Double Cinnamon Snickerdoodles
Soft, chewy snickerdoodles with that ideal crispy outside, coated with extra cinnamon for the best flavor ever! Take your classic cookie to the next level with this simple recipe.
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Okay, I’ll be honest: I’m not usually a snickerdoodle person. They’re not usually my cup of tea. Why would I eat a cookie without chocolate? So I’m not even entirely sure why I decided to make them in the first place. But when I was experimenting with recipes, I noticed most people use far too little cinnamon.
And I realized: that’s why I don’t like most snickerdoodles. Most recipes don’t have enough flavor because they don’t have enough cinnamon.
So of course I did my usual thing and doubled the average amount of your typical snickerdoodle recipe. It was glorious. So much flavor! I also used a little less flour than your average cookie, because I found them too dry at first. The result was this chewy, super flavorful cookie that I actually enjoyed eating.
Who knew extra cinnamon could be such a game changer?
Why this recipe works
The star of this recipe is using double the cinnamon (or, double what the average recipe will call for). I almost never make a cinnamon recipe with less than a tablespoon of it. Since the cookies don’t have a ton of flavor, you need that cinnamon to be noticeable. I also found that many snickerdoodle recipes are dry. They never seem to be that way at bakeries, but every recipe I’ve tried at home has been dry and lackluster. So, I tried to find a balance between how much flour a chocolate chip cookie calls for and how much your typical snickerdoodle calls for. Somewhere in the middle is a thick, chewy cookie with that perfectly crisp exterior. And it is perfection.
Key ingredients
Sugar/brown sugar. You’ll use just a bit of brown sugar to the dough to add a bit more flavor and chewiness.
Cinnamon. Use a quality cinnamon, as the flavor difference really is noticeable in baked goods.
Flour. Be sure to spoon then level your flour, and don’t skip the sifting step!
Baking soda. This helps create the perfect rise.
Cream of tartar. Necessary in any snickerdoodle, this creates that classic flavor and texture.
Salt. Sea salt is ideal. Reduce to just a pinch if using salted butter.
Butter. Use unsalted, European style butter for a better texture. Make sure it is soft but not shiny. If it does become shiny, refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm it back up a bit.
Eggs. Make sure your eggs are fresh and room temperature.
Vanilla extract. Use pure, not imitation, vanilla.
How to make double cinnamon snickerdoodles
1. Sift dry ingredients. Sifting keeps it tender.
2. Beat butter and sugars. I prefer a handheld mixer for these smaller ratios. Mix until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in egg and vanilla. Mix until well combined.
4. Mix in dry ingredients. Mix on low just until combined.
5. Chill for an hour. This is optional and just makes rolling the cookies easier.
6. Roll in double cinnamon sugar mixture. Prep this while the dough chills.
7. Bake until matte. You don’t want these to brown too much, so look for a bit of color on the edge and the dough no longer looking shiny. If you want that crinkly, chewy look, you can tap (or bang) the pan on the counter to help the poofy top settle down a bit.
Enjoy!
Tips and FAQ’s for this recipe
How do I know when the cookies are baked?
You don’t want these to brown, like chocolate chip cookies. You want them to be completely matte in appearance, with some cookies along the edge beginning to turn lightly golden on their edge. That’s it! These are an incredibly tender cookie, so avoid over baking them.
Do I have to chill the dough?
No, but it makes it much, much easier to roll them. It also prevents them spreading out too much when they bake, but the recipe isn’t as prone to that as others, so you can skip the chilling if needed.
Can these be made ahead?
Yes! You can make the dough ahead and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. You could also roll it into balls and freeze those (putting them in an airtight container after they’ve frozen solid). You’d roll them in the cinnamon sugar and bake them from frozen. You can also freeze baked cookies, but they can dry out a bit, so only do this if absolutely necessary and always double wrap them.
Do I have to use European butter?
Personally, I think it makes a huge difference. It’s creamier and has a very different consistency than sweet cream butter. Since you only have a few ingredients here, you want to make sure each one is of the highest quality. But don’t worry—you can often find it at places like Costco on sale!
My tools
Here are my must-have tools I use for making these cookies. Affiliate links provided.
Mesh sieve (because sifting is KEY for a perfect shortbread cookie)
You might also like:
Brown Butter Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies
Peanut Butter & Jelly Thumbprint Cookies
Double Cinnamon Snickerdoodles
- prep time: 5-10 minutes
- chill time: 1 hour (optional)
- bake time: 8-10 minutes
- total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
servings: 36-48 cookies
Ingredients:
for the snickerdoodle dough
- 2 ½ cups (340g) flour, spooned then leveled
- 1 teaspoon (3g) baking soda
- 2 teaspoons (6g) cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon (3g) sea salt
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter*, room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) light brown sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon (13g) pure vanilla extract
topping
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (16g) ground cinnamon
Instructions:
- Using a large fine mesh sieve, sift and whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt into a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar using the paddle attachment of your stand mixer or a handheld mixer (I prefer the handheld because this is such a small batch). Beat on medium until light in color and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating on medium until smooth, about 30-60 seconds each time. Add vanilla and beat on medium until very smooth, about 30 seconds.
- Beat in the flour mixture on low, just until combined. Refrigerate about 1 hour, until firm and easier to scoop. (This is optional, but makes scooping easier. If you choose not to refrigerate, be sure to preheat the oven before you begin making the dough.)
- Once the dough is chilled, preheat oven to 325F/165C and line a cookie sheet (or sheets) with parchment (or use a silicone mat to help reduce your carbon footprint!). Use a spoon or cookie scoop to form the dough into balls about 1 to 1 ½ inches in diameter. The dough should be stiff to the point that you really do need a scoop or a little elbow grease to scoop them.
- Mix the cinnamon and sugar topping in a bowl. Roll each cookie gently in the cinnamon sugar. Place on your lined cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart, then freeze for 10 minutes while the oven finishes preheating.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, until poofed up a bit and the dough is no longer shiny (or just a bit of shine in the very middle). If desired, bang the pan on the counter right after removing from the oven to get a crinkled look (this also adds to the chewiness).
- Let cool 5-10 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack to cool completely or enjoy right away with a glass of milk!
Enjoy!
Store in an airtight container. Cookies will last 3-5 days at room temperature.
*Ideally, use European style butter (like Kerrygold) to get a better texture.