Snickerdoodles

My mom never made snickerdoodles while I was growing up. I was an adult before I had my first snickerdoodle, actually. And when I did, I loved them. I don't have them often - generally just at bakeries, I'd never tried my hand at baking them myself before today. I was shopping recently at Fresh Market (I love that place, and I always get into trouble there in some way), and the bakery lady offered me a snickerdoodle for my munchkin. Munchkin has been very sheltered in the ways of sugar thus far (in part because I'm convinced that if I let him have much of it, he'll build the insane addiction I have to sugar), so I was hesitant at first, but when she said that they had snickerdoodles, I relented. This child loves cinnamon.

Being the good mom that I am (sometimes), I didn't just hand the cookie over - no, I broke off a piece for him. And then one for me. Oh my goodness. Super, super yummy. They were crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside, and oh so delicious. Ultimately, I probably split the cookie about 60/40 with my munchkin (he's smaller, he only needs 40% of a cookie!). That was when I decided I needed to make some of my own.

This was my first time using my long-stashed Silpat Nonstick Silicone Baking Mat. I'd actually kind of forgotten about it, but I won't forget about it again, that's for sure! That thing is awesome. It's like parchment, only better, because it's washable and you don't have to throw it out! Sure, it costs more than parchment, but I think you ultimately will recoup the cost. Also, the cookies browned beautifully on the bottom, and didn't stick a bit. Can't wait to try out the Silpat on a sticky cookie recipe, like some brownie cookies I've got my eye on. Stay tuned.

This recipe is not the end-all, be-all snickerdoodle recipe I wanted it to be. I need to try Martha's recipe. This one comes from Baking Illustrated, and yielded cookies that were crisper than I generally like them to be. I much prefer a more dense, chewy cookie than this, but they were definitely enjoyable. If you like crunchy snickerdoodles, this is definitely the recipe for you!!

Snickerdoodles
Adapted from Baking Illustrated

2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
12 tbsp unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
1 1/2 granulated sugar, plus ~3 tbsp for rolling
2 large eggs
1 tbsp ground cinnamon, for rolling

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt; set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, cream the butter, shortening and 1 1/2 cups sugar on medium speed until well combined, about 1-2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the eggs and beat again until combined, about 30 seconds. Add in the dry ingredients, and beat at a low speed until just combined, about 20 seconds.
4. In a small, shallow bowl, combine 3 tbsp sugar with 1 tbsp cinnamon and stir to combine. Working with a heaping tablespoon of dough at a time, roll the dough, then roll in the cinnamon sugar and place on parchment-lined cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart. Use a drinking glass with a flat bottom to gently flatten the dough balls to 3/4 inch thickness. Don't forget to butter the bottom on the glass before starting, and dip it in sugar between cookies if it begins to stick.
5. Bake for 9-11 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are beginning to set and the centers are soft and puffy. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 2-3 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Click here for printable version of recipe!