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The Best Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe

Published: Oct 5, 2018 · Modified: Jan 13, 2020 by Anna 72 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links.

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.

Overhead close up shot of snickerdoodle cookies stacked on each other on plate.

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.

Overhead shot of melted butter whisked with sugar in a glass bowl with a wire whisk.

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.

Overhead shot of chilled cookie dough in glass bowl with cookie scoop with dough.

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.

Close up on snickerdoodle cookie held by human fingers.

TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST SNICKERDOODLES:

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.
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 cookies for 9 to 11 minutes. The magic number for me was 10 minutes, exactly.

Close up shot of a stack of 7 cookies on white plate, with top cookie broken in half to show the center.

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! 😀