Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 24 cookies (about 12 servings)
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 24 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (includes 30 minutes chilling)

Quick Ingredients

2 3/4 cups (330 g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for dough, optional but tasty)
1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar (for coating)
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon (for coating)

Do This

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl.
3. Cream butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs and vanilla.
4. Mix dry ingredients into wet just until combined. Cover and chill dough 30 minutes.
5. Stir 1/3 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon together for the coating.
6. Scoop 1 1/2-tablespoon balls of dough, roll smooth, then coat generously in cinnamon sugar.
7. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are set and tops are crackly but centers are soft. Cool on pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Classic snickerdoodle flavor with a generous cinnamon-sugar crust and crackly tops.
Soft, buttery centers that stay chewy for days when stored properly.
Simple pantry ingredients and easy mixing method, perfect for home bakers of any level.
Flexible make-ahead dough that freezes beautifully for fresh-baked cookies on demand.

Grocery List

Produce: Optional: 1 orange (for zest, if you want a citrus variation)
Dairy: 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter; 2 large eggs
Pantry: All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, cream of tartar, baking soda, fine salt, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract

Full Ingredients

For the Snickerdoodle Dough

2 3/4 cups (330 g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional, but adds extra warm spice in the dough)
1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened to cool room temperature
1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the Cinnamon-Sugar Coating

1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Optional Finishing Touch

Finely grated orange zest, from 1 orange (for sprinkling on a few cookies if you like a hint of citrus with your cinnamon)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat and prepare your baking sheets

Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) so it has plenty of time to fully preheat. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. This prevents sticking, encourages even browning, and helps those signature crackly tops form cleanly.

If you only have one baking sheet, you can bake in batches. Let the sheet cool slightly between batches so the cookies do not spread too much on hot metal.

Step 2: Whisk together the dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon (if using in the dough). Whisk until everything is evenly combined and there are no streaks of baking soda or salt.

Cream of tartar gives snickerdoodles their classic slight tang and helps create that soft, pillowy interior, so do not skip it if you want that traditional flavor and texture.

Step 3: Cream the butter and sugars

In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), add the softened butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the bowl once or twice, until the mixture looks very light, fluffy, and slightly paler in color.

This step is key for a tender cookie: properly creaming introduces air into the dough, which helps the cookies puff up in the oven and then settle into those soft, slightly chewy centers.

Step 4: Add eggs and vanilla

Add the eggs one at a time, beating on medium speed after each addition just until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure no streaks of egg remain. Add the vanilla extract and mix again until combined.

The mixture should now be silky, slightly thick, and uniform. Avoid over-beating at this stage; too much mixing after the eggs go in can make the cookies tough.

Step 5: Combine wet and dry, then chill the dough

With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in 2 to 3 additions. Mix just until no dry pockets of flour remain. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky, but it should hold together.

Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and up to 24 hours. Chilling helps control spread, deepens the buttery-cinnamon flavor, and gives you thicker, more tender cookies with soft centers and lovely, crinkled tops.

Step 6: Make the cinnamon-sugar and shape the cookies

While the dough chills, stir together 1/3 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon in a small shallow bowl until evenly mixed. This will be your rolling mixture.

When you are ready to bake, scoop the dough into balls about 1 1/2 tablespoons each (roughly 30 g per ball), using a small cookie scoop or spoon. Roll each portion between your palms to form a smooth ball, then roll generously in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, coating all sides well.

Place the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart to allow for spreading.

Step 7: Bake to soft, crackly perfection

Bake, one sheet at a time, on the center rack for 10 to 12 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are set and lightly golden, the tops are puffed and crackly, and the centers still look soft and slightly underdone. Do not overbake; they will continue to firm up as they cool.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes. This helps set the structure while keeping the centers soft. Then transfer them carefully to a wire rack to cool completely. If you like, while they are still warm, you can lightly sprinkle a few with fresh orange zest for a subtle citrus aroma to complement the warm cinnamon.

Pro Tips

Measure flour accurately: For the best texture, use a kitchen scale. If measuring by volume, fluff the flour, spoon it into the cup, and level it off. Too much flour makes dense, dry cookies.
Do not skip the chill: Even 30 minutes of chilling helps the dough firm up, resulting in thicker cookies with soft centers instead of spreading into thin, crispy discs.
Underbake slightly: Pull the cookies from the oven when the centers still look soft and a bit pale. They set as they cool, staying chewy and tender instead of dry.
Room temperature ingredients: Soft butter and room-temperature eggs blend more evenly, giving you a smoother dough and more consistent baking.
Use light-colored baking sheets: Dark pans absorb more heat and can cause over-browned bottoms before the centers are ready.

Variations

Brown Butter Snickerdoodles: Brown the butter first, then cool until just solid before creaming with the sugars. This adds deep, nutty notes that pair beautifully with the cinnamon.
Chai-Spiced Snickerdoodles: Replace the cinnamon in the coating with a mixture of cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and a pinch of cloves or nutmeg for a chai-inspired warm spice blend.
Bakery-Style Giant Cookies: Scoop dough into 3-tablespoon balls (about 60 g), roll in cinnamon sugar, and bake 12 to 14 minutes. You will get fewer cookies, but they will be large, thick, and extra-soft in the center.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store fully cooled snickerdoodle cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. To keep the centers soft, you can tuck a small piece of bread or a marshmallow into the container; replace it as it dries out.

For longer storage, freeze baked cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and, if desired, refresh in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 3 to 4 minutes for that just-baked texture.

You can also freeze the unbaked dough balls (already rolled in cinnamon sugar). Arrange them on a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Bake straight from frozen at 350°F (175°C), adding 1 to 2 extra minutes to the bake time.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values per cookie (1 of 24): about 150 calories; 7 g fat; 20 g carbohydrates; 1.5 g protein; 0.5 g fiber; 11 g sugar; 120 mg sodium. These numbers are estimates and will vary based on exact ingredient brands and cookie size.

Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodles with Cinnamon Sugar