Snickerdoodle Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Are snickerdoodles supposed to be soft when they come out of the oven? ›

Everyone and anyone has a recipe for snickerdoodles, but I'm here today to tell you that these are the absolute best of the best. They puff in the oven and then settle back down while cooling into a soft, thick, supremely chewy cookie with a gorgeous crinkly top.

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.

“Too much cream of tartar will impart a metallic, tin-like taste,” Molly warns.

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. The ratio is usually 1/8 teaspoon of cream of tartar for every egg white.

Snickerdoodles might turn out hard if they are overbaked or if the dough is too dry. Be sure to keep an eye on them as they bake – when the edges are set but the centers are still soft and puffy, they are done. Also, make sure you're not adding too much flour.

However they won't be particularly chewy and they should not spread out on the baking sheet that much. There are several reasons why the cookies may have become dry and crumbly but the two most likely are that either the cookies were baked for too long or too much flour was added to the dough.

Excess Sugar and Fat

Measuring is key in baking. If your cookie contains excess sugar or fat, it will spread while baking.

The Problem: Your Oven Is Too Hot

If your cookies repeatedly turn out flat, no matter the recipe, chances are your oven is too hot.

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.

Yes, cornstarch can help absorb excess moisture in the dough and make it less sticky. Sprinkle a small amount of cornstarch on your hands or work surface before handling the dough. Alternatively, add a tablespoon or two of cornstarch to the dough while mixing.

Why did my snickerdoodles come out cakey? ›

Using too much flour will make your cookies too cakey, so try reducing the flour amount by two tablespoons. Avoid using cake flour instead; try a mix of all-purpose flour and bread flour for a more dense and chewy texture.

The snickerdoodle dough can be sticky and tough to handle. I like to grease my hands with cooking spray so they are easier to handle. Refrigerate. Also, after you have rolled one tray of snickerdoodles, place it in the refrigerator for a few minutes.

Why are my snickerdoodles puffy? Too much flour - spoon and level the flour correctly how I show it in my chocolate chip cookie post. Inaccurate oven temperature (too hot) - I advise using an oven thermometer for accurate baking results.

The most common recipes that call for cream of tartar are those that call for egg whites to be whipped, like angel food cake, genoise cake, meringue, and macarons. Jampel says that is because cream of tartar works as an egg white stabilizer that increases both the volume and shelf life of the meringue.

Culinary uses

Bakers often use cream of tartar in baked goods by mixing it with egg whites to help create stiff peaks in meringue. This prevents the formation of sugar crystals. Cream of tartar can be a substitute for anything from buttermilk to baking powder and lemon juice in your favorite recipes.

When combined with baking soda, it becomes a leavening agent (the stuff that makes baked goods puff up in the oven) by producing carbon dioxide gas. If you ever run out of baking powder, you can substitute 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar for 1 teaspoon baking powder.

Cream of tartar is a white powder sold in the baking aisle that's commonly used to stabilize whipped egg whites in meringues and cakes, prevent sugar crystallization in candies and caramel, and act as the activating ingredient in baking powder.