Snickerdoodle Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why didn't my snickerdoodles crack? ›

Cracking occurs from several chemical reactions during the baking process. If some of your cookies aren't cracking, it could be because those dough balls were less round than others, the dough became too warm, your oven isn't heating evenly, or (most likely) the cinnamon sugar coating wasn't applied as thoroughly.

You can either replace cream of tartar with baking powder at a 1:1.5 ratio (1 teaspoon cream of tartar : 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder), or you can replace cream of tartar with the combination of baking soda and either lemon juice or vinegar (as with this recipe).

If your cookies repeatedly turn out flat, no matter the recipe, chances are your oven is too hot. Here's what's happening. The butter melts super quickly in a too-hot oven before the other ingredients have firmed up into a cookie structure. Therefore, as the butter spreads so does the whole liquidy cookie.

You can also simply leave out the cream of tartar from a recipe, which may result in baked goods that are not as fluffy, but will still work out and taste good.

The most common culprit behind non-spreading cookies is too much flour. This may seem counterintuitive—after all, isn't flour a key ingredient in baking? Yes, but if you add too much flour, your cookies won't spread as they bake.

Overmixing the dough

If you overmix the dough, the cookies will be dry and crumbly. The best way to fix this is to add more liquid to the dough. This can be done by adding milk, water, or even melted butter. You may also need to add more flour to the dough if it is too wet.

Evenly space the snickerdoodles on a large baking sheet so there is about 2-3″ between the cookies. Then, bake in the preheated oven for 9 to 10 minutes. It's very important not to over-bake these snickerdoodle cookies. When they're done, the snickerdoodles will be puffed, a parts of the cookie will look set.

What some taste as “bitterness” in snickerdoodles, others consider “tanginess”, and it comes from the metallic flavors of the cream of tartar and baking soda. If you're particularly sensitive to the tangy flavor, feel free to omit the cream of tartar.

The Best Substitute for Cream of Tartar

For every 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar in the recipe, use 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar. As an example, if your cookie recipe calls for 1 teaspoon baking soda, add 2 teaspoons lemon juice instead of the cream of tartar.

Cream of tartar does not expire so long as you store it in a cool and dry space. When in doubt, check for a powdery, white appearance and a slightly acidic smell. Discard your cream of tartar if it has become discolored or if it has a strong smell.

Can I freeze snickerdoodles? ›

Snickerdoodles can be stored at room temp for up to five days, but it's best to keep them in a cool, dry place like your fridge. You can also freeze them for up to two weeks—and then just thaw and serve.

Chilling the dough also improves the way your cookies taste. "In terms of flavor, you'll notice more depth of flavor from the vanilla and the sugar will taste sweeter," says Haught Brown. "In terms of texture, chilled cookie dough produces a more evenly golden-brown cookie with a crisper edge and chewier center."

When cookie dough is too sticky, you may have an imbalance of wet and dry ingredients. You can fix this by adding a teaspoon of flour or cornstarch at a time until your dough is just how you want. The added flour or cornstarch will absorb the excess liquid and reduce the dough's overall stickiness.

Soft – Dough that's “soft” or “runny” can be thickened by adding one or two tablespoons of flour to your mix. This will help keep your batch from “Spreading” and coming out of the oven looking like flat, not-so-cookie-like puddles.

Cream of tartar stabilizes the tiny bubbles in the egg whites, by precluding the egg proteins from sticking together. It thus speeds up the egg white whipping process and contributes to a stable, billowy, glossy meringue, perfect for cookies, topping pies, and folding into cake.

Cream of tartar acts as a dry acid, reacting with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) during the baking process. This acid-base reaction generates carbon dioxide gas, creating bubbles that contribute to the leavening of baked goods. This is especially crucial in recipes where a light and fluffy texture is desired.

Cream of tartar is used in playdough to stabilize the dough. It helps give playdough a soft and malleable texture, as well as help it last longer. If you don't have cream of tartar to add to this playdough recipe, you can substitute it with the same amount of lemon juice.