One ingredient that sets Snickerdoodles apart is the cream of tartar. It’s not often that you see it in a cookie recipe; in fact, it’s pretty much unique to Snickerdoodles, but that’s what makes them stand out. The cream of tartar acts as both an extra leavening agent and a flavor addition, and it’s what gives Snickerdoodles their chewy consistency and soft tanginess.

When it comes to Snickerdoodles, there’s always the question of whether or not you should chill the dough. Chilling cookie dough controls the spread of a cookie when baking (which helps maintain a doughy texture) but it also helps concentrate the sugar a bit, which can give you a crispier result. You really can do it either way. We opt to not chill, and find that the end result is just as straightforwardly soft as we could hope for. Enjoy!

Chewy Snickerdoodles

30 minutes to prepare yield 3 dozen

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For rolling:

• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.
In a separate medium bowl, mix together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and then vanilla, mixing well after each addition.
Gradually add dry ingredients to butter/sugar mixture, and mix until well combined.
Add the 3 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon to a small bowl and mix. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Place cookies onto ungreased baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake until light golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Enjoy!