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!).
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💭 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:
Caramelized Onion Pasta
Cottage Cheese Flatbread
Leek and Mushroom Pasta
Eggplant Stir Fry
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.
