The BEST Snickerdoodles Recipe — Soft, pillowy puffs that are so irresistible! The closest recipe to Mrs. Fields snickerdoodles that you’ll find!
Easy Snickerdoodle Recipe
A good snickerdoodle is hard to come by, but this recipe is my favorite. Soft, slightly chewy, pillowy little puffs of goodness that I can’t stay away from.
I’ve always loved snickerdoodles, and in high school and college used to work at a mall three stores down from Mrs. Fields. That was dangerous because it fueled my snickerdoodle habit with extreme ease. The snickerdoodles are as close to the Mrs. Fields recipe (my personal gold standard) that I’ve been able to replicate at home.
These homemade snickerdoodle cookies are slightly chewy around the edges with soft, pillowy centers. They’re buttery with a light cinnamon-sugar coating. Not too heavy, just classic snickerdoodle. If you’re a cinnamon fiend, I recommend making my Soft and Chewy Cinnamon Chip Snickerdoodles instead.
They’re everything I want in a classic snickerdoodle cookie and my family agreed by eating the whole batch on the afternoon I made them. I sent a dozen cookies with them to the beach for the afternoon somewhat expecting they’d come back with a few left over. That was clearly foolish thinking.
This my new favorite snickerdoodle recipe I’ve tried. Just like Mrs. Fields!
What’s in These Chewy Snickerdoodles?
For this homemade snickerdoodles cookie recipe, you’ll need:
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Cream of tartar
- Salt
- Cinnamon
How to Make Snickerdoodles
Don’t let the tasty cinnamon sugar coating fool you into thinking homemade snickerdoodles are hard to make. These cookies are actually one of the easiest I’ve ever made!
To make these chewy snickerdoodles, you’ll first need to cream together the butter and sugars until the mixture is light any fluffy. Mix in the egg and vanilla, then add the dry ingredients.
Scoop the cookie dough into balls and refrigerate for at least an hour, or up to five days. Once the cookie dough has chilled, roll each ball into the cinnamon sugar before baking.
You’ll know your cookies are ready to come out of the oven when the edges are set and the tops have just set. Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes before serving with a big glass of milk.
Do I Have to Use Cream of Tartar?
Cream of tartar (sold in the spice aisle) is the leavener that gives the cookies lift, lightness, provides the classic snickerdoodle flavor, and it’s key for this recipe. Don’t skip it or you won’t end up with the best snickerdoodles.
If you don’t have cream of tartar on hand but want to make snickerdoodles immediately, try my White Chocolate Snickerdoodles or my Chewy Sugar-Doodle Vanilla Cookies instead.
Can I Double This Recipe?
Very easily, yes! You’ll need to use multiple baking sheets though since you don’t want to crowd the cookies.
Can I Prep These Cookies in Advance?
Yes, you can scoop and freeze the cookie dough balls for up to four months. You’ll want to bake the dough from frozen (do not thaw) and you’ll likely need to add a couple minutes to the bake time.
Do I Have to Chill the Cookie Dough?
Yes, you MUST chill the dough before baking so your cookies bake up thick and full. Unchilled dough will result in cookies that are prone to spreading and they’ll be much thinner, and flatter.
How to Store Snickerdoodles
These soft snickerdoodles will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 months, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.
Tips for the Best Snickerdoodles
I used a 2-inch cookie scoop to form these cookies (about 2 heaping tablespoons). You’re welcome to make larger cookies, but if you do that you’ll need to add a couple minutes to the bake time.
When making this chewy snickerdoodle recipe, I underbake them by a minute or two to ensure the centers are extra soft. Underbaking also helps the cookies stay softer and fresher over time, but you can bake longer if you prefer more well-done or firmer cookies.
Lastly, feel free to add more or less cinnamon to the cinnamon-sugar coating to suit your preferences. I like my snickerdoodles to have a good amount of cinnamon flavor on them, but I know not everyone likes it as much as I do!
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The Best Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
Dough
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon salt, optional and to taste
For Rolling
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large mixing bowl and electric mixer) combine the butter, sugars, and beat on medium-high speed until creamed and well combined, about 3 minutes.
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the egg, vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until well combined, light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the add the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, optional salt, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute.
- Using a medium 2-inch cookie scoop or your hands, form approximately 14 equal-sized mounds of dough (2 heaping tablespoons each), roll into balls, and flatten slightly.
- Place mounds on a large plate or tray, cover with plasticwrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, up to 5 days. Do not bake with unchilled dough because cookies will bake thinner, flatter, and be more prone to spreading.
- Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat or spray with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, and stir to combine.
- Dredge each mound of dough through cinnamon-sugar.
- Place dough mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart (I bake 8 cookies per sheet) and bake for about 9 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just set, even if slightly undercooked, pale, and glossy in the center; don’t overbake for soft, pillowy cookies. For firmer cookies, bake a minute or two longer. Cookies firm up as they cool.
- Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before serving. I let them cool on the baking sheet and don’t use a rack.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I don’t know why my cookies are going flat. I followed the recipe and they’re running into one large cookie. My dough has chilled more than an hr
Expired baking soda, not using cream of tartar, not baking on a Silpat, not using King Arthur brand all-purpose flour, not measuring flour correctly and not using quite enough.
All of those things can/will contribute to cookies that spread. If you do all those things, they really should not spread.
great
Hello there,
I made them today, chilled for 5 hrs, and they look exactly like yours YAY! however, they are cakey a bit, is this normal? also i fell like kind of of metal aftertaste, could I’ve added more COT? or soda, or is it because they will still out of the oven
Hello there,
I made them today, chilled for 5 hrs, and they look exactly like yours YAY! however, they are cakey a bit, is this normal? also i fell like kind of of metal aftertaste, could I’ve added more COT? or soda, or is it because they will still out of the oven
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad that they turned out well enough.
Cakey, combined with your description of a metal aftertaste, that is the baking soda. I am thinking you overmeasured accidentally. That is my hunch on that but it is trick to say from afar.
oh, they are delicious, and no one notice but me! ya, I’ll def keep an eye next time I bake them, thankssss a lot!
I have made these snickerdoodle cookies at least 10 times and I have never had a bad batch! I am seriously convinced that this is the most fool-proof cookie recipe that exists. They’re SO soft and flavorful. Do yourself a favor and make them.
I have made these snickerdoodle cookies at least 10 times and I have never had a bad batch! I am seriously convinced that this is the most fool-proof cookie recipe that exists. They’re SO soft and flavorful. Do yourself a favor and make them.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad these are the most foolproof cookie recipe that exists and that you love them!
These are divine! I doubled the recipe and used half butter flavoured shortening and half vegan margarine (there’s a dairy allergy in the family), but didn’t double the sugar/cinnamon topping as it wasn’t necessary. I baked them exactly 9 minutes on rubber mats on plain cookie sheets and they turned out perfectly. Soft and chewy but with a nice crispy exterior. Instead of refrigerating them after rolling, I chilled the dough in the mixing bowl and then shaped them (just not enough room in our fridge). I will save this recipe to use all the time!
These are divine! I doubled the recipe and used half butter flavoured shortening and half vegan margarine (there’s a dairy allergy in the family), but didn’t double the sugar/cinnamon topping as it wasn’t necessary. I baked them exactly 9 minutes on rubber mats on plain cookie sheets and they turned out perfectly. Soft and chewy but with a nice crispy exterior. Instead of refrigerating them after rolling, I chilled the dough in the mixing bowl and then shaped them (just not enough room in our fridge). I will save this recipe to use all the time!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that half butter flavored shortening and half vegan margarine worked great and you were able to keep the real butter (dairy) out of them for the allergy situation!
These cookies are really really good. I made them for a party this past weekend and they flew off the plate. It seems to me like people are wanting a more simple cookie anymore, at least my friends do. I intend to make more for gifts and cookie plates but I know I will have to double this recipe 2 or 3 times just to be sure I have enough of them.
Thank you for a great recipe
These cookies are really really good. I made them for a party this past weekend and they flew off the plate. It seems to me like people are wanting a more simple cookie anymore, at least my friends do. I intend to make more for gifts and cookie plates but I know I will have to double this recipe 2 or 3 times just to be sure I have enough of them.
Thank you for a great recipe
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that these flew off the plates and I agree, simple is always in fashion!
Made 16 instead of 14. Even so they were raw at 11.5 minutes, so baked them 4 minutes longer. Still half raw. Baked longer but they dried out before the bottoms were done. Will never make again. A shame.
Hi! I was wondering why you said to not thaw if you froze them? I usually thaw my cookies in the fridge overnight.
It’s not that you “can’t” but if you are short on time, you can pop them straight from the freezer into the oven without fear.
I don’t have a cookie scoop, so I measured mine. If you really meant 2 heaping tablespoons of dough, these are seriously under-baked. I did my second batch at 10 minutes and they were slightly better, another time I will go with 12. The flavor is good, but I don’t enjoy eating raw dough. I will try them again, but make them about half that size.
Cookie baking timing is very dependent on the exact amount of dough used, the oven, climate, pan, personal preference, etc.
So of course, bake until they are done as needed. Baking times listed are, as always, only an estimate what it took me. It may take longer/shorter for you.
My favorite recipe for snickerdoodles. It’s been a no-fail for me every time but I just moved to a higher elevation and I think I need to adjust accordingly because they didn’t cook as fast as usual. If you have any high-elevation recommendations that would help me next time around it would be appreciated!!
Glad this is your favorite recipe for snickerdoodles. I don’t have any expertise baking at altitude so cannot help with that one.
I love this recipe!!! My husband can’t stop eating this delicious cookies thank you for sharing
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you both love the cookies!
If there is a heaven, these cookies will be waiting for me! My family absolutely LOVES these! Thank you for posting this recipe.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad your family loves these!
Off to the store to buy cream of tartar!
Awesome, enjoy them!