Soft Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
Soft cinnamon sugar cookies are pillowy, chewy cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking. They’re like snickerdoodles but even softer, with tender centers that stay moist for days.
You’ll want to make these when you need a crowd-pleasing cookie that’s simple but satisfying. The dough comes together quickly, and rolling them in cinnamon sugar creates a sweet, spiced coating that crackles beautifully as they bake.
Why Cream of Tartar Makes These Cookies Extra Soft
Cream of tartar is the secret to these cookies’ signature soft texture. It’s an acidic powder that reacts with the baking soda to create extra lift and tenderness. You’ll find it in the spice aisle near the baking powder.
Without cream of tartar, you’ll still get decent cookies, but they won’t have that characteristic pillowy softness that makes these special. The acid also helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much, keeping them thick and chewy.
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Rolling Technique for Even Cinnamon Sugar Coating
Roll the dough balls completely in the cinnamon sugar mixture, pressing gently so the coating sticks well. Don’t just sprinkle it on top – you want full coverage for the best flavor and that crackled appearance.
Make sure your dough balls are uniform in size, about 1.5 tablespoons each. This ensures even baking and consistent texture. Slightly underbaked cookies will continue cooking on the hot pan, so err on the side of pulling them out when centers still look soft.
Soft Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Coating
Equipment Needed
- Large mixing bowl
- Electric mixer
- Small bowl for coating
- 2 large baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Cookie scoop or spoon
Instructions
- Prepare oven and dry ingredients: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat softened butter and 1½ cups sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla extract until combined.
- Mix in dry ingredients: Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed just until combined. Don’t overmix – stop as soon as no flour streaks remain.
- Form and coat cookies: In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup sugar and cinnamon for the coating. Scoop dough into 1.5-tablespoon portions and roll into balls. Roll each ball completely in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Bake cookies: Place coated dough balls on prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges are set but centers still look soft and slightly underbaked. Cookies will appear puffy and may have small cracks on top.
- Cool cookies: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. They’ll be very soft when hot but will firm up slightly as they cool.
Nutrition Facts
Per Serving (1 cookie)
