How to Make Christmas-Spiced Snickerdoodles (Festive Holiday Cookies)
A festive take on an American classic!
This recipe is part of our ongoing collaboration with our sister blog, Whisk & Wunder, where we share beautiful recipes for our German-speaking audience!
If you’re looking for the German version of this recipe, CLICK HERE.
🇩🇪 Für das Rezept auf Deutsch klick einfach hier: Zum deutschen Rezept 🇩🇪Looking for it in English? Keep reading!
There are some cookies that just feel like Christmas. For us, snickerdoodles became that cookie last year — and the story behind it makes this recipe extra special.
Last December was our very first Christmas season living in the United States, and everyone kept asking us: “Are you making snickerdoodles?” Honestly, we didn’t even know what they were! We grew up with different holiday baking traditions, and snickerdoodles had never been part of them. But after that season, we fell head over heels for these soft, chewy, cinnamon-coated cookies. We made them so many times we wanted to share our favorite rendition of them!
So here they are: Christmas-Spiced Snickerdoodles. They’re rolled in a coating of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves mixed with sparkling red and green sanding sugars. The result? Chewy, buttery cookies with a festive sparkle and all the cozy flavors of the holiday season.
Ready to dive in? Keep reading or…
Why You’ll Love These Christmas Snickerdoodles
- Holiday-perfect – A colorful, spiced upgrade to the classic snickerdoodle.
- Soft & chewy – Crisp edges with tender centers.
- Full of cozy flavor – Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves bring holiday warmth.
- Festive sparkle – Red and green sanding sugars make them stand out on any cookie tray.
- Perfect for gifting – They keep well and look gorgeous in cookie tins.
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Save this recipe to your Christmas cookie boards so you can find it easily when the holiday baking season rolls around. These sparkly snickerdoodles are perfect for cookie swaps, family trays, or gifting to neighbors.
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Ingredient Deep Dive
One reason snickerdoodles are so loved is that they use such simple pantry staples. Here’s why each one matters:
- Cream of Tartar – This is what gives snickerdoodles their signature tang and chewiness. Without it, you’d just have a sugar cookie.
- Butter – Barely softened butter whips up fluffy with sugar, giving the cookies structure.
- Sugar – Both in the dough and the coating, sugar makes these cookies sparkle.
- Spices – Cinnamon is traditional, but here we add nutmeg and cloves for that unmistakable Christmas warmth.
- Sanding Sugar – Red and green crystals bring holiday color and crunch.
Classic vs. Christmas Snickerdoodles 🎅
So what makes this recipe different from the original?
- Classic: Rolled only in cinnamon-sugar.
- Christmas-Spiced: Rolled in cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves + red & green sanding sugars.
The festive sugars not only look merry and bright, but the extra spices make these cookies taste like Christmas in every bite.
If You Love This, You’ll Love…
✨ Holiday baking is all about variety, and these snickerdoodles pair perfectly with other festive favorites from our kitchen:
- Irresistible Christmas Cookie Bars – A rich, chewy bar layered with holiday magic, perfect for cookie trays and potlucks.
- Chocolate Orange Truffles – Silky, citrus-kissed truffles that bring a touch of elegance to your holiday dessert spread.
- The Best Gingerbread Syrup Dupe – Whip up coffeehouse-level holiday lattes at home with this easy, spiced syrup recipe.
Ingredients (Cups + Grams)
For the Cookies
- 360 g (3 cups) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 225 g (1 cup / 2 sticks) unsalted butter, barely softened
- 300 g (1 1/2 cups) granulated sugar, plus extra for rolling
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Christmas-Spiced Sugar Coating
- 3 tbsp red sanding sugar
- 3 tbsp green sanding sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer (optional)
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper or silicone mats
- Cookie scoop or tablespoon
- Small bowls for sugar mixtures
Instructions
1. Preheat the Oven
Preheat to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
2. Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
3. Cream the Butter and Sugar
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy (3–5 minutes). This step creates air pockets that keep your cookies soft.
4. Add Eggs and Vanilla
Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla.
5. Combine Wet and Dry
Gradually fold dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Do not overmix.
6. Make the Festive Sugar Coating
- In one small bowl, mix half the spices with red sanding sugar.
- In another, mix the rest with green sanding sugar.
Now you have two spiced sugar coatings for rolling.
7. Shape and Chill
- Scoop 1–1.5 tbsp dough per cookie.
- Roll into balls and coat in either red or green sugar mix.
- Lightly press each ball to flatten just a bit.
- Chill on the baking sheet for 10 minutes (helps them stay chewy).
8. Bake
Bake for 10–12 minutes until edges are golden and centers are just set.
9. Cool and Enjoy
Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a rack. For extra sparkle, sprinkle on more sanding sugar while warm.
Nutrition (per cookie, approx.)
- Calories: 145
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 23 mg
- Sodium: 85 mg
- Sugar: 12 g
Do You Really Need to Chill? 🤔
This is one of the most debated snickerdoodle questions. Some bakers swear by chilling overnight; others skip it completely.
Here’s what we learned:
- No chill = cookies spread more, edges are crispier.
- Quick chill (10 min) = cookies keep their round shape, stay thick, and are chewier.
For us at TastyCue, that quick chill was the sweet spot. But as we learned last year: your oven, flour brand, and even how warm your kitchen is can change things. Try both ways and see what works in your home. We’ve moved since making these so we are excited to see what we have to do in this kitchen!
Serving Suggestions
- On a holiday cookie tray – Pair them with gingerbread, spritz cookies, and shortbread.
- With hot drinks – Perfect alongside cocoa, coffee, or even mulled wine.
- For gifting – Stack a few in clear bags tied with ribbon, or pack tins with parchment between layers.
- For Santa – These are a showstopper plate of cookies to leave by the tree.
FAQ
Can I make these gluten-free?
Yes, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. The texture may be slightly more delicate.
Can I make them without cream of tartar?
If you must, use 2 tsp baking powder instead, but the flavor will be closer to sugar cookies.
Can I double the batch?
Yes — this recipe doubles beautifully. Great for cookie swaps!
Do they ship well?
Absolutely. Pack tightly with parchment between layers, and they’ll keep for up to 5 days in transit.
Can I freeze them?
Yes — freeze either the dough balls (pre-rolled in sugar) or the baked cookies. Both last 2 months.
Storage & Meal Prep 🎁
- Room Temp: Up to 5 days airtight.
- Fridge: 1 week.
- Freezer: 2 months baked, or 2 months dough balls (bake from frozen).
Why These Belong in Your Holiday Baking
These Christmas-Spiced Snickerdoodles take a beloved classic and turn it into a holiday showstopper. They sparkle on trays, taste like cozy December nights, and are easy enough to whip up even during a busy season. Last year, we had never even heard of snickerdoodles — but now we can’t imagine Christmas without them.
The Final Bite 🍪
These cookies aren’t just baked goods — they’re part of our story. From our first American Christmas to now, snickerdoodles have become a tradition we’ll treasure. With their chewy texture, warm spices, and festive sparkle, we hope they become part of your family’s holiday traditions too.
💬 Tried them? Leave us a comment below or tag us on Instagram — we’d love to see your holiday trays!
Much love,
Sidney & Thomas
How to Make Christmas-Spiced Snickerdoodles (Festive Holiday Cookies)
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Mix Dry Ingredients in a medium bowl. Set aside.3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp cream of tartar, 1 tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt
- Cream butter and sugar together in a separate large bowl until pale and fluffy (about 3–5 minutes).1 cup unsalted butter, 1½ cups granulated sugar
- Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.2 large eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Do not overmix.
- In one small bowl, combine half the spices with red sanding sugar. In another bowl, combine the remaining spices with green sanding sugar.3 Tbsp red sanding sugar, 3 Tbsp green sanding sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground cloves, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- Scoop ~1 to 1.5 tbsp dough per cookie. Roll into balls and coat in either red or green sugar mix. Lightly flatten each ball. Chill on the baking sheet for 10 minutes to prevent spreading.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, until edges are golden and centers are just set.
- Allow to cool 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a rack. Sprinkle extra sanding sugar for sparkle, if desired.
Nutrition
Notes
- Chill or no chill?: A short 10-minute chill keeps them chewy and round.
- Extra festive: Sprinkle more sanding sugar on top right after baking for extra sparkle.
- Make ahead: Dough can be refrigerated up to 48 hours or frozen for 2 months.
- Nutrition: The information provided here is meant to be used as a rough guide, and nothing more. We are not licensed nutritionists.
Can’t wait to make these for my grandma! She loves snickerdoodle!