The best snickerdoodle recipe, updated. Balls of dough rolled in buttered cinnamon roll and cinnamon sugar for tall cookie cutters. Make them once, love them always – trust me on this one.
Friends, hello. After nearly two decades of posting recipes on this site, I’ve made a lot of cookies. A: a lot from cookies. And yet, somehow, snickerdoodle has always slipped through the cracks (except this snickerdoodle strawberry shortcake) Not because I don’t like them (I do), but honestly, why cheat on a snickerdoodle when they chocolate chip cookies option?
And it’s not like the internet is sitting around waiting for another snickerdoodle recipe. Snickerdoodle is good.
But then I got to thinking (which is clearly why we’ve gone this far) about what I really want from a snickerdoodle. Because I want more than cream of tartar and more than the cinnamon sugar screaming on the outside. I want tall and tall. I want thick and chewy and bakery-style a lot it makes you stop mid-bite and think, oh, good.
It turned out to be a cinnamon roll of something rolled over the outside of the dough. Like someone pressed a little coffee cake, crumbling onto every inch of the cookie before it hits the oven. Because that’s exactly what happened.
Now that’s it A snickerdoodle worth making. A new classic, I say. let’s get into it.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this new classic snickerdoodle recipe:
All purpose flour – the backbone of the dough.
Blowing agent – works with baking soda to give rise, helping these cookies to be taller rather than flat.
Baking soda – promotes spreading and browning of the edges while the centers remain soft. Love!
Salt: – Sweetness to balance is non-negotiable.
Corn starch – The secret of tender crumbs. A little money goes a long way.
Tartar cream – That’s what makes a snickerdoodle snickerdoodle. It’s that subtle, tangy bite that sets it apart from every other cinnamon sugar cookie.
Cinnamon – A little warmth is essential.
Cold butter is where this recipe breaks with tradition. Cold butter (instead of room temperature) means less spread and more heft. Cold butter is how we get the moment like bread.
Brown sugar for moisture and chewiness.
Granulated sugar – balances out the brown sugar and adds a little crunch to the edges.
Eggs and egg yolks – The whole egg adds structure, while the extra yolks bring richness and a chewier texture. Plus some egg whites to add to your morning scrambled eggs
Vanilla extract – Rounds out all the warm cinnamon spice and adds a depth that belongs in every baked good.
That’s what makes this snickerdoodle recipe a new classic.
These are the tips that elevate these cookies from good to (humbly).
Do not spread the butter; just mix it up.
You probably know that most cookie recipes start with softened buttercream until light and fluffy, which forces air into the dough and promotes spreading. We are doing the opposite here. Mix the cold butter on medium-low until the dough comes together. There may even still be visible bits of butter staining the brown sugar. This is the base of a tall, dense, cookie. Just remember that fluffy butter and sugar is not the goal here.
Go big on the dough balls.
We’re talking 4 to 5 ounces each, which is generously large. Make them taller than they are wide. More of a tangled tower than a perfect sphere. That height is your insurance policy for a thick, tall cookie when it hits the oven.
Freeze the dough. It is non-negotiable.
At least 2 hours in the refrigerator or 30-45 minutes in the freezer. Cold dough spreads slowly, which is what allows these cookies to rise rather than pancake.
Cool the streusel.
After making the scoop, spread it out on a small plate or pan and place in the freezer while you make the dough. This sets it up so that when you roll the dough balls through it, they stick and hold their shape rather than melting into the surface. This is what gives you that coffee cake look.
Pull them out early.
Bake until the edges are set and the tops are crisp but the centers still look a little underdone, about 14 to 16 minutes. They will continue to cook on the hot pan while they cool.
Shape right out of the oven (optional, but fun).
If you want perfectly round cookies, place a round cutter or glass slightly larger than the cookie around it right after it comes out of the oven and give it a few gentle swirls to shape the edges.
Nearly two decades later, and the snickerdoodle has finally had its moment. Turns out, all it needed was some shreesh and someone willing to ask for more cinnamon and sugar. The cream of tartar is still doing its thing, the cinnamon sugar is still crunching on the outside, and now there’s a coffee cake crumble situation that makes the whole cookie feel like it was always meant to be.
When you make them (and I really hope you do!) come back and leave a comment and star rating below! It helps more people find the recipe and I really love hearing how they turn out in your kitchen. Mmkay, friends! Good care and happy baking!
Description:
This Snickerdoodle recipe is a new classic. tall, thick and chewy, with a cinnamon roll on the outside that gives each cookie a coffee cake-like crust. Cream of tartar, cinnamon sugar and those buttery crumbs on the outside. it’s everything you’ve ever wanted from a snickerdoodle.
- Prepare and freeze the bar. In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the softened butter and rub the mixture with your fingers until it forms small, moist pieces. I like to mix until the butter is thoroughly mixed and no lumps of butter are visible.
- Use your fingers to break the bar into small pieces and spread in a thin, even layer on a small plate or pan and place in the freezer while you make the cookie dough. This helps it harden so it sticks to the dough without melting into it.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cornstarch, cream of tartar, and cinnamon. Put it aside.
- Mix butter and sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cold butter cubes, brown sugar and granulated sugar.
- Mix on medium-low speed until the butter melts and the mixture comes together into a slightly crumbly dough. This will take 2 to 3 minutes. Don’t rush it, but don’t let it get too fluffy either. We do not apply cream, but simply mix until combined.
- Add the egg, egg yolks and vanilla extract. Mix on low speed until fully incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. The dough will look shiny and thick.
- Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix on low speed until just combined. The dough will be thick, soft and slightly sticky.
- Freeze the dough. Cut the dough into large pieces. I like about 4 to 5 ounces each (yes, we’re going big here) and roll into rough balls that are taller than they are wide.
- Refrigerate balls of dough for at least 2 hours, or freeze for 30-45 minutes until firm. This step gives us that tall, bakery-style cookie.
- Roll in cinnamon sugar. In a small bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Roll each ball of chilled dough generously in the streusel topping taken from the fridge, then in the cinnamon sugar mixture, really pressing down to get that crackly, shiny exterior.
- Bake. Place the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them well apart (these are large cookies). Bake in a 350°F oven for 14–16 minutes, until the edges are set, the tops are crisp, and the centers still look a little baked.
- For extra height, you can gently shape the cookies with a round cutter or glass right after baking, but honestly, they tend to behave.
- Cool (a little). Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.