Snickerdoodles Recipe • 5★

Updated February 28, 2024

Craig Lee for The New York Times

1:28Credit...The New York Times

These classic, tender cookies taste of sweet butter, cinnamon — and not much else. Since ground cinnamon plays such an important role, be sure to check that it's still fresh and spicy before making these treats. The cookies' secret ingredient, cream of tartar, is an acidic salt and a byproduct of wine making. Often used to help stabilize egg whites for meringues or as the acidic component of baking powder, it helps these cookies stay soft and chewy.

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1 ½ cups/180 grams all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon kosher salt

10 tablespoons/140 grams unsalted butter (1 ¼ sticks), at room temperature

¾ cup/150 grams granulated sugar, plus 2 tablespoons

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Step 1Heat the oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.

Step 2In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and ¾ cup sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides as necessary. Beat in the egg until creamy, and then add the vanilla, again scraping down the sides. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat on low until just combined.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and ¾ cup sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides as necessary. Beat in the egg until creamy, and then add the vanilla, again scraping down the sides. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat on low until just combined.

Step 3In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Roll the dough into golf-ball-size balls, then roll each one in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Roll the dough into golf-ball-size balls, then roll each one in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Step 4Transfer the dough to parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets, at least 3 inches apart. Bake the cookies until just set and dry in the center, 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake. Transfer each sheet to a rack to cool for a few minutes, then transfer the cookies to racks to cool completely.

Transfer the dough to parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets, at least 3 inches apart. Bake the cookies until just set and dry in the center, 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake. Transfer each sheet to a rack to cool for a few minutes, then transfer the cookies to racks to cool completely.

These cookies are delish! I swapped out a 1/4 cup of white sugar for 1/4 cup of brown sugar to increase the chewiness of the cookies! I took them out of the oven a little early to keep them soft and buttery! So simple and so delicious!

You can substitute 2 teaspoons baking power for the soda and the cream of tartar.

This is a nice simple recipe. I recommend putting the dough in the freezer for about 10 minutes to make the rolling into balls easier. Also, at "golf ball size" you will be lucky to get 12 cookies. I recommend slightly smaller, maybe a heaping tablespoon size if you want to get 1 1/2 dozen.

I made these twice. The first time, I made them per the recipe and they spread very thin when baking. They were still delicious, but thin. The second time, I chilled the dough for about an hour and they turned out perfectly!

Excellent recipe. Only change in the ingredients was i used 2 tablespoons Crisco and 1 stick of butter. Recipe doubles nicely. Chilling the dough for at least a few hours helps. Make the cinnamon sugar in advance, and use Vietnamese cinnamon/high-quality cinnamon. I use a #60 Zeroll scoop, and bake for 9.5 minutes.

Realized I was out of cinnamon too late, so I rolled in sugar and Trader Joe’s sprinkles and they turned out so cute!!

Source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018581-snickerdoodles