These snickerdoodle cookies were inspired by one of my favorite recipes! I took some of the flavors and turned them into a more classic, soft snickerdoodle cookie. The intense browned butter, cardamom, and chocolate flavors combined with the cream of tartar's zing make these so much better than your average snickerdoodle!
Back when I was working at a job I hated (but helped me make the move to Chicago), my manager and another decided to bring our two teams together for a holiday cookie exchange. My go-to Christmas cookies are usually peanut butter blossoms rolled in green and red sugar sprinkles. However, I decided to experiment and create a unique cookie for this event! And no, you didn't guess it; they were not these snickerdoodles.
I made caramel mocha cookies - chocolate espresso cookies topped with Rolos! They turned out all right, but weren't as big of a hit as I was hoping for. There was a big variation of cookies at this exchange, including some delicious crack bars (seriously so addicting!), but my favorite cookie was from my least favorite person. He brought the best snickerdoodles I had ever had, so as much as it hurt, I had to ask for the recipe. It turned out that they were the snickerdoodle party cookies from Bon Appetit!
Tips & Storage:
- Can you make these snickerdoodles without cream of tartar? Yes, but they'll be missing the special flavor that it adds!
- Store these cookies at room temperature in an airtight container with half of a piece of bread (or smaller). The cookies will absorb the moisture from the bread and stay soft longer.
- Or, store in the freezer and let the cookies thaw or microwave them prior to eating.
Did you try these cookies?
Tag @brokenovenbaking on Instagram and rate & comment below!
Snickerdoodle Cookies
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups or a food scale
- Pot or pan
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons ground cardamom
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 oz your favorite chocolate bar chopped into tiny bits
For rolling:
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons ground cardamom
- 1-2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the bottom turns brown and it gives off a nutty aroma.
- Pour the butter into a large heat-resistant bowl and allow it to cool to room temperature.
- In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, cardamom, and cinnamon.
- Add the sugars to the butter and cream together for 2 minutes.
- Into the bowl with the sugars and butter, add the eggs one at a time, and then the vanilla. Mix after each addition.
- Carefully add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just enough to combine everything.
- Add the chocolate bits and mix to incorporate them into the dough.
- Let the dough sit while preparing the sugar mixture and lining cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1-2 teaspoon cardamom, and 1-2 teaspoon cinnamon (depending on your flavor preference).
- Roll the dough into 1 inch balls, and then roll into the sugar mixture so that the entire dough ball is covered in the sugar/cardamom/cinnamon.
- Bake the cookies at 350°F for approximately 9-11 minutes. The bottoms and edges should be just slightly tan. If you prefer a crunchier cookie, bake for an additional minute or so, until the bottoms are a darker golden.
- Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack. Enjoy!
Chris says
Snickerdoodles have been my favorite cookies for as long as I can remember. I've tried a lot of them throughout the years. When I tried these, I was completely blown away. The cardamom and cinnamon aroma fills the air as you take that first bite. The small chunks of chocolate dissolve on your tongue as the perfect amount of sweetness and spice dance across your taste buds. If you're looking for the perfect cookie, look no further.
Kayla says
Yay, I appreciate your kind words 🙂 so glad you love these snickerdoodles!