where does the name snickerdoodle come from?

Answer 1

The Joy of Cooking claims that snickerdoodles are probably German in origin, and that the name is a corruption of the German word for "snail dumpling" (Schneckennudeln, or cinnamon-dusted sweet rolls).

A popular children's book suggests the word "snicker" may have come from a Dutch word "snekrad," or the German word "Schnecke, " both describing a snail-like shape. This is possible. This book offers no explanation for the "doodle."

This is what the the food historians have to say about the snickerdoodles:

"Snickerdoodle. A New England cookie made with flour, nuts, and dried fruits. The name is simply a nineteenth-century nonsense word for a quickly made confection."
---Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink, John F. Mariani [Lebhar-Friedman:New York] 1999 (p. 299)

"Snickerdoodle. Originating in 19th century New England, this whimsically named cookie has a charactaristically crackly surface and can be either crisp or soft...The name appears to have no particular meaning or purpose."
---Food Lover's Companion, Sharon Tyler Herbst, 3rd ed.[Barrons:New York] 2001 (p. 575)

"I do not know the origin of the name, but it has been proposed that it is of German origin and derived from the word "schnecken", i.e. sticky buns."
---Craig Claiborne's The New York Times Food Encyclopedia, Craig Claiborne [Times Books:New York] 1985 (p. 412)