The classic cinnamon-sugar cookie, these snickerdoodles are crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.
The holidays just aren’t right without cookies. Everyone has their favorites, and while you know I’m partial to molasses cookies, these snickerdoodles are a VERY close contender. Just look at that crunchy cinnamon sugar!
Christmas felt a little weird this year, as Brian and I are traveling all over New Zealand for two weeks! We promised ourselves years ago that we would travel to New Zealand for our 30th birthdays, and we actually made it happen (albeit a few months late). We’re huge Lord of the Rings fans so seeing all the filming locations from the movies in person is beyond amazing. LOTR aside, New Zealand is absolutely beautiful!
Since it’s summer right now in NZ, it’s been a little strange seeing all the “snowy” Christmas decorations next to ads for Christmas beach houses, but it’s a fun change of pace from the usual hibernation of the holidays.
We actually spent Christmas day hiking near Mt. Cook in the blazing summer sun, and ended the day with a traditional British Christmas dinner at our hotel. It’s all about the contrasts.
Before we left, though, I had the chance to get in the Christmas spirit a little early with these snickerdoodles, thanks to Nielsen-Massey’s holiday flavors bundle. They very kindly sent me samples of their bourbon vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and almond extract to try in holiday cookie recipes.
I decided to use the bourbon vanilla for the snickerdoodles, as it’s a key component of the classic snickerdoodle flavor. I honestly love this extract and use it all the time in my baking.
Quality is important when it comes to vanilla extracts, as they aren’t all created the same – especially when it’s the shining flavor of the recipe.
Even though Christmas is behind us, I think the humble snickerdoodle is appropriate any time of year. It’s a classic vanilla sugar cookie rolled in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar, and baked until crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside.
No bells and whistles, nothing too fancy. You don’t even need to chill the dough for this one! Hallelujah.
The keys to perfect snickerdoodles:
- Use cream of tartar. Not baking powder – cream of tartar. I know, it’s annoying to buy it, but it’s the main rising agent in snickerdoodles and the distinctive flavor will not be present otherwise.
- Whisk your dry ingredients together before mixing into the wet. This incorporates the ingredients more evenly with less stirring required once that flour goes in. Less mixing = better cookies.
- Roll evenly sized balls of dough for uniform cookies. I like to make them about 1 inch in diameter (I actually use a small cookie scoop to form them all evenly).
- Put the cinnamon and sugar in a ziplock bag and shake the cookie balls in it, rather than individually rolling them. They get evenly coated in way less time (and less mess).
Sometimes the simplest things truly are the best.
Follow these tips and you’ll be making the best snickerdoodles in no time. They’re one of my favorites and this recipe makes a bunch, even though it doesn’t call for a huge amount of ingredients!
They’re perfect for parties or those Christmas cookie boxes you’re still giving out – and they stay fresh for a few days, which is always a bonus (and not a given) with cookies.
They’re even perfect for a hot New Zealand summer’s day. Happy holidays!
The classic cinnamon-sugar cookie, these snickerdoodles are crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. No chilling needed!
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (1 stick)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
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Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
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In a large bowl, using a stand mixer with paddle attachment or a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together at high speed until fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla on medium speed until fully combined.
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Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until the dough just comes together and is evenly mixed.
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Roll dough into 1-inch diameter balls. I do this by scooping the dough using a small cookie scoop, then rolling it smooth with my hands.
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Place the 2 tbsp sugar and 1.5 tsp cinnamon in a small plastic bag, and add the cookie dough balls one by one, shaking to coat in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place each coated ball on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart (they spread more than you think!).
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Bake cookies for 8 minutes. Let cool completely before serving.
Thank you to Nielsen-Massey for sending me the vanilla extract I used in this recipe. All opinions are my own!
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