Snickerdoodles


A few notes:
-For the basic cookie you roll the batter into 1" balls and then coat with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. You could roll them in colored sugar, add extra sugar to the top before baking or decorate with a swirl of royal icing but they are pretty sweet without added icing.

-There are lots of recipes in old cookbooks and on the internet but there a very few that vary the basic ingredients.  The oldest recipes use a mixture of cream of tartar and baking soda.  Newer recipes call for baking powder. 

-Some recommend 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening.  Shortening melts at a higher temp making a thicker cookie.  I like to use all butter.  You can gently flatten the rolled dough into a disk with the bottom of a glass or criss cross with a fork to flatten before baking but the all butter ones will probably melt flat on their own.  If the cookies spread too thin, try chilling the balls of dough, and maybe even the pan, before baking.

- You should NOT grease the baking pan.  Bake the cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet or line pans with parchment paper.

-I bake the cookies at 375 degrees (recipes differ from 350 - 400 degrees)

The Recipe:

All purpose flour - 2 3/4 cup
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Baking Powder - 2 tsp

-Whisk flour mixture together in a separate bowl and set aside.

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar

Place the butter and sugar in a mixer bowl and beat until smooth. (about 2 minutes)

2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

-Add the eggs, one at a time and finally the extract to the mixer and beat until combined with the butter and sugar.

-Add the flour mixture in a little at a time until combined with the wet ingredients.

-Mix
1 - 2 Tbs of Ground Cinnamon
4 Tbs of Granulated Sugar

-Roll the dough into 1" balls and then roll into Sugar and Cinnamon mixture.

-Place the balls about 2" apart on the pan and gently flatten a bit with the bottom of a glass or a fork.

-Place pan in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to chill before baking.

-Bake (375 degrees) for 8 - 10 minutes - just until the edges start to brown.

-Place on a wire rack to cool and store in an airtight containers.

Resources: My Mom's recipe file, www.Food.com and SmittenKitchen.com

1 comment:

Marissa said...

Yum! The ONLY homemade cookie my son eats is snickerdoodles so I am always trying to find new ones to try. As you said, there aren't many variations. I have to try this one!