Snickerdoodles

These easy one-bowl, no-chill Snickerdoodles are crispy around the edges, soft and chewy at the centers, and so so good.

Hey, friend. I hope your day is off to an excellent start, and if not, don’t worry. It could be about to get a lot better.

Because today you could be making snickerdoodles.

And not just any snickerdoodles.

The best snickerdoodles.

Crispy around the edges, soft and chewy at the centers, spicy-sweet, and totally perfect snickerdoodles.

Overhead photo of Snickerdoodle Cookies on parchment paper. - 1

Overhead photo of Snickerdoodle Cookies on parchment paper. - 2

And if you don’t know exactly what a snickerdoodle cookie is or have never tried one before (no shame, I’d never had one till I was in college), I am so excited for you because now you get to try one for the first time.

What are Snickerdoodles?

Snickerdoodle cookies are basically sugar cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar made with one extra ingredient: cream of tartar.

Cream of tartar, which you get as a byproduct of winemaking , gives the cookies a soft and chewy texture and signature tangy flavor.

Ingredient Notes

All-purpose flour: In this recipe, it’s really important to measure your flour either by weight or the spoon and sweep method (stir flour in its container to fluff it up, spoon it into your measuring cup, and sweep the excess off with the flat of a knife). Too much flour and your dough might not come together.
Softened butter: You can use salted or unsalted butter–the recipe card has instructions for both. During the summer, make sure not to let your butter get too warm on the counter before using as it can cause your cookies to spread too much in the oven. You know your butter is the correct temperature if you can easily press an indentation into it with your finger but the butter around it still keeps its shape.
Shortening: If you don’t have shortening, you can still make these cookies by replacing the shortening with the same amount of butter, but I don’t think the texture is quite as good (shortening makes a slightly thicker, more tender cookie). And you might consider adding shortening to your baking pantry . It has a long shelf-life and is a handy ingredient to have around.
Cream of tartar: If you don’t have cream of tartar in your spice drawer, you can find it at your local grocery store in the spice aisle.

Can You Make Snickerdoodles Without Cream of Tartar?

Yes and no and probably. For this recipe, yes. What comes out of the oven will still be a fully functional cookie–but they will lack that tangy snickerdoodle flavor, still delicious, but not a quite a snickerdoodle, so also no.

For other snickerdoodle recipes, probably. Cream of tartar does more than just add flavor. It also acts as a leavener when combined with baking soda, so omitting it can change the texture of your finished product. The cookie will probably still come out okay, but the texture may be altered.

Photo of Snickerdoodle Cookies stacked next to a class of milk. - 3

Photo of Snickerdoodle Cookies stacked next to a class of milk. - 4

How to Make Snickerdoodles

Cream: Cream together your butter, shortening and sugar followed by the remaining wet ingredients.
Mix: Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix until a slightly sticky dough forms.
Scoop and roll: Scoop dough and form into balls before rolling in cinnamon sugar.
Bake: Bake until cookie tops are cracked and they look just set. Cool and enjoy!

When you first bite into it, a snickerdoodle tastes like a cinnamon sugar cookie. But as you eat it, you’ll notice that it also has a slightly tangy flavor that is so good. This comes from the cream of tartar.

Do snickerdoodles have nuts?

Classic snickerdoodles do not contain nuts. BUT, if you’d like to add them, go for it.

Can you freeze homemade snickerdoodles?

Yes! Both the baked snickerdoodle cookies and the dough freeze extremely well.

Photo collage of snickerdoodle cookie dough ready to be frozen. - 5

Photo collage of snickerdoodle cookie dough ready to be frozen. - 6

To Freeze Baked Cookies: Transfer the cookies to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Cookies can be eaten frozen right out of the freezer or set on the counter for about 15 minutes to defrost.

To Freeze Dough: After rolling cookie dough balls in cinnamon sugar, place them on a plate or small baking sheet that will fit in your freezer and freeze until solid. After dough is frozen, transfer it to an airtight container or freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 2 months.

To Bake Frozen Cookie Dough: Preheat oven to 400°F and place frozen cookie dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Bake for 8 to 11 minutes.

More Snickerdoodle Recipes

Snickerdoodle Hot Chocolate
Small-batch Snickerdoodles
Small-batch Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Snickerdoodle Sandwich Cookies with Eggnog Buttercream
Salted Caramel Snickerdoodle Milkshake

Photo of Snickerdoodle Cookie halves up close. - 7

Photo of Snickerdoodle Cookie halves up close. - 8

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Small-batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
Small-batch Peanut Butter Cookies
Small-batch Frosted Sugar Cookies

Recipe Notes

This recipe makes 24 small cookies. If you prefer regular-size cookies, the recipe will make a dozen. For the larger cookies, simply extend the baking time by 1 to 2 minutes.

Ingredients

Special Equipment

▢ Handheld electric mixer optional but helpful

Cinnamon Sugar

▢ 2 tablespoons ( 25g ) granulated sugar
▢ 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Snickerdoodles

▢ ¼ cup ( 2oz ) salted butter softened*
▢ ¼ cup ( 48g ) shortening room temperature*
▢ ¾ cup ( 150g ) granulated sugar
▢ 1 large egg
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ 1 ½ cups ( 180g ) all-purpose flour measured by weight or using the spoon and sweep method*
▢ 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
▢ ⅛ teaspoon salt *

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.

Cinnamon Sugar

In a small bowl, stir together sugar and cinnamon.

Snickerdoodles

In a large bowl, cream together butter, shortening, and sugar.
Add egg and vanilla and beat until well-combined.
Add flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined.
Scoop and roll dough into 24 1 1/4-inch balls. Roll in cinnamon sugar mixture and place on baking sheets. Bake sheets one at a time for 8 to 10 minutes, until cookie tops are cracked and just set.
Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Adapted from AllRecipes

This easy crockpot hot chocolate is the best hot chocolate you’ll ever sip. It’s creamy, rich, and completely decadent. Make it in your slow cooker for easy hands-off cooking or on the stovetop if you’re running short on time.

I have a ton of hot chocolate recipes on the site, but today I’m sharing my family’s absolute favorite hot chocolate recipe with you. A friend shared this recipe with me when I was in college, and I’ve made it for my family on Christmas Eve every single year since.

We call it our Polar Express Hot Chocolate because it’s so extremely rich and creamy that it tastes just like the sort of thing you’d drink on a magical train on your way to Santa’s workshop.

Crockpot hot chocolate in a glass mug with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. - 10

Crockpot hot chocolate in a glass mug with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. - 11

Why make hot chocolate in a crockpot?

You don’t have to make this hot chocolate in a slow cooker. You can cook it on the stovetop and it will turn out just as well, but using a slow cooker means you can start your hot chocolate and mostly forget about it as it cooks.

Give it a stir once or twice an hour when you walk past the kitchen, but otherwise, no need to babysit it.

And during the holidays, when you’re running around or busy cooking other things, it’s nice to have something low-maintenance.

Ingredients for crockpot hot chocolate on a counter. - 12

Ingredients for crockpot hot chocolate on a counter. - 13

Ingredient Notes

Milk: Any percentage milk will work just fine in this recipe. I typically use whole milk. Sweetened condensed milk: Instead of using sugar, this recipe uses condensed milk. If you don’t regularly buy sweetened condensed milk, you can usually find it in the baking aisle or near the coffee and tea aisle. It’s sold in cans, and be sure to double check to make sure you’ve grabbed sweetened condensed milk and not evaporated milk since they’re typically sold side by side.
Semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate: All of the chocolate flavor for the hot chocolate comes from real chocolate (there’s no cocoa powder in this recipe) so be sure to use high-quality chocolate you enjoy the taste of. Chopped chocolate from a bar melts a little easier and nicer, but good-quality chips like Ghirardelli or Guittard will also work (and is what we usually use).
Heavy cream: A generous amount of heavy cream is what makes this recipe so rich and creamy. I do not recommend trying to replace it with milk, though if you really want to make crockpot hot chocolate with no heavy cream, half and half would probably be okay. If you have leftover heavy cream, check out my post What to Do With Leftover Heavy Cream for ideas to use up the extras.

How to Make Crockpot Hot Chocolate

Combine all ingredients in your crockpot. Cook on high for 2 hours or low for 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
The hot chocolate is done when it is piping hot and chocolate is completely melted.

Slow cooker hot chocolate being poured into a mug. - 14

Slow cooker hot chocolate being poured into a mug. - 15

Toppings

This recipe makes such a rich hot chocolate that it really doesn’t need any toppings. But toppings are fun, so feel free to load your glasses up with them. Try:

Whipped cream
Marshmallows
Candy canes
Shaved or chopped chocolate
Chocolate sauce
Warm milk (to cut the sweetness and richness)

Can I make this without condensed sweetened milk?

No. While you absolutely can make hot chocolate without sweetened condensed milk, you cannot make this hot chocolate without it. If you don’t have (or want to buy) any, try one of the other hot chocolate recipes on the site like my Rich and Thick Hot Chocolate .

Cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. - 16

Cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. - 17

How to store leftover hot chocolate?

Leftover hot chocolate stores very well. Transfer it to an airtight container like a mason jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 or 3 days.

You can reheat leftovers in the microwave or on the stovetop or drink it chilled.

Leftovers tip: My mom likes to pour leftover hot chocolate into her coffee on Christmas morning and make a homemade mocha .

What to serve with crockpot hot chocolate?

This recipe makes an extremely rich and sweet drink. At home, we always warm a couple cups of milk on the stove right before serving so people who like their hot chocolate a little less decadent can add more milk to theirs and cut the sweetness.

Otherwise, serve this alongside your favorite Christmas cookies. I recommend Chai Sugar Cookies with Eggnog Glaze , Snickerdoodles , and (small-batch) Snowball Cookies .