Monday, March 15, 2010

Snickerdoodles from the Sweet Melissa Baking Book


Snickerdoodles - made March 15, 2010 from the
Sweet Melissa Baking Book
A recipe for Snickerdoodles first caught my eye when I was a teenager and I had to make them just because I liked the name. Then I kept on making them because I liked the cookies. Like the chocolate chip cookie, snickerdoodle recipes are generally the same sugar cookie variation with the addition of cream of tartar and then being rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking. I have several good recipes for snickerdoodles and I like them all but my main problem with the recipes I've tried is they've all spread out too much. They've all tasted great but the better ones tend to spread too thin. So does this one. I made the cookie dough balls a little big (hey, go big or go home) and they spread and puffed out nicely but then they also fell flat once I took them out of the oven. It could be because I underbaked them slightly but they tasted better that way. Don't crowd these on the baking sheet or they will just run together. Give them at least 2-3 inches of breathing room when you bake them.

My favorite "store-bought" snickerdoodle is from Specialty's - theirs are not only big but they stay thick. Someday I'm going to have to figure out how they do that.

For the dough
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

For the cinnamon sugar
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ cup sugar


1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs and mix until combined.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture and mix on low speed until combined. The dough will be soft and too sticky to roll. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
3. Position a rack in the top and bottom thirds of your oven. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
4. For the cinnamon sugar: Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl.
5. Using a 1-ounce cookie scoop, or a tablespoon, shape the dough into balls and then roll them in the cinnamon sugar.
6. Place the cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Flatten them slightly with your fingertips so that they stay put. Bake for about 12 to 13 minutes, or until the bottoms are slightly golden in color. These cookies are supposed to be chewy so do not overbake. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

4 comments:

  1. Oh, Yum! I wish I had gotten some of these - Building A is so lucky! I'm printing the recipe.

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  2. You should've come by! Although you had to be there in the first hour or so.

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  3. FYI, I know it's like 6+ years later, but if you prefer them to not fall, make them into the balls, roll in cinnamon sugar, flatten slightly, then put them raw back into the fridge for 24+ hours or freeze them. I've found that they spread much less and stay puffed when I treat the dough this way. I personally like them fallen and chewy, but since I've experienced them puffy, thought I'd pass along. You should try it again and see what you think. This is my family's favorite snickerdoole recipe.

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    1. Thanks - I think I did freeze them before baking because that's what I always do but I honestly can't remember. I'll try them again. I did like the taste :).

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