Easy Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe

I’m sharing a Quick Snickerdoodle Cookies recipe that skips cream of tartar and chilling. Made with all purpose flour, unsalted butter, eggs, vanilla, and a simple cinnamon sugar for rolling, it uses pantry staples to produce a classic snickerdoodle. Quick to mix and consistently reliable, it’s my go to for last minute baking.

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I wasn’t trying to make the perfect snickerdoodle, just a cookie you can bake after work without fuss, but these turned out way better than I expected. This Easy Snickerdoodle Cookies version skips cream of tartar and chilling, yet still gives a soft, cakey bite with that cozy cinnamon crust.

The dough comes together fast with 2 1/2 cups (312 g) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 tablespoons cornstarch and a stick of 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened, plus 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar and 1/2 cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar. I toss each ball in 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar plus 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon before baking.

If you like Quick Snickerdoodle Cookies or Homemade Snickerdoodles this is a keeper. It’s a really easy cookie recipe that feels a little unexpected, like a Homemade Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe with a secret trick you’ll want to use again and again.

Why I Like this Recipe

1. I like how soft and cakey these cookies are, they practically fall apart in my mouth.
2. I like that it doesnt use cream of tartar so I dont have to hunt for weird ingredients.
3. I like that theres no chill time so I can make them right away when a craving hits.
4. I like the cinnamon sugar roll, it gives just the right amount of spice and a little crunch.

Ingredients

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All-purpose flour: mostly carbohydrates some protein gives structure little fiber mild nutty taste
Unsalted butter: rich in fat adds tenderness and flavor not very healthy in large amounts
Granulated sugar: pure carbs makes cookies sweet boosts browning no vitamins or fiber
Light brown sugar: adds moisture and caramel notes still sugar so eat with care
Eggs: provide protein and structure help bind dough add richness and slight moisture
Cinnamon and sugar: give tangy sweet flavor crackly coating and warm aromatic scent
Cornstarch: tenderizes cookies softens crumb adds slight chew without changing taste much

Ingredient Quantities

- 2 1/2 cups (312 g) all-purpose flour

- 2 teaspoons baking powder

- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

- 2 tablespoons cornstarch

- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened

- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar

- 1/2 cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar

- 2 large eggs

- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

- For rolling: 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar plus 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat, set aside.

2. In a bowl whisk together 2 1/2 cups (312 g) all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt until well combined.

3. In a large bowl cream 1 cup (226 g) softened unsalted butter with 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar and 1/2 cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes with a hand mixer or 4 to 5 minutes with a stand mixer.

4. Add 2 large eggs one at a time, mixing after each, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, scrape the bowl so nothing gets left behind.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and fold gently until just combined, you don’t want to overmix or the cookies will get tough.

6. In a small bowl mix 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar with 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon for rolling.

7. Scoop dough using a
1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop or two spoons, roll into balls, then roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar to coat; place on prepared sheets about 2 inches apart and press each ball down slightly so they flatten a bit.

8. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are set and the centers still look soft, don’t wait for them to brown much or they will lose that soft cakey texture.

9. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days, or freeze for longer.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (set to 350°F / 177°C)
2. 2 baking sheets (or more if making larger batches)
3. Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
4. Large mixing bowl
5. Medium or small mixing bowl (for cinnamon sugar)
6. Whisk (for dry ingredients)
7. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer (or a sturdy wooden spoon if mixing by hand)
8. Rubber or silicone spatula (bowl scraper)
9. Measuring cups (cup measures) and measuring spoons
10. Kitchen scale (for weighing grams, optional but recommended)
11. 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop (or two spoons for shaping)
12. Small bowl (for rolling dough in cinnamon sugar)
13. Wire cooling rack
14. Oven mitts or pot holders
15. Airtight container or freezer bag for storing leftovers

FAQ

Q: Why does this recipe use both baking powder and baking soda? A: The baking powder gives most of the lift so the cookies are puffy, while the little bit of baking soda helps browning and a touch of chewiness by reacting with the brown sugar. Together they make a soft, slightly crinkly snickerdoodle, not flat and greasy.

Q: What’s the cornstarch for and can I skip it? A: Cornstarch tenderizes the dough and helps the cookies stay soft and cakey, it also slows spreading. You could skip it but the texture will be a bit firmer and more cookie-like, not as pillowy.

Q: How do I get soft cookies instead of crisp ones? A: Pull them out when edges are set but centers still look a bit underdone, they keep baking on the sheet and stay soft. Use the cornstarch, don’t overbake, chill dough a bit so they dont flatten too much, and store airtight once cooled.

Q: Do I need to chill the dough? A: Not required, you can bake right away, but chilling 30 to 60 minutes makes the cookies thicker, concentrates the flavor, and reduces spread. If you chill longer let dough come back to workable temperature for a few minutes before rolling.

Q: Can I make substitutions like butter, eggs, or gluten free? A: Use real butter for best flavor, margarine or melted butter will change spread and texture. For one egg you can try 1/4 cup applesauce or a commercial egg replacer but cookies will be softer and slightly different. For gluten free use a cup-for-cup blend and maybe add 1 tbsp extra cornstarch for tenderness.

Q: How should I store or freeze these cookies? A: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temp up to 4 or 5 days, add a slice of bread to keep them soft. Freeze baked cookies in a single layer then bag for up to 3 months. You can also freeze raw dough balls on a tray, then transfer to a bag and bake straight from frozen adding 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time.

Easy Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All-purpose flour (2 1/2 cups / 312 g): swap with a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose blend by weight (312 g), you’ll get slightly more crumbly cookies; or use whole wheat pastry flour same weight but add 1-2 tbsp extra liquid since it soaks up more.
Unsalted butter (1 cup / 226 g): use salted butter same amount and cut the added salt; or solid coconut oil 1:1 by weight for a dairy-free option, dough will spread more so chill it before baking.
Granulated sugar (1 cup / 200 g): swap with coconut sugar 1:1 for a deeper caramel note; or use turbinado/raw sugar for the rolling mix to add a pleasant crunch.
Light brown sugar (1/2 cup / 110 g): make a quick brown sugar by mixing 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 tbsp molasses (use 1/2 cup of that for this recipe); or use dark brown sugar same amount for chewier, more molasses flavor.
Eggs (2 large): replace each egg with 1 tbsp ground flaxseed plus 3 tbsp water (mix and rest 5 mins) for a vegan swap, cookies will be a bit denser; or use 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce per egg for moisture, expect a slightly cakier texture.

Pro Tips

1) Weigh your flour if you can, its the biggest reason cookies turn out dry. If you dont have a scale, fluff the flour, spoon it into the cup then level it off with the back of a knife. Dont scoop straight from the bag or youll pack in too much.

2) Chill or freeze the scooped dough before baking. Cold dough spreads less, so the cookies stay soft and cakey. You can freeze the balls on a tray, pop them in a bag and bake straight from frozen, just add a minute or two to the bake time.

3) Keep mixing gentle. Once you add the dry stuff stop beating, fold until mostly combined. Overworking the dough makes gluten, which gives tough cookies not soft cakey ones. Scrape the bowl so no pockets of flour hide in there.

4) Use an oven thermometer and watch visual cues not the clock. Look for edges that are set while the center still looks a little underdone, thats when they stay soft after cooling. Also rotate your pans halfway through and let cookies rest on the sheet a few minutes before moving them to a rack so they finish setting without drying out.

Easy Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe

Recipe by Francis Mead

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

servings

Calories

184

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (set to 350°F / 177°C)
2. 2 baking sheets (or more if making larger batches)
3. Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
4. Large mixing bowl
5. Medium or small mixing bowl (for cinnamon sugar)
6. Whisk (for dry ingredients)
7. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer (or a sturdy wooden spoon if mixing by hand)
8. Rubber or silicone spatula (bowl scraper)
9. Measuring cups (cup measures) and measuring spoons
10. Kitchen scale (for weighing grams, optional but recommended)
11. 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop (or two spoons for shaping)
12. Small bowl (for rolling dough in cinnamon sugar)
13. Wire cooling rack
14. Oven mitts or pot holders
15. Airtight container or freezer bag for storing leftovers

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups (312 g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For rolling: 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar plus 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat, set aside.
In a bowl whisk together 2 1/2 cups (312 g) all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt until well combined.
In a large bowl cream 1 cup (226 g) softened unsalted butter with 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar and 1/2 cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes with a hand mixer or 4 to 5 minutes with a stand mixer.
Add 2 large eggs one at a time, mixing after each, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, scrape the bowl so nothing gets left behind.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and fold gently until just combined, you don’t want to overmix or the cookies will get tough.
In a small bowl mix 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar with 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon for rolling.
Scoop dough using a
5 tablespoon cookie scoop or two spoons, roll into balls, then roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar to coat; place on prepared sheets about 2 inches apart and press each ball down slightly so they flatten a bit.
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are set and the centers still look soft, don’t wait for them to brown much or they will lose that soft cakey texture.
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days, or freeze for longer.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.