Snickerdoodles: A Cookie Recipe the Kids Love to Help Make
If there’s one cookie that always brings the kids running, it’s snickerdoodles. Soft, cinnamon-sugary, and downright delicious, these cookies are a staple at our house. Baking snickerdoodles is not only about the tasty treat at the end (although that’s a huge bonus), it’s also a fantastic way to get the kids involved in the kitchen and teach them some basic baking skills. Plus, who doesn’t love rolling dough in sugar?
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar (optional but it keeps leftovers soft and fresh longer)
- ½ cup shortening (if you don’t have shortening you can substitute butter or vice versa—but butter-only cookies tend to dry out faster. Using both is best to keep them moist and delicious!)
- ½ cup softened butter (we use salted, but unsalted works too)
- 1 ½ cups sugar, plus 3 tablespoons for rolling
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
How to Make Snickerdoodles
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- In a big bowl, beat the butter, shortening, and 1 ½ cups sugar until light and fluffy. This usually takes 3 to 5 minutes—perfect time for the kids to get excited!
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ones, mixing until you have smooth cookie dough.
- Mix the 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon in a small bowl for rolling.
- Roll the dough into 1 ½ inch balls. (If you want your cookies to be nice and even, use a cookie scoop. We use one for most drop cookies because it’s fast and makes baking easier.)
- Roll each dough ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture until fully coated.
- Place the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (trust me, parchment paper makes cleanup so simple!). Flatten each ball by hand to about ½ inch thickness.
- Bake for about 12 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned but the centers still feel moist.
Let the cookies cool on the pan for a couple of minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. But honestly, if you’re like me, you’ll probably eat them right off the pan, fingers burning, cookie falling apart—because they’re that good!
Why Snickerdoodles Are Perfect for Baking with Kids
This is a cookie recipe that works well for little hands learning the ropes. My littlest used to love rolling the dough balls in sugar. As they got a bit older, they helped flatten the cookies with their (hopefully clean) hands. Eventually, they were rolling the dough into balls all by themselves! Baking is one of the best ways to teach kids patience, precision, and joy in creating something from scratch. And when they get to eat their hard work? That’s a win-win.
A Few Tips for the Best Snickerdoodles
- Using both butter and shortening keeps the cookies moist longer, but if you only have one, that’s okay too.
- Parchment paper on your baking sheet will save you so much cleanup time.
- Store them in airtight container or cookie jar
- For uniform cookies that bake evenly, use a cookie scoop to portion the dough.
- Don’t be afraid to eat them fresh and warm—even if your fingers get a little burnt!
How Many Cookies Does This Recipe Make?
This recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies—depending on how big you roll your dough balls. Perfect for sharing or packing up for school lunches or road trips.
Final Thoughts
Snickerdoodles are one of those classic cookies that bring joy to the whole family. They’re easy enough for kids to help make and delicious enough to have everyone asking for seconds. Baking together turns the kitchen into a classroom and the cookies into a reward for learning. So roll up your sleeves, grab the kids, and enjoy some sweet cinnamon-sugar fun!
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