These Cinnamon Snickerdoodle Cookies are truly the BEST! They’re everything a snickerdoodle should be: pillowy, thick, soft, and chewy. And a double-dip in the cinnamon sugar coating gives these tender cookies a sweet, crisp, cinnamon-y bite. They’re cookie perfection and the perfect anytime treat. I’m not waiting for the holidays to bake up a batch and neither should you!

How to make cinnamon snickerdoodle cookies

Don’t be dissuaded by the number of steps in this recipe; these cookies are really easy to make and they’re ready in 30 minutes start to finish.

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
5. Add the egg and vanilla. Beat until smooth and combined.
6. Add the flour mixture. Briefly beat the dough together until most of the flour is incorporated.
7. Beat until the flour is fully incorporated, just a few more seconds.
8. Scoop the dough into evenly portioned cookies and roll each portion into a smooth ball.
9. In a small bowl, stir together the granulated sugar and cinnamon for the topping.
10. Roll each dough ball in the cinnamon sugar topping and arrange them on the parchment-lined baking sheets.
11. Bake for 8-12 minutes, until the edges are barely set. The centers will be pale and puffy, but will continue to bake on the tray as they cool.
12. Use two butter knives or spoons to press in the edges to compact the cookie and achieve a uniformly soft and chewy snickerdoodle.
13. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 3-5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
14. While the cookies are still warm, dip the top of each cookie in the cinnamon sugar topping.

Tips for baking the best snickerdoodle cookies

Follow these simple baking tips for the softest, chewiest snickerdoodle cookies.

1. Always be scraping down the sides of the bowl. Do this in between steps and halfway through each step. You want everything to be well beaten and incorporated before you add the flour.
2. Once you add the flour, don’t overwork the dough. Like kneading, working dough produces gluten. This is great for bread, but not so great when what we want are soft, chewy cookies. Watch the dough closely and mix just until the flour is fully incorporated, no longer.
3. Immediately after the cookies have come out of the oven, use two butter knives or spoons to gently condense each cookie by pressing in the edges towards the center. The idea here is, instead of having a dome-shaped cookie with thin, crispy edges, you’re merging the edges into the middle of the cookie giving it flat sides and a flat top to achieve a uniformly soft and chewy snickerdoodle.
4. After the cookies have cooled slightly, but while they are still warm, roll the cookies in a second coating of cinnamon sugar. This gives the cookies a beautiful sparkle and a deliciously crispy cinnamon sugar crust.

Festive Fall Variations

Put a fall twist on these classic cinnamon snickerdoodles and swap the cinnamon for any of the following spice blends: Chai Spice, Pumpkin Pie, or Apple Pie. Simply replace the cinnamon sugar topping with 3 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons of your spice blend of choice to make any of these autumnal alternatives. Happy fall, y’all!

Looking for more cinnamon-spiced treats? Try this Cinnamon Simple Syrup (Copycat Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce) to add a little cinnamon spice to your morning latte or bedtime steamer.

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Cinnamon Snickerdoodle Cookies

The BEST cinnamon snickerdoodle cookies! Soft and chewy with a crisp cinnamon sugar coating.

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings 18 cookies

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Ingredients

  

• 1⅔ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled
• ¾ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup butter
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Add the egg and vanilla. Beat until smooth and combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Add the flour mixture. Briefly beat the dough together until most of the flour is incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Beat for a few more seconds until the flour is fully incorporated.
• Use a cookie scoop (or spoon) to create evenly portioned cookies. Use your hands to roll each portion into a smooth ball.
• In a small bowl, stir together the granulated sugar and cinnamon for the topping.
• Roll each dough ball in the cinnamon sugar topping and arrange them on the parchment-lined baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.
• Bake for 8-12 minutes, until the edges are barely set. The centers will be pale and puffy, but will continue to bake on the tray as they cool.
• Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and working quickly, use two butter knives or spoons to press in the edges to compact the cookie and achieve a uniformly soft and chewy snickerdoodle.
• Let the cookies cool on the pan for 3-5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
• While the cookies are still warm, dip the top of each cookie in the cinnamon sugar topping (you can use the leftover from step 9 or make a fresh batch).

Notes

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. 

Recipe adapted from The Food Charlatan.