Get ready to fill your home with the warm, cozy aroma of cinnamon and sugar! These Christmas Snickerdoodles bring a festive twist to the classic cookie, with their perfectly crackled tops and soft, tender centers that practically melt in your mouth.
What makes these holiday cookies special is their extra-generous coating of cinnamon-sugar and a hint of cream of tartar that gives them their signature tangy flavor and chewy texture. They’re the perfect addition to your Christmas cookie platter or holiday gift boxes.
Why You’ll Love This
- No chilling required – ready in just 30 minutes
- Perfectly soft and chewy centers with slightly crisp edges
- Makes a small batch – perfect for families
- Basic pantry ingredients you likely already have
- Kid-friendly recipe – little helpers can roll the cookies in cinnamon sugar
Ingredients
- 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt (I prefer fine ground)
- ½ cup butter, softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper – this isn’t strictly necessary, but it makes cleanup so much easier.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, and salt. The cream of tartar might look a bit clumpy at first, but keep whisking until everything’s well combined. (source:Ineskohl.info)
- In a large bowl (or your stand mixer bowl), cream the softened butter and sugar together on low speed for 2-3 minutes. You’re looking for a soft, creamy consistency. The mixture should look lighter in color when it’s ready.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract to your butter mixture. Mix on low for another 2-3 minutes until everything looks light and airy. The mixture should have a pale, almost fluffy appearance.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to your wet ingredients. If you’re using a stand mixer, do this in two batches to avoid a flour cloud explosion (learned that one the hard way). Mix until just combined – the dough might look a bit crumbly, but don’t worry, it’ll come together when you start scooping.
- In a small bowl, mix together the white sugar and cinnamon for the coating.
- Using a 1½ tablespoon cookie scoop (or two spoons if you’re going old school), form the dough into balls. Drop each ball into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and roll it around, making sure it’s well-coated.
- Place the coated dough balls on your prepared baking sheet. Use a flat-bottomed glass or spatula to gently flatten each cookie – they don’t spread much during baking, so this helps them get that classic snickerdoodle shape.
- Bake for 8 minutes. The cookies might look slightly underbaked when you take them out, but they’ll continue cooking on the hot baking sheet. Let them rest on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips & Variations
- Add ¼ teaspoon nutmeg to the rolling mixture for extra holiday flavor
- Use colored sugar with the cinnamon for festive sparkle
- Make sure butter is truly softened but not melted for best texture
- Don’t overbake – cookies will continue setting as they cool
Serving Suggestions
Serve these festive cookies warm with a glass of cold milk or hot cocoa. They make wonderful companions to other Christmas cookies on a holiday dessert board, especially alongside chocolate chip cookies and gingerbread for variety in flavor and texture.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days
- Cookies are done when edges are set but centers look slightly underbaked
- Dough balls can be frozen for up to 3 months
FAQs
- Q: Can I make these without cream of tartar?
A: While possible, cream of tartar gives snickerdoodles their distinctive tangy taste and chewy texture. Without it, they’ll be more like sugar cookies. - Q: Why did my cookies spread too much?
A: This usually happens if the butter is too warm or the baking sheet is hot from a previous batch. Chill dough briefly if too soft. - Q: Can I double the recipe?
A: Yes! This recipe doubles easily – just maintain the same size cookies and spacing on the baking sheet.
Servings4
Prep15 min
Cook30 min
Calories—
Ingredients
- 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt (I prefer fine ground)
- ½ cup butter, softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Steps
- Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper – this isn’t strictly necessary, but it makes cleanup so much easier.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, and salt. The cream of tartar might look a bit clumpy at first, but keep whisking until everything’s well combined. (source:Ineskohl.info)
- In a large bowl (or your stand mixer bowl), cream the softened butter and sugar together on low speed for 2-3 minutes. You’re looking for a soft, creamy consistency. The mixture should look lighter in color when it’s ready.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract to your butter mixture. Mix on low for another 2-3 minutes until everything looks light and airy. The mixture should have a pale, almost fluffy appearance.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to your wet ingredients. If you’re using a stand mixer, do this in two batches to avoid a flour cloud explosion (learned that one the hard way). Mix until just combined – the dough might look a bit crumbly, but don’t worry, it’ll come together when you start scooping.
- In a small bowl, mix together the white sugar and cinnamon for the coating.
- Using a 1½ tablespoon cookie scoop (or two spoons if you’re going old school), form the dough into balls. Drop each ball into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and roll it around, making sure it’s well-coated.
- Place the coated dough balls on your prepared baking sheet. Use a flat-bottomed glass or spatula to gently flatten each cookie – they don’t spread much during baking, so this helps them get that classic snickerdoodle shape.
- Bake for 8 minutes. The cookies might look slightly underbaked when you take them out, but they’ll continue cooking on the hot baking sheet. Let them rest on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days
- Cookies are done when edges are set but centers look slightly underbaked
- Dough balls can be frozen for up to 3 months
