The best Snickerdoodle Cookies are soft, chewy, and moist! Ditch the crumbly store-bought ones and make them homemade in less than 30 minutes.
I have too many favorite cookie recipes, like classic Soft Sugar Cookies, Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies, S'mores Cookies, Biscoff Cookies, and Oatmeal Creme Pies.
The only good Snickerdoodle cookies are homemade!
The only good Snickerdoodle cookies are homemade!Does anyone challenge that statement? In my experience, store bought snickerdoodle cookies are usually dry, crumbly, and tasteless (because they rarely use real butter!) Not here, friends. We use a butter/shortening combo, so you get the buttery undertones we want and the soft and tender texture from the shortening. (You could use all butter if you prefer). And the cream of tartar gives snickerdoodle's their distinct taste and chewy texture. These are one cookie that 100% tastes better from scratch.
If you want an even easier snickerdoodle variation, my snickerdoodle bars just spread in the pan and bake. And for ultra cinnamon sugar enthusiasts, you MUST try my snickerdoodle muffins and pumpkin snickerdoodles!
How to make Snickerdoodles:
Make Cookie Dough: Cream together butter, shortening and 1 ½ cups sugar. Mix in eggs and vanilla then add the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Stir until combined.
Roll and Bake: Spoon cookie dough into balls. In a small bowl mix 4 tablespoons granulated sugar with the cinnamon. Roll each cookie dough ball in mixture then arrange 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake 8-9 minutes being careful not to over bake. Use a good spatula to remove the cookies from the baking sheet immediately to cool on a cooling rack.
- Pro Tips: Spray your hands lightly with cooking spray before shaping into balls since the dough is sticky. After you are done forming a tray into balls, place in the refrigerator while you shape the dough for the other tray so it's easier to roll in cinnamon sugar mixture.
Storing and Freezing Instructions:
To Store: Keep leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
To Freeze: Let these easy snickerdoodle cookies cool completely then transfer to a freezer safe bag and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Desserts to Try:
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
- Snickerdoodle Bars
- Snickerdoodle Muffins
- Cinnamon Roll Biscuits
- Cinnamon Roll Cake
- Candied Pecans
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Recipe
Snickerdoodles
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter , softened
- 1/2 cup shortening* (or use all butter)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 Tablespoons granulated sugar (for rolling the dough balls)
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon (for rolling the dough balls)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Dough: Cream together butter, shortening, and 1 ½ cups sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt and stir until combined.
- Chill dough for at least 30 minutes, if possible (or up to 3 days).
- Shape dough by heaping tablespoonfuls into balls, to make about 24 cookies.
- Cinnamon sugar: In a separate bowl, mix the 4 tablespoons granulated sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in mixture. Place dough about 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake 8 to 10 minutes (don't over bake!). Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe in August 2016. Updated December 2019 and February 2025.
Recipe adapted from All Recipes.
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Made these with my granddaughter who is 7 years old. It was a success and she was so proud of herself.
OUTSTANDING! Thanks for this recipe! They turned out so moist and perfect!!!!
These were the best cookies ever!! The batter was not at all sticky for me! I’m 11, but I love to bake! Tastesbetterfromscratch never fails me. Even my sister who doesn’t like snickerdoodles was eating a bunch of these at a time. The perfect texture, crunchy on the outside, but soft and chewy on the inside. Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe!
These are easy & yummy!
I made these with my granddaughter and they were so simple and quick. We had a great time and they are delicious. Good luck with the batch lasting 3 days!
I have no doubt these would have been good but they didn’t turn out so great. Does the use of unsalted butter matter? They were a bit bland. In addition they stayed in a ball shape and did not flatten out like a typical cookie might.
I’ll eat them with a cup of coffee but I am wondering what adjustments need to be made before I make them again.
Sometimes I just squash the cookies slightly with my palms, so when they come out of the oven, they are flattened.
They were delicious with the perfect texture thank you for the great recipe!
Very good cookies. Gluten free flour is also good with this recipe.
I loved them and the recipe is easy. The kids try to eat them as soon as they come or if the oven.
I loved them there were so fun to bake and they tasted great