Maybe you’ve had soft and chewy cookies before, but you’ve never had a Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodles recipe like this. When I make a cookie, it has to be soft. Biting into a soft and chewy cookie is probably one of the best things in the world. I’m going to show you how to make these cookies. You can make them any time of the year, and they’ll be delicious for any occasion. My grandkids really enjoy making these cookies with me! So, let’s get started with making them. The secret is the creamy butter; there’s no shortening in this recipe.
What are snickerdoodles?
Snickerdoodles are classic American sugar cookies rolled in a cinnamon-sugar mixture before baking, giving them their signature crinkled tops and irresistible sweet-spiced coating. Unlike plain sugar cookies, snickerdoodles get their tender, pillowy texture from cream of tartar, a secret ingredient that adds a gentle tang and keeps every bite soft. They’re one of the easiest, most crowd-pleasing cookies you can make, and they’ve been a staple in family kitchens for generations. Best of all, kids love helping roll the dough balls in cinnamon sugar, making this a true bake-together recipe.
These cookies don’t take many ingredients, which is really nice! I love baking, but it’s hard to bake when there are a ton of ingredients involved. If you want to be lazy and use a few ingredients, go with this cookie recipe. Whether you take these cookies to a potluck or make them for a special family or neighborhood occasion, you can’t go wrong. In case you missed this post, Soft Cream Cheese Frosted Sugar Cookies
Kitchen Items Needed
- Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer (Costco has a great buy on them for Mother’s Day 2026)
- Cookie Sheets
- Parchment Paper
- Cookie Scoop
- Spatula for Cookies
Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe
The ingredients
Every ingredient in a snickerdoodle plays a specific role in creating that perfect chewy texture and warm, spiced flavor. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need and why each one matters.
Butter, softened
Butter is the rich, creamy foundation of these cookies. Using a full cup gives the dough incredible flavor and a melt-in-your-mouth quality. It’s important that your butter is truly softened to room temperature, not melted, not cold, so it creams smoothly with the sugar to create a light, fluffy base that bakes up with perfectly crispy edges and a tender center.
White Granulated sugar
White sugar does double duty in this recipe. In the dough, it sweetens and helps the cookies spread to just the right thickness. A portion also goes into the cinnamon-sugar coating that every snickerdoodle is famous for. Don’t be shy when rolling; a generous coat is what gives these cookies their signature crunch on the outside and soft chew on the inside.
Eggs
Eggs provide structure, richness, and moisture to the dough. Two whole eggs give the cookies just enough body to hold their shape while baking, without making them dry or cakey. They also help bind all the ingredients together into a smooth, cohesive dough that’s easy to roll into balls and coat evenly.
Cream of tartar
This is the ingredient that separates a true snickerdoodle from a plain cinnamon sugar cookie. Cream of tartar is an acidic leavening agent that reacts with baking soda to give the cookies a gentle lift and a subtle, distinctive tang. Perhaps most importantly, it’s what keeps snickerdoodles beautifully soft and chewy rather than crispy. Do not skip it!
Baking soda
Baking soda works hand in hand with the cream of tartar to make the cookies puff up slightly as they bake. Together, these two leavening agents create just the right amount of rise, enough to give the cookies a light, tender texture without making them fluffy or cakey. Make sure your baking soda is fresh for the best results.
Salt
A small amount of salt might seem insignificant in a sweet cookie recipe, but it plays a crucial balancing role. Salt enhances and deepens all the other flavors in the dough, making the sweetness taste more complex and the butter more pronounced. Without it, the cookies can taste flat or one-dimensional.
Vanilla extract
Vanilla extract adds warmth, depth, and a subtle floral aroma that rounds out the cookie’s flavor. It pairs beautifully with the cinnamon and butter to create that cozy, bakery-style fragrance that fills your kitchen as these cookies bake. Use pure vanilla extract if you can — the difference compared to artificial vanilla is well worth it.
All-purpose flour or Bread Flour
Flour provides the structure that holds everything together. The amount here is carefully balanced — enough to give the cookies shape and prevent excessive spreading, but not so much that they become dense or dry. Measure by spooning flour into the measuring cup and leveling it off rather than scooping directly from the bag, which can pack in too much and result in tough cookies.
Cinnamon-sugar coating
No snickerdoodle is complete without its signature cinnamon-sugar roll. To make the coating, combine 2 tablespoons of white sugar with 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon in a small shallow bowl. This simple mixture is what gives snickerdoodles their beautifully spiced, sparkly crust and that warm, slightly crunchy exterior that contrasts so perfectly with the soft, chewy center. When rolling your dough balls, press them firmly into the mixture and turn to coat every side generously; the more evenly coated the dough ball, the more gorgeous and evenly spiced your finished cookie will be.
Why this recipe works
The magic of a great snickerdoodle is all about the balance of fat, leavening, and acid. A full cup of softened butter creates a rich, spreadable dough that bakes up with slightly crispy edges and a gloriously chewy middle. The cream of tartar and baking soda work together to create the perfect lift and tang, and rolling the dough balls generously in cinnamon sugar is what delivers that iconic sparkly, spiced crust. This is also a wonderfully family-friendly recipe; kids absolutely love rolling the dough balls, making it a perfect weekend baking project for all ages.
Tips for perfect snickerdoodles
Make sure your butter is properly softened, not melted, so it creams light and fluffy. Don’t overbake: snickerdoodles are done when the edges are just set, and the centers still look slightly underdone; they’ll firm up as they cool. For extra-thick and chewy cookies, refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes before rolling. Always use fresh cream of tartar; an old jar can affect both rise and texture.
Step One: Gather Ingredients – Preheat Oven
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Place a sheet of parchment paper on your cookie sheet or grease it with vegetable spray.
Step Two: Cream Ingredients
Cream the butter, sugar, eggs, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and vanilla.
Step Three: Add Flour & Mix
Add the flour and mix thoroughly.
Step Four: Make Sure The Ingredients Are Fully Mixed
This is what it looks like when you are ready to make the one-inch balls of cookie dough.
Step Five: Scoop into Cookie Balls
I use a cookie scoop to make the cookie balls about 1 inch in diameter. Roll the cookie balls in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. You can make the cookies a bit darker by using more cinnamon. Here’s my cookie scoop: Purple Cookie Scoop and my Cookie Spatula
Step Six: Bake
Bake for 10 minutes at 375°F (190°C). Don’t over-bake. Cool on a cooling rack.
Final Product
Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe
Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
- 1 cup of butter softened
- 1-1/2 cups white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-3/4 cups white flour (I use bread flour)
- Cinnamon-Sugar Coating: 3-6 teaspoons cinnamon with 1/2 cup of white sugar (stir until mixed). I used 6 teaspoons of cinnamon today.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Place a sheet of parchment paper on your cookie sheet or grease it with vegetable spray.
- Cream the butter, sugar, eggs, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and vanilla.
- Add the flour and mix thoroughly. I use a cookie scoop to make the cookie balls about 1 inch in diameter.
- Roll the cookie balls in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake for 10 minutes. Do not over-bake.
Frequently asked questions
Can I freeze snickerdoodle dough? Absolutely. Roll the dough into balls before coating, freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a zip-lock bag for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, roll in cinnamon sugar and bake from frozen, adding 2–3 extra minutes to the bake time.
What if I don’t have cream of tartar? In a pinch, replace the cream of tartar and baking soda with 2 teaspoons of baking powder. The cookies will still taste great, but the texture and flavor will be slightly different; you’ll lose some of that classic tang.
How do I keep snickerdoodles soft after baking? Store them in an airtight container at room temperature with a slice of white bread inside. The bread releases moisture, keeping the cookies soft and chewy for up to 5 days. They also freeze beautifully once baked.
Can I make these gluten-free? Yes, a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend works well here. The texture may be slightly more delicate, but the flavor and chewiness hold up beautifully.
Sugar Cookies (Copycat Famous Cookies)
Final Word
Do you love making cookies as much as I do? I love teaching my grandkids how to measure, mix, scoop, and bake cookies. It’s one more way to teach them how to cook from scratch. This recipe originally called for 1 cup of shortening, but I swapped it for butter. Butter makes your cookies like bakery-grade cookies. Now, if you like a crispy Snickerdoodle, I would stick with the shortening. I love a soft and chewy cookie. These taste just like a famous Snickerdoodle cookie made in Southern Utah for a fraction of the price. May God bless this world, Linda
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