Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 350 g all-purpose flour
- 6 g cream of tartar
- 5 g baking soda
- 5 g kosher salt
- 4 g ground ginger
- 2 g ground cinnamon
- 1 g ground cloves
- 1 g ground nutmeg
Wet Ingredients
- 226 g unsalted butter, room temperature, softened
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 100 g dark brown sugar, packed
- 60 g dark molasses
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Rolling Sugar
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 7 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
- 192 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 28 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 16 g
- Sodium
- 145 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 5 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 35 mg
- Potassium
- 110 mg
- Calcium
- 20 mg
- Iron
- 0.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 11 mg
- Phosphorus
- 26 mg
- Zinc
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 70 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.02 mg
- Niacin
- 0.2 mg
- Folate
- 6 mcg
- Water
- 6 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, kosher salt, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground nutmeg until completely uniform.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, and dark brown sugar on medium-high speed until light, fluffy, and visibly pale.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the whole egg, egg yolk, molasses, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until fully emulsified and smooth.
Reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until no streaks of dry flour remain. Do not overmix.
Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator to allow the flour to hydrate and the butter to firm up, which prevents excessive spreading during baking.
While the dough chills, prepare the rolling sugar by whisking together the granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and ground ginger in a small, shallow bowl.
Preheat your oven to 190C/375F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Using a cookie scoop, portion the chilled dough into 40g balls. Roll each ball generously in the spiced sugar mixture until completely coated, then place on the prepared baking sheets spaced about 5 centimeters or 2 inches apart.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. The cookies will puff up and the edges should look set, but the centers will still seem quite soft and underbaked. This ensures a chewy interior.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Chef's Notes
- The extra egg yolk in this recipe acts as a tenderizer, counteracting the potentially drying effect of the heavy spice load and ensuring a fudgy, chewy center.
- Baking at a slightly higher temperature than standard cookies (190C/375F) shocks the exterior of the dough into setting quickly. As the interior continues to expand and bake, it bursts through that set crust, creating the signature snickerdoodle cracks.
- Cream of tartar is non-negotiable here. It provides an acidic tang that balances the rich molasses, and prevents sugar crystallization to guarantee a soft, chewy texture over a brittle one.
- For the rolling sugar, do not substitute brown sugar for white. Granulated sugar promotes spread and crunch on the exterior, while brown sugar would melt and turn soggy.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Store baked cookies in an airtight container. Dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days before baking.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze rolled dough balls before baking. Add 1 to 2 minutes to baking time if baking directly from frozen.
Troubleshooting
Cookies spread too much and became flat
Cause: Dough was not chilled adequately or butter was melted rather than softened
Fix: Chill remaining unbaked dough longer. For flat baked cookies, they are still edible but textural changes cannot be reversed
Prevention: Ensure dough is chilled for at least 1 hour until firm to the touch, and never use melted butter
Cookies did not develop signature cracks on top
Cause: Oven temperature was too low or leavening agents are expired
Fix: Cannot be fixed once baked
Prevention: Use an oven thermometer to ensure 190C is reached and check expiration dates on baking soda and cream of tartar
Cookies are too hard and crunchy
Cause: Overbaked or excessive flour used during measurement
Fix: Store in an airtight container with a slice of fresh bread to reintroduce moisture
Prevention: Weigh flour in grams and pull cookies from oven while centers still look slightly underbaked
Cultural Context
The snickerdoodle, brought to the United States by Dutch-German immigrants, is defined by its coating of cinnamon-sugar and tart, chewy interior created by cream of tartar. Gingerbread traces its spiced roots much further back to medieval Europe, beloved for its warming, preserved properties. Combining the two unites the most beloved textural elements of the American cookie canon with the deeply nostalgic flavor profile of European winter holiday baking.
