Chocolate Chip & Cranberry Snickerdoodle Cookies – A Festive Twist on an American Classic

Christmas snickerdoodles are cinnamon-dusted American holiday classic. These chocolate chip and cranberry Christmas cookies are a delicious riff on the theme. An easy bake that’s perfect for festive season. 

Christmas Snickerdoodles!

Just the name of these biscuits made me want to bake them. Who on earth could resist a plate of snickerdoodles? A bit of research tells me that there’s some doubt about the origin of the name. There is, however, agreement about what a snickerdoodle is. It’s a straightforward sweet biscuit with a crackle top, coated in sugar and cinnamon before baking.

These seasonal treats are classic American  Christmas cookies. I have come up with my own variation on the theme, adding chocolate and seasonal cranberries to make my own delicious Christmas snickerdoodles.

These Christmas treats are very easy to make. Cream together butter and sugar, then add the rest of the ingredients. Roll them into balls, put them in the oven and bingo! Delicious Cranberry and Chocolate Christmas Snickerdoodles to bring a smile to the faces of family and friends. I think you’re going to love them. 

What’s the difference between a biscuit and a cookie?

Seems like not much. It is all to do with where you live, and the original language of your country.

The word biscuit has Latin roots (bis – twice and coctus, cooked), via old French (bescuit). Biscuits were first baked, then toasted in a cooler oven to harden them into something much less inviting than these modern treats.

Cookie comes from the Dutch koekje, meaning little cake. It’s generally thought that early Dutch settlement in the US is the origin of the American use of the word. New York was, of course, once called New Amsterdam.

Then, just to confuse everyone, in the US, the word biscuit means something much like British scones.

Finally, to really confuse us all, in the UK we use the word cookie for a particular style of biscuit, chocolate chip cookies being the most common.

How to Make Christmas Snickerdoodles

Step one – Heat oven to 180°C (Fan oven)/Gas mark 6. Gather your ingredients.

Step two – Cream together the sugar and butter. The easiest way to do this is with an electric hand mixer. Add the egg and mix in well.

Step three – Chop the cranberries into quarters.

Step four – Add the flour, baking powder, salt, cranberries and chocolate chips. Mix until well combined.

Step five – Mix the sugar and cinnamon on a dinner plate. Spread it out so that you have room to roll the dough.

Step six – Shape balls of dough about 2.5–3 cm in diameter. Roll in the cinnamon and sugar mixture to coat.

Step seven – Place the balls on a silicon mat on a baking sheet, making sure that they are about 10 cm / 4 inches apart.

Step eight – Bake for 8–10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow your Christmas snickerdoodles to cool for a few minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.

How to stop your cookies getting burnt on the bottom

I have an ancient gas oven. I didn’t make cookies and biscuits for years, as they would always end up burnt on the base, thanks to the uneven heat. 

There are all sorts of specialist extra thick, or double-layered baking trays you can buy to stop your cookies getting burnt on the bottom. It turns out, however, that the way to prevent burning is really quick and easy. You don’t need any special equipment. Simply put another baking tray, or roasting tin on the bottom of the oven!  Perfect Christmas cookies and no more burnt bottoms!

If you like these Christmas snickerdoodles and want more easy festive treats, try my (almost) one-step chocolate and ginger cake with brandy cream. Or make these gorgeous orangettes. They are  perfect as a gift and even better for keeping to yourself. 

If you love cranberries, try my spiced cranberry vodka with orange. It’s perfect for making Christmas cocktails.