Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe & Photo

ometimes it is easy to overlook cookie recipes that have been around a long time. Maybe it is because these cookies are more plain looking than today's creations or maybe it is because they do not use exotic ingredients. But what these old fashioned cookies do have is great flavor that makes eating one just about impossible. Snickerdoodles are a great example of this. While using the most basic of ingredients; butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and ground cinnamon, when you bite into one you will find the edges are wonderfully crisp yet inside the texture is soft and chewy with a lovely buttery sweet flavor.

Snickerdoodles, also called Snipdoodles or Cinnamon Sugar Cookies, have been around since the late 1800s. They probably originated in New England and are either of German or Dutch descent. Unfortunately there is no clue as to how they got such a peculiar name. They are similar to a sugar cookie in taste, only instead of sprinkling a little white granulated sugar on top of each cookie before baking, Snickerdoodles roll the entire cookie in a cinnamon sugar mixture.

Today's Snickerdoodle recipes are different from older ones in that they use baking powder as the leavener, instead of cream of tartar and baking soda. (If you want to try this combination, just replace the baking powder in the recipe with 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar and 1 teaspoon of baking soda.) These cookies should be baked only until the edges begin to brown. This will keep the outside crisp with a soft and chewy interior. Baking them longer will make them more crisp and not as soft inside. These are delicious warm or a room temperature. They will keep very well so they make an ideal cookie for holiday gift giving.

Snickerdoodles: In a large bowl whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until smooth (about 2 to 3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat until you have a smooth dough. If the dough is soft, cover and refrigerate until firm enough to roll into balls (one to two hours).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (190 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Shape the dough into 1 inch (2.54 cm) round balls.

Coating: In a large shallow bowl mix together the sugar and cinnamon.

Roll the balls of dough in the cinnamon sugar and place on the prepared pan, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Then, using the bottom of a glass, gently flatten each cookie to about 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) thick.

Bake the cookies for about 8 - 10 minutes, or until they are light golden brown around the edges. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

Can store in an airtight container, at room temperature, for about 10 - 14 days.

Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

Sources:

Kimball, Christopher. The Dessert Bible. Little, Brown, and Company, New York: 2000.

King Arthur Flour Company, Inc. The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion. The Countryman Press. Woodstock: 2004.

Medrich, Alice. Alice Medrich's Cookies and Brownies. Warner Books, Inc. New York: 1999.

Wilson, Dede. A Baker's Field Guide to Christmas Cookies. The Harvard Common Press. Boston: 2003.

Snickerdoodles:

2 3/4 cups (385 grams) all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Coating:

1/3 cup (66 grams) granulated white sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Save This Page to del.icio.us






	A baking resource on the Internet since 1997 Contact Us Privacy Policy All content on this site is either original or has been significantly modified and changed from its credited original source. Use of materials on Joyofbaking.com is entirely at the risk of the user and Joyofbaking.com or Stephanie Jaworski will not be responsible for any damages directly or indirectly resulting from the use. This website and the contents thereof are not endorsed or sponsored by the owner of the "Joy of Cooking" series of books or its publisher Simon & Schuster, Inc. Content in any form may not be copied or used without written permission of Stephanie Jaworski, Joyofbaking.com. Students and non profit educators may use content without permission with proper credit. Copyright 1997 to 2008 Stephanie Jaworski