The Snickerdoodle is often overshadowed during the holiday rush, but true cookie connoisseurs know that its soft, pillowy texture and unique tangy flavor are simply unparalleled. This year, we’re taking this classic cream-of-tartar champion and giving it a vibrant, holiday makeover: introducing the Christmas Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe Peppermint style!
We keep the familiar, easy-to-make dough, but we infuse it with a subtle burst of cool peppermint extract and replace the typical brown cinnamon-sugar coating with a dazzling mix of red and green colored sugar. The result is a cookie that is visually festive, delightfully aromatic, and perfectly soft with that signature “crackle” top. This is a wonderfully stress-free addition to your Christmas cookies recipes collection—quick to make, no rolling or cutting required, and guaranteed to be a massive hit at your next cookie exchange.
Why Snickerdoodles are Perfect for a Holiday Makeover
For anyone looking for Christmas cookies recipes that offer a high “wow” factor with low active preparation time, the Snickerdoodle is the perfect solution. This specific recipe thrives due to several key benefits:
- The Signature Tang: The inclusion of cream of tartar is what sets a Snickerdoodle apart. When combined with baking soda, the acidity of the cream of tartar helps the cookies rise quickly, gives them their signature crackled top, and leaves behind that uniquely bright, slightly tangy flavor that cuts through the sweetness.
- Guaranteed Softness: Snickerdoodles are famous for being soft and chewy for days. They rely on creaming butter and sugar until very fluffy, which incorporates air and results in a beautiful, light texture that resists turning hard or brittle.
- The Peppermint Twist: Adding just a touch of peppermint extract to the dough is the perfect seasonal upgrade. It complements the classic cinnamon without overpowering it, adding a refreshing, cool finish that pairs wonderfully with the tangy dough.
- Ultimate Visual Ease: No need for complicated decorating! The festive look is achieved entirely by rolling the dough balls in red and green colored sugar. It’s the easiest way to add vibrant, custom color to your holiday platter.
The Anatomy of a Flawless Christmas Snickerdoodle
To master this Christmas Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe Peppermint style, you need to understand the function of the specific leavening agents and how to get that perfect soft center.
The Cream of Tartar: The Magic Ingredient
The heart of the Snickerdoodle lies in its unique leavening system. The combination of baking soda and cream of tartar works together to achieve three things:
- The Crackle: The quick release of gases creates the desired texture on the surface.
- The Tang: The cream of tartar imparts that signature tangy flavor.
- The Softness: It acts to prevent sugar crystallization, which helps keep the cookie soft and chewy for longer.
Butter and Sugar Ratio Rules
The foundation of the cookie depends on properly executed technique:
- Softened Butter is Crucial: Ensure your butter is properly softened. You must cream the butter and sugar for several minutes until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy—this process incorporates the air necessary for a tender cookie.
- No Melting! Avoid using melted butter, as this will cause the cookies to spread excessively and become flatter and crisper, losing the characteristic soft center.
The Festive Coating
Even with the color and peppermint, you can’t skip the traditional Snickerdoodle coating entirely!
- Customizing the Sugar: We create a festive blend using red and green granulated sugar sprinkles mixed with a hint of cinnamon. This ensures every cookie is coated in holiday color while maintaining a connection to the cookie’s traditional roots.
- The Cinnamon Mix: Do not omit the cinnamon! Even with the peppermint, the cinnamon is essential to the Snickerdoodle identity.
Step-by-Step: Baking Your Peppermint Snickerdoodles
Follow this method precisely to achieve soft, beautiful, and perfectly cracked Christmas Snickerdoodle Cookies.
| Step | Action | Notes |
| Prep Time | 20 Minutes | |
| Cook Time | 8-10 Minutes | |
| Yields | Approximately 18 large cookies |
Preparing the Peppermint Dough
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to $375^{\circ}\text{F}$ ($190^{\circ}\text{C}$). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream Wet: In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and softened butter. Beat until the mixture is light and smooth (about 2 minutes).
- Add Extracts and Eggs: Beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, and the crucial peppermint extract until fully incorporated.
- Combine Dry: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour (spooned and leveled!), salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Slowly stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until the cookie dough is just mixed. Do not overmix.
Coating and Baking
- Prepare Topping: On a small plate or shallow bowl, mix the red and green sugar sprinkles with the cinnamon.
- Roll and Flatten: Scoop the cookie dough into 2-inch size balls. Roll each ball through the colored sugar/cinnamon topping until completely coated. Place the dough balls on the prepared cookie sheet.
- The Flatten: Use the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass to gently press each ball of dough down to slightly flatten it. This encourages the crackled surface.
- Bake: Bake for 8-10 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are set and the centers still look soft and slightly puffy. Do not look for golden brown.
- Cool: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. They will flatten further as they cool, revealing the signature crackle.
Pro-Tips and Variations for the Perfect Batch
Ensure your Christmas Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe Peppermint version is flawless with these key solutions.
Baker’s Secrets for Softness
- Do Not Overbake! This is the single most important rule for a soft Snickerdoodle. The centers should look slightly “wet” or underdone when you pull them out of the oven. They finish cooking on the hot baking sheet.
- The Extra Chill: If your dough feels too soft or sticky, chill the scooped and rolled balls in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking. This helps the cookies maintain their thickness and prevents excessive spreading.
Flavor Swaps
- Less Peppermint: If you prefer the classic tangy taste without the strong peppermint flavor, simply omit the peppermint extract. You can replace it with a full teaspoon of pure vanilla extract for a more traditional base.
- Alternate Spice: For a different festive spice blend, add $1/4$ teaspoon of nutmeg or cloves along with the cinnamon to the sugar coating.
Storage and Gifting Excellence
The natural structure of the Snickerdoodle makes it a fantastic candidate for long-term storage and gifting.
Storing Baked Cookies
Snickerdoodles stay soft remarkably well! Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. For ultimate freshness, consider putting a small slice of bread into the container; the bread dries out, transferring moisture to the cookies, helping them stay tender.
Freezing Baked Cookies
Freeze the cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature before serving.
Freezing Dough Balls (The Prep Ahead Method)
This is the easiest way to bake cookies fresh on demand!
- Scoop and roll the dough balls (without the sugar coating).
- Freeze them on a baking sheet until solid.
- Transfer to a freezer bag.
- When ready to bake, thaw the balls for 30 minutes, roll them in the colored sugar mix, and bake as directed, adding 1-2 minutes to the bake time.
Conclusion: The Softest, Tangiest Holiday Treat
The Christmas Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe Peppermint style takes everything wonderful about this classic cookie—its soft chew, its tangy flavor, and its easy preparation—and dresses it up for the holiday season. It’s a beautifully simple, delicious choice that is guaranteed to please both the traditionalists and the peppermint lovers at your holiday gathering. Get your red and green sugar ready, and enjoy this effortlessly festive classic!
Christmas Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe Peppermint
Equipment
- mixing bowls
- electric mixer
- baking sheets
- parchment paper
- cookie scoop
- wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1/4 cup red sanding sugar
- 1/4 cup green sanding sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar for about 2 minutes, until pale, light, and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract until fully incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Do not overmix.
- In a shallow bowl, mix the red sugar, green sugar, and cinnamon.
- Scoop the dough into 2-inch balls. Roll each ball completely in the colored sugar-cinnamon mixture.
- Gently press the dough balls with your palm or the bottom of a glass to slightly flatten them. This helps create the crackled top.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes. The edges should be set but the centers will still look soft. Do not overbake.
- Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2–3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
• Remove cookies while they still look slightly underbaked—they finish setting on the baking sheet.
• If your dough feels sticky, chill dough balls for 10 minutes before rolling in sugar.
• For a classic version, omit peppermint extract and increase vanilla to 1 tsp. Storage:
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Freezing: Freeze baked cookies for 3 months or freeze uncoated dough balls, thaw 30 minutes, roll in sugar, and bake.