Sourdough Snickerdoodles
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These delicious sourdough snickerdoodle cookies are so easy to make and will give your sourdough discard new life! Sourdough starter or sourdough discard (you can use either) gives these snickerdoodle cookies a lovely tang - and combined with the cinnamon sugar they are just sooooo good!!
I love these sourdough snickerdoodles because they have crispy edges with a soft interior and a chewy texture. They will stay fresh like this for up to a week in an airtight container, making them a great "cookie jar" filler.
So if you've got some spare sourdough starter or discard in the fridge from feeding your sourdough starter or making sourdough bread, grab your jar and let's bake cookies!
And if you really love cookies, you could also try these sourdough chocolate chip cookies, sourdough skillet cookie, sourdough sugar cookies or these sourdough gingerbread cookies.
What Are Snickerdoodles?
Snickerdoodles are characterised by a cracked surface, usually with crispy edges. They are rolled in a cinnamon-sugar mixture prior to baking. Snickerdoodles are made from flour, butter, sugar, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda and these last two ingredients are what give them their buttery soft interior.
If you're in the US, you've probably made snickerdoodle recipes before, but if you're from somewhere else around the world, you might not be familiar with them or call them by a different name.
Snickerdoodles are sometimes referred to as sugar cookies, however they are different from sugar cookies because snickerdoodles are soft cookies. Sugar cookies are usually crisper to allow for icing decorations. Sugar cookies do not contain cream of tartar, a key ingredient in Snickerdoodles. If you're looking for sugar cookies, try these sourdough sugar cookies or sourdough sugar cookie bars.
Ingredients
- Sugar - I like to use granulated sugar in the cookie dough batter and then a finer white sugar to roll the cookies in before baking.
- Butter - I've used salted butter (I know, I know, most people prefer unsalted butter, but I just love salted butter). Make sure you use softened butter (whether it's salted or not)
- Egg - just one large egg for this recipe. Mine was around 60g.
- Sourdough Discard - like most sourdough discard recipes, you can use discard or you can use active sourdough starter. They choice is yours. Either one will bring a more complex flavor profile to your cookies. Using sourdough starter or discard in these cookies will bring a more complex, tangy flavor, as well as a softer interior.
- Vanilla extract - you can also use vanilla bean paste if you like a stronger vanilla flavor.
- All Purpose Flour
- Cream of Tartar & Baking Soda - together, these ingredients give your sourdough snickerdoodles a soft, velvety interior. Cream of tartar is actually tartaric acid and is a byproduct of the wine making process. It's really important when it comes to snickerdoodle cookies because it gives them their signature tang. It also helps to keep to give them a buttery soft interior.
- Salt
- Cinnamon - you'll need ground cinnamon in the cookie dough batter and to roll them in before baking. Ground cinnamon is a key ingredient in these sourdough snickerdoodle cookies.
How To Make Sourdough Snickerdoodle Cookies
I make my sourdough snickerdoodle cookies in a stand mixer, however you can use hand beaters, a Thermomix or just do it by hand (just use a whisk and elbow grease).
Kate's Recipe Tip
- The cookie dough should be tacky, but not sticky. I highly recommend refrigerating the dough if you have time. Even just a few hours will create a more complex flavor profile (and easier to handle dough!).
I make my sourdough snickerdoodle cookies in a stand mixer, however you can use hand beaters, a Thermomix or just do it by hand (just use a whisk and elbow grease).
Start by creaming together softened butter and sugar. The butter and sugar should be pale and creamy.
Now add the egg, sourdough starter and vanilla and beat until well combined. Set this aside for the moment.
To a separate bowl, add the flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda & cream of tartar. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
Add the creamed wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Add it in 2 or 3 parts so it's easier to mix through.You should end up with a thick biscuit dough. Don't worry if it feels too soft. But it should be thick. I find this bit really easy with a stand mixer - but if you are doing it by hand, just go steady and add the dry ingredients bit by bit and the dough will come together.
Cover the sourdough snickerdoodle dough and refrigerate for at least an hour (you can leave the dough in the fridge for up to 3 days with no issues). Chilling the dough gives it a more complex flavor and allows your sourdough starter to work its magic and ferment the flour!
When you're ready to bake them, preheat your oven to 375F (190C).
Mix the sugar and cinnamon for the topping together in a small bowl.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll the snickerdoodle dough into small ball (around 1 tablespoon dough). Roll each ball into the bowl of cinnamon sugar and place onto the prepared baking sheets allowing plenty of space around them.
Use the back of a spoon to create an indent in each ball of dough.
Bake the sourdough snickerdoodles for 10 minutes at 375F (190C). They will be soft and slightly under baked when you take them out.
Allow them to rest on the tray for 10 minutes before removing and placing on a wire rack to fully cool.
Tips for Making Perfect Sourdough Snickerdoodle Cookies
Snickerdoodles are really easy to make, but there are a few things you can do to make sure you get perfect sourdough snickerdoodle cookies every single time!
- Make sure you cream the butter and sugar really well. You want the sugar to have dissolved into the butter and have not grittiness at all. You can use the paddle attachment on your stand mixer or hand mixer for this for the best results.
- The dough should be tacky, but not sticky. You should be able to handle it without it sticking to your hands, but it shouldn't not be so dry you have to press it together.
- You don't have to refrigerate the dough, however you'll get a much tangier flavor if you do. Refrigeration also makes the cookie dough much easier to handle and gives you a softer interior when they are baked.
- For crunchier cookies, just bake them a little longer (2 to 3 minutes is sufficient). This will ensure you get lovely crisp edges.
- Give these cookies plenty of space on the cookie sheet as they spread quite a bit.
- Make sure your oven is hot enough. Because these are softer cookies it can be tempting to turn the oven down - but don't. If you do, your cookies won't get that signature crackly top! Make sure your oven is accurate by using an oven thermometer to check temperature.
Flavor Variations
Now I understand that snickerdoodles are kind of like an institution - and you shouldn't really mess with the original, right? But since we've added sourdough discard, I figured a little more variation isn't going to hurt!
Here are some of the ways I love to change up my sourdough snickerdoodles to give them a fun little twist!
- Add pumpkin spice to the cookie dough - a great way to make these for Thanksgiving!
- Add 50g of peanut butter to the mixture (crunch or smooth - your choice).
- Sprinkle sea salt onto the cookie dough balls before you bake them - trust me - you'll love it!
- Swap out white sugar for brown sugar to give you a richer flavor with a darker cookie crust.
- Add some chocolate chips to the mixture (with the dry ingredients) for a chocolatey twist on these classics.
How To Freeze, Store + Make Ahead
Sourdough snickerdoodles are perfect for freezing and making ahead. Their soft texture also means that they will last a bit longer than regular cookies.
Freeze - you can freeze the balls of dough and bake them as you need them.
- Place cookie dough balls onto cookie sheet (do not roll them in cinnamon sugar mixture. Freeze them on the cookie tray.
- Once frozen, transfer to a ziploc bag and place into freezer for up to 4 months.
- When you want to bake them. Allow them to thaw slightly, roll in cinnamon sugar mixutre.
- Place onto baking sheet, indent with back of a spoon and bake!
You can freeze the cookies once they're baked. Place cool cookies into a zip lock bag or wrap bundles of 5 in plastic wrap. Allow to thaw at room temp before enjoying your snickerdoodles.
Store - store these sourdough snickerdoodles in a cookie tin or jar (avoid plastic containers) for up to a week. They will stay in perfect condition in this time.
Make Ahead - as you can see in the recipe below, the dough can be placed in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This means you can make it ahead and then roll and bake when you want to. Or you could have the cookie dough balls on baking sheets in the fridge ready to slide into the oven when you need them (this takes up a bit of room though).
Frequently Asked Questions
Snickerdoodles are traditionally made with cream of tartar and baking soda. This is what gives them a softer interior. Sugar cookies, while having similar ingredients, do not contain cream of tartar. They are also a crisper cookie and often decorated with icing. Sugar cookies are not rolled in cinnamon sugar either. Snickerdoodle cookies can often be referred to as sugar cookies outside of the US and this is where some of the confusion lies.
Snickerdoodles are meant to puff up. The cream of tartar and baking soda creates carbon dioxide gas which causes the snickerdoodles to puff up quickly and then deflate. This is what gives them their signature crackly exterior. If your snickerdoodles are very puffy when you take them out of the oven, gently press them down with the back of a spoon. Making an indent on the balls before baking them will ensure that your snickerdoodles puff up and deflate into the perfect texture.
While cream of tartar is a key ingredient in snickerdoodle cookies, if you do not have any on hand, you can use 1.5 teaspoon of baking powder to replace 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar. This would equate to around 6g of baking powder for every 3.5g of cream of tartar.
Baking powder is a good replacement for cream of tartar because baking powder actually contains tartaric acid.
Having your oven temperature too low can or using too much sugar can both result in hard snickerdoodle cookies. Ensure your oven is at the right temperature by using an oven thermometer and always weigh your ingredients using a digital scale.
No, snickerdoodle dough should not be dry. It is a thick dough. It should be tacky, but not sticky. If the dough is dry, your snickerdoodles will not be soft in the middle and will more than likely not spread out like they need to.
Sourdough Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- Stand Mixer optional
- Cookie Sheet
Ingredients
- 250 g Sugar (granulated sugar)
- 230 g Butter (softened at room temperature)
- 1 Egg (large, mine was 60g)
- 100 g Sourdough Starter (or Sourdough Discard)
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
- 400 g All Purpose Flour
- 12 g Cream of Tartar
- 10 g Baking Soda
- 5 g Salt
- 3 g Ground Cinnamon
Topping
- 80 g Sugar (Fine white sugar)
- 1 g Ground Cinnamon
Instructions
- I make my sourdough snickerdoodle cookies in a stand mixer, however you can use hand beaters, a Thermomix or just do it by hand (just use a whisk and elbow grease).
- Start by creaming together butter and sugar (I do this in a stand mixer). The butter and sugar should be pale and creamy.
- Now add the egg, sourdough starter and vanilla and beat until well combined. Set this aside for the moment.
- To a separate bowl, add the flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda & cream of tartar. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
- Add the creamed wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Add it in 2 or 3 parts so it's easier to mix through.You should end up with a thick biscuit dough. Don't worry if it feels too soft. But it should be thick.I find this bit really easy with a stand mixer - but if you are doing it by hand, just go steady and add the dry ingredients bit by bit and the dough will come together.
- Cover the snickerdoodle dough and refrigerate for at least an hour (you can leave the dough in the fridge for up to 3 days with no issues).
- When you're ready to bake them, preheat your oven to 375F (190C).
- Mix the sugar and cinnamon for the topping together in a small bowl.
- Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll the snickerdoodle dough into small ball (around 1 tablespoon dough). Roll each ball into the bowl of cinnamon sugar and place onto the cookie sheets allowing plenty of space around them.
- Use the back of a spoon to create an indent in each ball of dough.
- Bake the sourdough snickerdoodles for 10 minutes at 375F (190C). They will be soft and slightly under baked when you take them out.
- Allow them to rest on the tray for 10 minutes before removing and placing on a wire rack to fully cool.
Notes
- Make sure you cream the butter and sugar really well. You want the sugar to have dissolved into the butter and have not grittiness at all. You can use the paddle attachment on your stand mixer or hand mixer for this for the best results.
- The dough should be tacky, but not sticky. You should be able to handle it without it sticking to your hands, but it shouldn't not be so dry you have to press it together.
- You don't have to refrigerate the dough, however you'll get a much tangier flavor if you do. Refrigeration also makes the cookie dough much easier to handle and gives you a softer interior when they are baked.
- For crunchier cookies, just bake them a little longer (2 to 3 minutes is sufficient). This will ensure you get lovely crisp edges.
- Give these cookies plenty of space on the cookie sheet as they spread quite a bit.
- Make sure your oven is hot enough. Because these are softer cookies it can be tempting to turn the oven down - but don't. If you do, your cookies won't get that signature crackly top! Make sure your oven is accurate by using an oven thermometer to check temperature.
Nutrition
