What Is A Snickerdoodle? (2024)

Home » Cookies » Snickerdoodles » What Is A Snickerdoodle?

posted by Michelle Lopez on July 6, 2022 (last updated Sep 7, 2022)

What Is A Snickerdoodle?

Ever since publishing My Best Snickerdoodle Recipe and Snickerdoodle Recipe Without Cream Of Tartar, I’ve gotten a lot of questions about the cookies. Specifically: what even is a snickerdoodle, anyway?

So let’s clear the air about one of the most popular cookie recipes on Hummingbird High:

Snickerdoodles are sugar cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar. The cinnamon sugar gives the cookies their distinct flavor, texture, and appearance.
Some food historians argue that sugar cookies recipes use baking powder to leaven the cookies, while snickerdoodles recipes use cream of tartar. If using cream of tartar, the cookies will have a slightly tangy flavor.

You can learn more about the difference in my TikTok video below:

@hummingbirdhigh snickerdoodle WITH cream of tartar versus snickerdoodle WITHOUT #baking #bakingtiktok ♬ Happy Pizza – Tom Howe

Where Do Snickerdoodles Come From? How Did They Get Their Name?

A few cookbooks explain that snickerdoodles are German in origin. They state that the cookie’s name comes from the German wordshneckennudel(which is a kind of cinnamon bun).

Others trace its origin to New England’s tradition of whimsical cookie names. Stella Parks, former pastry chef at Serious Eats, writes inher cookbookthat the cookies evolved from a popular cinnamon-scented cake recipe called the “snip doodle”.

So the TL/DR is this: there seems to be no consensus on where the cookies actually come from. Or how they got their name, for that matter!

What Does Snickerdoodle Taste Like?

A classic snickerdoodle tastes like a sugar cookie generously flavored with cinnamon. And if the recipe uses cream of tartar, the cookie also tastes a little sour and tangy.

What Flavor Is Snickerdoodle?

Bakers exclusively flavor traditional snickerdoodles with cinnamon.

But I’ll be honest—cinnamon has never been my favorite flavor in the spice rack. In my opinion, cinnamon works best when I pair it with other spices. So when developing the snickerdoodle recipe for my cookbook,Weeknight Baking, I had the brilliant idea to swap out the cinnamon for other spices.

So in my book, you’ll find other flavors! Flavors like “black sesame snickerdoodles”, “matcha snickerdoodles”, and my personal favorite, “raspberry sumac snickerdoodles”. Even on this blog I have recipes forraspberry lemon snickerdoodles andblack halva snickerdoodles.

@hummingbirdhigh cinnamon #snickerdoodles are basic, let’s yassify them #bakingrecipe #yassification #bakingtiktok #kitchenhacks ♬ The Great British Bake Off – Tom Howe

Moral of this story? If you’re not a fan of cinnamon, don’t be afraid to swap out the cinnamon in the recipe for your favorite spice. You can also use other ingredients like tea powder, seeds, and sprinkles to make a unique snickerdoodle flavor.

Best Traditional Snickerdoodle Recipes

My Best Snickerdoodle Recipe
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Snickerdoodle Recipe Without Cream of Tartar

Unique Snickerdoodle Recipes

Black Halva Snickerdoodles
Raspberry Lemon Snickerdoodles
Strawberry Rose Snickerdoodles

get new recipes via email:

Baking Tips Cookies Drop Cookies Snickerdoodles

5 comments on “What Is A Snickerdoodle?”

Ren — July 7, 2022 @ 6:55 am Reply
Those pumpkin snickerdoodles are beyond amazing! They’re a staple for me, especially in the fall! Great post, thanks for the info.
Snoopy — July 13, 2022 @ 12:59 pm Reply
Where are exact measurements of ingredients.?
- Michelle Lopez — July 13, 2022 @ 2:45 pm Reply
  You can find a recipe for snickerdoodles here: https://www.hummingbirdhigh.com/2020/04/my-best-snickerdoodle-recipe.html
Colette Llorca — August 2, 2023 @ 9:32 am Reply
No recipes but explanations on Schneckennudel !
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schnecke_(Geb%C3%A4ck) Also in English.
A “Nudel” is not only the noodle/pasta you cook in water but in Bavaria, and Austria and former parts of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy any sweet roll made of yeast dough, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buchteln
Snickerdoodle may have gone from the Palatine dialectal “Schneckenudel” to snickenoodle and ended up in snickerdoodle.
With my best wishes
an old Palatine girl
madena — December 22, 2023 @ 9:52 pm Reply
so what then is a snickerdoidle? For whatever reason iI remember them being a dab of cookie dough with a hershey kiss plopped in the middle. I now know that isn’t a snickerdoodle but also could be if “swapping out” ingredients. hey why not swap out Raspberries instead of using those peaches in your peach jam. maybe I’m seeing your post with my snarky colored glasses on… but if its a cinnamon cookie (which seems to be its definition) aren’t you being a bit….umm weird… calling all those other recipes snickerdoodles (personally the name brings up the flavor of musty long dog hair that is single-handedly humidifying and warming a room… leaving its taste/dander/smell behind… “Snickerdoodle deodorizer…you’ll never miss your dog again on those long road trips…just bring a snickerdoodle scented bottle on your road trip. you won’t remember by our dog!” meanwhile black sesame and your other flavors sound amazing!! so maybe i’m not completely bonkers

What Is A Snickerdoodle? (2024)