Snickerdoodle cookies are my all-time favorite cookie. They even beat out chocolate chip cookies, in my opinion. Some people think they are just sugar cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar. Not true! They are much more than that. They are thicker, pillowy soft, a tiny bit tangy, and not too sweet. They are perfection and you will wish you made more.
Recipe Source: Family recipe passed down from my mother-in-law.
Classic snickerdoodle cookies that are pillowy soft perfection
Cookie Dough
Coating
Makes approximately 32 cookies
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Below you will find tips and tricks to help achieve the best results possible! This is the best snickerdoodle recipe and always gets rave reviews.
Cream of tartar – a dry powder that can be found in the spice aisle. Cream of tartar reacts with the baking soda in the recipe and helps the cookies to rise. It also gives the cookies a slightly acidic tangy flavor.
Margarine – I don't bake with margarine often, but it is required in this recipe. Butter will cause the cookies to spread too much, but margarine reduces the spread and results in a thicker cookie. You want to use sticks of margarine, such as Imperial or Blue Bonnet. Do not use margarine from a tub.
Cinnamon - use ground cinnamon for this recipe. Cinnamon from a jar works fine or you can grind cinnamon sticks.
Mixer (stand mixer or a hand-held mixer)
Baking sheet
Cookie scoop, optional
Once the flour is added, mix until just combined. Overmixing will result in a tougher cookie.
Use a cookie scoop for more uniform cookie sizes. I used two scoops from a #50 cookie scoop. I rolled the scoops together to form one 2-inch dough ball. The dough balls weighed between 35-40 grams each.
Flatten the dough balls slightly. If you press down too hard, the sides of the dough balls will crack.
While one tray of cookies is baking, continue to roll the dough balls and coat them in cinnamon sugar. This will save time.
Don't overbake the cookies. If they are overbaked, the snickerdoodles won't be as soft as intended. It can be hard to tell if the cookies are done, but you want them to be slightly golden brown. The color is subtle and hard to see due to the cinnamon sugar coating. I often bake two or three cookies first to test the baking time and make sure the cookies are cooked all the way through.
If you prefer a snickerdoodle cookie recipe with more spice, you can increase the amount of cinnamon in the coating to 1 1/2 teaspoons.
Review
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