Snickerdoodles make me feel like a kid again—soft, warm, and rolled in that irresistible cinnamon-sugar coating. I can never stop at just one, and luckily, these are so easy to make that a fresh batch is always just minutes away. With just a few simple ingredients, these cookies come together fast and are perfect for sharing (or not—no judgment here!).
This post contains helpful tips and tricks! If you’re in a rush, please use the “Jump to Recipe” above!
💭 Snickerdoodles Without the Fuss
These snickerdoodles are soft, chewy, and loaded with cinnamon-sugar flavor—the kind of cookies that are nearly impossible to resist! I love how they have that perfect tang from the cream of tartar and a warm spice that’s just right.
The other week, I whipped up a batch for a friend’s game night, and by the end of the evening, the plate was empty, and everyone was asking for the recipe. I barely got one for myself! They’re quick to make and bake, so now I make sure to have some ready for when a cookie craving (or impromptu gathering) hits.
- 20-minute cookies. Minimal prep, simple ingredients, and no need to chill the dough!
- Year-round treat. These are classic holiday cookies, but they’re so easy to make for any occasion—family dinners, potlucks, or as a weekend treat.
- Simple yet warm, comforting flavors of cinnamon and sugar in each bite.
Want more easy cookies? Try my 3 ingredient Nutella cookies, yellow cake mix cookies, or almond flour peanut butter cookies. You won’t be disappointed.
📋 Ingredients and notes
To make these snickerdoodles, you’ll need flour, sugar, egg yolk, milk, unsalted butter, baking soda, cream of tartar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and vanilla extract.
Variations & Substitutions
- All-purpose flour. Substitute with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour if needed.
- Butter. If you use salted butter, reduce the added salt by half. You can also substitute it with plant-based butter.
- Cream of tartar. A key ingredient for snickerdoodles. Don’t skip it!
- Egg. Using only the egg yolk will give our cookies a richer texture.
- Milk. I used whole milk, but you can also use plant-based milk like oat milk or almond milk.
📖 How to make snickerdoodle cookies
Step 1:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2:
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.
Step 3:
In another bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy.
Step 4:
Add the egg yolk, vanilla extract, and milk to the butter mixture, and mix until well combined.
Step 5:
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms.
Step 6:
In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon for rolling.
Step 7:
Roll the dough into 12 equal balls, then roll each ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Step 8:
Place the balls on the baking sheet, spacing them out slightly. Gently flatten each cookie with your hand or the back of a spoon.
Step 9:
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the cookies are slightly puffed. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Shruthi’s Top Tip
Don’t skip the cream of tartar. It’s key to that classic snickerdoodle tang and chewy texture. You can substitute with ½ teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar in a pinch, though it will change the texture slightly.
- Softened butter creates the best texture. Too soft, and the cookies can spread too much; too firm, and they won’t mix well.
- If the dough feels sticky, chill it for 10-15 minutes to make rolling easier.
- A thick coating of cinnamon-sugar gives the cookies that irresistible crackled surface and spice.
- Gently pressing down each cookie before baking helps them spread just right without getting too thin.
🍴 How to serve snickerdoodles
Serve snickerdoodles on a cookie platter along with Christmas sugar cookies, holiday butter cookies, and Danish butter cookies. Serve it with a glass of cold milk or hot cocoa. I also love using these cookies to make ice cream sandwiches: use two cookies to sandwich a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
🍴Storage and reheating suggestions
You can make the dough up to two days ahead and store it in the fridge or freeze it for up to a month. Just thaw before rolling in the cinnamon sugar.
Freeze unbaked dough balls rolled in cinnamon sugar on a baking sheet, then transfer them to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the bake time.
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
🍴 More Christmas cookie recipes
If you like this recipe, check out my other holiday cookie recipes:
High Protein Overnight Oats without Protein Powder
Azifa (Ethiopian Lentil Salad)
Thai Red Curry Paste without Shrimp
Thai Red Curry with Tofu
If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to comment and rate! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon milk
For rolling:
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.
- In another bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy.
- Add the egg yolk, vanilla extract, and milk to the butter mixture, and mix until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms.
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon for rolling.
- Roll the dough into 12 equal balls, then roll each ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Place the balls on the baking sheet, spacing them out slightly. Gently flatten each cookie with your hand or the back of a spoon.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the cookies are slightly puffed. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
