The classic snickerdoodle done right. A soft, chewy cookie coated in the perfect ratio of cinnamon-sugar. Plus, a Nutella-stuffed option for those of you who like to switch things up a bit!
Why do I feel like the snickerdoodle doesn’t get enough love? Sure, it’s a simple cookie- nothing super glitzy about it. But when it’s done right? Oh boy.
To me, a snickerdoodle is a comforting cookie that brings all the warm and fuzzy feels. I think the sweet sugar paired with the warm cinnamon gives off a little bit of a Christmas vibe that automatically feels familiar and cozy. Or maybe it’s just the simplicity of a snickerdoodle cookie that makes you feel like life isn’t so complicated, at least for the few moments you’re savoring those few bites. Or maybe it’s just a real good cookie.
Regardless. Snickerdoodles, in my opinion, must be done correctly. Not crunchy or brittle, and certainly not cakey either. A snickerdoodle should be chewy, pillowy soft, and have a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Also, let’s just go ahead & put cinnamon right into the dough, shall we? Because if we’re going to do cinnamon, let’s do cinnamon.
And if you’re one of those people who can’t help but put Nutella in/on everything (no shame), there’s a Nutella-stuffed snickerdoodle option just for you. I hate to mess with a classic, but let’s be honest- chocolate + hazelnut + cinnamon-sugar is not exactly a bad combination.
What you’ll need to bake these cookies:
Unsalted butter: Brings flavor, tenderness, and helps the cookies spread while baking.
Sugar: Brings sweetness, encourages browning through caramelization, and helps cookies spread in the oven.
Brown sugar: Adds moisture to the cookie and creates a chewier texture.
Egg + egg yolk: For structure and binding. The additional yolk brings extra richness and gives the cookie a chewier texture.
Vanilla: For flavor.
Flour: For structure and chew.
Baking soda: Works with the cream of tartar as a leavening agent.
Cream of tartar: A bit of a workhorse in these cookies! First, it helps with leavening by activating the baking soda. Second, it inhibits the formation of sugar crystals in the dough, which produces a softer, chewier texture. Third, it provides a slight tangy flavor to a snickerdoodle cookie.
Cornstarch: Creates a softer, thicker cookie.
Kosher salt: To balance out sweetness. TIP: While I recommend kosher salt, if you don’t have it on hand, use ½ the amount of table salt.
Ground cinnamon: I like to add cinnamon directly to the dough in addition to the cinnamon-sugar coating in order to really enhance the warmth and flavor of the cookie.
FAQs:
Why is this recipe primarily listed in grams? I develop my recipes in grams because weighing your ingredients is the best, most accurate way to bake. Baking is a science and precision is key to success! Measuring cups are not standardized, and what’s more, the way each baker uses them varies drastically, which ultimately gives you inconsistent (and sometimes negative) results. For instance, did you know that scooping flour out of a cannister can give you 50% more flour than what’s called for in the recipe? By weighing your ingredients rather than using measuring cups, you can confidently know that you are using the correct amount of each ingredient, giving you greater success & delicious results. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale, like this one when you bake. Plus, it makes clean up a lot easier!
Do I have to chill the dough? I like to chill this cookie dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour. By chilling the dough, the cookies will spread less in the oven and have a deeper flavor. But they still turn out great even if you don’t have time to chill!
A few notes before you bake:
Having the correct oven temperature is crucial to getting perfectly baked cookies. Most ovens aren’t calibrated correctly, and when they say they’re preheated to a certain temperature, they’re actually not. For instance, when my oven dings at me to say it’s officially 350°F, its usually at about 300°F- big difference. So here are my tips to avoid cookie mishaps related to oven temperature: 1) Buy a simple oven thermometer so you can actually see what temp your oven is, or 2) After your oven says it’s preheated, give it another 15-20 minutes before you put anything in there.
I like to bake cookies one cookie sheet at a time. This produces more consistent, evenly baked cookies.
To get perfectly round cookies, I like to use the “scoot method.” When the cookies are hot and fresh from the oven, simply take a round cutter larger than the size of your cookie and nudge the edges into place.
Print
Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies (Plus a Nutella-stuffed option!)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus minimum 30 minutes to chill)
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 16 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Dessert
Description
The classic snickerdoodle done right. A soft, chewy cookie coated in the perfect ratio of cinnamon-sugar. Plus, a Nutella-stuffed option for those of you who like to switch things up a bit!
Ingredients
For the cookie dough:
- 226 gm (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened*
- 200 gm (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 71 gm (1/3 cup, lightly packed) light brown sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 344 gm (2 3/4 cups, spoon & leveled) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For the cinnamon-sugar topping:
- 50 gm (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Additional ingredients for Nutella-stuffed cookies:
- 147 gm (1/2 cup) Nutella
Instructions
To make classic snickerdoodle cookies:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar on medium-low speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add in the egg and egg yolk, one at a time, being sure that the first is fully incorporated before adding the next. Mix in the vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, kosher salt, and ground cinnamon. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 2-3 additions, mixing on low speed until just combined.
- Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon for the topping and set aside.
- **Scoop the dough using a #20 spring-loaded cookie scoop and roll the dough into a ball using the palms of your hands. Roll the dough balls in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and place on the prepared cookie sheet, spacing about 3″ apart.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are set (NOTE: these might appear a bit underdone, but they’re not! You don’t want to overbake these.)
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make Nutella-stuffed snickerdoodle cookies:
- First, prepare the Nutella drops. Using a piping bag or zip-top bag, pipe the Nutella in 2-teaspoon drops onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. You’ll need at least 16 Nutella drops. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes, or until the Nutella drops are frozen solid. Keep in the freezer until you’re ready to use.
- Follow steps 1-4 in the classic snickerdoodle recipe.
- **Scoop the chilled cookie dough using a #20 spring-loaded cookie scoop and flatten the dough ball slightly with your hands to form a disc. Place a frozen Nutella drop in the center of the disc and seal the dough completely around it so that no Nutella is exposed.
- Roll the dough between the palms of your hands to form a smooth ball, then roll the dough ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place on the prepared cookie sheet, spacing about 3″ apart.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are set (NOTE: these might appear a bit underdone, but they’re not! You don’t want to overbake these.)
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
*Softened butter: The right consistency for softened butter is soft, but still firm. When you press your finger into the butter, it should leave an indentation, but shouldn’t be shiny or greasy. If you really want to get technical, use an instant read thermometer: your butter should be between 65-67°F.
**If you find that the chilled dough is a bit difficult to scoop, let the dough sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften a bit.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Chill the dough as directed. Then scoop the dough and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place the dough balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and place in the freezer for 30 minutes, or until frozen solid. Place the frozen dough in a freezer safe zip-top bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, just add a few extra minutes to your bake time!
