Snickerdoodles

This is the most basic sugar cookie in the world, but when the humble cookie is rolled is cinnamon sugar and baked it is transformed into an icon. I have several friends for whom snickerdoodles are “it” as far as cookies go. And let me just say, I have days where I fully agree with them. I love the crispy, chewy texture with the crackled top, full of cinnamon-sugar flavor. They also seem to be a true comfort food- which is probably why I made them in the midst of the darkest, grayest day here so far.

This was my mom’s recipe, although I am not sure where she got it? For me it just is one of the stained note cards in the family recipe file that has been there since the late 70’s! I suspect that this is a pretty standard recipe, but I adapted it by switching out ½ of the shortening for butter. So you get the chewiness from the shortening with the butter flavor. But if you wanted to go all butter or all Shortening- you would be fine. (In fact with all Shortening- this makes for a great lactose free recipe)

I also have to quickly comment on how easy and incredibly fast this recipe was. I made the dough and baked them and cleaned up in under 30 minutes. My husband and Coco left for a quick trip to the store while Pia and I decided to make these cookies. They came home to a clean kitchen and a fresh batch of snickerdoodles- Pete was shocked, and then quickly gobbled them down. Shock a loved one today!

Snickerdoodles, makes 30
½ cup Shortening
½ cup butter, soft
1 ½ cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 2/3 cup of flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt

¼ cup white sugar
1 Tbs of cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two sheet pans with silpats or parchment.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream the butter and shortening together.

(my helper monitoring the progress)

Add the white sugar and mix until fluffy.

Add the eggs, mixing well and scraping the sides down.

In a separate bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients together.

Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl.

Mix to combine.

In a separate small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon.

Scoop Tbs size balls of the dough with a spoon or ice cream scoop, and plop them in the sugar bowl.

Gently roll the balls in the sugar and place them on the silpat. (Leave plenty of room, as the cookies will spread double their size).

Bake the cookies about 10 minutes or until barely golden and just cooked through.

Let them cool.

Enjoy!