The Best Snickerdoodle Recipe + 5 Crazy Variations!
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Today’s post is all about making mind-blowing, amazing, perfect snickerdoodles. This is another recipe that I made with my 2-year-old, so I encourage you to let your kids help you, too! They’ll love it.
What are Snickerdoodles?
Snickerdoodles are basically sugar cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar. They’re kind of snappy, crisp, making use of cream of tartar for leavening.
There’s nothing wrong with that, though. A classic, crackly snickerdoodle has its place on the cookie plate served up with ice-cold milk. Who doesn’t love the way a crisp cinnamon cookie soaks up the cream and melts on your tongue?
Making the Best Snickerdoodle Recipe
So, I started with the base dough of a chocolate chip cookie. That’s where the rules of basic snickerdoodles went by the wayside. We going to make these light and chewy!
Brown sugar sets up the flavor to be darker, deeper, and a tinge bitter. It strikes a balance for a cookie that tends to be too sweet. With softened butter, egg, and vanilla, it starts out just the same as a great chocolate chip cookie.
Then, instead of adding the chips, you roll the dough into little balls and encrust them with plenty of cinnamon sugar.
Should You Chill Snickerdoodle Dough?
While you can refrigerate the dough in bulk, you could also make the dough balls and chill them then. Or you can forego the chilling altogether. Make your own rule here.
It will work out fine any way you do it. I prefer to chill the dough for 2 hours in bulk before rolling the balls. But, that is mostly because we make the dough before naptime and assemble and bake after.
5 Snickerdoodles Recipe Variations
If you are more interested in snickerdoodles that rage against the machine, not just break a simple leavening rule, there are some other ways you can amp these up.
1. Orange Snickerdoodles
Replace the milk in the recipe with orange juice. Add in 1 Tbsp of orange zest to the cookie dough, and 1 tsp of orange zest to the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
2. Red-Hot Snickerdoodles
Add 1/4 tsp cayenne to your cookie dough. For fun, use red sparkling sugar instead of granulated to make the cinnamon-sugar mix.
3. Chai-Spice Snickerdoodles
Instead of just cinnamon, try 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp cardamom, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, a pinch of cloves, and a pinch of ground black pepper in the cookie dough. Do the same in the coating mix.
4. Chocolate Snickerdoodles
Replace 1/4 cup of the flour with cocoa powder. Replace the milk with cooled espresso.
5. Snickerdoodle Blondies
Instead of cookies, you can make bars. Add 1 additional tablespoon of milk, and spread the dough out into a parchment-lined 9×9 pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar over the top.
If you are making blondies in one of the above variations, you’ll also make those adjustments.
Bake at 350ºF for about 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow them to cool before slicing into 16 even bars.
Let Your Kids Help Make Snickerdoodles
Honestly, I feel like cookies are one of those quintessential memories you should make with your kids. It’s fun, and it helps you all bond.
So, put them in charge of rolling the dough in the cinnamon-sugar, and holding the measuring spoons over the bowl while you pour in the ingredients.
They can dump things in, too. Now, my kid took it upon herself to reach her tiny little fist into the box of baking soda and toss some into the bowl. For that reason, I recommend pre-measuring everything.
Baking Together = Learning Opportunites
When your kids are older, this is a good time to practice measuring and fractions. Hold the recipe card and stand back while they take control over the measuring and mixing. You can step in to deal with putting pans in the oven and taking them out again.
But take this time to listen to your kids. Ask open-ended questions and hear what they have to say. They’re crazy, but they always have something to say.
If you want a more guided experience, you have to check out Raddish Kids. They’ll send you a curated box every month with 3 recipes you can make with your kids plus conversation starters and lessons to make it an educational experience. It’s super fun! They sent me a box to test out and I’ll be sharing a review soon.
The Best Snickerdoodles Recipe
I really do love snickerdoodles. They make my daughter happy. My house ends up smelling incredible. But the most important thing is that they are hard to mess up, easy to change up, and they can break rules and still turn out great.
Comment below if you have questions, concerns, or opinions. And tag me @ellejayathome on Instagram or Twitter if you share pictures from any of my recipes. I love to hear from you!
Snickerdoodles
Equipment
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Sheet pan and cooling rack
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 Tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon to coat
- ¼ cup granulated sugar to coat
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter and brown sugar. Once it's creamy and smooth, mix in the egg, milk, and vanilla.
- Sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Incorporate into the dough.
- Refrigerate the dough for 1 to 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Scoop 2 Tbsp-sized balls, and roll them between your hands to form smooth spheres.
- In a bowl, mix together the cinnamon and sugar for your coating. Toss the balls to full coat.
- Place on a lined baking sheet 2-inches apart. Bake for 12 minutes. Cool for 5 on the baking sheet, and then remove to a cooling rack.
