Classic Cinnamon-Sugar Snickerdoodles

1. Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure it’s ready when your dough is prepared.

2. Prepare Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and kosher salt. This step ensures that all the dry ingredients are evenly distributed.

3. Beat Butter and Sugar

In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature unsalted butter and 3/4 cup of granulated sugar using an electric mixer. This should take around 2 minutes, and you’ll want to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. The goal here is to achieve a light and fluffy mixture.

4. Add Egg and Vanilla

Once you have your fluffy butter and sugar mixture, beat in the large egg and vanilla extract until everything is well combined. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl again to ensure all ingredients are fully incorporated.

5. Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients

Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, beating on low speed until just combined. This prevents overmixing, which can make the cookies tough.

6. Prepare Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture

In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar with the ground cinnamon. This will be your rolling mixture for the dough balls.

7. Shape and Coat Dough Balls

Take portions of dough and roll them into golf-ball-sized balls. Roll each ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until fully coated.

8. Bake the Cookies

Place the dough balls onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them at least 3 inches apart to allow for spreading. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies are just set and slightly dry in the center.

9. Cool the Cookies

Once baked, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then move them directly onto the racks to cool completely.