SNICKERDOODLE COOKIES

32 Cookies
1 hr

What’s better than a warm, soft, cinnamony (Yes, I just made that word up) snickerdoodle?!?! I’ve got your perfect snickerdoodle recipe right here. These are plump and soft with the perfect amount of cinnamon. The best part, no need to chill the dough!

I think we have all heard of a snickerdoodle. But what exactly is a snickerdoodle? The Joy of Cooking claims that “snickerdoodle” comes from “Schneckennudel,” a German word that literally means “snail noodles.” Schneckennudels don’t have anything to do with snails or noodles, though—they’re actually delicious-looking German cinnamon rolls.


Other experts say that the word doesn’t actually mean anything, and it’s just a product of New Englanders’ tendency to call cookies whimsical names. Either way, it’s a delicious cinnamon-covered cookie that I can’t get enough of!

Some people like a flat crispy snickerdoodle, and others, like myself, prefer a plump, soft cookie. Both are good and acceptable ways to make a snickerdoodle. I fiddled with this recipe until I got that perfect plump and soft on the inside, crispy on the outside cookie. So if you are on team “soft snickerdoodle,” I’ve got your perfect recipe right here! The best part about this recipe is that you do not need to chill the dough, so you will get your snickerdoodle fix a whole lot sooner.

What makes for a soft snickerdoodle?

Several things…





  • The standard snickerdoodle recipe calls for cream of tartar, which gives the cookie its unique tangy taste. Not only that, the cream of tartar, along with the baking soda, gives the cookie a chewy, soft texture.
  • I changed the recipe to use one egg + one egg yolk instead of 2 whole eggs. It’s a simple change that I use in some of my other cookie recipes but can make a big difference to the outcome. Egg whites are mostly water, and as the water evaporates during the baking process, it can leave baked goods dry; for a cookie, that can mean a crispier cookie. On the other hand, because it contains a higher percentage of fat, the yolk adds moisture to the cookies and gives lift and more of a cake-like texture to the cookie.

  • One of the rules I follow for all my cookies involves how I cool them. When you take your cookies out of the oven, let them rest for 2 minutes on the baking sheet before attempting to move them to a cooling rack. They will be too soft to remove right away. But do not leave them on the hot baking sheet any longer than 2 minutes. They will continue to bake and spread out on the hot pan, and you will end up with flatter, crispier cookies instead of soft ones.
  • Another rule I always follow is to allow my baking sheets to come to room temperature before adding more cookie dough. Adding cookie dough to a hot or even warm pan will cause the fats in the dough to begin to soften and melt, resulting in cookies that spread out more and that end up flatter. If you do not want to wait for your pans to cool, run your pan under cool water for 20 to 30 seconds, dry, and continue with your baking.

I hope these yummy cookies make it onto your baking list and into your kitchen!

Related recipes: GRILLED CINNAMON PINEAPPLENO-BAKE COOKIESTHE BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIESBIG M&M COOKIESMOLASSES CRINKLESEGGNOG SNICKERDOODLES

Recipe details
  • 32  Cookies
  • Prep time: 20 Minutes Cook time: 40 Minutes Total time: 1 hr
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1½ cups granulated sugar
  • 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°. Prepare baking sheets by lining with parchment paper or silicone mats.
In a standing mixer, cream together butter, 1 ½ cups sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
Whisk together flour, cinnamon, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined.
Mix together sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl for rolling cookies.
Shape dough into 1½ inch balls, roll in sugar and cinnamon mixture. Place on a baking sheet, 2 inches apart.*I recommend using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop then rolling the dough into a ball for nice uniform cookies.
Bake for 10 to 11 minutes. The cookies may be puffy when they come out of the oven; they will flatten some as they cool. Rest for 2 minutes before moving to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Allow the baking sheet to return to room temperature before adding more cookie dough to the pan. (see notes).
Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. These cookies freeze well. If you freeze them, it is best to eat them within 6 months.
Tips
  • After you have baked a batch of cookies and removed them from the pan, the tendency is to put another batch on the pan right away, especially if you are short on time. However, for plump, soft cookies, it is important to allow your baking pan to come to room temperature before adding more cookie dough. Adding cookie dough to a hot pan or even a warm pan will start the dough softening and melting before it even gets into the oven. This will contribute to a cookie that spreads out too much in the oven. For a quick method of cooling your pans, run them under cool water for 20 to 30 seconds (or longer if needed, until cool), dry, and continue with your baking.
The Joy-Filled Kitchen
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