These German cookies have been popular, but never “dominant.” They just appear on home tables for families with European origins. Sometimes they will appear in a bakery showcase if you visit the “right” part of town. There is a revival, at least of name, with as an example Dunkin’ Donuts offering a snickerdoodle cookie latte.
I suggest you avoid the gimmicks and go right the true blue cookie. From Ellen Jackson’s lovely Classic Cookies with Modern Twists, here is the classic recipe.
These are very much like sugar cookies. The main difference? A roll in cinnamon sugar for a rush of both spice and sweetness. This is a lively treat for cold winter days. Or nights. Or mornings. One of these with espresso? Great morning start.
For modern twists to this cookie, Ellen suggest a cappuccino version. Sustitute 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon for the nutmeg and whick 1/4 cup insant espresso powder with the vanilla and eggs. Yes, 1/4 cup. My goodness!
Snickerdoodles
Yield: ~ 72 2-inch cookies
Ingredients:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 ½ cups sugar, divided
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter with 1 cup plus 5 tablespoons of the sugar on medium speed until smooth,1 ½ to 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the eggs and mix until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add the vanilla. Scrape the bowl again. Add the dry ingredients on low speed, scraping the sides of the bowl after 15 seconds and continuing to mix until blended.
In a wide, shallow bowl, combine the cinnamon and the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar. Using your hands or a ½ ounce scoop, form 1/2-inch balls of dough. Roll them in the cinnamon sugar and place them on the baking sheets, 2 inches apart. For chewy cookies, bake for 12 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through, or until the cookie edges have set and darkened slightly. For crisp cookies, bake for an additional 2 minutes. Allow them to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets before transferring the cookies to a Wire rack to cool completely.
Source: Classic Cookies with Modern Twists by Ellen Jackson [Sasquatch Books, 2015]