baking powder instead of the cream of tartar + baking soda, but then you won’t really have a snickerdoodle. Cream of tartar adds a unique tangy flavor to the cookie, which sets it apart from sugar cookies and makes it a classic snickerdoodle. You also use it for the best flavor in maple pecan snickerdoodles. It’s absolutely delicious!
No Cookie Dough Chilling!
Great news! You can skip the cookie dough chilling step with this snickerdoodle recipe. There’s enough flour in this cookie dough to create a strong and sturdy cookie without the crutch of chilling the dough first. There’s also no fancy-pants ingredients required. These snickerdoodles are EASY. Shortbread cookies are another easy no chill recipe to keep in your back pocket.
A medium cookie scoop is helpful to divide up the dough. Roll each dough ball in cinnamon sugar, and arrange on a lined baking sheet:
These snickerdoodle cookies aced the true “soft test” meaning they remained soft on day 2! In fact, they were still soft on day 4. (And I’m surprised there are any leftover by that point, but I was trying to make a point!) Since they remain so soft, snickerdoodles are the perfect cookie for gift-giving. I know there are many snickerdoodle lovers out there!
If you’re looking for other snickerdoodle favorites, here are my pumpkin snickerdoodles and peanut butter snickerdoodles. And are you craving cake? Here’s my snickerdoodle cake & swirled snickerdoodle cupcakes recipes.
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Soft & Thick Snickerdoodles
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 26-28 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Here is my reader favorite recipe for soft and thick snickerdoodles. These soft-baked snickerdoodle cookies only require about 30 minutes start to finish! No dough chilling required.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 and 1/3 cup (267g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Topping
- 1/3 cup (70g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats (always recommended for cookies). Set aside.
- Make the topping: Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl.
- Make the cookies: Whisk the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 3 different parts. The dough will be thick.
- Roll cookie dough into balls, about 1.5 Tablespoons (35g) of cookie dough each. I recommend this cookie scoop. Roll the dough balls in cinnamon-sugar topping. Sprinkle extra cinnamon-sugar on top if desired. Arrange 3 inches apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake cookies for 10 minutes. The cookies will be very puffy and soft. When they are still very warm, lightly press down on them with the back of a spoon or fork to help flatten them out. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Cookies remain soft & fresh for 7 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: There are a few options here! First, you can prepare the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Make sure that you let it come to room temperature before rolling and baking the cookies. You can also freeze the cookie dough balls. Roll the dough into balls then freeze the balls for up to 2-3 months. You can freeze the cookie dough balls with the cinnamon sugar coating or without, but I recommend freezing without the topping. When you are ready to bake, remove the balls from the freezer, let sit for 30 minutes, pre-heat the oven, then roll into topping. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Medium Cookie Scoop | Cooling Rack
- Cream of Tartar: Cream of tartar is required for this recipe. Please see the text of the post for more information.
- Extra Egg Yolk: To bring this dough together so it isn’t quite as crumbly use 1 large egg, plus 1 extra large egg yolk. I’ve been doing this recently and the snickerdoodles taste even softer, moister, and richer.
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
Keywords: snickerdoodles
I haven’t made these just yet. But I was drawn in by your passion for the recipe AND didn’t have to be subjected to endless stories about your family, vacations, life’s aspirations, favorite car and pet, and scrolling thru pages of photo albums. Yes, that stuff is annoying!! But, reading your explanation of cooking your snicker doodles and finding an actual recipe tells me how serious you are with an awesome cookie!! I know it will be a highlight and a treat. I believe I will keep an eye out for your other recipes and hope they are as refreshingly on-point as this one. Thank you.
★★★★★
Followed the recipe exactly and these were absolutely delicious! I pulled them out right at 10 minutes, flattened them a TINY bit with a big spoon, then sprinkled the rest of the sugar over them as they cooled. I shook off anything that didn’t stick. So so good. Definitely saving this recipe.
★★★★★
Wow!! I had never heard of snickerdoodles before….I was just reading a book to my kids and it was mentioned in the story. I googled, found you, and have had my mind blown by the soft cinnamon yumminess!! Thanks so much for sharing this beautiful recipe!
★★★★★
Great taste, puffed up pretty, a bit hard to form into balls and a bit dry tasting, however that may be my fault for not following directions with spooning and leveling the flour…probably too much flour. I’ll follow the directions more carefully next time.
Hi, I love your recipes and I made those snickerdoodles that came out great, but now I get cookies with either big holes inside or too dry if I try to fix the problem by cooking it longer. I have an oven thermometer and I check it to make sure is says 375 like in the recipe. Can you tell me what I’m doing wrong please?
Thank You
Hi Hanaelle, If your cookies seem too dry, check how you are measuring your flour. Always spoon and level instead of scooping so that you don’t end up with too much.
Hi, i always spoon and level or weigh, but I thank you for answering.
Awesome flavor simply wonderful so easy. Thanksfor sharing.
This recipe was a hit! Will make again.
★★★★★
SOOOOO great! I’ve made snickerdoodles so many times, but this was by far the easiest and tastiest! they turned out SO soft and they just melted in your mouth! I followed the recipe exactly and SO AMAZING! SO amazing and delicious!
★★★★★
May I ask about the alternative for the sugar, is there any way I can substitute it? This looks amazing can’t wait to try it.
I followed this exactly and unfortunately these all went in the trash. I don’t know if this recipe has too much flour or what but that’s pretty much all I could taste. Disappointed:( I’ve made many of your recipes and this is the only one I didn’t care for.
★
This recipe worked really well for me! I didn’t have cream of tartar, but I figured something out–since cream of tartar is a byproduct of winemaking, a salt consisting of tartaric acid and potassium, in addition to using two teaspoons of baking powder in place of baking soda, one can add a little splash of white wine vinegar in with the vanilla extract to get that tang and the distinctive tartaric acid flavor. I’m not certain if it would also work with another vinegar, or perhaps just white wine, but being in possession of white wine vinegar, this substitution worked marvelously!
★★★★★
I added 1 cup of shredded coconut to this recipe (note: I chopped the coconut into smaller bits using a small Cuisinart). I was hoping to get a cookie that resembled an Irish potato. The cookies turned out great, but we really couldn’t taste the coconut. Do you have any suggestions? I was wondering if substituting coconut extract for the vanilla would do the trick.
Thanks.
Hi John, that should do the trick but coconut extract’s flavor is quite strong, so I would only replace half of the vanilla with it (1 teaspoon).
Would it be possible to bake these in a 9×13 pan to make cookie bars? If so would this be enough dough? Or would I need to double it?
Hi Sean, You could try these as bars in a 9×13 inch pan. We are unsure of the best bake time.
Would I double the recipe?
A single batch (the recipe as written) should be enough.
Hey do you know the nutritional info on a serving of one of these cookies?
Hi Kyle, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients, and many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients. However, there are many great online calculators where you can plug in your exact ingredients like this one: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
Didn’t enjoy these much . There really isn’t much enjoyable flavour. There is definitely too much sugar and not enough cinnamon . I like the last reviewers idea of dipping the top in cinnamon/sugar rather than roll the entire ball. Didn’t need to flatten either they will do that on their own . It’s more for the little dent I’m assuming. Lastly, you all agree it’s like a dry, crumbling dough? I must’ve been off this day because mine was thick but not dry and crumbly? Hmmm GF
★★★
As with many American cookie recipes this one, as written, is way too sweet and no one wanted to eat them. As noted by other reviews CUT the SUGAR by at least a third and up to a half, depending on your own tastes. Dont roll the whole ball in sugar but dip the tip only. These changes seemed to please everyone. The dough and use of cream of tartar spot on.
★★★
Good cookie. Sally never disappoints. My first time using this recipe which is very similar to my grandmother’s recipe. I made small cookies – 17 g of dough each – and was able to eek out 3.5 dozen. The first tray I forgot to roll the dough in cinnamon sugar, and I actually like these better as they are not as sweet.
★★★★★
The best I’ve ever made. So easy and delicious. Made them for our beekeepers association meeting and they were gone in no time. Thanks
★★★★★
I’ve never made Snickerdoodles before and was a little nervous to try it but this recipe was super easy to follow and the cookies turned out amazing. My boyfriend, who “doesn’t like” soft cookies, has already eaten several! Definitely hit the spot for my craving.
★★★★★
Hi Sally. Can you double his recipe?
You can double this recipe. Enjoy!
I followed the recipe exactly as written and they are very good! I think I like a little more cinnamon. What I love about this recipe is the do ahead and storing information. So many recipes on line and in cook books lack this information. Thank you!
Is there cinnamon in flour mixture also, instructions. Say
So good I made them twice in one week! They were very simple to make and quick to bake, which I really appreciate as someone with a newborn Will absolutely make again! I added a little powdered cardamom and ginger, which I think added a nice zing.
★★★★★
Family loved this snickerdoodle recipe so much! So soft and fluffy, delicious, yum!
Followed recipe exactly and came out perfect!
★★★★★
I make theses but I add coloring 8 different colors per cookie and I call them rainbow snicker doodles
Simply the best Snickerdoodle recipe out there! These are always a HUGE hit at our house! I did find that the dough was so dry, it wouldn’t stick together, so I had to drizzle some cream in until balls would form more easily. It was probably about 1T. It is the dead of winter here, so perhaps I should’ve just gone with 2 whole eggs like a previous reader suggested.
★★★★★
Excellent recipe! No chilling, no fuss, just quick and easy. I did not need to flatten my cookies after taking them out of the oven. They naturally flattened a little but remained thick and the melt in your mouth like a cloud. These were a huge hit with everyone.
★★★★★
Loved these snickerdoodles almost as much as the ones with caramel in them. I wanted a little bigger cookie so I weighed each dough ball out to 50g before freezing them. When I was ready to bake, I let them set for about 30 minutes, rolled them in cinn/sug and baked at 350 convection for 15 minutes. They were thick and soft and delicious.
★★★★★
I love this recipe so much. Quick and easy and my daughter’s favourite. It’s 7am here and I’m just waiting to take a batch out of the oven for Bickie Friday at work today.
Thank you so much for sharing.
My cookies turned out flat. I double checked my measurements. They’re not puffy like yours and I needed an extra 4-5 minutes bake time and it was still on the raw side. Going to remake soon.
Hello! Next time you can skip the extra egg yolk. Less moisture makes for a thicker cookie. (And less spread.) Also, make sure your butter isn’t too soft. Here’s everything you need to know about room temperature butter. It’s key!
I love this recipe. I’ve tried out a variety and these cookies turned out the best. Are there any freezing instructions for the dough?
★★★★★
Hi Zoe, Yes! See the first note for freezing instructions. You might also find our How to Freeze Cookie Dough post helpful!
I make this recipe fortnightly and have found I have to adjust the eggs depending on the time of year…..when it’s Summer (I’m in Aus) I only use 500g eggs or if it’s really humid 600g egg but no 2nd yolk. When it’s winter I’ll use 700g eggs. Also the butter can’t be too soft, room temperature here some days is liquid, If the butter doesn’t hold its shape when you pick it up or it dents its too soft. Good luck with your next attempt, it’s worth it.
So simple and fast! I decided to make cookies last minute and realized I had all the ingredients so I made them 🙂 I only wanted a dozen cookies so I halved the recipe. Simple, yet a solid basic for a cookie.
★★★★★
Are there any altitude adjustments recommended for this recipe? Live in Colorado and just wanted to double check. Thanks!
Hi Shelbi! I wish we could help, but have no experience baking at high altitude. Some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
THEE best I’ve ever made. Came out perfect, even with King Arthur’s gluten free flour. I don’t like over sweet and I even cut the sugar almost in half. PERFECT.
Of all the snickerdoodle recipes I’ve tried, this is definitely my favorite.
★★★★★
Hi Shelbi, I live in CO too! For cookies, I’ve always found that 3-4 T of extra flour works great!
★★★★★
Omg best snickerdoodles ever! I didn’t have COT so I used 1.5 tsp baking powder for each tsp COT, also used the baking soda. I did have to add the 2 egg whites in at the end because it was too dry. But they turned out perfect and delicious, Thanks!
★★★★★