Perfect Christmas Snickerdoodles — The Cinnamon-Sugar Cookie Classic

Snickerdoodles are the classic soft chewy cookie with cinnamon-sugar coating. Christmas baker tradition.

The classic recipe (makes 36 cookies)

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter (softened)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Coating

• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375°F
2. Cream butter + sugar
3. Add eggs
4. Mix dry ingredients separately
5. Combine wet and dry
6. Chill dough 30 minutes (helps shape)
7. Mix coating
8. Roll dough into 1-inch balls
9. Roll in cinnamon-sugar
10. Place on parchment-lined sheet
11. Bake 9-11 minutes (until set; centers slightly soft)
12. Cool on sheet 5 min; transfer to rack

Why cream of tartar matters

• Gives signature tang
• A specific specific specific A specific can't skip
• A specific specific specific specific specific specific essential

Christmas variations

Spiced snickerdoodles

• Add ginger; nutmeg to coating
• Christmas-spiced

Chocolate snickerdoodles

• Add 1/4 cup cocoa to dough

Eggnog snickerdoodles

• Replace milk with eggnog
• Add nutmeg

Cross-references

For perfect Christmas sugar cookies — adjacent.

For perfect Christmas gingersnaps — adjacent.

For Christmas cookie recipes — broader.

For best Christmas cookies ranked — rankings.

Perfect Christmas snickerdoodles are the cinnamon-sugar classic. Soft; chewy; tangy. The cookie that disappears from every Christmas tray.