Snickerdoodles-A July 2nd Recipe

Nope.  Not a fourth of July recipe, but a second of July.  I have a lot of cooking to do, but all of mine is happening in the next few weeks.  If you are looking for fourth of July inspiration here is a link to last years list.  Or you could make this.  Or this.  And I highly recommend you make this.

I have been under the weather this week and we were on vacation last week so my time in the kitchen has been sporadic, at best.  But if you follow me on Facebook you know that I have been messing around with snickerdoodle cookie recipes lately.  I have kind of a lot of different recipes stockpiled and even though they all seem pretty straightforward, every version is different.  Some are super cakey and not cookie-like at all, some are super chewy, and some have so much cinnamon they are just one step down from a stick of Big Red.  I didn’t add pumpkin snickerdoodles to the list to try just yet and the apple cider version will have to wait too.  I just wanted to narrow things down so that when I wanted to make snickerdoodles, plain and classic, I had just one recipe to make.  A recipe that I had made enough times that I knew it was going to turn out and be my ultimate version of a snickerdoodle.  I believe I have found such a cookie!

My Mom used to make this kind of cookie a lot when I was a kid and they are one of my husband’s favorites.  After making a ton of cookies from miscellaneous internet sites, The Joy of Cooking, Better Homes & Gardens, my own recipe, and even a version from Gale Gand, the winner ended up being from the blog Dinner: A Love Story.  Their recipe has no origin but has been used for several generations, the ingredients scribbled on a splattered card.  Turns out, it had the best texture and flavor.  To us, anyway.  Some people like their snickerdoodles almost like a muffin top; cake-like, soft, and super moist.  Our family, our generous taste tester friends, and Mike’s co-workers who get all the leftovers, seem to prefer a true chewy cookie texture.  Whichever you like, these are fantastic.  And I have seven other batches of cookies to prove it!
One Year Ago: Red Velvet Cupcakes & Sweet & Tangy Ribs

Snickerdoodles
Recipe adapted from DALS.  Here is the link to the original post.

Cream together with a mixer:
1 c soft butter
1 1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
Add:
2 3/4 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt

Slowly mix until all ingredients are incorporated and then chill the dough in the fridge for about an hour.  They will still turn out if you don’t chill it, but the texture is nicer if you do.  Pinch or scoop dough and roll into 1 1/2 inch balls.  Roll the balls in a mixture of  ½ c sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon.  Bake for 8 minutes at 400 degrees.  This is a fantastic cookie to make with kids!