The BEST Snickerdoodles Recipe — Soft, pillowy puffs that are so irresistible! The closest recipe to Mrs. Fields snickerdoodles that you’ll find!
Easy Snickerdoodle Recipe
A good snickerdoodle is hard to come by, but this recipe is my favorite. Soft, slightly chewy, pillowy little puffs of goodness that I can’t stay away from.
I’ve always loved snickerdoodles, and in high school and college used to work at a mall three stores down from Mrs. Fields. That was dangerous because it fueled my snickerdoodle habit with extreme ease. The snickerdoodles are as close to the Mrs. Fields recipe (my personal gold standard) that I’ve been able to replicate at home.
These homemade snickerdoodle cookies are slightly chewy around the edges with soft, pillowy centers. They’re buttery with a light cinnamon-sugar coating. Not too heavy, just classic snickerdoodle. If you’re a cinnamon fiend, I recommend making my Soft and Chewy Cinnamon Chip Snickerdoodles instead.
They’re everything I want in a classic snickerdoodle cookie and my family agreed by eating the whole batch on the afternoon I made them. I sent a dozen cookies with them to the beach for the afternoon somewhat expecting they’d come back with a few left over. That was clearly foolish thinking.
This my new favorite snickerdoodle recipe I’ve tried. Just like Mrs. Fields!
What’s in These Chewy Snickerdoodles?
For this homemade snickerdoodles cookie recipe, you’ll need:
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Cream of tartar
- Salt
- Cinnamon
How to Make Snickerdoodles
Don’t let the tasty cinnamon sugar coating fool you into thinking homemade snickerdoodles are hard to make. These cookies are actually one of the easiest I’ve ever made!
To make these chewy snickerdoodles, you’ll first need to cream together the butter and sugars until the mixture is light any fluffy. Mix in the egg and vanilla, then add the dry ingredients.
Scoop the cookie dough into balls and refrigerate for at least an hour, or up to five days. Once the cookie dough has chilled, roll each ball into the cinnamon sugar before baking.
You’ll know your cookies are ready to come out of the oven when the edges are set and the tops have just set. Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes before serving with a big glass of milk.
Do I Have to Use Cream of Tartar?
Cream of tartar (sold in the spice aisle) is the leavener that gives the cookies lift, lightness, provides the classic snickerdoodle flavor, and it’s key for this recipe. Don’t skip it or you won’t end up with the best snickerdoodles.
If you don’t have cream of tartar on hand but want to make snickerdoodles immediately, try my White Chocolate Snickerdoodles or my Chewy Sugar-Doodle Vanilla Cookies instead.
Can I Double This Recipe?
Very easily, yes! You’ll need to use multiple baking sheets though since you don’t want to crowd the cookies.
Can I Prep These Cookies in Advance?
Yes, you can scoop and freeze the cookie dough balls for up to four months. You’ll want to bake the dough from frozen (do not thaw) and you’ll likely need to add a couple minutes to the bake time.
Do I Have to Chill the Cookie Dough?
Yes, you MUST chill the dough before baking so your cookies bake up thick and full. Unchilled dough will result in cookies that are prone to spreading and they’ll be much thinner, and flatter.
How to Store Snickerdoodles
These soft snickerdoodles will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 months, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.
Tips for the Best Snickerdoodles
I used a 2-inch cookie scoop to form these cookies (about 2 heaping tablespoons). You’re welcome to make larger cookies, but if you do that you’ll need to add a couple minutes to the bake time.
When making this chewy snickerdoodle recipe, I underbake them by a minute or two to ensure the centers are extra soft. Underbaking also helps the cookies stay softer and fresher over time, but you can bake longer if you prefer more well-done or firmer cookies.
Lastly, feel free to add more or less cinnamon to the cinnamon-sugar coating to suit your preferences. I like my snickerdoodles to have a good amount of cinnamon flavor on them, but I know not everyone likes it as much as I do!
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The Best Snickerdoodles
These really are the best snickerdoodles! Soft and pillowy, these are the closest recipe to Mrs. Fields snickerdoodles that you'll find!
Ingredients
Dough
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, optional and to taste
For Rolling
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large mixing bowl and electric mixer) combine the butter, sugars, and beat on medium-high speed until creamed and well combined, about 3 minutes.
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the egg, vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until well combined, light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the add the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, optional salt, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute.
- Using a medium 2-inch cookie scoop or your hands, form approximately 14 equal-sized mounds of dough (2 heaping tablespoons each), roll into balls, and flatten slightly.
- Place mounds on a large plate or tray, cover with plasticwrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, up to 5 days. Do not bake with unchilled dough because cookies will bake thinner, flatter, and be more prone to spreading.
- Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat or spray with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, and stir to combine.
- Dredge each mound of dough through cinnamon-sugar.
- Place dough mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart (I bake 8 cookies per sheet) and bake for about 9 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just set, even if slightly undercooked, pale, and glossy in the center; don’t overbake for soft, pillowy cookies. For firmer cookies, bake a minute or two longer. Cookies firm up as they cool.
- Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before serving. I let them cool on the baking sheet and don’t use a rack.
Notes
Storage: Cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 months, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
14Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 172Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 90mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 1gSugar: 15gProtein: 2g
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The Best Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies — One of my absolute favorite recipes for chocolate chip cookies thanks to a special ingredient! Just one bite and I think you’ll agree!!
The Best Soft & Chewy M&M’s Cookies — These bakery-style M&M’s cookies are soft, chewy, buttery, and LOADED with M&M’s and chocolate chips. No one can resist these cookies!
Frosted Soft Sugar Cookies – Super SOFT sugar cookies that just melt in your mouth!! If you’ve ever thought that sugar cookies can be boring or dry, this EASY recipe with frosting and sprinkles will change your mind!
I don’t know why my cookies are going flat. I followed the recipe and they’re running into one large cookie. My dough has chilled more than an hr
Expired baking soda, not using cream of tartar, not baking on a Silpat, not using King Arthur brand all-purpose flour, not measuring flour correctly and not using quite enough.
All of those things can/will contribute to cookies that spread. If you do all those things, they really should not spread.
Hello there,I made them today, chilled for 5 hrs, and they look exactly like yours YAY! however, they are cakey a bit, is this normal? also i fell like kind of of metal aftertaste, could I’ve added more COT? or soda, or is it because they will still out of the oven
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad that they turned out well enough.
Cakey, combined with your description of a metal aftertaste, that is the baking soda. I am thinking you overmeasured accidentally. That is my hunch on that but it is trick to say from afar.
oh, they are delicious, and no one notice but me! ya, I’ll def keep an eye next time I bake them, thankssss a lot!
I have made these snickerdoodle cookies at least 10 times and I have never had a bad batch! I am seriously convinced that this is the most fool-proof cookie recipe that exists. They’re SO soft and flavorful. Do yourself a favor and make them.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad these are the most foolproof cookie recipe that exists and that you love them!
These are divine! I doubled the recipe and used half butter flavoured shortening and half vegan margarine (there’s a dairy allergy in the family), but didn’t double the sugar/cinnamon topping as it wasn’t necessary. I baked them exactly 9 minutes on rubber mats on plain cookie sheets and they turned out perfectly. Soft and chewy but with a nice crispy exterior. Instead of refrigerating them after rolling, I chilled the dough in the mixing bowl and then shaped them (just not enough room in our fridge). I will save this recipe to use all the time!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that half butter flavored shortening and half vegan margarine worked great and you were able to keep the real butter (dairy) out of them for the allergy situation!
These cookies are really really good. I made them for a party this past weekend and they flew off the plate. It seems to me like people are wanting a more simple cookie anymore, at least my friends do. I intend to make more for gifts and cookie plates but I know I will have to double this recipe 2 or 3 times just to be sure I have enough of them.Thank you for a great recipe
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that these flew off the plates and I agree, simple is always in fashion!
Hi! I was wondering why you said to not thaw if you froze them? I usually thaw my cookies in the fridge overnight.
It’s not that you “can’t” but if you are short on time, you can pop them straight from the freezer into the oven without fear.
I don’t have a cookie scoop, so I measured mine. If you really meant 2 heaping tablespoons of dough, these are seriously under-baked. I did my second batch at 10 minutes and they were slightly better, another time I will go with 12. The flavor is good, but I don’t enjoy eating raw dough. I will try them again, but make them about half that size.
Cookie baking timing is very dependent on the exact amount of dough used, the oven, climate, pan, personal preference, etc.
So of course, bake until they are done as needed. Baking times listed are, as always, only an estimate what it took me. It may take longer/shorter for you.
My favorite recipe for snickerdoodles. It’s been a no-fail for me every time but I just moved to a higher elevation and I think I need to adjust accordingly because they didn’t cook as fast as usual. If you have any high-elevation recommendations that would help me next time around it would be appreciated!!
Glad this is your favorite recipe for snickerdoodles. I don’t have any expertise baking at altitude so cannot help with that one.
I love this recipe!!! My husband can’t stop eating this delicious cookies thank you for sharing
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you both love the cookies!
If there is a heaven, these cookies will be waiting for me! My family absolutely LOVES these! Thank you for posting this recipe.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad your family loves these!
Off to the store to buy cream of tartar!
Awesome, enjoy them!
I made these Sunday night for the third year in a row. Not sure what I did differently this gear, maybe leaving the dough in the fridge for a little longer than usual. All I know is they came out like little cinnamon pieces of heaven!! Every time I make these my boyfriend asks for more, I wish it made more cookies per batch (though I guess I could just double the recipe, right?) Thank you so much for this recipe!
Thanks for the five star review and glad they turned out even better than you remember! And yes you can easily double the recipe if you need more.
This recipe was very easy to prepare. My daughter and I enjoyed making it together.Thank you!
Glad you and your daughter enjoyed making these together!
Omg these are delish I make them at least once a week and bake for friends and they love it!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you make them at least once a week!
This is my favorite cookie recipe and has become our Christmas tradition to bake on Christmas Eve for the family & Santa. I usually make the dough the day of but wanted to know if you ever froze the already portioned dough balls? If so how far ahead could I make them?
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this is your favorite cookie recipe!
Re freezing the balls in advance and then baking the day of, totally fine. Freeze for up to 3-4 months before baking. No need to thaw in advance, just roll in cinn-sugar, and bake a couple extra minutes. Works perfectly.
It may not be the best, but it would be hard to have a cookoff with my grandmother’s. She died in 1962 at the age of 94. So I will only say that these Snickerdoodles are definitely the next best–and I have tried a bunch of them. They are everything you can hope for, with the added advantage of making them, oven-ready, up to 5 days in advance. WOW!
Thanks for saying that you think they are next best behind your grandmother’s. Grandma recipes are always hard to beat :)
I have almost no experience with baking and did not even own a hand mixer until I decided to make these to bring to my family’s thanksgiving dinner. They turned out perfectly when I followed the recipe exactly. Everyone was asking me for the recipe and asking how I got the right texture and how I got the cinnamon sugar coating so even. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe! I will be using it again for sure. I am excited to try some of your other recipes, too :).
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad these were a huge hit! Now that you own a handmixer, you can make more cookies 🍪
These are the absolute BEST snickerdoodle cookies ev.er!!! I keep going back to this recipe. It is equally company–and– rainy Saturday cookie and coffee worthy!
Thanks for the five star review and glad you think these are the best snickerdoodles ever!
Howdy :) I have a quick question I’d like to make these today – my hubby and his crew have to work unexpectedly this weekend and I wanted to make a double batch of these for them to snack on. I would consider myself a novice baker when it comes to cookies but I do have a KitchenAid stand mixer that I use for bread often (so I do have/use King Arthur flour & swear by it!), My question is about the butter – I only have salted butter on hand & I would like to if you think that will adversely affect the recipe in any way? I definitely would not add any additional salt to the recipe since I’d be using salted butter (which I saw you had as optional). Thoughts? Thanks :)
Salted butter is probably fine and correct, don’t add any additional salt.
Wonderful – thank you so much for the quick reply. Snickerdoodles are my hubby’s favorite cookie and I’m looking forward to trying your recipe today. :)
They came out soft and delicious. Had a little crisp to the outside but we’re soft on the inside.
Glad they came out deliciously for you!
Hello! I’ve been using this recipe for a couple years and LOVE it! I recently moved to high altitude and wondered if you had any suggestions for how to still make them the same. Everything I’ve baked since moving is a little bit different than at a lower altitude. Thanks!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad these are a favorite. I would just google about altitude baking and see what the common things you need to change or do are. I don’t live at altitude so it’s not something I research much. Good luck!
Just wanted to drop by to say that I made these last night and they are amazing!! Will definitely be making them again soon!!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you will be making them again!
They came out great. The only thing is, mine looked like yours when they came out of the oven but sort of got flat after the 10 minutes resting period on the baking sheet. Any idea what i might of done wrong?
That is normal for cookies, especially snickerdoodles. King Arthur brand flour is my go-to for baking. So much better for baking than other brands and I find it really helps add structure to my baked goods. That may help with your deflation issues. Also you could try to bake for 1 extra minute, that could possibly help too.
If I don’t have King Arthur’s flour can I substitute it for bread flour to keep the puffiness?
I think bread flour will work fine.
If I wanted to make these slightly larger and use a 1/4c of dough per cookie, do you think just adjusting the baking time would work? Or should I adjust the temp as well?
Just the time, not the temp. A few minutes longer should do the trick.
Hello. I have made these cookies quite a few times now, but the last two times I have made them, they seem to sticky and wet to roll properly. I quadruple checked the ingredients and I know I followed to a T. What would make the cookies difficult to roll into balls and very sticky?
Thank you ahead of time!!
Doug
Sometimes when the weather is warmer or there is more humidity in the air, you may need just a touch more flour than you would when it’s drier. Adding a bit of extra flour will probably do the trick in this case.
Hey Averie,
Really love this snickerdoodle recipe. Just wanted to let your recipe made our updated list of the Best Dessert Recipes https://www.listsforall.com/best-dessert-recipes/
I am sure our readers are really going to enjoy this recipe as much as we do.
Keep up the good work, really love your recipes!
My 6 year old has a fledgling bakery business (it’s a school project/fundraiser!) and got a special request order for snickerdoodles. I didn’t have a go-to recipe but we LOVED these! We scooped the dough with a big cookie scoop after chilling and did a test batch with four cookies – just scooped and rolled in the cinnamon sugar, scooped and rolled into a smooth ball and then cinnamon sugar, and both of those flattened. The baked cookies, for us, all turned out almost exactly the same! We kind of liked the slightly uneven edges of the just-scooped, unflattened one and since it was the least amount of work that’s the technique we went with, after sacrificially sampling each cookie of course! :) Thanks for an awesome recipe!
Glad to hear that despite your methodology, they all baked up basically the same and yes, always go with the easiest method if the results are nearly identical :)
Now that’s what I’m saying!! If I wanted to double or triple batch for super bowl party, is it tricky? Sorry I am new to this baking thing.
It’s easy – just double or triple it as you see fit!
Snickerdoodles are the only cookie I eat. I have made these about 6 times in the last couple weeks. My wife loves them, and so do my family and friends. They are super duper soft, almost like I can roll them up and pop them in my mouth. Should they set better? I let them sit for 30-45 minutes before eating and they are still super soft. Don’t get me wrong, soft is the only way I like them, but how soft is too soft?
I would say leave it alone and don’t change a thing because I love super soft too…but if you want them slightly firmer you can increase the baking time by 1-2 minutes and/or let them sit out for a couple hours exposed to air. Glad they are a hit….therefore I wouldn’t change a thing to what you are doing :)
These cookies are amazing!! Definitely going to make them for years to come. My only question is, how do you get the cinnamon sugar to coat your cookies so well? Once they’re chilled, it’s a struggle for me to get the cinnamon and sugar to stay.
You just have to really roll the heck out of them in the cinn/sugar :)
Ive made this recipe a few times and after the first (and the cinnamon sugar sticking struggle) I always roll in the sugar before chilling them and it works out perfectly!
Glad that works for you!
I freeze the dough balls overnight and put them right into the preheated oven so I know they are as cold as can be. And my cream of tartar is fresh as well. The only thing I’m doing differently is making a double batch. Would that somehow affect the ratios?
I’ve made these a few times and they’re delicious. I am having an issue with the thickness of the cookies. While in the oven they bake up nice and thick but the moment they come out of the oven they deflate. Any suggestions on what I can do differently?
Are you using a Silpat? King Arthur flour? Those 2 things can really make a difference. I have a post on cookie making success tips here https://www.averiecooks.com/2014/02/the-best-soft-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies.html
I don’t think making a double batch would effect things. I think it has to do with flour + Silpat. King Arthur flour has slightly more gluten than other (cheaper) flours and in baking, that is nice insurance against deflation with cookies, cakes, etc. Sounds like you know what you are doing in the kitchen so I would say make those 2 changes and LMK if that helps!
I’m not using either, but I certainly will on the next batch and I’ll let you know how they turn out. Thanks!
I think both things will help you immensely! Keep me posted!
Snickerdoodles always deflate, that’s how the signature crinkle top happens. Sounds like you’re doing it right.
Hmm, I definitely only got about 7 cookies using a 2 inch cookie scoop. and 12 when i broke the cookies up to make them a little smaller.
Scoops can vary and some 2 inch diameter scoops are very deep. Using the scoop I linked to, I get about 14 cookies.
Hi, my husband and I are on a ketogenic diet and had a serious craving for snickerdoodles. I found your recipe on Pinterest and adapted it to be grain and sugar-free. Do you mind if I link back to it when I post my keto recipe? All your cookies look fabulous, by the way! Thanks for the recipe!
Please link to my recipe since that was your inspiration.
Glad you enjoyed the cookies!
Thanks so much!
Patti, Is there anyway I can get your converted recipe (the sugar free version)? I do not want to rock the blogging world by asking this info here (not sure what the etiquette is for this) but I have a sugar free house so I like to try and make both versions (sugar free for us because of diabetes & regular for everyone else). Definitely going to try this recipe for the first time tho (looks fantastic)!! :)
I’m not really sure what the etiquette is either, but thanks for asking for the recipe. :)
(Keep in mind, these will not be as amazing as cookies made with wheat flour and real sugar.)
I plan to make some of the real ones for my boys next week too. Here’s the link to my low carb grain free version:
http://houseofingrams.com/2017/12/11/keto-snickerdoodles/
I hope you enjoy them.
Where can I find your keto snickerdoodle recipe?
I don’t have a keto version.
These were fabulous and I didn’t make any adjustments! Our family devoured them and I’m making four dozen of these delights for our church bake sale! My nine year old helped and absolutely loved the easy process and delicious outcome! Thank you for your amazing blog!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you with no changes! Glad your 9 yr old was in on the whole process too!
baking powder is actually a combination of baking soda and cream of tartar so u could just use that
In this situation I would definitely use cream of tartar. It’s a $2 investment so that you know the recipe will work out and is instrumental in the recipe. This is not a time when I would try to ‘makeshift’ things since the ratios could be off.
This is annoying — how can I print the recipe without having your video at the top of my print sheet? :/ I’d like to print this out but when I click the print button it pops the picture of the video on the top and on top of everything else…
In Safari and in Chrome, when I click the PRINT button at the top of the recipe card, the only thing that pops up in a new window is the ingredients/directions. Not sure what’s going on with your browser or computer but on my end, from multiple computers, things are working fine.
I keep getting the video at the top (Chrome) I did a screenshot but I don’t think I can add a picture here… odd. If you have any suggestions, I am open :) I have been dying for a *good* Snickerdoodle recipe so I am going to give it a shot but I am making a ‘recipe book’ for my daughter who is moving into her new apartment next month and wanted to add this recipe if it turns out good… I’d be happy to show you a screenshot but I am not sure how to do it here…?
Hey Averie! These turned our so perfect! I loved them! I just have a question re: freezing the dough. Do I roll them in the sugar/cinnamon before freezing?
I would say it can’t hurt to roll before freezing but definitely do it afterwards and before you put them into the oven. Glad you love them!
Not sure what went wrong with the other ladies but my cookies turned absolutely amazing and NOT Flat. The only difference I did that I refrigerated the dough then after 1 h I shaped it and roll it ont eh sugar.
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe !!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Most people do have good success with this recipe but with anything in life, you can’t bat 100% no matter what across the board :)
What do you do if the dough is too sticky to form? Add more flour? How much? Thank you!
Yes, not sure how much; I’d start with 1 tbsp at a time.
Hey Averie!Hope you are well?I just wanted to say thank you for sharing your recipe,it was absolutely scrumptious!I had never tried snickerdoodles in my life,but kept hearing about how yum they are,so I made your recipe and it was divine!I added a teaspoon of baking powder by mistake but it seemed to give the cookies a light airy puffiness so that’s a plus?I think whenever I make them I’ll still add that teaspoon of baking powder!Thank you so much once again☺
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! (even with the mistaken baking powder – which yes creates a cakier, lighter cookie in general when added to recipes)
For people with issues of flat cookies, this was my experience: I removed my cookies from the fridge and coated them. I filled my first cookie sheet, coated the rest and put them back in the fridge. I then baked my cookies on my silpat and baking sheet for 9 minutes. My cookies came out super flat and sad looking. After several minutes I removed my silpat from my baking sheet and baked the next batch directly on my sheet. These cookies came straight from the fridge and didn’t sit on the counter like the first batch did when I was coating them. I left them in a minute longer as the first batch still hadn’t set. I was very happy to see puffy cookies when I was done. I will make this recipe again, but I will rechill the dough after coating for at least 15 minutes.
Yes, really well-chilled dough always makes the best cookies. Glad you’re enjoying these!
These are the BEST cookies! A little too easy though, I end up making them all the time ?
Glad they’re an easy (and frequent) favorite!
These were amazing. I’ve never used a snicker doodle recipe with brown sugar in the south before, but this will be my go-to recipe from now on. I spent the weekend mixing up four different types of your cookies and freezing the dough balls: these, the oatmeal M&M cookies, the Andes mint ones, and the funfetti cookies. They all turned out wonderfully, thanks so much! One question: would you consider including weight measurements in addition to volumetric measurements?
Thanks for trying four of my recipes over the weekend, wow you were busy! I love that you have a frozen stash now to bake off when you’re ready – bet you’re excited about that!
Great to hear my ‘doodles will be your go-to now!
Meant to say “with brown sugar in the DOUGH”! Auto-correct, man.
I knew what you meant :)
Made these last night and they came out perfect !!! Loved that they are fluffy , soft and chewy and the taste was amazing,Will definitely be making these again and again lol.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And that they’ll be on repeat!
If I make the dough then freeze it, how long should I let the dough thaw before baking it?
You don’t really have to wait to thaw it – you can bake straight from freezer to oven. Possibly may need to add 1-2 mins to baking time but just keep an eye on them. Enjoy!
I use coconut oil in this recipe instead of butter in order to make it dairy free, they turned out great! I’m in snicker doodle heaven!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you with the coconut oil!
Do I need to use those specific brands??
No you can use the brands you’re comfortable with, but when I call out a brand by name in a post, it’s because it works for me or I am partial to it.
Averie, best cookies ever, “da bomb” as my daughter said!! But cinnamon sugar didn’t stick. Any tips? Thank you, your website is our go-to.
Thanks for the compliments! I would just really ROLL and re-ROLL in the cinnamon-sugar. I double-dip so to speak, about 5-10 mins apart, and that seems to work well.
Right! Thanks for the reply:) it worked fine with cooking a little longer or thawing out till slightly chill. I’ll try that brand of flour if I can find it!
I thought my comment didn’t go through cause of my mobile browser so I commented twice. Oops, my bad!
Glad that cooking a bit longer did the trick! That flour is sold at all major US grocery stores. It’s the best!
How long will I need to thaw the dough for after taking out from the freezer?
My batch turned out undercooked in the middle and biscuit-like at the edges for the ones out of the freezer, but perfectly fine for the ones out of the fridge.
Also, is the the type of flour responsible for the colour of the snickerdoodles? The ones in the picture look so fluffy and white! Mine are on the yellow side.
How long will depend on how warm the room is. I’m not sure. Just allow it to come to a chilled temp, just like I replied already. Baking isn’t always an exact science and you have to experiment.
I use King Arthur All-Purpose flour and swear by it. And yes, the brand of flour will effect the shade.
I made a batch of these and stored the dough in the fridge, then later shifted them to the freezer. When I baked them after taking the dough out from the fridge, they turned out nicely. When I baked the dough after taking out from the freezer, they turned out a little more undercooked in the middle. The baking durations were the same. How long should I thaw the snickerdoodles before baking?
Either thaw to chilled room temp, i.e. the same temp they’d be if they came from the freezer. Or, just bake a few extra minutes if the dough is frozen. Common sense that you’d need to bake a bit longer with frozen dough than with fridge dough, right :)
I made these cookies last week and they turned out flat… Not super flat like if they weren’t refrigerated, just not pillowie. And they were still the best snickerdoodles I’ve ever had lol but then I made them again this morning and the ONLY thing I did different was the way I shaped the dough balls. I just pushed the balls so the bottom flattened & they turned out perfect! Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad they’re the best you’ve ever had! And yes, sometimes the exact way you shape the dough will effect the outcome so a little experimentation is needed. Glad everything worked out great!
Hi Averie! Happy New Year! My daughter asked me to snickerdoodle cookies for her birthday treat. Boy, did these ever turn out wonderful. My son isn’t even a big cinnamon fan and he inhaled one while it was still warm. My husband and daughter said they were so yummy and taste just like mini donuts from the Stampede! We didn’t need to refrigerate the dough, and they came out just like your photos. Thanks so much for an awesome recipe!
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you! And glad that even the non-cinnamon fan got into them :)
Thank you for this great snickerdoodle recipe, Averie! I made these to include in holiday cookie bags for my coworkers and they were a big hit. I couldn’t resist eating a few when they were fresh out of the oven (quality control). I know that the recipes on your blog will be tasty and straightforward to make! Happy holidays to you and your family!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And what a nice compliment to say that my recipes are tasty and straightforward! As a blogger, those are my two biggest personal goals when I develop recipes!
In the process of making these, and I was not able to roll the dough into balls because the dough is too sticky. I hope that’s normal and they will turn out in the end. I just spooned the dough onto plates and it is now chilling.
Well, these cookies turned out soft and fluffy but they don’t have enough cinnamon and sugar coating. I’m not sure where I went wrong. Everything else about them is perfect but that. I followed the recipe to the T, I chilled them for almost 2hrs, and then I more than dredged them. I skimmed through a lot of the comments and I don’t see anything about this issue. After you dredge them do you pour a little on the top too? It seemed once they were chilled the sugar mixture didn’t want to stick as well….other than that they were great. I will certainly make again.
I dredge, and then repeat, repeat, repeat….I just really go nuts with the sugar and that does the trick. Just use way more than you think you need given everything you said and I’m sure you’ll be thrilled!
I’ve made these and love them! I’m going to add some chopped up snickers to them for Christmas. This year we are making dough that needs to go in the fridge ahead of time and putting it in the freezer. Has anybody put the balls of dough in the freezer?
Just pull them out of the freezer, bake for maybe 1-2 extra minutes since the dough is rock hard, and enjoy with the Snickers!
Hi! I just wanted to say, these are the BEST snickerdoodles I have ever tried/made! They came out so wonderfully chewy – thank you for all your amazing recipes! Can’t wait to try more!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And that they’re the best ever!
This is a great recipe! My daughter has made it several times in the past month or so. She even entered some of them into the fair and won first place. Thanks for sharing it with us!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you and that your daughter won first place with my recipe!
Having worked at Mrs.Field’s for several years, back when we made the cookies and muffins in-store, I can say that her recipe did not contain cream of tartar. Use baking powder (the 2 teaspoons sounds about right) instead.
Thanks for the tip about baking powder. Whenever I had played around to ‘perfect’ the recipe, if I kept out the Cream of T, the cookies didn’t have the right texture. Also I think that baking in a home kitchen is different than a restaurant or commercial-grade kitchen and so sometimes ingredients in one don’t always translate to another and vice versa, but I appreciate the insider info!
I made a double batch of these cookies for Labor Day and they were a HUGE hit…literally gone in less than 20 minutes. I decided to make them again for a BBQ this past weekend. I decided I would pre-make the dough since you said it could be frigerated up to 5 days. Well I didn’t end up going to the BBQ & I have a family of 2 with a double batch of cookies! I saw you mentioned they could be frozen up to 4 months. My question is if I put part of the batch in the freezer, how do I bake them from frozen? Or do I need to put them in the fridge for a certain amount of time than bake as normal?
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
Just freeze the dough balls and then when you’re ready to bake, put them on the cookie sheet, preheat oven, and bake. They may need an extra 1-2 minutes, depending on all the variables, just keep an eye on them and use your judgment but normally when baking from straight frozen to oven, things only need an extra 2 minutes max for me.
I’ve just made snickerdoodles for the first time, here in the UK we don’t have anything like this, but they looked so tasty I just had to try the recipe. They turned out perfect first time, they didn’t flatten at all but puffed up a little to form slight cracks in the surface and they taste amazing. Can’t wait to make another batch to give to all my family and friends.
Thanks so much for sharing your recipes.
Bev xx
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And that you can share with your UK friends and family!
I’m not sure if this has been suggested, but I do not soften the butter. I mix the sugars and butter, it is not creamy, but is combined. The dough is not sticky in the end and is firmer and easier to handle. Cookies come out of the oven slightly larger than they went in!
I haven’t tried it that way and can only vouch for the way I wrote the recipe (just in case others are reading this comment) but glad that method works for you!
I tried this recipe for the first time last night and the cookies came out fabulous. Seriously this recipe for snickerdoodles is the best one that I’ve ever tried. The only thing that I did differently is instead of adding two eggs I opted to just add the one and the cookies still came out great. Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Glad they’re the best snickerdoodles you’ve ever tried!
Kind regards from Germany! I have also tried your snickerdoodles and i thought maybe it is interesting for you, that your recipe made the jump across the atlantic. Absolutely delicious! I also tried the Cookies with chocolate and Pudding mix, also very very good, but these are my favourites. Please excuse my mistakes, my english is really improvable. :-)
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you as well as the other recipes you’ve tried! Glad you’re happy with everything!
I looove these cookies!I have made them several times and they come out perfect every single time!This is now my favorite cookie,especially since i love cinnamon :)
http://www.sweetima.wordpress.com
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
I made these today my kids loved them! Mine came out flat. Next time I will use everything that you suggested.
Make sure everything is super fresh and use my suggestions and I think they’ll be puffier. Glad your kids loved them!
I LOVED THESE COOKIES!
I didn’t even use cream of tartar because I didn’t have any, I didn’t let it chill for very long, AND I cannot bake, and they turned out absolutely perfectly lol.
I already ate four of them. I have a tummy ache, but man was it worth it.
These were amazing, and they really did taste like Mrs. Field’s!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad they came out great for you! And that you skipped the C of T and were also able to get away with a short chill time…and you say you can’t bake? Well you can now!
First of all, I love this recipe! Thanks so much for posting it. I’ve made these a few times now and they always come out wonderfully. However one issue I’m having is that I can’t seem to yield as many cookies as you do (I usually get anywhere between 9 – 11). At first I thought this was due to portioning so I bought the scoop you linked in the post, yet to no avail. As much as having fewer cookies is better for my waistline, I’d definitely love to make more without doubling the ingredients. Any ideas?
Thanks for any insight! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes :)
Hmm that’s odd that you’re getting significantly less, on multiple occasions. I would say just make your mounds of dough slightly less big when scooping them out (there’s a way to be skimpy with a cookie scoop)…make sure to bake them less time than you are now since skimpier cookies need less time in the oven. Or…you could just double the batch and then you’d get 18-22 cookies..LOL Glad you love the recipe!
Love this snickerdoodle recipe! That is why we featured it in our list of the Best Dessert Recipes http://www.listsforall.com/best-dessert-recipes/. Would love if you would checkout the full list sometime. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for the shoutout!
Whaaa! So disappointed !!! My daughter s fav cookie and wanted to surprise her for finals week of grad school. Cookies went flat and seemed like raw dough in middle–blah. Followed recipe to a T. I will give another shot with 25 degrees lower oven and 1/4 c more flour.
Please read over this post for all my cookie baking tips https://www.averiecooks.com/2014/02/the-best-soft-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies.html Are you baking with King Arthur flour? Using a Silpat? Using brand new baking soda and cream of tartar? Those are the key things that come to mind that would contribute to flattening cookies if you’re not doing them. Hopefully the extra 1/4 cup of flour does the trick. I don’t recommend lowering the oven temp personally but if you think it would help, by all means, go with your gut.
I’ve made these probably a good ten times now and they’ve come out perfect without a faim every single time. Everyone I’ve shared the cookies with has absolutely loves them. This one time five of us managed to completely demolish one batch within about 15 min of the cookies coming out of the oven, it was so hot but no one could wait for them to cool down first cause it was so good. This has definitely become my number one to go cookie recipe. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it comes out great for you every time that you make it AND that it’s become your #1 go-to cookie recipe! And that it’s a crowd pleaser and hit! :)
Can you chill the dough all together or does it already have to be in little balls?
Chill in balls otherwise it’s soooo rock hard when you try to scoop them out if you chill it all in one big mass.
I made these today and they don’t taste anything like a true snicker doodle cookie!! No no no!! Sorry! Even my kids noticed they tasted not like ‘ real snicker doodle’ <— their words! Not bad if you don't know what a good snicker doodle taste like!!
You’re the only person who’s ever said this. Guess we all have different tastes and associations with what a snickerdoodle is. To me, these ARE snickerdoodles! Thanks for trying the recipe.
I just wanted to leave a few more considerations for those who end up with flat cookies. If this is happening regularly for you after chilling the dough, your oven could be too hot. Next time try baking 25 degrees lower than a recipe calls for and see if that helps. Another culprit could be too little flour. We’re always hearing how weighing is so much more accurate than measuring. I prefer measuring but I know that it’s not so consistent. An extra 1/4 cup of flour probably wouldn’t hurt for those who regularly bake flat cookies. Lastly, I think baking pans make a difference. I don’t have a silpat and almost never line my baking sheets with anything but I’m always pleased with my aluminum sheets (the big ones that are in the restaurant supply section–I got mine at Sam’s Club). My cookies were hit and miss before I got them and now I wouldn’t use anything else.
made these today, first time making and eating snicker doodles! they turned out perfect. I think people are over mixing their dough and in return getting flat cookies… or simply flattening them too much. 10/10 I will defiantly make these again. thank you.
Glad you give them a 10/10! And thanks for the glowing feedback!
I just made these and they were absolutly perfect! I put a little extra baking power along with the cream of tartar to make sure they were super soft and puffy and It worked like a charm!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you with your little extra leaveners!
I’ve made these quite a few times and love them sooo much!! I have no control!! Just wanted to let you know I posted a link to your site on my blog for this recipe, hope that’s ok! Oh, and I’ve never had issues with them coming out flat and I never chill my dough! (I have no patience and when it comes to cookies I’m like a two year old!) Ok they are slighly flatter then yours look, but still nice and round and super good!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it works great for you even without chilling and linkbacks are always fine! Thanks for loving the cookies as much as I do!
These.Are.SOGOOD. Between my hubs and our 3 pre-teen boys, I have a hard time keeping anything in the cookie jar. Hubs especially likes snickerdoodles, so snickerdoodles do an especially-quick disappearing act. I tried this recipe Sunday afternoon, making a double batch. I made smaller cookies, using a 1.25″ cookie scoop, and my yield was 42 perfect puffy snickerdoodles. My crew thinks they are perfect, too–half the batch was gone by 8 pm. This morning (Tuesday)–only 6 cookies left–perfect for lunches. Thanks, Averie–this recipe is my new go-to! :)
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you AND that a double batch is gone in less than 48 hours :) That’s awesome to hear they are a new favorite and the recipe will be your go-to! Between these and the Tagalongs Cookie Bars, you have been baking up a storm!!
i just made these and love them!!!
Thank you for sharing:)
Made these twice in less than a week! I didn’t experience any flatness, they basically stayed the same size and were nice and dense in the middle (I think they were a little undercooked but they taste incredible) – so easy to make, too!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And twice in less than a week, I’d say they’re a hit. If they’re a bit undercooked you can always bake longer since ovens, climates, etc. all vary. But sounds like things are great given 2x/week.
Just made these! I didn’t have cream of tatar, so substituted it for 2 teaspoons of baking powder. They came out fluffy, cakey, and absolutely delicious! Perfect for this snowy day :)
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you given the swap you made!
Yes, I was talking about that post. :/ … I guess I’ll try again, and see if i get another outcome
I made these last friday. I did all that you said: used a good brand flour, let them rest on the fridge (I left mine 6 hrs), used all the ingredients writen, and tried to follow every little detail just like you wrote it, but..they came ou flat :( … what’s the matter?
Thanks for trying the recipe and I have a cookie tips post here https://www.averiecooks.com/2014/02/the-best-soft-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies.html (not sure if those are the tips and details you’re referring to) but honestly using a Silpat, a cookie scoop, with chilled dough, fresh baking soda, fresh cream of tartar, fresh everything, along with King Arthur flour (I only use that flour), I never have flat cookies. Sorry…not sure what else I can say if you’ve tried all of those things!
Elevation may also play a role in the texture of your cookies. I don’t know where you all are coming from but I might take that in to consideration.
I went to the mall a few weeks ago and got a snickerdoodle from Mrs. Fields. It was incredible. I had to recreate this flavor at home. I did some googling and up came your site. I followed the recipe to a T. I even let the dough chill for over 4 hours. But the cookies came out super flat! I am not sure what I did wrong?? However, they taste SO good. So chewy and soft. I will definitely make this recipe again because the cookies were THAT good. Does anyone know why the cookies would be so flat?
Many people ask similar questions to yours; re-read the comments and see if something resonates. Or, read this post. Silpats, chilling the dough, King Arthur flour, all are KEY to thicker cookies in my kitchen. Thanks for trying the recipe and glad the taste was great and with these suggestions, I think you’ll get the thickness down pat next time. https://www.averiecooks.com/2014/02/the-best-soft-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies.html
Try chilling cookies at a less time! Maybe 1-2 hours of chilling…
Made these on this cold night and they were delish!! I didn’t have cream of tartar and subbed a dash of white vinegar. So yummy. My family thanks you!!!
Stay warm and so glad these came out great, even with the white vinegar in a pinch. You get points for being resourceful :)
Followed the directions but ended up with pancake flat cookies ;( anyone know why?
If you want to read through the comments, there are a handful of people who have mentioned this and I’ve given my thoughts quite a few times. Thanks for trying the recipe!
I made these with some cannabutter and they came out amazing. My go to recipe. Thanks!
Glad it’s your new go-to recipe!
Hey! From mexico! my dough is chilling right now, i’m looking forward to tasting them because Snickerdoodles don’t exist in mexico… *sigh*
I had a little setback, i followed the recipe to the T but my dough was a bit to the liquid side so i had to add more flour… let’s see how they turn up.
But Thanksssss for the recipe!
All flour differs and yours maybe was a bit softer/less gluten and so that was smart to add more if your dough was a bit loose. I hope they turn out great for you!
I think I misstated my problem. I rolled into balls, flattened a bit and then chilled as per instructions. That was no problem at all. My problem came when I needed to “dredge” them in the cinnamon sugar mixture. After they were chilled the cinnamon sugar would not stick. Step 7 is rolling them in the mixture which comes after the chilling step. So, should I have put the cinnamon mixture on before I chilled? That is my question. Thanks!
Do the recipe in the order listed and yes roll them in sugar after chilling, before baking. I’ve never had an issue with the cinnamon-sugar sticking.
Thank you for your tips. I may purchase a silpat for next time. I live in a really small town and I have never seen King Arthur flour. I would probably have to order that online. I will let them chill overnight next time though. Once I get a silpat, I am also going to try out your chocolate chip cookie recipe!
Most grocery stores will carry King Arthur all-purpose flour; I’ve never been in one that doesn’t. Red and white bag, more expensive than most flours, WELL worth it! And the Siplat will change your life!
Should I have rolled these prior to chilling? The dough came out great and I chilled as per recipe but then took them out to roll before baking. That’s how I read the instructions. Now the cinnamon mixture won’t stick (I should’ve thought of that before). Now I’m waiting for them to warm up a bit so it will stick. Thanks in advance for any help for my future reference!
Re-read steps 4 and 5 in the directions. You form into mounds first, THEN chill. I think that will solve all your issues in the future. Enjoy!
I made these cookies. I did not use a silpat because I do not have one and I used Martha white flour. I did everything else according to the recipe. I even bought fresh baking soda. I let them sit in the refrigerator for about an hour and fifteen minutes. The cookies are very good. They are very soft and they look pretty. The only complaint is that that they are not as thick and pillowy as the picture shows. They’re not even close to that. But they are still very good. However, I do consider them a success and I would make them again.
Silpats are realllllllly instrumental in having cookies bake up thicker. They are really night and day! And Martha White is known to be very ‘soft’ flour; meaning it doesn’t have as much gluten, therefore cookies won’t be as thick or puffy. Use King Arthur for thicker cookies. Also I think you could have chilled longer; I always chill overnight, but recommend at least 2-3 hours. Those are just my tips for next time for thicker cookies. That said, glad you enjoyed them and consider them a success and will make again!
Holy cow these are delicious!!! I love vanilla in my cookies so I always add more than the recipe calls for. other than that I followed the directions to a ‘T’. They’re so soft and pillowy. Thanks!!
Glad you loved them and I looooove extra vanilla too! I may actually put in closer to what you put in when I make them myself but if I write that, then I get…”all I could taste was vanilla”…which for me (and you) would be a good thing :)
so bummed out! I followed directions to a T and they spread all over the pan! I chilled them for a few hours and everything
Please read over this post for my cookie tips and tricks against spreading. King Arthur flour, Silpat, etc. If you do all those things and you still have spreading, email me back! Thanks for trying the recipe.
Could I sub all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour? Currently only have whole wheat, but really itching to make these right now!
I never have and think that it could alter your results in this particular cookie but you never know til you try!
I never comment on recipes, but I must say this one is perfection. Snickerdoodles are my husband’s favorite cookie and he couldn’t get enough of these. This will be my go-to recipe from now on — thank you, thank you!
Just a thought — I wonder if people who had trouble with stickiness used melted butter instead of using softened butter. I know I’ve done that many times before, as it’s so easy to end up with melted butter when using the microwave. I used softened room-temp butter and chilled the dough for one hour before baking in the refrigerator. I had no issues with stickiness.
as it’s so easy to end up with melted butter when using the microwave. = that is sooooo true! If I cheat and forget to set my butter out to soften and then am forced to nuke it, I can sometimes get it just right, but sometimes, even 1 extra second can make it too runny and yes, totally agree that could and will contribute to soft, sticky dough.
Glad the cookies came out perfect for you and if you never comment but do, then I take that as a big stamp of approval!
do u know how many this recipe makes? I’m having a party and i need about 30 0r more. thx!
It’s listed in the recipe under the yield, but based on your party size, you’d need to make at least a double batch, and possibly a triple batch just to be safe, depending on how big or small you roll them. Happy baking and LMK how they come out!
I made these cookies yesterday, they came out EXACTLY like the picture and they were fantastic! A+++ I prepared 120 of these today for my churches cookie sale this weekend. And its great that I can just leave them in the fridge and bake them tomorrow! What a great fool proof recipe.. I have little experience with baking and they tasted like from a bakery! I wanna give u a hug for posting this!
So glad to hear that you had big time success with these and that you don’t even consider yourself a baker, but anyone who bakes 120 cookies for a church sale is a saint and a baker :)
Happy that you have this recipe now in your arsenal and almost all of my cookie recipes have dough that can be refrigerated for up to 5 days before baking!
I only have bread flower right now– can I substitute? Should I make any other changes to make bread flower work?
You may want to use a few tablespoons less of bread flour than the recipe calls for and play it by ear because it has higher gluten than AP flour and therefore you may need a bit less.
I made the batter for these cookies and they came out WAY too sticky and runny. I added half a cup of flour and they were still unmoldable.
I was supremely disappointed.
I’m sorry that you didn’t have luck and I use King Arthur all-purpose flour and I really think it helps make a difference in certain recipes; maybe give that a try if you try again. Thanks for trying the recipe.
Thanks for the prompt respond. Sorry, I was really frustrated earlier when I couldn’t produce balls from the dough.
I added even more flour and just lumped them on parchment paper on a half baking sheet and put them in the fridge for a few hours.
They came out better after they were chilled.
I’m not sure if the recipe needs more flour to start but that was my opinion of it.
They are in the oven now along with a batch with a different recipe. That recipe called for a bit more flour and they were easier to form. Just looking at them in the oven, they are much more plump than the other recipe I used!
Just providing a bit of feedback, thanks for the recipe!
Joe
Lots of people have made the recipe with great success and I have made it many times and have always had great luck. If you read the comments there’s lots of glowing praise for the recipe, as written.
All ovens, climates, ingredients, etc. vary so there are times where what works for one person may not work identically for another given different circumstances – that’s the case with any baking and cooking I’ve found. Hope you enjoy the cookies!
These were amazing pillows of cinnamon goodness! They puffed up perfectly! Only sub I made was dark brown sugar instead of light. Thank you!
Glad they came out great and that the dark brown sugar was fine too!
I told my mom I was gonna make snickerdoodles .Then she was like snicker what? I’m going to bake them now can’t wait to taste them.
Snickerdoodles are my favorite and I’m so glad I found this recipe! I was drawn drawn to it because I was curious what a pillowy center would be like. It’s wonderful, so soft and melts in your mouth! So now I’ve made them 3 times (and hardly ever made cookies before) and I’m making a bunch to give to friends and coworkers as Christmas cookies! I just wanted to pass along a couple of notes on my experiments, for those who are health conscious. I like mine extra cinnamony so I roll them once before chilling and then again right before baking. I also used oat flour once and they were just as good. One time I tried them using half splenda and the dough was very sticky (putting it in fridge for a bit helped with that) and they came out pretty flat and a little crumbly. Although they tasted just as good and still had a nice soft texture.
I like mine extra cinnamony so I roll them once before chilling and then again right before baking = me too!
And interesting about the oat flour and splenda experiments!
I absolutely love these cookies. My coworkers devour them every time I bring them in and people have even said they are better than Mrs Fields! I love all your cookie recipes and it is so fun trying new ones. I like that I can refrigerate the dough at night and bake them fresh in the morning to bring in to work. It’s amazing how much happiness an absolutely delicious cookie can bring someone! Thank you for posting such good recipes that are so easy to follow and so yummy!
Thanks for trying these and sharing with your coworkers! The fact that people have even said they are better than Mrs Fields is such high praise – thank you! And yes, it’s amazing how something so simple as a cookie or something homemade can just make such a difference! Have a great holiday season!
Excited to make these!! Have you tried adding caramels or snickers to it at all? Would I need to change baking time for that?? Wanted to add snickers! The only recipe I can find is Betty Crocker but I prefer to make homemade cookies.
Just add some diced Snickers pieces, and I doubt you’ll have to change the baking time more than 1 minute, if that. I have a Snickers Cookie recipe too here! https://www.averiecooks.com/2013/05/soft-and-chewy-snickers-chocolate-chip-cookies.html
These tasted delicious! But, they came out totally flat for me – why do my cookies always come out flat? They weren’t crispy because I did not overbake them but, they are completely flat. I followed the directions exactly – what causes flat cookies?
Read this post https://www.averiecooks.com/2014/02/the-best-soft-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies.html So many tips from Silpat, chilling the dough, King Arthur flour, all my tips are there. I bet if you change up a few things and follow ALL my tips, you will not have flat cookies anymore.
Glad they tasted great though!
Made a quadruple batch. chilled, and baked a few. Wonderful! I have the rest, balled with a scoop and rolled, waiting in the fridge to bake for tree decorating day tomorrow. These truly are the best snickerdoodles I have ever made.
So glad you love them and that they’re the best you’ve ever made! And way to go with a 4x batch!!
Hi Averie, these look yummy- how are they different to the ones on Food.com? I can’t seem to see what you changed.
I added slightly more vanilla, a thicker cinnamon sugar coating, and the way I cream my ingredients and mix the dough together varies from their recipe but yes, very similar which is why I linked to them. The cookies are wonderful!
Made the recipe with gluten free baking flour (+ xanthan gum) and margarine, and upped the baking time by about two minutes since they still seemed very doughy. They came out very soft and pillowy and flavorful, definitely the best snickerdoodle recipe I’ve found so far! Thank you. :)
Glad to hear that GF baking flour plus some XG did the trick! With oven variances, climates, different flours, etc. baking times can always vary. I’m glad you told me you had success with doing these GF and the best recipe you’ve found!
Omgeez sooo good!
Glad you like them!
Could i use margarine instead of butter?
I wouldn’t do it. It doesn’t bake the same and cookies could become very flat as well as lack real buttery flavor.
Ok thank you i guess ill just have to wait for my butter to soften!
5 to 10 seconds in the microwave on a paper towel. DONE.
I made these last night. Having one now with my coffee. They are great! Mine didn’t come out exactly like your photos. I think I must have flattened them just a bit too much. I also used an insulated cookie sheet, and found that I had to increase the baking time to get them baked through. Like someone posted above, I too had pretty sticky dough. I was unwilling to add more flour, so I simply wet my hands and that worked perfectly! Next time, I’ll leave them more ball shaped and use a regular sheet pan. GREAT recipe. Thanks!
Insulated cookie sheets are tempermental in my experience. Sometimes they work great, other times not as much. For these I would just use a regular baking sheet like you said and not flatten quite as much but sounds like they came out great!
Can I use salted butter if that’s all I have and just omit the 1/4 teaspoon of salt?
Perfect – go for it!
Thank you so much for replying you have no idea how bad I want to make these :) yay!
I made these last night and all I had was salted butter. I did just as you suggest and left out the salt. They came out great!
That’s great!
I had to stop back and tell you about this-
I’ve recently married a German and we’re currently residing in Germany. An American couple nearby delightfully invited us along with several German friends for thanksgiving. I wanted to make pumpkin cookies but this country had other ideas (no canned pumpkin, don’t yet own a blender). So I thought okay, snickerdoodkes. I picked your recipe because it’s the first one I found without shortening, which I also can’t get here.
Well, Germans don’t know what they are (are they sweet? Are they for the main meal or after? Are they for breakfast?) and they think I’m making up the name, but oh my goodness they lost their freaking minds over these cookies. They were the only item we didn’t have leftovers of and everyone wanted the recipe. I had people telling me two or three times each how good they were.
So thank you so much for the wonderful recipe!
Looooove stories like this! First, thanks for trying the recipe in lieu of pumpkin pie. From pumpkin pie to snickerdoodles, hey, whatever works when you’re living abroad and can’t get the ingredients you’re used to! Glad that everyone was going nuts over the cookies with the funny name and telling you how good they were and wanted the recipe. Wow, that’s awesome! Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving!
Just made these cookies and they are FANTASTIC! I doubled the recipe and instead of yielding 28 cookies, I made slightly over 40 small/medium cookies. No complaints there! But just a warning ;)
Be generous in rolling the dough in the granulated sugar and cinnamon toppings. the more cinnamon / sugar you put on the dough, the tastier it is.
One Little Note: I chilled the dough for an hour and when I baked the cookies for 9 minutes (as stated in the recipe), the dough still wasn’t fully baked through. I had to bake the cookies for around 15 minutes in order for it to really pillow / plump up. They are incredibly soft and yummy.
Thanks for the recipe! I shall be using this recipe again to make another batch of cookies in December! :)
All ovens vary and glad you found the right time in yours, given your climate, dough, etc. And I totally agree to be generous is rolling :) Glad you love them!!
I just tried making these and was super excited. But sadly my dough turned out to sticky to roll.. I don’t know what I did wrong. I added more flour a little over 1/4 cup.. But still didn’t help. An ymore suggestions to save my cookies?
Add another 1/4 of flour or so, enough so it’s not crazy sticky. Then pop the bowl in the freezer for 15 mins. Remove. Then roll into balls an refrig those balls for at least 3+ hours (or overnight or up to 5 days) before baking. And bake them off. I think you’ll be fine!
I just made these and followed your instructions exactly! My goodness, they came out amazing! Just perfect! I was skeptical when I pulled them out of the oven after 9 minutes because they looked far too underdone! But I had faith and did not overbake them. <3
Glad you had faith at 9 minutes and they came out beautifully for you! That’s great to hear!
These were my “snow day” cookies yesterday. I was in the mood for a blast from the past. Turned out great for me, both taste-wise as well as being soft and puffy. Interesting that you had so many commenters on this recipe who struggled with flat cookies. I confess I use Gold Medal flour, not King Arthur, but they still turned out great. I would probably add a touch more cream of tartar next time to get more “tang” but that’s just a personal taste quirk.
I know you’re a major Cream of T fan because I remember one of my older snickerdoodle recipes doesn’t have it included, and you didn’t make those for that very reason! I remember you telling me that.
Glad these came out great for you in terms of texture, thickness, and flavor, and that your flour worked out just fine…love hearing success stories! :)
Hi there :) you cookies look heavenly Nomnommnom. Do you know if they would be okay to flatten before baking and use a cookie cutter?
Hmmmm….in 90% of my cookie recipes, they’re naturally pretty thick and hearty enough that I would say sure! But these, these are a more delicate, and slightly thinner cookie dough base to begin with, but I say go for it! BUT don’t roll them too thin. I would definitely error on the thicker side so that when they bake they don’t spread too thin and DEFINITELY chill the dough before baking after you get the shapes rolled out. A pain, I know, but I think it will really save them from flattening too much. Please LMK how it goes!
I make the cookies with two tablespoons worth, like the recipe called for, and it only made nine cookies. Very disappointing that it didn’t make 14 cookies like it said it did. :(
Thanks for trying the recipe and somehow we must be judging our tablespoons differently. I use the cookie scoop linked in the recipe and got 14 but your cookies are probably just a bit larger than mine are. You can make them smaller next time if you want to increase the yield; or double the batch.
I just made these, and they are amazing!
Oh that’s awesome to hear, thanks Jennifer!
oh I like it. i shability.
I was so excited to make these for my snickerdoodle loving roommate! Unfortunately when I got to the dough rolling part, the dough was still very sticky and not at all rollable… What did I do wrong? Double and triple checked recipe steps :(
Just add a little more flour, maybe 1/4 cup or so, just until it comes together. Easy fix.
That’s what I thought, thanks!!
Sorry, but these were flat as a pancake! I followed the recipe exactly as it was written. The dough chilled for 3 hours.
My tips for thick, puffy cookies are in this post. King Arthur Flour, Silpat, etc. https://www.averiecooks.com/2014/02/the-best-soft-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies.html
Sorry they were flat for you.
They look great and I love cinnamon! My question may I use self raising flour ? Thank you
No, use all-purpose.
The flavor of these were amazing, but mine turned out flatter than pancakes! What did I do wrong? Followed the recipe to a tee….
Please see this post for (thick) cookie baking tips & tricks. Glad the flavor was amazing! Silpat KAF brand flour, etc. all important for thick cookies!
https://www.averiecooks.com/2014/02/the-best-soft-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies.html
Fyi. Cream of tartar is not a leavener. It is an acid, and when used with baking soda you are essentially creating baking powder.
According to my research, here’s one site (of many) for example, that indicates that yes it is a leavening agent.
http://www.yrm.org/leaveningagents.htm
Great Snickerdoodle recipe! I subbed out the flour (since I’m gluten-free) with Namaste Perfect Flour Blend (same measurements) and they turned out delicious. My hubs loved them too! One problem was that we ate them all in a day…ha!
So happy to hear that they worked using Namaste GF! That’s awesome to hear and glad you loved them!
thank you for sharing Aleisha that you used the Namaste flour blend. I am new to gluten free and I am going to try it too :D
Outstanding yumminess – I put them in the freezer to cool for 30min as we couldn’t wait. Baked for 9 minutes and the centers were under baked..like way under baked. I will prob raise to 11 minutes, seeing as perhaps mine were not pressed down enough.
Ovens, baking time, material of the baking sheets, height of dough balls, etc. yes they all play a role in baking time and a minute or two here or there, it’s hard to always judge down to the exact letter. So yes, just bake until done based on your variables. Glad they were outstanding for you!!
These are classics. I would have to say these look like they stand up to the best categorization!!
Ohhh my goodness… Mrs Field’s… I couldn’t even stop by that corner of our mall! I’d want to get one of everything, and because I’m too indecisive, I usually would and then eat bites of everything until the entire dozen disappeared. You’re right, the snickerdoodles were beyond amazing! Nothing could ever quite compare. But since you’re the queen of cookies, I have no doubt that yours are even better!
Hi Averie, these look delectable. My boss’s fav cookie that I plan to bake for him for his b/day on Wed. I have the cookie balls all rolled and coated and chilling in my cooler. I know they will be rock hard by tomorrow night when I plan to bake them – shall I let them rest at room temp for a bit before baking or is it okay to bake them straight from the fridge? Any tips would be greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance!
I would just take them out of the fridge and set them on the counter, preheat your oven for about 20 minutes, then bake. That should be about perfect! :) You have an extremely lucky boss and hope everyone enjoys these!
Made these today and they are DELCIOUS. Next time I will double, maybe triple, the recipe as it makes a small batch. :) they weren’t as puffy as the photos, so I won’t push them down. Thanks for a great recipe!
Glad you liked them enough to possibly even triple the batch! That’s great to hear!
These ARE the best snickerdoodles. EVER. My husband says so :). But honestly, these are AMAZING. I didn’t refrigerate the dough because I have an impatient husband (okay, I’m impatient when snickerdoodles are involved too) and mine did not flatten too much at all and turned out absolutely perfect and just like your pictures. I don’t like crunchy cookies, only super super soft and chewy. These are it. Thank you so much Averie! Also, I subbed coconut oil for butter and it works out perfect! :)
Glad to hear that subbing coconut oil for butter and not chilling the dough still worked out great for you! So happy you’re both pleased and that you think these are the best, too! :)
I quadrupled the recipe so my kids could take them to school and share. The container came home completely empty and my kids said even the kids who don’t like snickerdoodles devoured them! They were AMAZING!! I did have one issue though. As I was baking the last couple of batches they began to spread out and were quite flat. I did have a casserole in the oven with them at that time so maybe that had something to do with it?? Thanks for this delicious recipe, it’s my new go-to :-)
did you leave the dough on the counter as you baked the cookies? your batter probably warmed up a bit as you baked your cookies, causing them to spread more than the first few. next time, put the dough back in the fridge as each batch bakes!
Great advice, Danielle.
Another reader mentioned that making sure to keep dough refrigerated between batches is key and also that casserole could have been emitting steam and that could have adversely effected the cookies. I find if I am really particular about how I need the cookies to look, I only bake 1 tray at a time, period. Even 2 trays at a time, meh, neither tray looks ‘perfect’. Glad that they were devoured but all the kids!
I would always make snickerdoodles in high school and then stopped – what happened? Let’s bring them back!
OMG! These were amazing! I have made snickerdoodles before. Most of the recipes call for a lot more cream of tartar than your recipe does ( like 2 teaspoons). I always felt that they tasted a little “off ” because of that. Your recipe was perfect! Just for an added bonus, I stuffed an apple cider caramel inside the cookie before I baked them. If you haven’t made apple cider caramels, I highly recommend them…….
Your apple cider caramels sound amazing and no I never have made them, always wanted to, but never have. What a great surprise in the middle! And yes I agree – anymore than about 1 tsp of C of T and it would be too much and make things taste off. Glad you’re happy with my recipe!
I’ve been looking for a good snickerdoodle recipe, thanks!
I love Snickerdoodles, a real classic, aren’t they? Yours look perfect, and it was a real treat to look at all the beautiful cookies you have presented. Only trouble is now I want some! Thank you for the recipe.
These are seriously jaw-droppingly amazing! I think I’ll be making them for our small group on Monday — they will love them!
If you do try them, LMK & enjoy!
MMM I love snickerdoodles!!!!! These look gorgeous!
I LOVE snickerdoodles, and will have to try this recipe!
I have never had a Mrs. Field’s Snickerdoodle, but these cookies look delicious!
Thanks for this recipe. As I was reading your mouth-watering description of these cookies, I was sure the recipe was going to be one with your “magic ingredient” cornstarch. So it must be the chilling that keeps the cookies soft. For those who don’t know, baking powder is a combination of baking soda & COT (a byproduct of wine-making) & is the leavener in other snickerdoodle recipes I’ve made. I’ve used COT for stabilizing egg whites when whipping them, so it’s something good to have on hand. I have saved a tiny metal KROGER can of COT that was my mom’s for nostalgia – I have a fresher jar for baking.
These really do look like the BEST snicker doodles ever!!
These definitely look like the best Averie! And perfect! I love the shape, the size, the colors – everything! Pinned :)
Thanks for the compliments & pin!
I can see why you are calling them the best. The look so puffy and soft. Love it!
Pinned.
Happy Friday Averie!
Thanks for the compliments & pin!
Snickerdoodles are my all time favorite! You can tell how perfect these are just by looking at them. SO jealous right now :P
I’m always insanely jealous after leaving your site with your gorgeous food, trust me!! :)
Under baked cookie in a too cool! Quick and easy breakfast buffet for travel.
I haven’t made snickerdoodles in eons, going to have to make them again, I always head toward chocolate when I make cookies!
Snickerdoodles! I always forgot about snickerdoodles. Then I stumble upon them again and remember how amazing they are! Thanks for the reminder :)
The purpose of cream of tartar (in MY household, anyway) is for making snickerdoodles! I have to confess, I checked out your other snickerdoodle recipe and thought, nope, I gotta have that slighly tart taste or it just isn’t “snickerdoodley” but THIS! THIS sounds like pure gold.
Well I’m glad that these look good enough to you to hopefully make! LMK what you think if you do!
The others looked good, too–just not my idea of a snickerdoodle–the great thing about baking is the ability to tweak ingredients to your liking.
Just put the dough in the fridge to chill… I can hardly wait!
YAY! Please LMK what you think!!!
Delicious! I’m going to take share some at work tomorrow. Thanks for another great recipe!
So glad you’re pleased and you have lucky co-workers!
I always have to walk quickly pass Mrs. Fields…or run, so I am not tempted. They have the BEST snickerdoodles. These look amazing. I am a cinnamon fiend as well, so I need to try the other recipe you linked too.
Omg Averie I have never seen snickerdoodles so fluffy!! These look so good!
I seriously love snickerdoodles (okay I seriously love any cookie :), but THESE do look perfect! So soft and thick!
I have never made (or even tried) snickerdoodles before.. you have definitely inspired me to make this recipe – i think i have been missing out on something delicious!
My grandma always made snickerdoodles for us growing up and they were one of my favorites. They never lasted more than a day, so I don’t know if they would’ve not been as fresh after a couple of days:) They definitely weren’t as puffy as yours though. What a beautiful cookie!
Thanks for the compliments, Heather!
Yum. I’ve always been a little hesitant to reach for snickerdoodles, the ones I have had have always been too crunchy and not soft enough for me! I’ll have to try these out, they look very trustworthy! Pinned!
Thanks for pinning and I promise, I’m NEVER a crunchy cookie girl and these are super soft :)
Pillowy centers are the trademark for snickerdoodles! That, and the cinnamon and sugar all over your fingers afterwards. :)
I had so much cinn/sugar on my fingers after rolling these, too. Talk about sticky fingers :)
Snickerdoodles are the best, these look so pillowy and perfect!
Underbaked cookies are my favorite! These look seriously perfect. I want some with a mug of tea and a good book NOW :)
Underbaked is the ONLY way :)
Some homemade biscuit recipes use cream of tartar too.
These are a favorite in my house! The recipe I usually use doesn’t have brown sugar, I can’t wait to try it! Thanks for sharing!
Your snickerdoodles look so soft and perfect Averie! All that cinnamon goodness – yum! Pinned, of course :)
Thanks for pinning, Trish!
Snickerdoodles are definitely one of my all time favorite cookies, especially in the fall. I’m definitely going to have to try the tip about cream of tartar! These cookies look like the perfect texture!
As much as I resist buying a container for one recipe, it’s totally worth it!
Mmm these cookies look so soft and chewy! And I have such a weakness for cinnamon – my fav spice! Pinned!
Thanks for pinning!
These look so good! I just want to put my hand through my computer screen to grab the whole batch. pinned!
Thanks for pinning!
fall always makes me think of snickerdoodles, I think it’s a cinnamon thing – as always these look to die for Averie
YUUUMM!! I made snickerdoodles, this past weekend too – my husband goes gaga over them, I’ve got to give this recipe a try. There’s something so comforting about the mixing of sugar and cinnamon!!
The Mrs. Fields Gold Standard! When you said that my mouth watered and I could taste them. I need these in my life!! Pinned!
Thanks for pinning and glad you can relate to the Mrs. Fields gold standard. If I could turn back the hands of time and have 1990 metabolism along with some 1990 super buttery Mrs Fields cookies in a mall food court, I would be super happy :)
I remember my Mrs. Field’s days. Good times. Now I make my own cookies though, just like you.
These definitely look like the best Snickerdoodles! So super puffy!
Glad you remember Mrs Fields and thanks for saying these look like the best :)
Mmm these look amazing! Chewy outside with soft inside = absolute perfection I love how thick the center is ;-) PINNED!
Thanks Michele for pinning & the compliments!
I discovered your blog this morning (through Joanne Eats Well with Others) and am so glad I did! Love this post and looking forward to reading more.
I somehow never think of baking snickerdoodles. When I’m in the mood for cookies, I always think chocolate. But the few times I’ve made them, I really enjoyed them! Thanks for sharing. Bookmarking this to try soon.
Thanks for finding me and hope you enjoy the recipes!
I didn’t know that Mrs. Field’s sold snickerdoodles! I’ve only had and seen their chocolate chip cookies. But I agree, I good snickerdoodle is hard to come by, and these look amazing!
Oh yeah, and don’t even start! They are soooo addicting. But then again, so were these cookies :)
We love snickerdoodles! It’s my Hubby’s favorite cookie! These look fantastic, Averie! Pinned!
Love that factoid! And thanks for pinning!
I rarely chill cookie dough, but after looking at the thickness of these snickerdoodles, I think I’m going to stop ignoring that step from now on.
These look absolutely snarfable– perfect for post-swimming suit season!
absolutely snarfable = totally!
And you CANNOT skip dough chilling in any recipe if you want thick, full, non-skimpy cookies. It’s just NIGHT and DAY! Promise it’s worth it!
I’m also a sucker for snickerdoodles – these look great! But does anybody know why they are called… snickerdoodles?! There must be a story behind that!
Ive googled it before and now I can’t remember either!
Another yummy classic!! The golden yellow color inside makes them look buttery. Cream of tartar–that stuff I use maybe every few years if I make meringue. I didn’t realize it was used in snickerdoodles. I should pass this on to my sister–she doesn’t have my sweet tooth but this is the one cookie she does like!
Your sister doesn’t have a sweet tooth? Lucky girl :) And funny, most people I know who don’t have sweet teeth, they always tend to like snickerdoodles! And yes, cream of tartar is the classic leavener here. I use it so infrequently as well that I bought a new bottle just in case for this recipe. So now I have like a 1 cup size bottle that I will use 1 tsp from before it expires. LOL
“Soft, slightly chewy, pillowy little puffs of goodness that I can’t stay away from” Well…that makes two of us. These really do look like the BEST Averie! Can’t wait to try them! Pinned!
Thanks for pinning and glad you think they look like the best, too :)
As a kid I loved cinnamon toast crunch cereal because of all the cinnamon and sugar goodness as an adult I can’t start my day with a bowl of sugar but these beauties have all that cinnamon and sugar I love just in portion control form..luv these.
Cinn Toast Crunch…oh boy, love it. I honestly buy a box once a year or every year or two and just eat it dry by the handful. So crunchy, and so….GOOD. Processed foods, gotta love em sometimes :)
These definitely look like you perfected them. Nice work!
Thanks, Maryea!
My local mall’s Mrs. Fields closed about a year ago. It was super devastating.
But I can make these now and be happier! They look so thick and perfect!
You know, a lot of them are closing lately. Maybe people are getting healthier? Nah. Fast food biz is booming. But maybe people don’t justify $2-3 cookies? But still cheaper than Starbucks so who knows but I have noticed that in the past 5-10 years, there are less of them.
How did you know that snickerdoodles are my ultimate weakness?! You know I’m not a chocolate fan so snickerdoodles are my go-to cookie. And these certainly look so puffy and fluffy!
You know I am super picky about desserts after all these years, like I am the worst critic, especially of my own food, and I loved these thing! I wish I could have donated the batch to you – I need to remember that you’re a fan!
What do you do with all the desserts you make?
Eat some, donate the rest to anyone who wants something. My neighbors, friends, family, etc. are well fed :)