Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookies with Cream Cheese Icing
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What’s Up, Hungry People
I’ve been in a cinnamony mood lately, and there’s nothing quite like the aroma of freshly baked snickerdoodles filling the kitchen.
I LOVE snickerdoodle cookies – but it’s just so hard to find ones that are actually soft and chewy, not dry and crumbly (like most snickerdoodle recipes tend to turn out). The secret to the perfect snickerdoodle is to make sure you include cream of tartar. This ensures your snickerdoodles have that perfect chewiness.
These snickerdoodles are akin to cinnamon roll cookies – topped with a heavenly cream cheese icing.
Here’s What You Need
- Butter: Provides moisture and richness.
- Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps with the structure.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients and add to the chewy texture.
- Salt: Enhances the overall flavor.
- Flour: Forms the base of the cookie dough.
- Baking powder: Helps the cookies rise.
- Vanilla: Adds a sweet, fragrant flavor.
- Cream of tartar: Ensures the cookies are soft and chewy.
- Cinnamon: Adds a warm, spicy flavor to the coating.
- Powdered sugar: Used in the icing for a smooth texture.
- Milk: Helps achieve the right icing consistency.
- Cream cheese: Adds richness to the icing.
Let’s Cook
First things first, preheat your oven to 350°F. While it’s warming up, grab a large bowl and whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and that magical cream of tartar. This dry mix is the foundation of our cookie dough.
In your trusty stand mixer, cream together the sugar, butter, and eggs until the mixture is pale and fluffy. This step is crucial for incorporating air into the dough, ensuring a soft and chewy texture.
Combining Ingredients
Slowly add your dry ingredients to the wet mix in quarter-cup increments. Patience is key here! Allow each addition to fully incorporate before adding the next. Keep mixing until you’ve got a sticky dough that’s just begging to be baked.
Shaping the Dough
In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon. This is going to be our delicious coating. Using a tablespoon, scoop out 1-2 tablespoon portions of dough and roll them into 1-inch balls.
Give each dough ball a nice roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until they’re completely covered. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat, making sure to space them 1-2 inches apart. We don’t want any cookie collisions in the oven!
Baking to Perfection
Pop the cookies into your preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. Keep an eye on them – you want them to puff up in the middle and just start to brown. The edges should be set, but the centers will still look a bit soft. That’s your cue to take them out.
Icing Time
While your cookies are cooling, let’s whip up that dreamy cream cheese icing. In a clean bowl, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and milk. You might need a bit more milk to get the right consistency. The goal is a drizzle, not a flood. If it gets too thin, just add a bit more powdered sugar.
Once your cookies are cool to the touch, drizzle the cream cheese icing over them as desired.
Troubleshooting and Tips
- Too Crumbly: If your dough is too crumbly, add a bit more butter or an extra egg yolk to improve the texture.
- Icing Consistency: If your icing is too runny, add more powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time. If too thick, add milk a teaspoon at a time.
- Even Baking: Rotate your baking sheet halfway through the baking time to ensure even baking and prevent hot spots.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature to keep them soft and chewy for up to a week.
These soft and chewy snickerdoodles are bound to become your new favorite. With their perfect blend of cinnamon and sweetness, topped with a luscious cream cheese icing, they’re the ultimate comfort cookie. Whip up a batch for a cozy night in or to impress at your next gathering. Trust me, these cookies won’t last long once they’re out of the oven. Enjoy every bite and happy baking, Hungry People!
Soft & Chewy Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs room temperature
- ¼ teaspoons salt
- 3 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- ¼ cup cinnamon for rolling
- ¼ cup sugar for rolling
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and cream of tartar.
- Using a stand mixer, cream together the sugar, butter, and eggs until pale. Slowly add the mixed dry ingredients in quarter-cup increments, allowing each addition to completely mix into the wet ingredients before adding the next quarter cup. Repeat until all the flour is combined and a sticky dough has formed.
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Working with a tablespoon or measuring spoon, measure out 1-2 tablespoon portions of the cookie dough. Roll the dough into 1-inch round balls.
- Roll the dough balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture until completely covered, then transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat. Place the balls about 1-2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cookies are puffed up in the middle and just starting to brown.
- Meanwhile, in a separate bowl (or cleaned mixer bowl), combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and milk. You may need more milk to make a smooth icing. Only add enough milk so that the icing can be slowly drizzled and is not watery. If too thin, add more powdered sugar.
- Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely. Drizzle the cream cheese icing over the cookies as desired. Store in an airtight container for up to one week. Enjoy!
