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.
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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.
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!
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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.
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.
Tools you will need:
- 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.
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.
More cookie recipes:
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
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
- ⅓ 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.
TH says
These are amazing! Easy recipe and detailed directions helped the cookies to turn out exactly as pictured. I do not like cakey cookies which is why I typically pass on snickerdoodles. If you measure flour the correct way, they will come out chewy and soft but not puffy and cake like. Only thing I changed was to dip them gently in the cinnamon sugar mixture again after they had cooled a bit on the cookie sheet as it gives them a little more of a cinnamon sugar punch.
Anna says
I'm so glad the cookies were a success! Thank you for making my recipe!
Emily Brabant says
These are soooo yummy! I have a size #20 cookie scoop (about 3 Tbs) what would you recommend my bake time be ? 13 minutes??
Denise Ehle says
I’ve made your recipe twice and they are the best Snickerdoodles I’ve ever had. I love (along with everyone else) how they are soft and chewy, and remain that way
for some time. The cookies never last very long to say when/if they lose it. 🙂 My daughter-in-law is not sweets eater generally but she asked for this recipe. Thanks for sharing!!
Caroline says
Tried these and the cookie itself it delicious but mine were more puffy than the photo so idk what I did wrong. Still delicious! The flavor is so good!
I also had one batch I cooked for 11 minutes and were perfect, then The other I had to cook for 15 minutes. But it’s probably my oven.
Angie says
Hi, my son loved these cookies( my cookies did not turn flat, so I mashed down on them, do not know why, but they were really good, he knows snickerdoodles and he said this is the best! He is 29 years old. I noticed in your recipe steps you mentioned 1 hour cook in fridge and then another step you said 30 minutes in fridge, I did thirty min and mines look like your stiff dough.
Kitty Kitty Kat Kat Kat says
This is the best snickerdoodle recipe I have ever tasted. I had already tried 6 other recipe's before I found this one and I was about to give up on finding the perfect one. Then, I tried this one. They are so soft and chewy and they stay that way for quite a while. The only thing I find fault in is that I now have to make a triple batch every week to keep up with demand. My husband can't seem to walk by the container without grabbing a couple. He loves them. I am just a guilty. They have become a serious addiction in our home. And, we are not at all upset about it,. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe and ending my long journey to find the best snickerdoodle ever made. 😉
Anna says
Thank you! I am so glad the cookies were a hit!
Denise says
Perfect!
Jessy Vehrs says
Hi Anna!! All that i can say is wow! wow! wowzer!! This is the best snickerdoodle recipe that i have came across, the cookies stay soft and chewy and i took them to a holiday event and i got so many wonderful comments on my cookies thank you for sharing this absolutely perfect snickerdoodle recipe Anna!!! I love it! Love it!
Anna says
Hi Jessy! I am so happy you love the cookies! Thank you so much for making my recipe and for the comment!
Skye says
Absolutely PERFECT and so easy to make. It does make a smaller batch than most recipes, so I would recommend doubling it or making two batches if you’re trying for yourself. You can’t go wrong with this one!
Lucy says
I LOVE this recipe. It is way easier than all of my other cookie recipes and it is one of the yummiest cookie recipes I’ve ever had. If you are looking for a quick recipe that still tastes good I would 100% recommend it, and even if you aren’t looking for something quick and easy I still 100% recommend it.
Trycia says
These are so good. Like so so so good. In case anyone is wondering, I used unbleached flour and they're...so good. Ever so slightly crispy at the edges and chewy inside. Perfect cookies. Thanks for the recipe.
Anna says
Thank you so much, Trycia!
Marla says
These are the best cookies I have ever made! I can't count how many times I've made them this year! I like to get creative and add almond extract instead of the vanilla and use crushed rose petals n' sugar to roll them in. Almond rose snickerdoodles 🌹🍪 So delicious. Can't wait to try your other recipes!
Rachel says
Hi! Delicious and easy. But mine took longer than 9-11 minutes to cook. I chilled the dough for an hour. Could be my oven isn’t as hot too?
Anna says
Hi Rachel! Every oven is different so it is not uncommon to have to add more minutes to the baking time. I hope this helps!
Colleen says
Made these for the first time today for this year's gift giving. The recipe was easy and they came out good and oh so tasty. Will definitely keep the recipe and make them again!🍪💖🎄
Taryn says
These were quick, easy, and super tasty. 😋 I especially loved that they were pretty thick for a snickerdoodle; most recipes I've tried go very flat. Thanks for the tips on butter and chilling the dough!
Mel says
Hi, if I wanted to add Apple butter to the recipe would you recommend removing some of the regular butter?