Mom's Best Snickerdoodle Recipe - A Classic Cookie
I am bias, but my Mom's Snickerdoodles are the absolute best snickerdoodle recipe! There are a few simple steps to making homemade snickerdoodle cookies but overall it is a easy recipe. The best part, this recipe does not require you to chill the dough. You can have the best snickerdoodle cookies in your mouth in about 30 minutes, so that is a major win. I mean honestly, how often do we decide not to make a recipe because we don't seem to have the patience to wait for the dough to chill? Or is that just me? As a cook by nature, my Mom's baking skills have slowly burned into my habits, but patience is the major ingredient I am still missing, which makes this an easy snickerdoodle recipe in my book.
I've said it before, and I will say it again, "my Mom is an amazing baker, just like her father". My brother and me love our Mom's chewy snickerdoodle cookies and this is her recipe. As a child these cookies were such a special treat and my Mom made the best cookies often. I remember being so proud to bring these cookies to my sporting games and school, remember when you could bring sugar to school? It seems like a long time ago, but I guess it actually was. "Hello, 80's kids"! I hope you enjoy my Mom's recipe for these cookies as much as I did as a child and still do, because this classic recipe chewy cookies truly are the best snickerdoodles.
If you have an opportunity to take a moment and make this chewy snickerdoodle recipe, consider making a double batch and freezing some of the dough balls for future snickerdoodle needs. Or save them for your next cookie exchange, because what says "It's the holidays!" more than the quintessential holiday cookie? A perfect snickerdoodle cookie. NOTHING, nothing at all. Okay, maybe tamales, but that's only because I am Mexican. Honeslty, who wouldn't come over for tamales and snickerdoodles? I doubt very few. Now, I think I now have my Christmas dinner already planned; tamales for dinner and snickerdoodles for dessert.
If you have an opportunity to take a moment and make this chewy snickerdoodle recipe, consider making a double batch and freezing some of the dough balls for future snickerdoodle needs.
Save this classic snickerdoodle recipe for your next cookie exchange, because what says "It's the holidays!" more than the quintessential holiday cookie? A perfect snickerdoodle cookie. NOTHING, nothing at all. Okay, maybe tamales, but that's only because I am Mexican.
Honeslty, who wouldn't come over for tamales and snickerdoodles? I doubt very few. Now, I think I have my Christmas dinner planned for this year; tamales for dinner and snickerdoodles for dessert.
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Ingredients
Cookie dough:
- All purpose flour
- Cream of tarter
- Baking soda
- Fine sea salt
- Shortening (I love fairtrade palm, and my mom is all about the butter Crisco)
- Cane sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
Topping (Cinnamon Sugar Mixture):
- Cinnamon
- Cane Sugar
- Cinnamon (depending on personal taste)
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. Sift the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt into a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
- In the large bowl, add the shortening and mix with an electric mixer on medium until the shortening is creamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until it is light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and the vanilla, and beat until the mixure becomes a light pale yellow. Gradually, add the dry sifted dry ingredients and beat just until combined.
- In a small bowl, add sugar and cinnamon and mix until combined.
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Roll the balls into the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Place on an ungreased baking sheet 2 inches apart.
- Bake 12-15 minutes (if you flatten your cookies prior to baking, your cooking time will be more like 8-10 minutes). Cool on wire racks. Enjoy!
Substitutions
I wouldn't make too many substitutions to this recipe but here are a few I know work.
- Shortening: you can use organic palm shortening, butter, crisco, rendered leaf lard or a shortening and butter mixture.
- Sugar: traditionally this recipe calls for white sugar, but we prefer to use organic cane sugar, which works well in this recipe.
- Flour: the only other flour mixture we have used is Cup4Cup from Thomas Kellar. It was a great gluten-free substitute for recipe.
Variations
There are not any variations of this recipe. At least none that I would suggest. This recipe is a classic, a family recipe that is perfect just the way it is. If you do anytype of variation, please let us know. We'd love to hear about in the comments!
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Stand mixer or hand held mixer (really strong hands and a wood spoon work too)
- Wood spoon
- Cookie scoop or spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Baking sheet
- Cooling rack
- Small bowl
- Parchment paper (optional but suggested)
Storage
Let cookies cool to room temperature before storing in an airtight container. The cookies will last up to 4 days on the counter.
You can also make cookies up to step number 4 and then place them on a sheet pan and pop them into the freezer for one hour. Once frozen, place in airtight freezer friendly bag. Return to the freezer, where the cookies can stay for up to three months. To bake extend bake time for 5 to 10 minutes.
Top tip
Take a small glass bottom and dip into cane sugar, light press down on cookie for a flatter snickerdoodle.
FAQ
The secret to achieving perfectly soft and chewy snickerdoodles lies in a few key techniques. First, avoid overmixing the dough, which can make the cookies tough. Second, be sure to roll the cookie dough balls generously in the cinnamon-sugar mixture before baking to give them that classic snickerdoodle coating. Lastly, watch the baking time carefully. You'll want to remove the cookies from the oven when they are just set but still slightly soft in the center. This will ensure that your snickerdoodles stay soft and chewy once they cool.
Snickerdoodles have a unique tangy flavor because of the cream of tartar, which is a key ingredient in the recipe. Cream of tartar not only provides the cookies with their distinct tangy taste but also helps in achieving their soft and chewy texture. It's a crucial element that sets snickerdoodles apart from other cookie recipes.
Mom's Best Snickerdoodle Recipe - A Classic Cookie
Equipment
- 1 Oven
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cup flour
- 2 teaspoon cream of tarter
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shortening I love fairtrade palm, and my mom is all about the butter Crisco
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ - 1 tablespoon cinnamon depending on personal taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. Sift the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt into a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
- In the large bowl, add the shortening and mix with an electric mixer on medium until the shortening is creamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until it is light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and the vanilla, and beat until the mixture becomes a light pale yellow. Gradually, add the dry sifted dry ingredients and beat just until combined.
- In a small bowl, add sugar and cinnamon and mix until combined.
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Roll the balls into the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Place on an ungreased baking sheet 2 inches apart.
- Bake 12-15 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Enjoy!
Video
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]:
Food safety
We sometimes take for a granted that we have years (or decades) of cooking experience, that the average visitor may not. Add to, or remove from, the list below with health and safety tips.
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
Jillian Greenaway
A easy and delicious rainy day treat! When I say easy- I mean it, even without an electric mixer. But the mixer would make it easier. I haven’t baked anything in 7-8 years and these came out flawless and delicious. Highly recommend. No substitutions made.