Snickerdoodles are a classic, soft, and chewy cookie coated in cinnamon sugar. The cookies have a slightly tangy flavor, thanks to a touch of cream of tartar, and their cinnamon coating gives them a warm, comforting taste that’s perfect for any time of year. Whether you're making these for a holiday party, an after-school snack, or just craving something sweet, this easy-to-follow recipe will give you delicious homemade snickerdoodles in no time.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
Add wet ingredients. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined.
Combine. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined.
Prepare cinnamon sugar coating. In a small bowl, mix the 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon together.
Form cookies. Scoop out about 1 tablespoon of dough, roll it into a ball, and then roll the dough ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture until evenly coated. Place the coated dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie.
Bake. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are set, but the centers are still soft. The cookies will continue to bake on the sheet after being removed from the oven.
Cool. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
For extra soft snickerdoodles, slightly underbake the cookies by 1-2 minutes. The cookies will finish setting as they cool. If you like your cookies a bit thicker, refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes before rolling and baking. Double up on the cinnamon sugar coating for a stronger cinnamon flavor.