Mom's Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe | Tastes of Lizzy T (2024)

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The easy recipe for traditional Snickerdoodle Cookies you grew up with. Soft, sweet and tangy, made with shortening or butter.

Table of Contents
  1. About this Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe:
  2. Why is it called a snickerdoodle?
  3. Ingredients
  4. Butter vs Shortening
  5. How to Make Snickerdoodles
  6. Storage Instructions
  7. Easy Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe – 3 Ways Recipe
  8. Love cinnamon? Try our famous cinnamon rolls.
  9. The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes

Over 5 years ago, I shared a unique snickerdoodle recipe made with homemade cinnamon chips. These were meant to be a “bakery style” snickerdoodle cookie that took a little extra time, but was worth it because it was special.

Today I’m going back to my roots and sharing the classic snickerdoodle cookies recipe that has stood the test of time. This is the recipe that grandma made, that my mom made and that we still make every single year, especially during the holidays.

My grandma’s recipe calls for shortening and that is how I prefer to make them, but I’ll share how to make them with butter, plus all of the differences in butter vs shortening.

Mom's Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe | Tastes of Lizzy T (1)

About this Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe:

  • Flavor: Our snickerdoodles have that classic sweet & tangy taste that you know and love. They are rolled in cinnamon and sugar for extra sweetness.
  • Texture: The cookies are extra soft, lightly chewy and stay soft for days. No drying out!
  • Method: If you use shortening, you don’t have to refrigerate the dough. If you choose all butter, refrigerate before baking.

Why is it called a snickerdoodle?

In my reference book, Sugar and Sweets, snickerdoodles are under the Pennsylvania Dutch section, which is actually a combination of 3 groups of immigrants. Snickerdoodles is from German word “schnecknudle” which in English literally means “snail noodles”. However, this popular pastry is more like an American cinnamon roll consisting of rolled yeast dough rather than a cookie.

The exact origin and history of the snickerdoodle is one I’m not sure of. There are stories everything from a tall tale about a hero in the 1900’s to it being just a fun name for a cookie. Who knows. But this recipe has stood the test of time.

Mom's Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe | Tastes of Lizzy T (2)

Ingredients

This recipe is a simple collection of ingredients.

  • Shortening. Ok. I know many of you do not like using shortening, so find our suggestions for using butter below. I personally prefer shortening in my snickerdoodles so that the tangy sweet and cinnamon flavor shines through. Butter tends to overtake the cookies, which isn’t bad, but it is not the snickerdoodles I knew and loved as a child.
  • Sugar.
  • Eggs.
  • All-purpose flour. I included ingredient weights so you can be accurate with measuring the flour. Too much flour can make for a dry, hard cookie.
  • Cream of tartar. What is cream of tartar and do I have to use it? This ingredient is what helps give the cookies their tangy flavor. Can you make snickerdoodles without cream of tartar? Yes. But I’d suggest adding a splash of lemon juice or white vinegar to acheive that tangy flavor that snickerdoodles need to have.
  • Baking soda.
  • Salt.
  • Cinnamon. Notice there is no cinnamon in the cookies. They only get rolled in a cinnamon sugar mixture. For a twist, add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the cookie dough. It’s so good!

Butter vs Shortening

I prefer shortening for this recipe because of the traditional flavor and the fact that there is no need to refrigerate the cookie dough. The cookies turn out slightly thick and beautiful, every time.

I realize that rightly so, many of you want to use butter instead. Here are two suggestions.

  • Use a combination of shortening and butter. This is the method I take with my grandma’s pie crust recipe. You get the flavor of butter, plus the ease of shortening. If you use half butter and half shortening, you won’t need to refrigerate the cookie dough.
  • Use all butter. This will make for a rich and buttery snickerdoodle. If you choose this, I recommend refrigerating the cookie dough so that the cookies don’t spread too much. Form the cookie dough into balls, then roll in cinnamon and sugar. Then refrigerate the cookie dough balls for 30 minutes before baking.
Mom's Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe | Tastes of Lizzy T (3)

Use room temperature butter

If you use butter, allow the butter to come to room temperature. This yields the best results over softening it in the microwave. Do not melt the butter. This will give the cookie a completely different texture.

How to Make Snickerdoodles

  • Prepare. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  • Mix. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or using a large bowl with an electric hand mixer), cream the shortening and the sugar until well mixed. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs and mix again until combined.
  • Add in dry ingredients. Add in the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Mix well until combined.
Mom's Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe | Tastes of Lizzy T (4)
  • Assemble. Use a cookie scoop to scoop and roll the cookie dough into balls. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Roll each cookie dough ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture, then place on the prepared cookie sheet.
  • Bake. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Don’t overbake! Don’t let the cookies get brown if you’d like them to be soft. Allow the cookies to cool on a wire rack.
Mom's Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe | Tastes of Lizzy T (5)

Storage Instructions

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They also freeze well for up to 8 weeks.

Mom's Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe | Tastes of Lizzy T (7)

Easy Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe – 3 Ways

4.68 from 25 votes

The easy recipe for traditional Snickerdoodle Cookies you grew up with. Soft, sweet and tangy, made with shortening or butter.

Servings 30

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Print RecipeSave Recipe

Ingredients

For the cookies:

For rolling:

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a mixing bowl with an electric mixer), cream the shortening and the sugar until well mixed, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.

  • Add the eggs and mix again until combined.

  • Add in the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Mix well until combined.

  • Roll the cookie dough into balls.

  • In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Roll each cookie dough ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture, then place on the baking sheet.

  • Bake for 8-10 minutes. Don’t let the cookies get brown if you’d like them to be soft.

  • Right after they come out of the oven, swirl in a mason jar ring or round cookie cutter so that they are perfectly round.

  • Allow the cookies to cool on a wire cooking rack. Then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 8 weeks.

Notes

The cookie dough balls were 1 1/2″ wide and I got 30 balls. The cookies spread to about 3″ wide during baking.

Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.

The calories shown are based on the recipe making 30 cookies, with 1 serving being 1 cookie. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**

Nutrition

Calories: 153kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 80mg | Potassium: 52mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 17IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg

Author Julie Clark

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Calories 153

Keyword best sugar cookies, easy cookie recipes

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Love cinnamon? Try our famous cinnamon rolls.

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Mom's Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe | Tastes of Lizzy T (8)

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes

Love homemade chocolate chip cookies? You’ve come to the right place! You’ll love our collection of chocolate chip cookies that range from ready in 30 minutes to needing the dough to chill in the fridge overnight.

Mom's Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe | Tastes of Lizzy T (2024)

FAQs

How old is the snickerdoodle cookie? ›

The first recorded recipe of a “snickerdoodle” isn't the cookie as we think of it but was the cake sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and cut into bars. The recipe appeared in the 1889 Home-Maker. They is absolutely delicious and, indeed, quick and easy to make. It was a massive hit with the family.

Why is it called a snickerdoodle? ›

The Joy of Cooking claims that “snickerdoodle” comes from “Schneckennudel,” a German word that literally means “snail noodles.” Schneckennudels don't have anything to do with snails or noodles, though—they're actually delicious-looking German cinnamon rolls.

Should I refrigerate cookie dough? ›

Refrigerating the dough allows the flour to fully hydrate and helps to make the cookie dough firmer. Firm dough prevents the cookies from spreading too much, which is why chilling the dough is a crucial step for cut-out and rolled cookies.

What happens if you don't use cream of tartar in a recipe? ›

Without cream of tartar, you'll get the same baked good in the end, but the consistency may not be as flawless. If you're worried about your cake coming out too flat or your lemon meringue pie going runny, adding cream of tartar is an effective way to prevent it.

What happens if you leave out cream of tartar in cookies? ›

Cream of tartar prevents the sugar in cookies from crystallizing which would create a crunchier cookie. Cream of tartar is also used with baking soda to become a leavening agent, which makes baked goods puff up while in the oven due to the production of carbon dioxide gas.

What are snickerdoodles called in England? ›

Snickerdoodles are often referred to as "sugar cookies". The Joy of Cooking claims that snickerdoodles are probably German in origin, and that the name is a corruption of the German word Schneckennudeln ("snail noodles"), a kind of pastry.

What nationality are snickerdoodles? ›

If you've ever wondered how snickerdoodles came to be, you've come to the right place. The cinnamon cookie that we know and love was likely brought to America by Dutch-German immigrants, cookbook author Ann Byrn says in American Cookie.

What is the meaning of snickerdoodle in English? ›

: a cookie that is made with usually butter, sugar, and flour and that is rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking.

Why did my snickerdoodles crack? ›

Cracking occurs from several chemical reactions during the baking process. If some of your cookies aren't cracking, it could be because those dough balls were less round than others, the dough became too warm, your oven isn't heating evenly, or (most likely) the cinnamon sugar coating wasn't applied as thoroughly.

Why are my snickerdoodles raw? ›

If the cookie tastes raw or doughy, it needs more time in the oven. Flavour development: Cookies often develop more flavour as they cool down. If the taste is slightly lacking, allow them to cool entirely before finalising.

Can I give my dog a snickerdoodle? ›

There's nothing toxic in a snickerdoodle, but the cookies do contain quite a bit of sugar, which dogs simply don't need in their diet. Sugar provides zero nutritional benefits. Over time, sugar contributes to weight gain and diabetes. We encourage you to share a healthier treat with your dog instead.

What happens if you don't chill cookie dough before baking? ›

Popping your dough in the fridge allows the fats to cool. As a result, the cookies will expand more slowly, holding onto their texture. If you skip the chilling step, you're more likely to wind up with flat, sad disks instead of lovely, chewy cookies. Cookies made from chilled dough are also much more flavorful.

Can you leave cookies out overnight? ›

Leaving cookies out overnight poses certain risks, primarily related to food safety and quality. Cookies left out overnight are at risk of microbial contamination, especially if they contain perishable ingredients like eggs or dairy.

Why do cookies taste better the next day? ›

As King Arthur Baking explains, resting cookie dough can help your cookies taste better, as the resting process helps the flavor become more concentrated. As the dough chills in the fridge, it loses excess moisture: this, in turn, concentrates the remaining ingredients, yielding a more flavorful end product.

What can I substitute for cream of tartar in snickerdoodles? ›

You can either replace cream of tartar with baking powder at a 1:1.5 ratio (1 teaspoon cream of tartar : 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder), or you can replace cream of tartar with the combination of baking soda and either lemon juice or vinegar (as with this recipe).

What is a good substitute for cream of tartar? ›

The 6 Best Things to Use If You Don't Have Cream of Tartar
  • Lemon juice.
  • White vinegar.
  • Baking powder.
  • Buttermilk.
  • Yogurt.
  • Copper bowl.
  • No substitute.

What is the purpose of cream of tartar in this recipe? ›

The most common recipes that call for cream of tartar are those that call for egg whites to be whipped, like angel food cake, genoise cake, meringue, and macarons. Jampel says that is because cream of tartar works as an egg white stabilizer that increases both the volume and shelf life of the meringue.

What does cream of tartar do to taste? ›

As grape juice sits and ferments, potassium bitartrate precipitates and forms crystals on the inside of the casks which can then be collected and processed to make cream of tartar. Cream of tartar has a slightly tangy, acidic flavor, but it's not typically used in large enough quantities to impact the flavor of dishes.

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