Q1: Why did my cookies spread out and go flat?

The most common culprits are butter that was too soft (or melted) or over-creaming your butter and sugar. Your butter should be at a cool room temperature—soft enough to leave an indent, but not shiny or greasy. You can also try chilling your rolled dough balls for about 15-20 minutes before you bake them.

Q2: My cookies are hard and crunchy, not chewy. What happened?

You overbaked them! The 7-minute bake time is the crucial secret. The cookies will look very soft and puffy when they come out of the oven, but they will "set" and become perfectly chewy as they cool.

Q3: Do I really have to use cream of tartar?

For a true, authentic Snickerdoodle, yes, it is essential. Without the cream of tartar, you will just have a delicious cinnamon-sugar cookie. The cream of tartar is the non-negotiable secret that provides that classic, signature "tangy" flavor and the perfectly soft, chewy texture.

Q4: Can I chill my dough?

Yes! The recipe notes that you can chill the dough for about 30 minutes, which will make the sticky dough a bit easier to roll into balls.

Q5: Can I make these without an electric mixer?

You can, but it will be a great arm workout! You will need to use a large bowl and a wooden spoon and beat the softened butter and sugar together very vigorously for several minutes to get them light and fluffy.

"Grandma's" Snickerdoodle Cookies (A Soft & Chewy Classic!)

“Grandma’s” Snickerdoodle Cookies (A Soft & Chewy Classic!)

A classic, easy recipe for ‘Grandma Ruth’s Snickerdoodle Cookies.’ This traditional cookie features a simple, soft dough made with butter and cream of tartar. The dough is rolled into small balls, coated in a signature cinnamon-sugar mixture, and baked at a high temperature for a quick bake.

Author: Grace

Ingredients

For the Cookies:
1 ½ cups white sugar
1 cup softened butter
2 large eggs
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
For the Coating:
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
Make the dough: In a large bowl, beat 1 ½ cups of white sugar, the softened butter, and the eggs together using an electric mixer until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
Stir the dry ingredients into the creamed butter mixture until the dough holds together.
Make the coating: In a small bowl, mix the 2 tablespoons of white sugar and the 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon until well combined.
Shape the dough into 2-teaspoon-sized balls. Roll each ball in the cinnamon-sugar coating until evenly covered.
Arrange the balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake on the center rack for 7 minutes.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

This is a classic, easy recipe for snickerdoodle cookies, known for their signature cinnamon-sugar coating.
Cream of tartar is the key ingredient that provides the traditional tangy flavor and soft, chewy texture of a snickerdoodle.
The dough is shaped into balls and rolled in the coating *before* baking.
A high baking temperature (400°F) and a very short baking time (7 minutes) are characteristic of this recipe and prevent the cookies from spreading too much.

Find it online: https://www.eatswithsoul.com/grandmas-snickerdoodle-cookies/