Soft and Chewy Christmas Snickerdoodle Cookies

These Christmas Snickerdoodle Cookies are the classic soft and tangy cookie rolled in a festive red and green cinnamon sugar coating. They come out of the oven with crackly edges and centers that stay tender for days.

The cream of tartar gives them that slight tang that makes a snickerdoodle more than a sugar cookie, and the colored sugars make them sparkle like holiday lights. A batch disappears fast at any cookie swap.

Why These Christmas Cookies Stay in the Rotation

The texture is the real star here. Cream of tartar and a generous amount of butter keep the cookies soft in the middle, with a chewy ring around the edge. The cinnamon sugar coating gets just a little crunchy in the oven.

Rolling them in red and green sanding sugar turns each cookie into a tiny celebration. They look like they took far more effort than they actually did, which is my favorite kind of holiday baking. You can mix the dough in one bowl and have warm cookies in under 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled: using too much flour makes the cookies dry
• 2 tsp cream of tartar: this is not optional, it gives snickerdoodles their signature tang and chew
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup red sanding sugar: for the coating, the coarse kind works best
• ¼ cup green sanding sugar
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar: adds sparkle and sweetness to the cinnamon mix
• 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Variations and Substitutions

• Make them gluten-free: swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend that contains xanthan gum. The texture will be a little more delicate but still chewy.
• Dairy-free option: use a plant-based butter stick that performs like dairy butter for creaming. Avoid tub margarine, which has too much water.
• Peppermint snickerdoodles: omit the cinnamon and rolling sugars, and fold ½ cup crushed candy canes and ½ cup white chocolate chips into the dough. They will be crispier and sticky to scoop.
• Lemon sugar cookies: replace the cinnamon coating with a mix of ¼ cup sugar and 2 tsp lemon zest. The cookies lose the holiday colors but taste bright and citrusy.

For a classic version without the holiday colors, start with our Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodles.

How to Make Christmas Snickerdoodle Cookies

Step 1: Mix the Dry Ingredients

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 ¾ cups flour, 2 tsp cream of tartar, 1 tsp baking soda, and ½ tsp salt until the leaveners are evenly distributed.

The cream of tartar has a faint acidic smell on its own, but that mellows completely as the cookies bake. You are just looking for a uniform pale mixture with no streaks.

Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar

In a large mixing bowl, beat the 1 cup softened butter and 1 ½ cups granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Stop when the mixture is noticeably lighter in color and looks fluffy. Scrape down the bowl, then beat in the 2 eggs and 2 tsp vanilla extract until smooth.

The butter should be soft enough that a finger pressed into it leaves a deep indent, but it should not be greasy or melted. That temperature is what traps air and creates a soft cookie.

Step 3: Shape and Roll the Cookies

With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in two additions, mixing just until no flour pockets remain. Overmixing develops gluten, which can make the cookies tough. In a shallow bowl, stir together the 2 tbsp granulated sugar, 1 ½ tsp cinnamon, and the red and green sanding sugars. Scoop the dough into generous 1 ½ tablespoon portions (a #40 cookie scoop works well). Roll each ball in the colored sugar mixture, pressing gently so the crystals stick. Place the balls 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.

The dough will be soft but should not stick to your hands. If it feels tacky, pop the bowl in the fridge for 15 minutes while the oven finishes heating.

Step 4: Bake and Serve

Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for 8 to 10 minutes. The edges will look set and lightly golden, while the centers still appear slightly puffy and underdone. That is exactly when to pull them out. Let the cookies rest on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and pile them onto a serving plate while still warm.

The red and green sugars will crackle against the pale cookie, and the cinnamon will fill your kitchen. Serve them within a few hours for the softest texture, or let them cool completely and store for later.

Tips for the Softest Holiday Snickerdoodles

• Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it with a knife: scooping directly from the bag packs in too much flour and makes the cookies dry.
• Press each dough ball into the sugar mixture twice, once lightly and then firmly, so the colored crystals really cling and create a sparkly crust.
• Add a pinch of nutmeg (¼ tsp) to the flour mixture for a warmer, deeper spice note that tastes like the holidays.
• If your kitchen is warm and the dough starts to feel sticky while you roll, chill it for 10 minutes. Cold dough holds its shape better in the oven.

Keeping Cookies Fresh

Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Tuck a slice of plain sandwich bread into the container to keep them soft; the cookies absorb the moisture from the bread and stay tender. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 2 months. Thaw them on the counter for a few hours and warm them in a 300°F oven for 3 minutes if you like them a little crisp on the outside.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use cream of tartar substitute?

No, snickerdoodles depend on cream of tartar for their tangy flavor and chewy texture. Substituting with baking powder will give you a plain sugar cookie.

Why did my cookies spread into flat discs?

Butter that is too warm or over-creaming can make the dough spread before it sets. If your dough looks greasy, chill the scooped balls for 20 minutes before baking.

Can I freeze the unbaked dough?

Yes, roll the dough balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture, then freeze them on a tray until solid. Transfer to a zip-top bag and bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 extra minutes.

Can I use all cinnamon sugar without the colors?

Absolutely, just use a total of ⅓ cup granulated sugar and 1 ½ tsp cinnamon. The cookies will taste the same and still have that classic crinkled look.

Christmas Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 24 cookies

Calories: 182

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup red sanding sugar
• ¼ cup green sanding sugar
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Whisk flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Beat butter and 1 ½ cups sugar 2 minutes until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
3. Mix dry ingredients into butter mixture on low just until combined.
4. Stir together 2 tbsp sugar, cinnamon, and colored sugars in a shallow bowl.
5. Scoop dough into 1 ½ tablespoon balls, roll in sugar mixture, and place on parchment-lined sheets 2 inches apart.
6. Bake 8-10 minutes until edges are set and centers look slightly puffy. Cool on sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.

Notes

The dough can be made a day ahead and refrigerated; let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before scooping so it softens enough to roll. If you skip the colored sugars, use ⅓ cup granulated sugar with the cinnamon for rolling.