Name: Snickerdoodles recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: Makes: 20
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 100g butter; 60g golden caster sugar; 75g soft brown sugar; 1 free-range egg, beaten; 170g plain flour; 60g ground almonds; 1tsp baking powder; 1tsp cream of tartar; 1/4tsp cinnamon

By Jess Findlay

last updated 24 January 2024

Contributions from

Jessica Ransom

in Recipes

These Snickerdoodles are under 140 calories per cookie and nine ingredients.

Snickerdoodles have a soft, buttery texture and a lightly golden colour. They are a simple but delicious cookie that’s lightly spiced and a great alternative to our easy chocolate chip cookies. Cream of tartar is an important ingredient and gives the cookies their characteristic tang and pillowy texture.

Ingredients

100g butter
60g golden caster sugar
75g soft brown sugar
1 free-range egg, beaten
170g plain flour
60g ground almonds
1tsp baking powder
1tsp cream of tartar
1/4tsp cinnamon

For the cinnamon sugar coating:

1tsp of cinnamon
4tbsp golden caster sugar

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Method

Heat oven to 200C (180C fan, Gas 6). Cream the butter with the golden caster and soft brown sugars until light and fluffy, then gradually add the egg. Stir in the flour, ground almonds, baking powder, cream of tartar, cinnamon and a pinch of salt, until the mixture comes together to form a soft dough. In a separate small bowl, mix the cinnamon sugar coating ingredients together.
Roll tablespoons of the mixture into 20 balls and roll each ball lightly in the cinnamon sugar.
Place on baking trays lined with baking paper, with space between, and and bake for 10mins. They’ll be slightly soft but will firm up when cooled. Remove from the oven and allow to cool enough to handle, then sprinkle over any extra cinnamon sugar to serve.

Top tips for making Snickerdoodles

It can be easy to overcook Snickerdoodles. Don't wait until they start to brown on top, as they will be over baked and crispy instead of soft. Remove whilst they're still slightly pale in colour for best results.

Should you chill Snickerdoodles before baking?

Unlike other cookies, there is no need to chill the dough before baking as you want the mixture to spread a little and create thin cookies which are crisp on the outside and soft in the middle. It is important to keep enough space between each ball of dough though.

What is the purpose of cream of tartar?

The cream of tartar in this recipe is what gives the Snickerdoodles their distinctive flavour and texture. It adds a little sour tang and keeps the centre of the cookies soft and chewy while the outer perimeter of the cookie is crisp.

How long do Snickerdoodles last?

Once baked and cooled these Snickerdoodles should be stored in an airtight container. They can be kept at room temperature and should be eaten within four or five days.

Jessica Ransom

“Cinnamon is one of my favourite spices but if you’d prefer an alternative. Keep the Snickerdoodle dough plain or flavour it with vanilla extract. Coat the cookies in vanilla or cardamom sugar instead of the cinnamon mixture.”

The most efficient way to cream your butter and sugar sugar is by using an electric hand mixer and ensuring the butter is soft when you start the recipe.

For more classic baking inspiration, check out this sugar cookies recipe. You might also like our vanilla cookies or Millie's cookies which are delightfully chewy and can be baked from frozen.