Snickerdoodles may be the star of the holiday season, but I’ve been baking lots of this treat since early September. To celebrate the switch to spicy and sweet flavors, we decided to put perhaps the most beloved cookie to the test. (That said, we’re pretty partial to the classic chocolate chip cookie.) Now it’s time to check out the best snickerdoodle cookie recipe.
Spiced Cinnamon Sugar Cookies have a warm, sweet flavor that makes them especially festive, but there are a few things that make them different from a snickerdoodle cookie recipe. Have you ever wondered why your favorite Snickerdoodle recipe calls for cream of tartar? As it turns out, it’s the secret ingredient that gives the cookies their unique texture and flavor. And after testing each of the cookie recipes below, we can confirm that cream of tartar makes a huge difference.
Keep reading to learn more about the different cookie recipes we tested and which Snickerdoodle came out on top.
traffic rules
All recipes are followed exactly as written without any adjustment to personal taste or flavor preferences.
Ranking guidelines
Unlike chocolate chip cookies, where everyone has their own preferences when it comes to texture, flavor, and technique, snickerdoodles have several key aspects that make them snickerdoodles.
flavor. Cinnamon sugar is the key flavor in Snickerdoodles, but the cream of tartar provides a characteristic sour aftertaste, rounding out the sweetness. When ranking the cookies, we focused on cinnamon flavor, overall sweetness level, and tanginess. texture. The cream of tartare creates a delicious, mellow, chewy texture. Exactly what we wanted from the recipe. It’s not crispy, it’s not rich, but it has a chewy yet soft middle that melts in your mouth.
7. Martha Stewart: Snickerdoodle Recipe
We had high expectations for these cookies, but the texture expectations were on the low end. These cookies were on the harder and drier side of all the Snickerdoodles we tested, and didn’t have much of a cinnamon flavor. There was also some discussion about whether there was something missing in the recipe, as to us it felt like a sugar cookie with a sprinkle of cinnamon. (If you don’t agree, we claim it’s user error.)
6. Hummingbird High: Snickerdoodle recipe without cream of tartar
We affectionately called these cookies “Chunky Monkeys.” If you gave me this cookie on another day and I didn’t keep eating so many Snickerdoodle cookies, I would say this was a really great cookie. Overall, we all liked this cookie, but compared to the texture and flavor of the other cookies, we didn’t think it was the most snickerdoodle.
The texture was good for a sugar cookie, but it was a little rich and very chewy. The flavor also didn’t have the same taste as it didn’t use cream of tartar as stated in the recipe. Instead, replace it with a healthy amount of baking powder. Again, we loved these cookies so much that we’re saving this recipe for when we can’t find cream of tartar in our pantry.
5. Crazy Kitchen: Snickerdoodles
We love Smitten Kitchen recipes so it was imperative that we do these Snickerdoodles. These cookies had a rich buttery flavor, a bit of sourness, and a touch of cinnamon spice. However, texture-wise, they were a little flatter than other cookies, so I docked them a little bit for the pillowy, melt-in-your-mouth element that some of the other recipes had. However, if you like thin, chewy cookies, definitely add them to your list of must-bake cookies.
4. Rick Martinez: BA’s Best Snickerdoodle
This is one of two recipes that uses melted butter in addition to brown sugar to soften the cookies. These also have the additional step of letting the dough rest for 30 minutes to rehydrate.
Some thoughts. I didn’t think that letting the dough rest would make it any easier. After resting, the dough remained just as soft and unwieldy. That aside, this was a very chewy, buttery cookie, and the most flavorful of the cookies. I really liked these cookies, but some of the steps can make it a little difficult to knock them out on a whim.
3. Ree Drummond: Snickerdoodles
If you’re looking for a cookie that reminds you of giant, pillow-soft grocery store cookies, this is the cookie of your dreams. The larger cookies have a melt-in-your-mouth feel on the inside and a slightly chewy edge. Our only complaint was that we would have liked a little more cinnamon flavor, but the signature Snickerdoodle Dorutin was perfect. I will make these again.
2. Jesse Sheehan: The Epic Snickerdoodle
There was a very thin margin between the two cookies above, but you can see that they are both exquisite examples of Snickerdoodles. The recipe in Jesse’s book Snackable Bakes uses some shortening and some butter, which makes it very tender. The center is plump, fluffy, and soft, and the edges are chewy, giving it a very subtle crunch. Surprisingly, this was the only recipe that used cinnamon in the dough itself. This resulted in several tasters citing the most cinnamon-y flavor. The buttery flavor and sweetness are exquisite, making these cookies a cookie you’ll want to make over and over again.
1. Broma Bakery: Soft Snickerdoodle
And the winner for the best snickerdoodle cookie recipe is none other than Broma Bakery’s! This recipe uses completely different ingredients, and when I said, “There’s no difference at all,” I… I admit I was skeptical. I admit I’m wrong, but adding a tablespoon of Greek yogurt to these cookies resulted in what tasters called the moistest cookies of all. These had a fluffy, airy texture with a buttery and cinnamon flavor, that wonderful acidity, chewy edges, and were just overall delicious. Yes, these had it all.
