Snickerdoodles

Sometimes you just want to bake a solid crowd-pleasing cookie without much hassle (okay, most of the time...)  I thought I should make good on my promise to bake Snickerdoodles in my Snickerdoodle Cupcake post.

Not having a go-to recipe of my own, I consulted Smitten Kitchen (big shock!), and she had just the Snickerdoodle recipe I needed.

When you make these, you not only get tasty cookies, but your kitchen will smell amazing for at least a day.  Seriously, waking up the next morning to the remaining scent of fresh-baked cookies IS the way to start your day.

So, the last day before the holiday, I brought these in to work, and they were gone within an hour.  It surprised me because half of the office had already left for vacation!  I had a fair number of folks come up to me later in the day and say guiltily, "I had...two..."  Great!  That's the sign of a tasty recipe.

Snickerdoodles
(From Smitten Kitchen)

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons (2 stick or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, plus more if needed
2 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 400°, with one rack in top third and one rack in bottom third of oven. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

Sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs, and beat to combine. Add dry ingredients, and beat to combine. If the dough is too sticky to work with, just chill it in the fridge for an hour or so.

In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the ground cinnamon.  Scoop out a rounded tablespoon of dough, roll into a ball, and coat in cinnamon sugar. Place about two inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.  Put one sheet in the upper rack and the second on the lower rack in the oven.  Bake until the cookies are set in center and begin to crack (they will not brown), about 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheets after five minutes. Transfer the sheets to a wire rack to cool about five minutes before transferring the cookies to the rack.

Enjoy!