Chewy Snickerdoodles For Two

If you ask me, snickerdoodles are one of the best cookies out there.

This small-batch recipe makes just enough for two people to enjoy without leftovers sitting around for days. The cookies are rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking, giving them that classic crackled top and sweet coating.

A bit of cream cheese in the dough keeps them soft and tender on the inside. Cream of tartar gives them that signature tangy flavor that makes snickerdoodles different from regular sugar cookies.

It’s a simple recipe that comes together quickly, perfect for when you want freshly baked cookies without making three dozen.

What Kind of Butter Should I Use?

For snickerdoodles, unsalted butter is the way to go since it gives you better control over the salt level in your cookies. Make sure your butter is properly softened to room temperature – it should be soft enough to leave an indent when you press it, but not melted or greasy. If your butter is too cold, it won’t cream properly with the sugar and cream cheese, which can affect the texture of your cookies. In a pinch, you can cut your butter into small cubes and let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes to speed up the softening process.

Options for Substitutions

These cookies are pretty forgiving, so here are some swaps you can make if needed:

• Cream cheese: If you don’t have cream cheese, you can use an extra tablespoon of butter instead. The cookies will be slightly less soft but still taste great.
• Cream of tartar: This ingredient gives snickerdoodles their signature tangy flavor, so I wouldn’t skip it if possible. In a pinch, you can use 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar, but the flavor won’t be quite the same.
• Egg: Since this recipe only uses one egg, it’s tricky to substitute. If you need an egg-free version, try using 2 tablespoons of milk mixed with 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, though the texture will be a bit different.
• Unsalted butter: Salted butter works fine here – just skip the 1/8 teaspoon of salt in the recipe to avoid over-salting.
• Ground cinnamon: You can reduce the cinnamon to 1 teaspoon if you prefer a milder flavor, or add a pinch of nutmeg for extra warmth.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making snickerdoodles is skipping the cream of tartar, which gives these cookies their signature tangy flavor and chewy texture – don’t try to substitute it with baking powder or leave it out entirely.

Another common error is over-mixing the dough once you add the flour, which can lead to tough, dense cookies instead of soft ones, so mix just until the flour disappears.

Since this small-batch recipe only makes a few cookies, they can go from perfectly baked to overdone in seconds, so pull them from the oven when the edges are set but the centers still look slightly underdone – they’ll continue cooking on the baking sheet.

Finally, make sure your butter and cream cheese are truly softened to room temperature before mixing, as cold ingredients won’t cream properly and can result in flat, spread-out cookies instead of thick, puffy ones.

What to Serve With Snickerdoodles?

These snickerdoodles are perfect with a cold glass of milk or a hot cup of coffee for dunking. I love serving them alongside vanilla ice cream for an easy dessert – the warm cinnamon sugar cookies pair beautifully with the cold, creamy ice cream. They’re also great with a mug of hot chocolate or chai tea, since the cinnamon flavors really complement those cozy drinks. If you’re making these for an afternoon snack, try them with some fresh apple slices or a fruit salad to balance out the sweetness.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your snickerdoodles in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They’ll stay soft and chewy if you toss a slice of bread in the container with them, which helps maintain moisture.

Freeze: These cookies freeze really well for up to 3 months. You can freeze them already baked, or roll the dough into balls, coat them in cinnamon sugar, and freeze them on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer bag. That way you can bake fresh cookies whenever the craving hits!

Bake from Frozen: If you froze the dough balls, just add an extra minute or two to the baking time. No need to thaw them first, which makes this perfect for when you want warm cookies without any prep work.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 900-1000
• Protein: 10-12 g
• Fat: 35-40 g
• Carbohydrates: 140-150 g

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• 2 tbsp cream cheese (softened)
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur)

For the coating:

• 2 tsp ground cinnamon (freshly ground preferred for better flavor)
• 2 tbsp sugar

Step 1: Prepare Your Setup and Mise en Place

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

While the oven heats, measure out all your dry ingredients (flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt) into a small bowl and whisk them together—this prevents lumps and ensures even distribution of the leavening agents.

In a shallow bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons sugar with the ground cinnamon and set aside for coating.

Having everything prepped and ready makes the dough-making process smooth and prevents overworking the dough.

Step 2: Cream the Butter Base

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sugar

In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, softened cream cheese, and 1/2 cup sugar.

Beat for about 1 minute until the mixture is light and fluffy—this incorporates air and creates a tender cookie texture.

The cream cheese adds a subtle tang and helps keep these small-batch cookies moist.

Stop and scrape down the bowl as needed to ensure everything is evenly combined.

Step 3: Incorporate the Egg

• 1 large egg

Add the large egg to the butter mixture and beat until fully combined, about 30 seconds.

The egg acts as a binder and adds moisture to the dough.

Make sure there are no streaks of egg white visible—everything should look uniform and pale.

Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

• dry ingredient mixture from Step 1
• wet ingredient mixture from Step 2
• egg from Step 3

Add the dry ingredient mixture from Step 1 to the wet ingredients.

Mix on low speed or gently fold by hand until just combined—stop as soon as you don’t see any streaks of flour.

I prefer not to overmix at this stage because it can develop too much gluten and make the cookies tough rather than tender.

The dough should come together easily but still be slightly crumbly at first, which is normal.

Step 5: Shape and Coat the Cookies

• dough from Step 4
• cinnamon-sugar coating from Step 1

Using a small cookie scoop or spoon, portion the dough into balls about the size of walnuts.

Roll each dough ball in the cinnamon-sugar coating from Step 1, making sure it’s well covered on all sides.

Space the coated dough balls about 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheet—they’ll spread slightly as they bake, but not dramatically.

Step 6: Bake and Cool the Cookies

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are just set but the centers still look slightly underdone—they’ll continue to cook on the warm baking sheet.

The cookies should look a bit soft when you remove them from the oven; this is the secret to keeping them chewy.

Let them cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute, which allows them to firm up slightly without setting completely, then transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

I find this short initial rest prevents them from falling apart when you move them.

Chewy Snickerdoodles For Two

Delicious Chewy Snickerdoodles For Two recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 7 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 22 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 950 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the dough:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• 2 tbsp cream cheese (softened)
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur)

For the coating:

• 2 tsp ground cinnamon (freshly ground preferred for better flavor)
• 2 tbsp sugar

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. While the oven heats, measure out all your dry ingredients (flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt) into a small bowl and whisk them together—this prevents lumps and ensures even distribution of the leavening agents. In a shallow bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons sugar with the ground cinnamon and set aside for coating. Having everything prepped and ready makes the dough-making process smooth and prevents overworking the dough.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, softened cream cheese, and 1/2 cup sugar. Beat for about 1 minute until the mixture is light and fluffy—this incorporates air and creates a tender cookie texture. The cream cheese adds a subtle tang and helps keep these small-batch cookies moist. Stop and scrape down the bowl as needed to ensure everything is evenly combined.
• Add the large egg to the butter mixture and beat until fully combined, about 30 seconds. The egg acts as a binder and adds moisture to the dough. Make sure there are no streaks of egg white visible—everything should look uniform and pale.
• Add the dry ingredient mixture from Step 1 to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed or gently fold by hand until just combined—stop as soon as you don't see any streaks of flour. I prefer not to overmix at this stage because it can develop too much gluten and make the cookies tough rather than tender. The dough should come together easily but still be slightly crumbly at first, which is normal.
• Using a small cookie scoop or spoon, portion the dough into balls about the size of walnuts. Roll each dough ball in the cinnamon-sugar coating from Step 1, making sure it's well covered on all sides. Space the coated dough balls about 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheet—they'll spread slightly as they bake, but not dramatically.
• Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are just set but the centers still look slightly underdone—they'll continue to cook on the warm baking sheet. The cookies should look a bit soft when you remove them from the oven; this is the secret to keeping them chewy. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute, which allows them to firm up slightly without setting completely, then transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling. I find this short initial rest prevents them from falling apart when you move them.