Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (2025)

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Snickerdoodles are a classic American cookie. This recipe for a doughy, soft and creamy cookie is delicious. The instructions to make these cookies are easy to follow.

Table of Contents

Classic Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe:

What makes a Snickerdoodle a classic?

It has to have a soft, chewy inside, a tangy flavor, and a crisp, cinnamon sugar outside.

This recipe meets that requirement. I found it in my trusty Farm Journal, Homemade Cookies Cookbook. It ‘s my go-to when I’m searching for a new (or old) cookie recipe. It’s where I found Chocolate Chip Molasses Bars and Fudge Nut Bars, and they both get two thumbs up in my book.

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What’s the difference between a sugar cookie and snickerdoodle?

Quite honestly, there’s very little different between a classic sugar cookie and a snickerdoodle. The batter could essentially be the same; however, the one main difference is that snickerdoodles are rolled in a combination of ground cinnamon and sugar, while sugar cookies are not.

Best Snickerdoodle Recipe

I accepted the task of baking a dozen cookies for an elementary school event for the kiddies. When contemplating my options, these cinnamon sugar snickerdoodles came to mind. What kid doesn’t like a sugar cookie coated in cinnamon and sugar?

The trick to a good snickerdoodle is the addition of cream of tartar. This seems like an odd ingredient, one that I don’t use often. I’m sure my Grandma kept a container in the cabinet for recipes like this one.

Cream of Tartar is an acidic ingredient similar to lemon juice. Odd, right? Somehow it keeps the sugar in these cookies from crystallizing. The inside of a Snickerdoodle should be soft while the outside should be crisp with a crinkly top. The cream of tartar is the secret to making this magic happen. DO NOT LEAVE IT OUT!

How to Make Old Fashioned Snickerdoodles

Step By Step Instructions

  1. Cream together softened butter and shortening with a mixer; add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
  2. Add eggs and vanilla to the beat until smooth.
  3. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt.
  4. Add the dry ingredients slowly to the wet ingredients, beating in between each addition.
  5. In a small bowl, mix sugar and ground cinnamon; scoop out 1 inch balls of dough and roll the cookie dough ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Arrange on a baking sheet 2 inches apart.
  6. Bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 6-8 minutes.
  7. Let cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

For the full instructions for old fashioned snickerdoodles, scroll to the bottom of this post.

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What is the purpose of cream of tartar in cookies?

Have you ever wondered why snickerdoodle cookies are so soft and chewy, yet never crispy on the outside? That’s because of a magic ingredient called cream of tartar.

The cream of tartar in cookie recipes keeps the cookie from becoming crispy on the outside. Without it, you won’t have that soft bite that makes a snickerdoodle or sugar cookie so famous.

Can I skip cream of tartar in a recipe?

In all honesty, you could skip cream of tartar in a cookie recipe and still get an edible cookie; however, the taste and texture will be altered.

So if you’re going for a classic snickerdoodle or a classic sugar cookie, then do yourself a favor, and do not omit cream of tartar in your recipe.

Old Fashioned Snickerdoodle Ingredients

Unsalted Butter, softened at room temperature

Shortening

White Sugar

Eggs

Vanilla Extract

Flour

Baking Soda

Cream of Tartar

Salt

Ground Cinnamon

FAQs about Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies:

  • If you’ve never had a snickerdoodle cookie before, imagine a sugar cookie rolled in cinnamon and sugar.
  • These classic snickerdoodles will flatten during baking.
  • This easy snickerdoodle recipe is versatile. If you prefer a soft cookie, bake around 6 minutes. On the flip side, if you prefer a crispy snickerdoodle, bake between 8-10 minutes.
  • A 1-inch cookie scoop works perfectly to make even-sized snickerdoodles.
  • Cream of tartar is essential in this classic snickerdoodle recipe. Without it, your cookies will not taste the same and will not be soft on the inside.
  • To keep the bottom of the cookies from getting dark, line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Some of our other favorite cookie recipes include Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies, French Buttercreams, and Iced Thumbprints.
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Why are snickerdoodles so good?

The best snickerdoodles have a chewy texture and a tangy flavor, but the part that makes them so good is the cinnamon sugar coating on the outside.

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How to Store Snickerdoodle Cookies?

Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, store the snickerdoodles in an airtight container at room temperature.

How long to Snickerdoodles Keep?

If stored properly, snickerdoodles will keep up to 2 weeks at room temperature, or longer when frozen.

Can I Freeze Snickerdoodle Cookies?

Yes, snickerdoodles hold up great to the freezing process. Store the cooled snickerdoodles in an airtight container in the freezer for up to six months. To thaw, remove from the freezer, and let the cookies come to room temperature.

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Print Recipe

Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies

Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies are a soft sugar cookie which a crispy cinnamon-sugar coating. These old-fashioned cookies are simple to make and will please any crowd—young or old.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time8 minutes mins

Total Time23 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: classic snickerdoodle cookies, snickerdoodle cookies, snickerdoodles

Servings: 36 cookies

Calories: 123kcal

Author: Barbara

Ingredients

Snickerdoodle cookies

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 2/3 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Cookie Coating

  • 4 Tablespoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

  • Cream softened butter and shortening until light; add 1 1/2 cups sugar and beat until fluffy.

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  • Add eggs, one at a time, and then vanilla, beating until smooth.

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  • Sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.

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  • Add slowly to creamed mixture and mix until combined.

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  • In a small bowl, mix cinnamon and 4 tablespoons sugar.

    Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (27)

  • Roll dough into 1-inch balls, and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture.

    Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (28)

  • Place cookie balls on a cookie sheet 2 inches apart from each other.

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  • Bake for 6-8 minutes or until cracked on top. Cookies will flatten as they bake.

    Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (30)

Notes

  • If you’ve never had a snickerdoodle cookie before, imagine a sugar cookie rolled in cinnamon and sugar.
  • These classic snickerdoodles will flatten during baking.
  • This easy snickerdoodle recipe is versatile. If you prefer a soft cookie, bake around 6 minutes. On the flip side, if you prefer a crispy snickerdoodle, bake between 8-10 minutes.
  • A 1-inch cookie scoop works perfectly to make even-sized snickerdoodles.
  • Cream of tarter is essential in this classic snickerdoodle recipe. Without it, your cookies will not taste the same and will not be soft on the inside.
  • To keep the bottom of the cookies from getting dark, line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Some of our other favorite cookie recipes include Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies, French Buttercreams, and Iced Thumbprints.
  • Please note that the carb counts, calorie counts and nutritional information varies greatly depending on the products you use. The auto-calculation is an automated estimate and should NOT be used for specific dietary needs.

Nutrition

Calories: 123kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 51mg | Potassium: 41mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 92IU | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg

Linking up to Weekend Potluck.

Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (2025)

FAQs

What nationality is snickerdoodle cookies? ›

A few cookbooks explain that snickerdoodles are German in origin. They state that the cookie's name comes from the German word shneckennudel (which is a kind of cinnamon bun). Others trace its origin to New England's tradition of whimsical cookie names.

What is an interesting fact about snickerdoodles? ›

The cookie is common to Mennonite and Amish communities and was a favorite treat of the Indiana poet James Whitcomb Riley. In more recent times, the snickerdoodle cookie has transformed into a popular flavor of desserts, sugary sweets, drinks, candies, etc.

What is another name for a snickerdoodle cookie? ›

“Snickerdoodles, also called snipdoodles or cinnamon sugar cookies, have been around since the late 1800s. They probably originated in New England and are either of German or Dutch descent.

What to use instead of cream of tartar in snickerdoodles? ›

You can either replace cream of tartar with baking powder at a 1:1.5 ratio (1 teaspoon cream of tartar : 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder), or you can replace cream of tartar with the combination of baking soda and either lemon juice or vinegar (as with this recipe).

Why do my snickerdoodles come out hard? ›

Snickerdoodles might turn out hard if they are overbaked or if the dough is too dry. Be sure to keep an eye on them as they bake – when the edges are set but the centers are still soft and puffy, they are done. Also, make sure you're not adding too much flour.

What does the nickname snickerdoodle mean? ›

1931s Joy of Cooking claims the term snickerdoodle is based off the German word Schneckennudel—a German pastry whose name literally translates as 'snail noodle'. A Schneckennudel is a yeast dough roll that more closely resembles a cinnamon bun, not a snickerdoodle cookie.

Does Pepperidge Farm make snickerdoodle cookies? ›

Baked with delicious flavors in mind, these tasty Snickerdoodle cookies satisfy your most decadent cookie cravings.

Why didn't my snickerdoodles crack? ›

Cracking occurs from several chemical reactions during the baking process. If some of your cookies aren't cracking, it could be because those dough balls were less round than others, the dough became too warm, your oven isn't heating evenly, or (most likely) the cinnamon sugar coating wasn't applied as thoroughly.

Why do snickerdoodles go flat? ›

Snickerdoodles can come out flat if 1) the leaveners you used (for this recipe, it's both the baking soda and the cream of tartar) are on the old side and no longer work, and 2) if you baked them at a lower temperature.

Do snickerdoodles go bad? ›

Snickerdoodles will stay fresh for up to a week in the refrigerator if kept in an airtight container, but you do not need to refrigerate them. They'll keep for about a week at room temperature as well.

What is the slang word for cookies? ›

(slang, drugs) A piece of crack cocaine, larger than a rock, and often in the shape of a cookie. (informal, in the plural) One's eaten food (e.g. lunch, etc.), especially one's stomach contents. I lost my cookies after that roller coaster ride. I feel sick, like I'm about to toss my cookies.

Who invented snickerdoodles? ›

Cornelia “Nellie” Campbell Bedford's recipe—sugar cookie dough sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar—quickly went viral, so to speak. “Which, at the end of the 19th century, meant the bar cookie was discussed in newspaper columns daily for the next year,” Byrn writes.

What is the old name for cookies? ›

A Sweet History: Where Did Cookies Originate? (

Across the world, cookies are now known by several names. The word originally came from the Dutch word keojke, which means "little cakes." The Scottish now know them as sweet buns, and the English call them biscuits.

What happens if you dont use cream of tartar in cookies? ›

Without cream of tartar, you'll get the same baked good in the end, but the consistency may not be as flawless.

What was the purpose of cream of tartar? ›

What to Know About Cream of Tartar. Cream of tartar is a white powder found in the baking aisle that is commonly used to help stabilize whipped egg whites in meringues and cakes and give snickerdoodle cookies their signature flavor and texture. It's made from tartaric acid, a byproduct of the winemaking process.

What is a good substitute for cream of tartar? ›

What is a Good Replacement for Cream of Tartar? A good replacement for cream of tartar in baking is 1 teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice for every 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar.

Can I skip using cream of tartar? ›

In some recipes, you can leave out cream of tartar if there is no suitable replacement. You can simply omit cream of tartar from the recipe if you're making whipped egg whites, syrups, frostings, or icings.

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