Snickerdoodles
Yield: 3 dozen
Adapted from The Secrets of Baking
Ingredients:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
½ pound cold unsalted butter or margarine*, cut into ½ inch pieces
1 ½ cup sugar, plus ½ cup for dusting
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Directions:
In a medium bowl whisk flour, baking soda and cream of tartar; set aside.
Cream butter on medium speed until pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Add 1 ½ cups sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, salt and vanilla. Cream the mixture on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
Add the eggs and beat on low until fully incorporated. Do not overbeat.
On low speed, add the flour mixture and beat until fully incorporated. Remove dough and wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine ½ cup sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon in a small bowl.
Pinch off pieces of chilled dough and roll into 1 inch balls. Drop the balls into the cinnamon sugar and coat thoroughly. Place balls 2 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the cookies look dry and feel firm.
*If using margarine, omit or decrease salt amount. Also note, the cookies spread just a little more with margarine, but I liked it that way.