Cottage Cheese Snickerdoodle Cookies (Print-Friendly)

Pillowy snickerdoodles with a tangy cottage cheese base and cinnamon sugar coating in every bite.

# What You'll Need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 1 cup cottage cheese, full-fat or low-fat
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
03 - 1 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

06 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
08 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
09 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Cinnamon Sugar Coating

11 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
12 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, beat together cottage cheese, softened butter, and 1 cup granulated sugar until smooth and creamy.
03 - Add egg and vanilla extract to the wet mixture. Mix until fully incorporated.
04 - In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
06 - In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon.
07 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll into balls. Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture until fully coated.
08 - Place coated cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
09 - Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until edges are set and tops appear just dry.
10 - Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack for complete cooling.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cottage cheese creates a soft, almost cake-like texture that stays tender even after a day or two of sitting around.
  • That subtle tangy note keeps these from tasting one-dimensional, so they actually surprise your mouth in the best way.
  • Rolling them in cinnamon sugar feels tactile and fun, almost meditative if you're stressed about something.
02 -
  • Underbaking by just a minute makes the difference between a cookie that stays soft for days and one that hardens by tomorrow—trust the slightly dry-looking tops.
  • Cottage cheese seems strange until you realize it's mostly water and protein, which means these cookies hydrate beautifully and stay moist without being greasy.
03 -
  • Always use full-fat cottage cheese if you can find it—the low-fat version sometimes breaks down slightly during mixing and changes the texture.
  • The cream of tartar is non-negotiable for that classic snickerdoodle spread and flavor, so don't try to substitute baking powder in its place.
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