16 Unique Snickerdoodle Recipes We Can't Get Enough Of (2024)

FAQs

Why are my snickerdoodles spreading so much? ›

Temperature. Dough that is too warm or soft will spread more than dough that is cooler, so if you're working in a very warm kitchen, putting your dough in the fridge for 15 minutes or longer before using it will help prevent spread. Butter that is too warm or soft is also a major culprit.

If your cookies come out flat on top, with a cake-like texture, you've added too many eggs.

The Joy of Cooking claims that “snickerdoodle” comes from “Schneckennudel,” a German word that literally means “snail noodles.” Schneckennudels don't have anything to do with snails or noodles, though—they're actually delicious-looking German cinnamon rolls.

Why are my snickerdoodles flat? Snickerdoodles can come out flat if 1) the leaveners you used (for this recipe, it's both the baking soda and the cream of tartar) are on the old side and no longer work, and 2) if you baked them at a lower temperature. First, figure out if it's your leavener.

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.

Less sugar allows the flour to absorb more of the liquid, which stiffens the dough and helps prevent over-spreading.” Chilling Holiday Butter Cookie dough helps the cookies keep their shape.

Snickerdoodles might turn out hard if they are overbaked or if the dough is too dry.

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.

Eggs may also sometimes be used as an ingredient, with cream of tartar and baking soda added to leaven the dough. Snickerdoodles are characterized by a cracked surface and can be either crisp or soft depending on the ingredients used. Snickerdoodles are often referred to as "sugar cookies".

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.

Why do my snickerdoodles taste like flour? ›

Over-measuring flour: If you use too much flour in your cookie dough, it can result in a dry, floury taste. Make sure you measure your flour correctly by using a kitchen scale or by spooning the flour into a measuring cup and leveling it off with a knife.

Texture and colour: If the cookie crumb is still wet, doughy, or appears raw, the cookies need more time in the oven. Fully cooked cookies should have a slightly dry and crumbly texture.

Because cream of tartar is slightly more acidic than baking powder, it gives the cookies a slight sour-flavored tang unique to snickerdoodles.

Tip: Don't Add Too Much Baking Powder/Soda

These rising agents create a chemical reaction which causes the cake to rise faster and fall flat, making them dense and eggy tasting. The same could happen if you don't add enough baking powder, as the cake might not rise enough, leading to that eggy taste.

Cookies spread because the fat in the cookie dough melts in the oven. If there isn't enough flour to hold that melted fat, the cookies will over-spread. Spoon and level that flour or, better yet, weigh your flour. If your cookies are still spreading, add an extra 2 Tablespoons of flour to the cookie dough.

Excess Sugar and Fat

Measuring is key in baking. If your cookie contains excess sugar or fat, it will spread while baking. If your first batch of cookies spreads, try adding a few tablespoons of flour to help thicken the remaining dough.

Cookies spread out when baked due to several factors: Fat content: The fat in cookies, usually butter or oil, melts during baking and spreads out. This creates a thinner and wider cookie. Heat: As the cookies bake, the heat causes the dough to soften and the air pockets within the dough to expand.

It could be too much sugar (sugar turns to liquid when heated), or too much fat. Most cookie doughs require 4 hours of chilling in the refrigerator before baking. This helps decrease the amount of spreading.