Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles are the funny-sounding cookies that are pillowy soft, cinnamon-y and sweet.

With a simple ingredient list, step-by-step instructions and a short preparation time, this easy Snickerdoodles Recipe is perfect for even the inexperienced home cook.

What are Snickerdoodles (and why such a crazy name)?

Snickerdoodles are cinnamon sugar cookies and, like many of the recipes at Cooking with Nana Ling, they’ve been around for a while.

A long while, in fact.

Snickerdoodles are generally thought to have originated in the late 1800’s. There’s some debate about the name, though.

While some say it’s just a fun name someone came up with for a cookie, others suggest it comes from “Schneckennudel,” a German word for cinnamon rolls (which literally translates to “snail noodles”).

Snickerdoodles Recipes in Australia

In Australia, one of the earliest recipes appeared in The Narracoorte Herald in January 1893.

Another recipe I’ve based this one on I found in my trusty Kurri Kurri community cookbook (which also contained the popular Texas Sheet Cake recipe).

Note that I’ve adapted my recipe from both of these plus some others I’ve read in various cookbooks and on the web to come up with the best Snickerdoodles around.

So keep scrolling for my refined, tried and tested recipe at the end of this post.

Snickerdoodles: the ingredients

So, now that we know all about these crazy-named cookies, let’s get down to making a batch.

The ingredient list includes:

• butter
• caster sugar
• brown sugar
• eggs
• plain flour (all purpose flour)
• cream of tartar
• baking soda
• vanilla extract
• cinnamon
• salt.

Scroll through to the recipe card at the end of the post for ingredient quantities.

How to make Snickerdoodles Cookies

Start by taking the butter and eggs out of the fridge to rest at room temperature for a while and measuring out the ingredients.

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees celsius, fan-forced (or equivalent).

Cream butter and sugars (apart from cinnamon sugar which is for rolling balls in before cooking) by mixing on low speed for one minute, medium speed for one minute and high speed for two minutes.

Next, add both of the eggs and the vanilla and beat for another minute.

Sift flour, salt, cream of tartar and bicarb soda together and then gradually add to mixture, mixing on lowest speed or folding through with a spatula to combine.

Chill the mixture in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.

While mixture is chilling, make the cinnamon sugar by mixing the sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl.

Roll tablespoons of mixture into balls and roll in the cinnamon sugar. Place on baking tray, leaving plenty of room for cookies to spread as they cook.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool on trays for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Your cookies will look a little wrinkly as they cool – that’s exactly what they should look like.

Once completely cooled, they’ll be soft and slightly chewy. Ready to eat!

How do I store snickerdoodle cookies?

Store cookies in an airtight container.

How long will snickerdoodle cookies stay fresh?

These soft and chewy Snickerdoodles will stay fresh for up to one week.