These soft and chewy snickerdoodles are easy to make and packed with cinnamon-sugar flavor! Make in one bowl, no mixer required!
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What makes these the best chewy snickerdoodles?
- Soft & chewy! These cookies have a soft and chewy consistency that is reminiscent of your local grocery bakery cookies - just be sure not to overbake them!
- Quick & easy! These snickerdoodles come together quickly, using melted butter (i.e. no softening butter) and mixing by hand (no mixer required!).
- Cinnamon flavor! The cinnamon-sugar coating adds the perfect cinnamon snickerdoodle flavor!
Tips & Ingredient Notes
- Melted butter: Use melted butter, not margarine to avoid a greasy cookie. The melted butter gives these a chewier texture and helps them spread into flatter cookies (which I love!).
- Cream of tartar: Cream of tartar is what makes a "true snickerdoodle" and gives the cookies a tangier flavor and chewier texture. I only use a small amount of cream of tartar in these (as too much makes them a bit dry & cakey), but if you don't have it, you can substitute with ¼ teaspoon baking powder.
- Scoop em' big! Scoop into 3-tablespoon balls (I use this cookie scoop) to get perfectly circled bakery-style cookies and to ensure you get an even bake across your cookies. Trust me, a bigger scoop of dough makes these the best snickerdoodles!
- Don't overbake! Bake the cookies for 10-11 minutes, and remove when just getting brown.
- Use a light metal pan: If you're trying to achieve soft & chewy cookies, you need to use a light metal pan vs. a dark metal pan. The light pan will allow them to bake slower and spread more, while a dark metal pan will bake them faster and result in puffier cookies.
How to Make these Easy Snickerdoodle Cookies:
This is just an overview showing step-by-step photos, click here to jump down to full recipe card with exact instructions.
Step 1: Make Dough
- Melt butter: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter for 20-30 seconds until it is fully melted. You don't want it piping hot, so if it is, stir and allow it to cool for 1-2 minutes.
- Mix dough: Pour butter in a large mixing bowl, then add granulated sugar and brown sugar. Stir with a spatula (not an electric mixer) until combined. Mix in egg and vanilla extract. Next, mix in baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Add in the flour and mix until it all disappears in the dough.
- Make Cinnamon Sugar for Rolling: Lastly, create your cookie's topping. Using a small bowl or paper plate (you will be rolling your dough balls in the mixture), mix together the ground cinnamon and white granulated sugar to create your cookie's topping.
Step 2: Scoop & Roll
Scoop cookie dough out into 3 tablespoon-sized balls (I use this cookie scoop), then roll into balls. Roll the cookie balls into the cinnamon sugar topping mixture, evenly coating the dough, then place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet (I love that Reynolds has these pre-cut parchment sheets available!).
Step 3: Bake
Bake at 350°F for 10-11 minutes, or until edges look set and the center no longer looks wet. Your cookies may look slightly underdone but let them cool on the hot pan and they will continue baking on the hot pan. It's important not to overbake these cookies or they will lose their chewy texture.
Allow them to cool, then enjoy!
Storage & Freezing
Storage: After allowing the cookies to cool, store in an airtight container. For optimal texture, they are best enjoyed within the first 2 days of baking.
Freezing: If making these cookies ahead of time, wrap the cookies in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 1 month. Allow to defrost before enjoying.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Cream of tartar is what makes a "true snickerdoodle" and gives the cookies a tangier flavor and chewier texture. I only use a small amount of cream of tartar in these (as too much makes them a bit dry & cakey), but if you don't have it, you can substitute it with ¼ teaspoon baking powder.
The melted butter & minimal leavening in the dough help make them flat and chewy. The key, though, is to make sure your oven is at 350°F. using an internal oven thermometer (my oven runs hot and anything over 350°F. makes these puff up more!).
If your first tray of cookies puff up, you can flatten the dough balls a bit before baking the next tray. Some main culprits to your cookies baking too puffy are:
- You overmeasured the flour: Be sure to use the spoon & level method when measuring flour; you do not want to pack it in. Too much flour can prevent the cookies from spreading properly.
- Your oven is too hot: I know this sounds silly...but ovens lie! Make sure your oven is at 350°F. using an internal oven thermometer (my oven runs hot and anything over 350°F. makes these puff up more!).
- You baked too long: Overbaking your snickerdoodles can cause them to puff up and be too crunchy. The key is to slightly underbake and then allow them to finish baking with the residual heat of the hot pan.
Soft & Chewy Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick) You will be melting this
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature (you can put in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar see notes below for substitution
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Cinnamon Sugar for Rolling
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Before you begin! If you make this, will you do me a huge favor and leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe? This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the unsalted butter (½ cup, i.e. 1 stick) for 30-60 seconds or until fully melted (you don't want any lumps).
- Add in granulated sugar (¼ cup) and light brown sugar (½ cup) and use a spatula to stir until combined (*do not use a mixer!). Add in egg (1 large) and vanilla extract (2 teaspoons), then mix. Next, mix in baking soda (½ teaspoon), cream of tartar (½ teaspoon), and salt (¼ teaspoon). Add in all-purpose flour (1 ½ cups) and mix just until all the flour disappears into the dough.
- In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar (3 tablespoons) and cinnamon (1 tablespoon).
- Scoop dough into 3-tablespoon-sized scoops (I use this stainless steel cookie scoop!), roll into balls, then coat in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Place on a light metal pan with parchment paper (the light metal will help them spread; dark metal pans will likely result in a puffier cookie).
- Bake at 350 for 10-11 minutes. Do not overbake. The cookies will continue to bake on the hot pan, allowing them to firm up without overbaking.*If your cookies puff up a bit, immediately tap the pan on the counter a few times to help them deflate. You want to do this immediately after removing from the oven. You can also flatten the tops of the dough balls for the next pan to help them spread.
- Allow to cool, then enjoy!
Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe! This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
I liked that the recipe didn't use a mixer, as mine broke, so that was convenient. I also like the way you include the amounts in the step-by-step instructions, so you don't have to keep going back to the ingredients list. It uses simple pantry items most people will already have. The notes were helpful, such as tapping, or smashing them, the cookies came out big, so I tapped the pan, and they turned out perfect, now I know why snickerdoodles have cracks in them! I will double the recipe next time. Thank you! I will be back!
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, Marina! I really appreciate it!
Very yummy! Added an egg yolk and browned butter and these were phenomenal
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Joanna!
Perfect amount of chewy. Great flavor. My go to recipe for snickerdooles.
Yay! Thanks for making these your go-to Snickerdoodles, Meg! Thank you for taking time to leave a review. I appreciate it!
These cookies taste amazing! I may have done something wrong because mine turned out very thin and large. They don’t look great but they taste great!
I'm so glad you enjoyed the Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodle recipe, Terra! You may have done absolutely nothing wrong! It could be your oven temp. You can check it with an internal oven thermometer. You can find them in most grocery stores or on Amazon for around $5.00. The cookies are also a fairly thin, but chewy cookie. So, they don't puff up when baking. Hope this helps! Thanks so much for taking time to leave a review!
Im 14 and an AVID baker, and these were perfect. SO simple and SO tasty and warm <3 I recommend chilling the dough in the fridge for at least a half hour before baking to prevent them from spreading too much! (also easier to roll that way)
I'm glad you liked these, Dolly! Thanks so much for leaving a review!
This recipe is a dream to mix up and the cookies are so delicious! I appreciate that it makes a small batch.
P.S. I'm looking forward to receiving your new cookbook!
I am so glad you loved these cookies, Michelle! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review! I can't wait for you to receive the cookbook:)
These turned out wonderful! And was very easy, especially for someone who is, admittedly, waaay more of a cook than a baker! I've trashed many batches in my time lol I also splashed in some pumpkin pie spice & sea salt to the cinnamon sugar mixture for a little more kick. 10/10!!
I am so glad you loved these. Lauren! Thank you so much for taking time to send a review!
I tried this recipe for the first time and it turned out amazing!!! 10/10 would recommend!!!!
Thank you so much for leaving a review, CJ! I really appreciate it!
Loved this recipe
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Allie! I really appreciate it!
Best cookies ever!
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Ariana! I really appreciate it!
I would rate it extra stars if I could. Followed the recipe (which was easy unlike some recipes) and they are soft chewy and taste so good.
Yay, I'm so glad you love this recipe so much!! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review, Breana! I really appreciate it!
Delicious! We've used this recipe for the past 4 years at Christmas.
Yay, I'm so glad to hear this recipe has become a tradition in your house! Thank you so much for leaving a review, Grace! I really appreciate it!