About This Recipe

Snickerdoodles occupy a special place in the American cookie canon precisely because they are not the most obviously impressive cookie. There is no chocolate, no dramatic flavouring, no visual flourish beyond their crinkled sugar coating. What they have instead is a warmth and comfort that is almost architectural — a pillowy soft texture, a gentle sweetness, and a cinnamon fragrance that is among the most universally comforting smells in baking.

The ingredient that most distinguishes snickerdoodles from sugar cookies is cream of tartar. It provides the slight tang that is characteristic of the cookie and interacts with the bicarbonate of soda as the leavening agent, producing a very specific texture — slightly crisp on the outside from the sugar coating, genuinely soft and almost cloud-like in the centre. Without cream of tartar, the cookie is simply a sugar cookie. With it, it is a snickerdoodle.

The rolling in cinnamon sugar before baking is both the simplest and most important step. The sugar caramelises on the surface during baking to produce a slightly crackled, glistening exterior with concentrated cinnamon flavour that contrasts with the plain softness of the interior. The ratio of cinnamon to sugar in the coating can be adjusted to taste — more cinnamon for a more intense flavour, less for a gentler, sweeter coating.

History & Origins

Snickerdoodles are a traditional American cookie whose origins are somewhat disputed. The most likely derivation is from the German or Dutch Schneckennudeln, a type of cinnamon roll, brought to America by German and Dutch immigrants in the 19th century. The name appears in American cookbooks from the late 19th century and the cookie became particularly associated with New England home baking. Despite their humble appearance, snickerdoodles remain among the most popular American cookies baked at home.

Why It’s Easy To Make

Entirely pantry ingredients. Cream of tartar is the only slightly unusual ingredient and is available in any supermarket baking aisle. Quick to make with no chilling required

Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodles

Recipe by By butter u0026 berries

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Ingredients

• •t225g unsalted butter, softened

• •t300g white sugar, divided

• •t2 large eggs

• •t1 tsp vanilla extract

• •t340g plain flour

• •t2 tsp cream of tartar

• •t1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• •t0.5 tsp salt

• •t2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

• Preheat oven to 190°C. Line baking trays with baking paper.
• Beat butter and 250g of the sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating after each. Add vanilla.
• Mix in flour, cream of tartar, bicarbonate of soda and salt until just combined.
• Mix remaining 50g sugar with the cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
• Roll dough into balls slightly smaller than a golf ball.
• Roll each ball in cinnamon sugar until completely coated.
• Place on trays with space between. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until edges are set but centres look soft.
• Cool on tray for 5 minutes. They will firm up as they cool.

Notes

• Cream of tartar is the essential ingredient for true snickerdoodle texture and tang. Do not substitute with baking powder.
  Slightly underbaking is correct — the centres should look underdone when pulled from the oven.
  For extra thick, puffy cookies, chill the dough for 30 minutes before rolling.
  Use freshly ground or good quality cinnamon for the best flavour in the coating.

Make Ahead Tips

Dough balls can be rolled in cinnamon sugar and frozen for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen at 190°C for 13 to 14 minutes. Baked cookies keep at room temperature for 5 days.

Storage & Serving

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. These stay soft longer than most cookies due to the cream of tartar. Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months. These are at their absolute best on the day they are baked, slightly warm, when the cinnamon sugar exterior is still slightly crackled and the centre is pillowy soft.

Variations & Substitutions

Add a teaspoon of cardamom to the cinnamon sugar coating for an aromatic, slightly floral version. Brown the butter before using for a nuttier depth that pairs beautifully with the cinnamon. Stuff each dough ball with a small piece of cream cheese before rolling for a filled version with a tangy, creamy centre. Replace 50g of flour with cocoa powder for a chocolate snickerdoodle with a brown sugar cinnamon coating.

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