Description
Soft, buttery cookies with a gentle tang, rolled in a crackly cinnamon-sugar coating and baked until just set. These snickerdoodles are pillowy in the middle, slightly crisp at the edges, and totally irresistible.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ¾ cups (358 g) all-purpose flour, properly measured
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ¾ cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (310 g) granulated sugar, plus 3 tablespoons reserved for coating
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (for the rolling sugar)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. A darker pan will help the cookies set nicely at the edges.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt; set this dry mix aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with 1 ½ cups sugar until the mixture lightens in color and becomes fluffy — about 2–3 minutes with an electric mixer.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Scrape the bowl once or twice so everything mixes evenly.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and stir just until no streaks of flour remain. Be careful not to overwork the dough.
- Combine the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar with the tablespoon of cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Scoop dough in roughly 1-tablespoon portions (a small cookie scoop works great). Roll each portion into a smooth ball, then roll it thoroughly in the cinnamon-sugar so it’s evenly coated. Arrange the dough balls on the prepared sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 6–8 minutes. The cookies should look set around the edges and still a touch soft in the center — that’s perfect.
- Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2–3 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
- Make-Ahead & Storage
- To make ahead: Wrap the dough tightly in plastic and refrigerate for up to 48 hours. When you’re ready to bake, let it warm until scoopable.
- To freeze dough balls: Shape and coat the balls, freeze them on a tray until firm (3–4 hours), then transfer to a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time.
- Store finished cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or freeze baked cookies (cool first) for up to 3 months.
- Notes & Tips
- For best texture, use room-temperature butter — soft but not greasy.
- Measure flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling it off, or use a kitchen scale for accuracy.
- If you prefer flatter cookies, gently press the dough balls down before baking; for thicker cookies, leave them rounded.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cookie Ball
- Calories: 86
- Sugar: 6.7 g
- Sodium: 57.7 mg
- Fat: 3.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 12.9 g
- Protein: 1.1 g
- Cholesterol: 16.4 mg