A crisp outer rim and the fluffy-chew in the center, makes Snickerdoodles one of a kind. It’s an awesome vanilla cookie and will always crackle and must be covered in cinnamon-sugar before it is baked. I wasn’t properly introduced to this cookie, until after meeting my husband, and since all those years ago, I’ve mastered a recipe for him and for my customers.
Another trick to the perfect Snickerdoodle, is getting the cinnamon-sugar ratio just right. For every cup of granulated sugar, I add two tablespoons of cinnamon. (Cinnamon that has been recently purchased is key to a fragrant, crisp flavor.) I keep a glass jar of this mixture in my pantry at all times. This is also the ratio I use for other desserts like Churros and topping my all time most popular cupcake flavor: Churro.
Let’s go for it and bake these cookies! This particular batch was gluten-free. However, no one will know the difference in the end-product, whether you go for a classic approach with all-purpose flour or the latter. I made a note in the recipe below.
Snickerdoodle Cookies
Ingredients
Batch of Cookies
- 1/2 cup salted butter (one stick of classic butter, or if you need dairy free, use vegan butter.
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cream of tartar
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour (make it gluten free by substituting for a 1:1 ratio blend)
Cinnamon-Sugar Coating
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Beat butter until it completely covers the bottom of the bowl in your standing mixer. (I used the standard, metal, flat beater attachment.)
Mix in the one cup of sugar, baking soda and cream of tartar.
- Add the egg and pure vanilla extract. Mix until combined.
- Mix in the flour - either all purpose or gluten free.
In order for the dough to be manipulated into balls that can be rolled and dipped before baking, it needs to be refrigerated.Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about one hour.When it's ready, it's easy to scoop and form. I used a heaping, table utensil spoon, for the portion sizes of each cookie.
- Now it's time to dip the dough into the sugar mixture.First, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. In a wide bowl, pour the cinnamon-sugar mixture of 1/2 cup of sugar for every 1 tablespoon of cinnamon. Use your hands to thoroughly mix together. Take the scoop of dough and roll it into your hand, like you would a meatball. Flatten it between your hands so that it takes the shape of a patty.Drop the dough-patty into the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Use your fingers to sprinkle the mixture onto the top, and then pat it down, onto the patty. Turn it over and do the same thing to the other side. Depending on how large or small you like your cookies, you can arrange them between 6 to 10 onto a cookie sheet. With the size of cookies I make, there are about 18 cookies per batch. You can place them directly onto a cookie sheet, or use a silpat matt or a sheet of parchment paper. Bake for 10-11 minutes. Remove from the cookie sheets and allow to cool before enjoying. Store after completely cooled, in a sealed container.
Here’s what you’ll do:
a) Beat butter until it completely covers the bottom of the bowl in your standing mixer. (I used the standard, metal, flat beater attachment.)
b) Mix in the one cup of sugar, baking soda and cream of tartar.
c) Add the egg, pure vanilla extract and mix until combined.
d) Add the flour, either all-purpose or gluten-free.
In order for the dough to be manipulated into balls that can be rolled and dipped before baking, it needs to be refrigerated.
Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about one hour.
When it’s ready, it’s easy to scoop and form. I used a heaping, table utensil spoon, for the portion sizes of each cookie.
Now it’s time to dip the dough into the sugar mixture.
If you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
In a wide bowl, pour the cinnamon-sugar mixture of 1/2 cup of sugar for every 1 tablespoon of cinnamon. Use your hands to thoroughly mix together.
Now, it’s time to coat individual cookie balls. You’ll be preparing each portion so that they can be ready to be baked right now, or you can store them in the fridge or freezer to bake when you’re ready.
Take the scoop of dough and roll it into your hand, like you would a meatball. Flatten it between your hands so that it takes the shape of a patty.
Drop the dough-patty into the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Use your fingers to sprinkle the mixture onto the top, and then pat it down, onto the patty. Turn it over and do the same thing to the other side. Now your cookies, will have a nice amount of covering on both sides and are ready to bake.
Depending on how large or small you like your cookies, you can arrange them between 6 to 10 onto a cookie sheet. With the size of cookies I make, there are about 18 cookies per batch.
You can place them directly onto a cookie sheet, or use a silpat matt. The baking cookies will not expand a lot, and it’s why I flatten them down – to be sure that the centers are cooked through, with a fluffy, chewy center as the end-result.
Bake for 10-11 minutes.
