Snickerdoodle Basics & Troubleshooting (the Perfect Snickerdoodle)

I tested out a few variations within a basic recipe and after enlisting 6 recipe testers, I think we have found our PERFECT Snickerdoodle. More on that in a second… First I want to share with you the changes I made to the basic recipe I found.

The six variations tested:

1. Used 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening. Used freshly ground cinnamon with the sugar. Baked for 8 minutes. Used a 3-tablespoon scoop.
2. Used 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening. Used freshly ground cinnamon with the sugar. Baked for 6 minutes. Used a 1-tablespoon scoop.
3. Used all butter. Used 2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar in the recipe. Baked for 8 minutes. Used a 3-tablespoon scoop.
4. Used all butter. Used 2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar in the recipe. Chilled the dough for at least an hour. Baked for 6 minutes. Used a 1-tablespoon scoop.
5. Used all butter. No chilling. Baked for 8 minutes. Used a 3-tablespoon scoop.
6. Used all butter. No chilling. Baked for 6 minutes. Used a 1-tablespoon scoop.

Tester notes:

1. This cookie was delicious! We loved this flat crispy cookie and loved the flavor that freshly ground cinnamon added. The cookie isn't as flavorful as cookies rolled in the regular cinnamon sugar blend, I think it's because they flattened out so much. The center of this flat cookie was surprisingly soft. We loved this cookie more on day two.
2. This snickerdoodle was also delicious, but almost a bit dry. They puffed up dramatically and then the center fell. The flavor was great. We loved the freshly ground cinnamon but didn't like the appearance.
3. We loved the all butter flavor of this cookie! The edges were crispy and the center was soft. I didn't like how the centers fell, but the flavor made up for it.
4. If I was using this version of the recipe, I definitely prefer the bigger (3-tablespoon scoop) option from #3. The smaller seemed to be a bit drier.
5. While the flavor was great, I found a chilled dough to be a bit more difficult to deal with and the cinnamon sugar didn't seem to cover every nook & cranny. These cookies also puffed up dramatically and then fell a bit in the center. The edges are crispy and the center was still a bit gooey, which was awesome.
6. This cookie had amazing flavor, just barely crispy edges, and a perfectly soft center.

How to Bake a Snickerdoodle The baking temperature is important as well as how you treat the cookie right out of the oven. I recommend baking them at 375°F and keeping a close eye on the first batch (just to get familiar with your oven). You want the edges to just barely be starting to brown and for them to be a bit puffy in the oven. I baked these for 6 minutes, but you may need 7 or 8 (every oven is different!). Once you remove the baking sheet from the oven immediately get the cookies onto a cooling rack. But, be careful! It's a hot pan and a delicate cookie. They will fall a bit and that's ok.

Best Tips for Snickerdoodles I highly recommend scooping out all the dough balls first. I simply lined a baking sheet with parchment paper and then started scooping. Once all of the dough balls are made, it is much easier to start dropping them into the cinnamon-sugar mixture, rolling smooth, and dropping onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. The recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of sugar and 3 teaspoons of cinnamon to roll the cookie dough balls in. This ended up being the perfect amount. I had my doubts that it wouldn't be enough to cover 54 cookies, but it absolutely did. I tested the 3-tablespoon and 1-tablespoon scoop and we found the size of the 1-tablespoon scoop to be perfect. Using 3 tablespoons of batter ended up making a cookie that was just too big and too hard to cook evenly (the edges would be crispy and the center doughy).

Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe Notes:

• If you don't have cream of tartar on hand, you can try a great sub! Simply use 2 teaspoons of lemon juice for every teaspoon of cream of tartar, it works like a charm!
• This dough can be made ahead of time! Simply make and store in the refrigerator overnight. If you find that your dough is very stiff after this, just let it sit on the counter for about 10 minutes.
• This dough freezes perfectly too! Place your cinnamon sugar coated cookie balls onto a parchment lined baking sheet and stick in the freezer for at least an hour. Then, you can place the balls into an airtight container or bag and freeze up to 3 months! You can then bake these from frozen, just add 2-3 more minutes onto your cooking time.
• These cookies don't need to be refrigerated after baking. They store well for about 5 days in an airtight container on the counter.
• This recipe calls for baking soda. Make sure you check your baking soda before using it in a recipe! If your baking soda is old, it can result in flat cookies. Most of the time it is probably fine, but if you don't bake often it's best to check first.

FAQ: Storing Strawberry Rose Snickerdoodles How To Store: The cookies can be stored in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Can you freeze strawberry rose snickerdoodles? Yes! You can freeze the snickerdoodles in two ways:

• Freeze the unbaked snickerdoodle cookie dough. After portioning the dough into balls, place the balls on a parchment lined sheet pan and freeze for 30 minutes, or until the dough is hard enough to handle without being sticky. Transfer to a zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Note that the dough will be frozen WITHOUT the snickerdoodle topping. When ready to bake, you'll need to roll the cookie dough balls in the snickerdoodle topping. There's no need to thaw the cookie dough balls before baking. Follow the instructions for baking in the recipe, but increase the Bake Time to 14 minutes.
• Freeze the baked strawberry rose snickerdoodles. First, scrape off any rose petals—they don't freeze well. Individually wrap any leftover cookies in two layers of plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. The aluminum foil will prevent the cookies from absorbing any other flavors or odors in the freezer. When ready to serve, transfer to the refrigerator to chill overnight. Rewarm in the microwave before serving.

Best Strawberry Rose Snickerdoodle Tips Best Technique Tip: Freeze-dried strawberries tend to get soft and soggy the longer they sit. If your freeze-dried strawberries are on the softer side, the food processor will have a hard time pulverizing them. You'll likely end up with a few larger pieces of strawberries in your sugar. If necessary, pick out any large pieces larger than the size of a pea. These tend to burn in the oven, ruining the look of your cookies!

Best Baking Tips:

• Because this dough has a LOT of butter in it, it has a tendency to really want to stick to the bottom and sides of the bowl when mixing. For the best cookies, use a rubber spatula to scrape down the paddle and the bowl repeatedly—I like to liberally scrape things down two to three times during the creaming process (once after every minute of creaming), once after every egg addition, and finally, two more times after adding the dry ingredients (the first time after ALL the dry ingredients have JUST been added, the second time after they've just been mixed together).
• I like to bake the cookies one pan at a time. I find that doing so makes the best cookies, ensuring that none of them have overly burnt bottoms or raw centers. However, to save time, you can bake two sheet pans at a time. Position a rack in the upper-third position of the oven, and a second one in the lower-third position of the oven. Bake a pan on each rack, swapping their positions half way through the Bake Time.

Instructions Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare three cookie sheets by lining with parchment paper or Silpat.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand-held mixer on the highest setting) cream together butter and sugar (about 2-3 minutes).
3. Add in the eggs one at a time, then add vanilla. Mix until fully incorporated.
4. With the mixer on low (or off) add in the flour, cream of tartar, soda, and salt.
5. Using a 1-tablespoon scoop, scoop out rounded balls and place close together on one of the cookie sheets.

Cinnamon Sugar: 6. Mix the 3 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon in a wide bowl. I like to use a fork but a small whisk also works.

Assembly: 7. Roll balls of dough in the mixture. Place 2 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets. 8. Bake 6 to 8 minutes. Carefully remove immediately from baking sheets and place on a cooling rack.