When I think of Christmas time I think of snickerdoodle cookies. It is that quintessential flavor that you see in everything. From snickerdoodle flavored coffees to snickerdoodle scented candles.
Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookies Crusted in Cinnamon and Sugar
Nothing quite beats the original snickerdoodle cookie. Perfectly rolled in cinnamon and sugar and baked until they have the perfect edges, but are still soft and chewy on the inside. The great thing about snickerdoodle cookies is you only need a few simple ingredients and in less than 20 minutes you have freshly baked cookies the whole family will love.
Snickerdoodle cookies stay soft and chewy even a few days after baking. It makes them the perfect treat to take along to holiday get togethers or to give away as gifts.
Why use Cream of Tartar in Snickerdoodles?
A critical element to snickerdoodle cookies in the cream of tartar. Most people wonder why does the recipe call for cream of tartar. Well let me tell you. Cream of tartar gives snickerdoodle cookies that recognizable tang that we all love. It also prevents the sugar in the cookie dough from crystalizing which results in a soft chewy cookie which snickerdoodles are known for.
What Do I Do If I Don’t Have Cream of Tartar?
You can substitute 2 teaspoons of baking powder which would replace both the cream of tartar and the baking soda.
To get that perfect snickerdoodle texture, you will want to be sure and not overbake your cookies. They should look just slightly underdone when you take them out of the oven. They will continue to cook on the baking sheet after they are removed.
This recipe calls for both butter and shortening. The butter gives the cookies that rich flavor while the shortening helps them to stay tender.
No Cookie Dough Chilling Necessary
The thing I love most about snickerdoodle cookies is they don’t require chilling. The dough itself stands up to the cooking process without having that extra pesky step of chilling.
Bake Ahead or Even Freeze
You can make this dough ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you are ready, just remove the dough and allow it to come to room temperature before moving forward with the next steps.
You can even freeze the dough balls for 2-3 months. It is best to do that without the cinnamon sugar coating. When it is time to bake, take the dough balls out of the freezer and let them sit on the counter for 20-30 minutes before rolling in the cinnamon sugar.
Ingredients
Cookie
- 2 ½ cups flour
- 2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup salted butter softened
- ½ cup vegetable shortening
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, vegetable shortening, and sugar until it is light and fluffy. Then beat in the eggs, one at a time, until everything is well combined.
- Turn your mixer on low and slowly sift in the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Mix to combine.
- In a small bowl stir together the granulated sugar and cinnamon for the coating.
- Using a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop measure out the dough balls. Roll each ball in he cinnamon and sugar mixture to thoroughly coat. Roll each ball in your hand to even them out.
- Place the balls on your prepared baking sheets with at least 2 ½ inches between each of them. Bake until golden brown around the edges, about 8 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a minute and then transfer to a cooling rack.