Snickerdoodles

My husband and his co-workers were having a bit of a rough week at work - urgent deadlines, mountains of action items. I found myself wanting to shed a little light on the gloomy times, so I figured I had to break out the baking pans! Snickerdoodles are simply a classic - here's my take.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 cups + 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract 
• 2 3/4 cup flour
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg 

Preheat oven to 400F.

Using an electric mixer cream butter and shortening until fluffy. Add 1 1/2 cup sugar and beat for 1-2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Add the eggs one at a time and mix to incorporate. Add the extracts. 

 

Mix in the flour, tartar, soda, and salt. Beat until the mixture comes together. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix together the remaining sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Using a small cookie scoop form dough balls. Toss the cookie dough ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Lightly press the dough ball into the sugar to ensure coverage. 

Place the dough balls about 2 inches apart on a lined, insulated cookie sheet. Bake for about 8 minutes until the edges of the cookie are light golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool for 10-15 minutes.

Makes 30 cookies

Notes from the Chef:

-The combo of butter and shortening help make for a really tender cookie, and the cream of tarter makes for a fluffy, soft texture.

-The cookies baked up fairly round and puffy - for a thinner cookie, flatten the dough balls a bit before baking