My mom always made these Snickerdoodle cookies when I was little. I remember how good the kitchen smelled when these baked in the oven. The sweet scent of cinnamon filled the house and I couldn’t wait for them to come out of the oven. Part of it was probably because I also had a part in it. It was my job to roll the balls of Snickerdoodle dough in cinnamon and sugar, then put them on the cookie sheet.

Classic Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe

The following is the Snickerdoodle recipe that my mom used. I am not sure where she or how she acquired it, but it is the recipe I still use today. I carried on the tradition with my own daughter when she was little and we often baked together. In fact, it was her job to roll the balls of dough in cinnamon and sugar too! Whenever I make these soft, chewy Snickerdoodle cookies, I feel a sense of comfort. They just feel like “home”. I am thrilled to share this recipe with you – in my opinion, it is the best Snickerdoodle cookie recipe there is. Thanks, Mom.

Here’s what you need

1/2 cup shortening (Crisco)
1 stick butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Rollin’, rollin’, rollin

Cream together shortening, butter, sugar and eggs. Blend the dry ingredients (flour, Cream of Tartar, baking soda and salt) together separately, then mix together with the butter sugar mixture.

Next you will get your cinnamon and sugar prepared for rolling the balls of dough. In a bowl or small rectangle pan with sides, mix 2 tsp.each sugar and cinnamon. Roll dough into balls about 1 1/2″ to 2″ (classic Snickerdoodle cookies are pretty big, but I find this to be a good size for us), and then roll them in cinnamon/sugar mixture. Place on cookie sheet about 2″ apart.

Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes

Yield: 2 Dozen

Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies

Print

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup shortening (Crisco)
• 1 stick butter (softened)
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Instructions

In mixer, cream together shortening, butter, sugar and eggs.

Blend dry ingredients (Flour, Cream of Tartar, baking soda and salt) together in separate bowl. Combine butter mixture. In a shallow bowl, mix 2 teaspoons each of sugar and cinnamon. Form dough into 1 - 1 1/2" balls, and then roll each in cinnamon/sugar mixture until coated evenly.

Place on cookie sheet about 1 1/2" apart. Bake 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on baking rack.

Notes

For crispier cookies, cook for the full 10 minutes or up to 12 minutes, depending on your oven.