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The Best Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe

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The Best Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe – 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.

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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.

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.

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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!

CHILLING THE 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.

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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.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THE BEST SNICKERDOODLES:

  • mixing bowls: You need one bowl for the dry ingredients and another for 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 silicone baking mat, like Silpat, for lining the baking sheet.

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TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST SNICKERDOODLES:

  1. Melt the butter only half way. 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.
  2. Chill the dough so the butter can resolidify. If not chilled, the cookie dough balls with spread very thin during baking.
  3. Do not overbake! Place the baking pan in the oven and bake cookies for 9 to 11 minutes. The magic number for me was 10 minutes, exactly.

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MORE EASY COOKIE RECIPES:

Perfect Sugar Cookies Recipe

Cheesecake Filled Snickerdoodles

Soft and Chewy Butterscotch Snickerdoodles

Gingerbread Snickerdoodles

3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment! 😀

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THE BEST CHEWY SNICKERDOODLES RECIPE

4.88 from 16 votes
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Print
The Best Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
chilling dough:
30 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 
Easy and irresistible snickerdoodle cookies with the classic cinnamon sugar coating. No mixer needed, just two bowls and a whisk.

More easy cookie recipes: www.crunchycreamysweet.com

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chewy snickerdoodles, the best snickerdoodles
Servings: 18 cookies
Calories: 135 kcal
Author: Anna
Ingredients
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour see note
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, soda, cream of tartar and salt. Set aside.
  2. 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!
  3. Cool butter completely. Add both sugars and whisk for 20 to 30 seconds. Add egg and vanilla and whisk just until combined.
  4. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until all ingredients are combined.
  5. Cover the bowl with dough and chill for at least 30 minutes.
  6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
  7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  8. In a small mixing bowl or ramekin, combine granulated sugar and cinnamon. Scoop the cookie dough with a 1.5-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.
  9. 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.
Recipe 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.

Nutrition Facts
The Best Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 135 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 22mg7%
Sodium 52mg2%
Potassium 43mg1%
Carbohydrates 20g7%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 170IU3%
Calcium 13mg1%
Iron 0.6mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Lita says

    So here in Maryland we have two malls who make the best Snickerdoodle, now that I live 2 hours from them both…I decided to find a recipe that would mimic them. Well lookie lookie they taste just like them. My only mistake was I make the cookies too big lol but I know what to do next time!!! Thanks for this wonderful recipe!!!

    Reply

  3. Samantha Quintanilla says

    How come mine did deflate when they cooled they stayed puffed 😭 and I did everything right but they still came out delicious 😋

    Reply

  5. Susan says

    Hi Anna. I’m curious to know your reason for saying not to use unbleached flour. That is all I typically use. What difference do you see in the finished product?

    Reply

    • Anna says

      Hi Susan! Unbleached flour will cause the cookies to spread and have crispy edges, sometimes once the cookies cooled they were too hard. Bleached flour works the best here. The cookies will be thick, soft and chewy. I tested one of my trusted recipes this way and that was my conclusion. I also did research that confirmed that. I hope this helps!

      Reply

  6. Zipora says

    Hi Anna, what will be the best way to store these cookies? Also, I was wondering if I can freeze the Pre baked balls? Or it’s best to bake first and then freeze?

    Reply

    • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

      Hi Zipora! Thank you for the question. Since freshly baked cookies are the best, I recommend making the dough, scooping into balls, freezing on a baking sheet and then placing in a ziploc bag. That way you can take out as many as you like and bake. I hope this helps! I store them in an air-tight container (like a cookie jar) on my counter.

      Reply

    • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

      Hi Liz! You can use baking powder in place of cream of tartar. Sometimes you can replace it with lemon juice but I have not tested this recipe with this substitution. Baking powder is a better option. Use 1 teaspoon of baking powder total. Let me know how it goes!

      Reply

  8. Christy S. says

    Happy New Year, Anna! These cookies were sooooo delicious and easy to make. We also made your Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies, and they were fabulous also. Both of those cookie recipes will be on our holiday baking list for next year too! Thank you so much for all of your great recipes.

    Reply

  10. Amy says

    Hi Anna…I’m getting ready to make make your recipe shortly and after rereading your instructions I noticed a discrepancy in your directions. At the beginning you say to bake the cookies for 8-10 mins and your magic # was 9….at the end of the recipe you say to bake the cookies for 9-11 mins and your magic # was 10. It’s just a small thing, but we all know what an extra minute in the oven can do to a cookie! :>( So what time would you suggest I use. Thanks

    Reply

  12. megan says

    Hey Anna! I really want to make these for my boys. Personally I am tracking macros but I want to try them too! Thank you for the nutrition facts. How many cookies is a serving.? (Please say 10 cookies even thoughI know it will probably be for 1 or 2 cookies.) Can’t wait to start baking! Thanks tons!

    Reply

    • Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says

      Hi Megan! Haha! It should be forbidden to limit cookie consumption by serving, right? 😀 Anyways, I did a quick search and it looks that on average 3 cookies make one serving. Hope this helps! Let me know how you and your boys like the cookies!

      Reply

  14. Peggy says

    I LOVE freezing cookie dough pucks/balls to pull out and bake later. Have you ever frozen these? Do you think they’ll lose their chewiness???

    Reply

  25. Christy S. says

    Anna, these are perfect. I am adding these snickerdoodles to our annual holiday baking this year. Can’t wait! Thank you.

    Reply

  26. Kara Cook says

    I love snickerdoodles, but I’ve never tried them with melted butter. I bet it makes them extra chewy and yummy. Can’t wait to give your recipe a try!

    Reply

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