Soft Snickerdoodle Cookies

Soft snickerdoodle cookies are classic for a reason! The tangy cookie (thanks cream of tartar!) with cinnamon sugar coating wrapped around a thick, chewy center is heavenly. I have been baking them for decades and I can tell you this updated version is the best version I have ever made. By using coconut oil and cool butter together, this recipe skips the chill time and still delivers soft and thick cookies. Simple ingredients and about 30 minutes from start to warm cookies.

This post was originally published in October of 2018 and has been updated with new photos and helpful information. The recipe has been halved, uses coconut oil instead of vegetable oil and was adapted to be a no chill recipe.

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Snickerdoodle cookies are basically a sugar cookie with a slight tang, dressed up in cinnamon and sugar. Which means they had my heart from the start! This recipe started in my mom’s recipe box, handwritten with no source noted. The original recipe used vegetable oil, which I thought was weird, but gives them a really soft texture. I updated it to use coconut oil and halved the batch size because even my family of cookie monsters doesn’t need three dozen snickerdoodles at once.

If you’re a cinnamon lover like me, my snickerdoodle cookie bars, snickerdoodle banana bread, and cinnamon cut-out sugar cookies are other must bakes.

💗 why you’ll love these snickerdoodles

These are not flat, boring snickerdoodle cookies. They are thick. They are soft and chewy in the middle. And they have that slight crisp outside from the cinnamon sugar coating and they stay soft for days! 

If you love snickerdoodles and want even more cookie recipes to add to your collection, I have so many favorites to share. 

🤔 why use coconut oil in snickerdoodle cookies?

Using oil in snickerdoodle cookies (instead of all butter) is actually a classic technique. Oil doesn’t solidify the same way butter does, which is what keeps the cookies soft and chewy even after they cool.

I originally used vegetable oil, as it was written on my mom's recipe card. But I switched to solidified coconut oil because it behaves more like a solid fat, which means less spreading during baking. You get a thicker cookie without having to chill the cookie dough. That’s a win for everybody!

If you only have vegetable or canola oil on hand, that will still work. Just plan to chill the dough in the refrigerator for about two hours before baking to keep the cookies from spreading too much.

🛒 ingredient notes

Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.

Coconut oil ~ use solidified coconut oil, not melted. If your coconut oil has turned fully liquid (as it sometimes does in the heat of the summer), just pop it in the refrigerator to firm up a bit. Unrefined or refined (flavorless) coconut oil can be used.

Butter ~ you want the butter cool, around 60°F. Not fully room temperature like many cookie recipes. The cooler butter with the solidified coconut oil is what gives the cookies their thickness without chilling.

Cream of tartar ~ this is what makes a snickerdoodle a snickerdoodle! Don’t skip it! It gives the cookie that classic slightly tangy flavor.

Cinnamon ~ for the best cookies, use fresh cinnamon.

🥣 how to make 

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line baking sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

In a small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cool butter and kosher until softened. Scrape up and down the bowl.

Once the butter is smooth and creamy, add the soft/solidified coconut oil and both sugars. Mix on medium until fluffy and light in color.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the eggs, mixing on medium until combined.

Now add the baking soda and cream of tartar and mix until combined.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl again and with the mixer on low, slowly add in the flour. Mix until just combined.

Take about 2 tablespoons of dough (I use a size 30 scoop) and roll the dough into a ball. Roll the ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture and place on your baking sheet. Flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass dipped in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Bake until the edges are barely browned, about 8-10 minutes. Do the cookie scoot, if desired. I find this helps to make the cookies thicker. Sprinkle the tops with additional cinnamon sugar, if desired.

Allow cookies to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

💬 frequently asked questions 

why do snickerdoodles use cream of tartar?

Cream of tartar is what creates that signature tangy flavor that distinguishes a snickerdoodle from a sugar cookie. It also helps with the texture.  It's a non-negotiable ingredient for classic snickerdoodles.

why use the cookie scoot?

The cookie scoot is a simple trick that can make a big difference! Cookies usually spread a little bit during the baking process. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, use a biscuit cutter, glass or bowl slightly larger than the cookie over it and gently use a circular motion to push the edges inward. This creates a thicker, rounder cookie. I use it for my brown butter espresso cookies too and it works beautifully.

👩🏻‍🍳 tips for the best soft and chewy snickerdoodle cookies

Keep the butter cool. If the butter is too soft or warm, it will cause the cookies to spread more. In my opinion, too warm of butter is often why home baked cookies can spread too much.

Don’t over bake. The edges should be barely browned when you pull them out of the oven. The cookies will look a little soft in the middle and that is how you want them. They continue to set up as they cool on the pan.

Measure your flour correctly. Too much flour makes dense, dry cookies. If not using a kitchen scale, fluff the flour in the container, spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off with a flat edge. 

Flatten before baking. Lightly press the dough balls down before they go in the oven. You are aiming for about ½ inch thickness. It helps them bake evenly and creates that classic snickerdoodle look.

Remember to snap a picture and tag me @twosugarbugs on Instagram if you make these Soft Snickerdoodle Cookies. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!

If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating.  I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!

📖 recipe

Soft Snickerdoodle Cookies

recipe created and tested by:

Tasia Harper

Soft snickerdoodle cookies have thick chewy centers and a cinnamon sugar crust. No chill time needed! Made with coconut oil for the best texture.

5 from 4 votes

I highly recommend using weight (metric) measurements when available for more accuracy and the best results.

Please note

When using 2x or 3x ingredients, the grams DO NOT adjust, you will have to manually do that.

Print Recipe rate this recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Bake Time 10 minutes mins

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 18 cookies

Calories 192 kcal

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

cinnamon sugar crust

• ▢ ¼ cup granulated sugar 50g
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

snickerdoodle cookies

• ▢ ½ cup unsalted butter cool about 60°F 113g
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ½ cup coconut oil* soft/solidified 110g
• ▢ ½ cup granulated sugar 100g
• ▢ ½ cup confectioners’ sugar 60g
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ▢ 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 281g

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
• In a small bowl, mix sugar (¼ cup/50g) and cinnamon (1 ½ teaspoons). Set aside.
• In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cool butter (½ cup/113g) and kosher salt (¼ teaspoon) on medium-high (speed 6 on KitchenAid) until softened, about 1-2 minutes. Scrape up and down the bowl.
• Once the butter is smooth and creamy, add the soft/solidified coconut oil (½ cup/110g) and both sugars (½ cup granulated sugar/100g and ½ cup confectioners’ sugar/60g). Mix on medium (speed 4 on KitchenAid) until fluffy and light in color, about 1 minute.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the eggs (2 large), mixing on medium until combined, about 30-45 seconds.
• Now add the baking soda (½ teaspoon) and cream of tartar (½ teaspoon) and mix on medium until combined, about 30 seconds.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl again and with the mixer on low, slowly add in the flour (2 ¼ cups/281g). Mix until just combined.
• Take about 2 tablespoons of dough (I use a size 30 scoop/38g dough per cookie) and roll the dough into a ball. Roll the ball in the cinnamon- sugar mixture and place on your baking sheet. Flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass dipped in the cinnamon-sugar mixture (to about ½ inch thick).
• Bake until the edges are barely browned, about 8-10 minutes. Do the cookie scoot, if desired. I find this helps to make the cookies thicker. Use a biscuit cutter (glass, bowl, etc) slightly larger than the cookies to “scoot” the cookies back into a smaller circle. Sprinkle the tops with additional cinnamon sugar, if desired.
• Allow cookies to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

This recipe was originally posted in 2018 with double the ingredient amounts and with vegetable oil instead of coconut oil. I found our family doesn’t need three dozen of the cookies at a time, so reduced the amounts by half.  If you want a larger yield, feel free to double the ingredients. I switched to using coconut oil, because with the solidified version and using cool and cubed butter, I don’t have to chill the dough to get thick cookies.

*I’ve also tested this recipe with vegetable and canola oil. I recommend covering and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 2 hours for less spread when baking them.

Store snickerdoodles in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.

The soft snickerdoodle cookies also freeze well in an airtight container for up to three months. They will defrost at room temperature in 15-20 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cookieCalories: 192kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 2gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 71mgPotassium: 40mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 185IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 1mg

The nutrition information is based on third-party calculations, is an estimate only and may not be entirely accurate. Actual nutritional values will vary based on brands used and portion sizes.

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