Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 280 g all-purpose flour
- 5 g baking soda
- 4 g cream of tartar
- 3 g fine sea salt
- 5 g ground cinnamon
- 4 g ground ginger
- 1 g ground cloves
Wet Ingredients
- 170 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 100 g dark brown sugar, packed
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 85 g unsulphured molasses
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Spiced Sugar Coating
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 3 g ground cinnamon
- 1 g ground ginger
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 149 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 22 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 13 g
- Sodium
- 112 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 23 mg
- Potassium
- 107 mg
- Calcium
- 19 mg
- Iron
- 0.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 13 mg
- Phosphorus
- 20 mg
- Zinc
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 52 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.02 mg
- Niacin
- 0.2 mg
- Folate
- 4 mcg
- Water
- 5 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves until evenly distributed.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the room temperature butter, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula. Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until fully combined and smooth.
Turn the mixer to the lowest speed. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture, mixing just until no streaks of dry flour remain. Do not overmix.
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. This step is mandatory to prevent the cookies from spreading too thinly and to develop the flavors.
Preheat the oven to 175 C (350 F). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, whisk together the coating ingredients: 50g granulated sugar, 3g cinnamon, and 1g ginger.
Using a cookie scoop or spoons, portion the chilled dough into balls weighing approximately 35g each. Roll them between your palms until smooth.
Roll each dough ball generously in the spiced sugar coating until completely covered. Place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 5cm (2 inches) apart.
Bake one sheet at a time at 175 C (350 F) for 9 to 11 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are set and the centers appear puffed and slightly underbaked.
Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. They will deflate slightly and form their characteristic crinkles. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Chef's Notes
- Cream of tartar is non-negotiable for authentic snickerdoodle texture. It provides the signature tang, prevents sugar crystallization for chewiness, and reacts with baking soda to create the cracked surface.
- Dark brown sugar contains more molasses than light brown sugar, which reinforces the gingerbread flavor profile and adds extra moisture for a chewier center.
- When rolling the dough in the spiced sugar, double-dip them if you want an extra thick, crunchy crust.
- Baking one sheet at a time ensures even heat distribution and prevents the oven temperature from dropping too drastically.
- Unsulphured molasses is preferred for baking as it has a cleaner, sweeter profile compared to sulphured molasses, which can carry bitter, chemical notes.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Store unbaked dough tightly wrapped to prevent drying out.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze portioned dough balls before rolling in the spiced sugar coating.
Troubleshooting
Cookies spread too much and are flat
Cause: Dough was too warm or butter was over-softened before creaming
Fix: Chill the remaining dough longer before baking the next batch
Prevention: Ensure butter is cool room temperature (pliable but not greasy) and always chill dough for the full hour
Cookies lack the characteristic cracked surface
Cause: Oven temperature was too low or baking soda is expired
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Use an oven thermometer to verify temperature and check leavening agents for freshness
Cookies are dry and crunchy instead of chewy
Cause: Cookies were overbaked
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Pull cookies from the oven when the centers still look slightly underbaked; they will continue cooking on the hot baking sheet
Cultural Context
Snickerdoodles and gingerbread are two deeply rooted traditions in American holiday baking. Snickerdoodles, with their probable German origins (Schneckennudel), became uniquely American in the late 19th century thanks to the mass production of baking powder and cream of tartar. Combining this tangy, sugar-crusted classic with the deep molasses and spice of gingerbread yields a cookie that captures the essence of winter celebrations while offering a more complex flavor profile than either cookie alone.
