The Sweet History of the Snickerdoodle (2024)

Because some of us are interested in that sort of thing.

By

Corey Williams

The Sweet History of the Snickerdoodle (1)

Corey Williams is a food writer for MyRecipes and Allrecipes. She has a decade of journalism experience.

Published on December 7, 2023

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The Sweet History of the Snickerdoodle (2)

Snickerdoodles are soft, chewy, slightly tangy, and full of sweet cinnamon-sugar flavor. What would we do without the cozy, classic cookie? Luckily, we'll never have to know. If you've ever wondered how snickerdoodles came to be, you've come to the right place.

The cinnamon cookie that we know and love was likely brought to America by Dutch-German immigrants, cookbook author Ann Byrn says in American Cookie. While they were always popular in Mennonite and Amish baking communities, their popularity skyrocketed in 1891.

The Sweet History of the Snickerdoodle (3)

According to Byrn, a New York City cooking teacher and newspaper columnist shared her recipe for the cookies in a local newspaper. Cornelia “Nellie” Campbell Bedford’s recipe—sugar cookie dough sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar—quickly went viral, so to speak.

“Which, at the end of the 19th century, meant the bar cookie was discussed in newspaper columns daily for the next year,” Byrn writes.

Since then, the snickerdoodle has been a staple of American baking.

Get our top-rated snickerdoodle recipe: Mrs. Sigg's Snickerdoodles

The standard recipe has seen only minor tweaks over the years. Most notably, its shape shifted from bar to round cookie in the ‘30s.

The origin of the funny-sounding name is a bit more unclear than its rise to popularity.

The Sweet History of the Snickerdoodle (4)

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.

Other experts say that the word doesn’t actually mean anything, and it’s just a product of New Englanders’ tendency to call cookies whimsical names.

Meanwhile, The Food Lover’s Companion suggests that the name appears to have “no particular meaning or purpose … other than fun.”

Got a hankering for some sweet, cinnamon-y goodness now? Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered.

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The Sweet History of the Snickerdoodle (2024)

FAQs

The Sweet History of the Snickerdoodle? ›

The cinnamon cookie that we know and love was likely brought to America by Dutch-German immigrants, cookbook author Ann Byrn says in American Cookie. While they were always popular in Mennonite and Amish baking communities, their popularity skyrocketed in 1891.

What is the history of the snickerdoodle cookie? ›

A few cookbooks explain that snickerdoodles are German in origin. They state that the cookie's name comes from the German word shneckennudel (which is a kind of cinnamon bun). Others trace its origin to New England's tradition of whimsical cookie names.

What are some interesting facts about snickerdoodles? ›

The Joy of Cooking claims that snickerdoodles are probably German in origin, and that the name is a corruption of the German word , a Palatine variety of schnecken. It is also possible that the name is simply a nonsense word with no particular meaning, originating from a New England tradition of whimsical cookie names.

Why do snickerdoodles call for cream of tartar? ›

Mom would tell you the cream of tartar stabilizes the snickerdoodles, providing the light, soft, pillowy texture. It also adds the tangy note associated with snickerdoodles. However, vanilla extract neutralizes that tangy note, and that's why it is left out.

Why do snickerdoodles taste metallic? ›

Why do snickerdoodles taste metallic? If your cookies have a metallic taste, it could be due to overuse or the use of expired baking soda. You can also opt for aluminum-free baking soda if you are sensitive to detecting a metallic flavor in baked goods.

Why do they call them snickerdoodle? ›

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.

What is the meaning of snickerdoodle? ›

ˈsni-kər-ˌdü-dᵊl. plural snickerdoodles. : a cookie that is made with usually butter, sugar, and flour and that is rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking.

Why do snickerdoodles get hard? ›

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.

Why do snickerdoodles crack? ›

Almost all recipes call for a combination of cream of tartar and baking soda (an acid and a base); the idea is that when they bake the reaction of these two ingredients will cause the cookies to puff up and then collapse, creating those cinnamon-y cracks on top.

What is one interesting fun fact about cookies? ›

3) Americans consume over 2 billion cookies a year, or 300 cookies for each person annually. 4) The Chocolate Chip is the most popular type of home-baked cookie. 5) Chocolate Chip cookies are Cookie Monster's favorite. His birthday is November 2nd and his original name was Sid on Sesame Street.

Why do my snickerdoodle cookies go flat? ›

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.

Why is snickerdoodle dough so sticky? ›

Too Much Liquid

If there is too much liquid in the dough for the flour to absorb, the result will be a soft and sticky dough. Fluids refer to water or milk used in the recipe, as well as liquid sweeteners, flavorings and eggs or egg substitutes.

Why do my snickerdoodles taste bitter? ›

Cream of tartar is what gives snickerdoodles that tanginess. I've found that a lot of people are very sensitive to the tangy flavor of cream of tartar and the bitter, metallic flavor baking soda can have.

What is the history of snickerdoodles? ›

“Snickerdoodles, also called snipdoodles or cinnamon sugar cookies, have been around since the late 1800s. They probably originated in New England and are either of German or Dutch descent.

Why is my snickerdoodle sour? ›

If your snickerdoodles are too sour, you may have added too much cream of tartar. It does give the cookies a subtle sour-tangy flavor, but it should not be over-powering and should balance nicely with the cinnamon and sugar.

Why did my snickerdoodles come out dry? ›

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.

Where did the cookie originate and how did it gets it name? ›

Another claim is that the American name derives from the Dutch word koekje or more precisely its informal, dialect variant koekie which means little cake, and arrived in American English with the Dutch settlement of New Netherland, in the early 1600s.

What are the oldest cookies in the world? ›

Pizzelles are the oldest known cookie and originated in the mid-section of Italy. They were made many years ago for the “Festival of the Snakes” also known as the “Feast Day of San Domenico” in the village of Colcullo in the Italian region of Abruzzo.

When did snickerdoodle Oreos come out? ›

Snickerdoodle Oreos Launch Nationwide October 17, 2022 | FN Dish - Behind-the-Scenes, Food Trends, and Best Recipes : Food Network | Food Network.

Is there a snickerdoodle Oreo? ›

Snickerdoodle Oreo

The cinnamon isn't too strong or overpowering, but it's there, and the sugar crystals in the creme center are slightly crunchy just like a snickerdoodle. They've also got this subtle tart flavor, too, almost like a carrot cake. The Snickerdoodle Oreo is so damn good!

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