S is for Snickerdoodle

Christine

It’s the time of year where I start to plan what I’m going to bake for the holidays. I always put way too much on the agenda, usually accomplished in a rush. Even though I stress myself out trying to tackle it all, I enjoy every minute of it.  Caramel Puff Corn, Scrabble (our family name for Chex Mix), and loads of cookies are all on the list of to-do’s.

Every year I gather with a group of gals for a day of baking. Christmas tunes play in the background while we prep and drink coffee. The day is quite organized. We all have a list of what to bring/provide. This is a day long event, so sustenance is essential. There’s usually some assortment of salad, bread, cheese, and inevitably Champagne gets shared. A quality day if I do say so myself!

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Because we would rather chat and relax with one another than stand in an assembly line all day at one oven (we aren’t quite at that point where we have a gourmet kitchen with the luxury of 2+ ovens!), we come bearing a batch or two of cookies/treats all ready to divvy up. Each year we get requests to bring along a favorite from the year before. Every year I get asked to bring my snickerdoodles, I think because mine involve strictly butter. No shortening. I do not keep shortening on hand, EVER. I know there are probably hardcore bakers out there that insist that it creates a different crust/crumb/texture, but I don’t care. I think shortening is a crime. Ok, I’m off my soap box. Anyhoo, here’s my take on the  ultimate snickerdoodle.

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Ultimate Snickerdoodle Recipe

  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar, plus more if needed
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, plus more if needed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

Preheat your oven to 400°F and line your cookie sheet with parchment.

In a bowl, mix together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Sure you can sift this, but I don’t. I just stir it with a whisk or a fork. Set aside.

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I am lucky enough to have received my stand mixer from my grandma, may she rest in peace. So, if you have one use it; if not, a hand mixer will do the trick. There are no rules in baking. Ok, that is a half truth. You need to follow general instructions, but don’t limit yourself or baking will never be fun!

In the bowl of the mixer, cream the butter and 1 ½ C sugar. Then add the eggs and vanilla. Once this is all mixed together you can add the dry ingredients in batches. No need for a mess if it isn’t necessary, right?

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In another smallish bowl, mix together the remaining ¼ C sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

So here is where you get to scooping the cookies. Spoons work, but I find a cookie dropper to be so darn handy. Keeping them all the same size makes them bake at the same rate. Roll the dough balls in the cinnamon/sugar combo and place on your cookie sheet. Leave about 2 inches of space. Bake these bad boys for about 10 minutes. They will not brown. You don’t want a gooey center either. So, depending on your oven it might be more like 12 minutes.

Once done, remove them from the cookie sheet and onto a rack to cool. I like this one because it is nice and big!

Besides the baking, the storage of these treats is another favorite thing! Here’s a list of some of my favorites for said activity:

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