In the Cookie Jar : Snickerdoodles

Not unlike most Americans, I have a sweet tooth. But when it strikes, I usually can't jump into the car and head for the ice cream shop. Instead I head to the kitchen to assess what I have in my pantry and thumb through my cookbooks to see what yummy treat I can create. Although I usually gravitate towards chocolate, I like these soft cookies because I always have all the ingredients on hand. Plus they make my house smell wonderful.

Snickerdoodles are similar to sugar cookies, but the cookie is rolled in cinnamon and sugar before being baked. The result is that as the cookie spreads out the cinnamon makes a crackly brown and white surface. The smell is strongly cinnamon and the outside is crunchy, but inside the cookie is incredibly soft. You can substitue the butter for margarine and save some fat, but you'll sacrifice the smooth butter taste. Like most cookie recipes, this one makes 4-5 dozen, so if you don't have a houseful of guests or kids, you can easily half the recipe or freeze half of the dough for another sweet tooth attack.

Snickerdoodles*

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

1. Heat oven to 400 deg. In large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups sugar and butter; beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs; blend well. Add flour, cream of tartar, baking powder, salt; mix well.

2. In small bowl, combing 2 tbsp sugar with cinnamon. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.

3. Bake 8-10 minutes, Immediately remove to cooling racks.

I used a 1 inch spring loaded scoop and it made perfectly sized balls. Also I recommend chilling your baking sheet (with dough on it) in the freezer for a couple of minutes to keep the dough from spreading too much in the oven.

No cream of tartar? Cream of tartar helps stabilize egg whites and give them a little extra puff. Usually in baked goods the rule is don't leave ingredients out ever ever ever. But, I didn't have any and added a little baking powder instead (about 1/2 tsp.) . I also beat my eggs until they were light and fluffy before adding them to the mix. You can beat them with a fork or use a mixer for about half a minute.

*Pillsbury Complete Cookbook, The Pillsbury Company. Clarkson Potter Publisher, New York, 2000. Pg. 416.