Fall always reminds me to pull out my best snickerdoodle recipe. I think it's because the season just reminds me of cinnamon and other rich spices. If you've never had a snickerdoodle cookie, you're missing out on a soft, buttery cookie that's coated in cinnamon and sugar. How could you go wrong?
Best Snickerdoodle Recipe:
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening (butter-flavored works best)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons white vinegar or lemon juice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cream butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, eggs and vanilla together. Add in the flour, lemon juice/vinegar, soda and salt.
- Let dough chill in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
- Use a cookie scoop or rounded teaspoons and shape dough into balls.
- Mix the 3 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in the cinnamon-sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
- Bake 8 minutes, or until cracks are formed but dough still looks a little bubbly. Remove immediately from oven and let cool on baking sheets for about a minute before transferring to a wire rack.
- Recipe produces between 40 and 60 cookies.
Scroll down to print this recipe for the best snickerdoodle cookies.
Did you notice the odd ingredient? It's vinegar!
Why add vinegar to cookies?
To be honest, I wasn't sure. I've just always followed this recipe the way it was given to me. That recipe included vinegar. Since you can substitute lemon juice, I just assumed it had something to do with the acidity.
I did a little research and found this information (in BakeWise by Shirley O. Corriher) that confirms the acid is helpful in certain cookie dough:
An acid batter speeds up the cooking of the proteins and the setting of cookie dough. …This faster setting of the dough helps limit how much the cookies spread.
Do you have a method for making your best snickerdoodle recipe? Leave a comment below!
Best Snickerdoodle recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup shortening butter-flavored works best
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cream butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, eggs and vanilla together. Add in the flour, lemon juice/vinegar, soda and salt.
Let dough chill in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
Use a cookie scoop or rounded teaspoons and shape dough into balls.
Mix the 3 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in the cinnamon-sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake 8 minutes, or until cracks are formed but dough still looks a little bubbly. Remove immediately from oven and let cool on baking sheets for about a minute before transferring to a wire rack.
Photo credit for top image.
Photo Credit: Danube66
Mindy says
Can’t believe I have never tried these before, looks so simple yet delicious!
[email protected] says
Mmmmm….That look delicious!!
Tired Mom Tésa says
Yum! I love snickerdoodles! What a great recipe, I’ll have to give this one a try!
Jessica Nelson says
How much vanilla do I use?
Marybeth Hamilton says
1 teaspoon.
Chloe says
Without cream of tartar they are just sugar cookies.
Marybeth Hamilton says
Thanks for your comment, Chloe! The vinegar or lemon juice is a perfect substitute for cream of tartar. Either provides the acidity that cream of tartar adds.
Katelyn says
I’ve made these cookies from this exact recipe countless time! The most delicious, soft, sweet, and chewy snicker doodles I have ever had! This is the perfect recipe if you want to make a great holiday dessert for the pickiest of eaters! You’re bound to be impressed!
Elizabeth says
I found this recipe while hunting for a cream of tartar substitute so I could make Snickerdoodles. The lemon juice was an excellent substitute! Great recipe! Thank you!