Here is my reader favorite recipe for soft and thick snickerdoodles. These soft-baked snickerdoodle cookies only require about 30 minutes start to finish!
Snickerdoodles are a timeless classic, just like a good batch of chocolate chip cookies or peanut butter cookies. Like drop sugar cookies wrapped in a cinnamon sugar hug, these irresistible cookies never go out of style. My recipe yields the softest and thickest snickerdoodles you’ll ever taste. I like to call them snickerdoodle pillows because they are perfectly fat and puffy! Much too often you’re left with flat, crispy, and thin cookies. The only remedy is to submerge them in a tall glass of milk. But what about starting out with a kitchen tested recipe for soft-baked snickerdoodles? You’ve come to the right place. 🙂
How to Make Soft Snickerdoodles
How do you make snickerdoodles puffy and soft? The secret’s in the ratio of butter to leavener to flour to egg. Don’t use shortening here; you’ll miss the flavor of butter. Slightly under-baking the snickerdoodles also guarantees a softer cookie. Take them out of the oven after about 10-11 minutes. This will keep the interior of the cookie soft and chewy.
Why is Cream of Tartar in Snickerdoodles?
Instead of baking powder, use cream of tartar and baking soda in snickerdoodles. Sure, you could use 2 teaspoons of baking powder instead of the cream of tartar + baking soda, but then you won’t really have a snickerdoodle. Cream of tartar adds a unique tangy flavor to the cookie, which sets it apart from sugar cookies and makes it a classic snickerdoodle. You also use it for the best flavor in maple pecan snickerdoodles. It’s absolutely delicious!
No Cookie Dough Chilling!
Great news! You can skip the cookie dough chilling step with this snickerdoodle recipe. There’s enough flour in this cookie dough to create a strong and sturdy cookie without the crutch of chilling the dough first. There’s also no fancy-pants ingredients required. These snickerdoodles are EASY. Shortbread cookies are another easy no chill recipe to keep in your back pocket.
A medium cookie scoop is helpful to divide up the dough. Roll each dough ball in cinnamon sugar, and arrange on a lined baking sheet:
These snickerdoodle cookies aced the true “soft test” meaning they remained soft on day 2! In fact, they were still soft on day 4. (And I’m surprised there are any leftover by that point, but I was trying to make a point!) Since they remain so soft, snickerdoodles are the perfect cookie for gift-giving. I know there are many snickerdoodle lovers out there!
If you’re looking for other snickerdoodle favorites, here are my pumpkin snickerdoodles and peanut butter snickerdoodles. And are you craving cake? Here’s my snickerdoodle cake & swirled snickerdoodle cupcakes recipes.
This recipe also joins 30+ others in my collection of Quick Dessert Recipes—ready in 1 hour or less!
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Soft & Thick Snickerdoodles
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 26-28 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Here is my reader favorite recipe for soft and thick snickerdoodles. These soft-baked snickerdoodle cookies only require about 30 minutes start to finish! No dough chilling required.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 and 1/3 cup (267g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Topping
- 1/3 cup (70g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats (always recommended for cookies). Set aside.
- Make the topping: Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl.
- Make the cookies: Whisk the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 3 different parts. The dough will be thick.
- Roll cookie dough into balls, about 1.5 Tablespoons (35g) of cookie dough each. I recommend this cookie scoop. Roll the dough balls in cinnamon-sugar topping. Sprinkle extra cinnamon-sugar on top if desired. Arrange 3 inches apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake cookies for 10 minutes. The cookies will be very puffy and soft. When they are still very warm, lightly press down on them with the back of a spoon or fork to help flatten them out. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Cookies remain soft & fresh for 7 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: There are a few options here! First, you can prepare the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Make sure that you let it come to room temperature before rolling and baking the cookies. You can also freeze the cookie dough balls. Roll the dough into balls then freeze the balls for up to 2-3 months. You can freeze the cookie dough balls with the cinnamon sugar coating or without, but I recommend freezing without the topping. When you are ready to bake, remove the balls from the freezer, let sit for 30 minutes, pre-heat the oven, then roll into topping. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Medium Cookie Scoop | Cooling Rack
- Cream of Tartar: Cream of tartar is required for this recipe. Please see the text of the post for more information.
- Extra Egg Yolk: To bring this dough together so it isn’t quite as crumbly use 1 large egg, plus 1 extra large egg yolk. I’ve been doing this recently and the snickerdoodles taste even softer, moister, and richer.
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
I made these last night and brought them to my work today – everyone went crazy for them! I got so many compliments and thanks! I’ve been making Snickerdoodles for years but this recipe took it to a whole new level. They came out absolutely perfect – they were flat but no one cared. The taste and texture were divine. Thank you, Sally!
I followed the recipe, and they turned out super flat. Any idea what may have gone wrong?
Hi Brian, Here’s our best tips for preventing cookies from spreading – proper room temperature is particularly important. Thank you for giving these cookies a try!
Why does Cream of Tartar have an asterisk?
Hi Kelly, there are recipe notes under the recipe itself. Cream of tartar is required for this recipe. Please see the text of the post for more information.
I loved this recipe so much. I’m going to make it for a friend
These are my grandchildren’s favorite cookie. It’s fun and easy to bake together and gift neighbors and friends!
The texture is wonderful but the cookies tasty salty to me. I’m going to make them again with a little less creme of tartar and 1/4 of the salt.
I just made a batch of these for the freezer but baked up a few in my toaster oven for testing. These snickerdoodles are delicious and beautiful! I plan to make your snickerdoodle cupcakes and would like to garnish them with mini snickerdoodles, as you suggested. How much dough should I use per cookie, and for how long should I bake them? Thank you!
Hi Nancy, for the mini snickerdoodles, you’ll want about 2 teaspoons of cookie dough per cookie. Bake them for 7 minutes. Enjoy!
One of the comments mentioned using a Danish Dough Whisk. I have been baking for years but never heard of that tool. When I went on line to check it I see there are many types. Sally would you suggest one that might work well. I did make these last year. But they weren’t as soft as I wanted. I make at least 15 to 16 different kind of cookies and freeze them and use as holiday gifts and I know we all love Snickerdoodles.
Hi, you can certainly try using a Danish whisk to combine the wet and dry ingredients (you will still want to use a mixer to cream the butter and sugar). Most of them are similar in shape with a flat round top, and they should all work the same. Let us know if you give it a try!
These cookies are SO good! Soft and chewy, melt in your mouth, super easy to make. I will make these again and again!
This recipe never fails to impress
I just made these, and followed the recipe completely apart from the cinnamon. I added some extra, plus a dash of ginger and nutmeg, and they’re still pretty bland. Too sweet with just a hint of cinnamon. Maybe tomorrow they’ll be better, but either way they’ll still be good with a cup of tea.
Just made these and they turned out as advertised!! Absolutely lovely
So delicious. I love the flavor the cream of tartar gives them. I use 1 big duck egg instead of 1 egg plus 1 yolk. They turn out perfect.
Can I use lemon juice to replace cream of tartar? We dont have cream of tartar where I live
Hi Matan, You can leave the cream of tartar out or replace with a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice if you wish.
very good flavored cookie but too sweet (sugar in the cookie was too much overpowering the flavor of the cookie itself.) I am a baker and a cook of many years over 50 .
I believe that any combination of ingredients , each should be balanced with the cookies flavor, unfortunately the sugar over powers the other flavors present
I cut this recipe down to 1/3 and used 1:1 gluten free flour and they turned out perfectly.
These are the best, so easy and delicious!!
I’m in the UK and have a fan oven. Do I need to decrease the temperature for this recipe?
Hi Eddie, if you do use convection/fan settings for baking, lower your temperature by 25F and keep in mind that things may still take less time to bake.
I’ve learned so many dough and butter and yeast techniques from you! My mother is the one who taught me the basics of doughs and baking! I love what you do!!!!!
-Jack
Goodness gracious, these snicker doodle cookies are heaven in every bite! Sally, thank you for making recipes that hit the ball out of the park every time! You are my go to for finding any baking treat!