One of our favorite cookies has to be the classic snickerdoodle. Soft, crisp edged, chewy middled, buttery and coated with cinnamon sugar. What's not to love about that!!
Not all snickerdoodle cookie are created equally however. This recipe I am sharing with you today is the best Snickerdoodle recipe. Adapted and small batched from a recipe found in Lee Bailey's cookbook entitled Country Desserts.
I love Lee Bailey's cookbooks. When I cooked at Brenchley Manor, my boss had a lot of his cookbooks and would often request that I cook a recipe from one of them for a luncheon or a dinner party. She especially loved his recipe for angel pie.
I would make that for her in the summer months with plenty of berries on top. I have made it on here as well. You can find that recipe here.
Living on my own as I do not, I don't often bake a full recipe of anything anymore, preferring to size everything down. There is less waste that way. Unless I am sharing with my family or neighbor, I do small batches of everything these days.
And so I did with the cookie recipe. I small batched Lee's snickerdoodle recipe so that it makes 1 1/2 dozen of the tastiest best snickerdoodles ever!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE SNICKERDOODLE COOKIES
Simple, ordinary, store cupboard baking ingredients. One thing that I really love about this recipe is that it used butter and not shortening. I am all for using natural fats these days, not trans fats.
- 1 1/3 cup (185g) plain all purpose flour
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- pinch salt
- 1/2 cup (120g) butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (150g) sugar
- 1 large free range egg
To coat:
- 4 TBS granulated sugar
- 1/2 TBS ground cinnamon
The flour used in this recipe is plain all purpose flour. Not self raising. I have seen some snicker doodle recipes which call for the use of baking powder. This recipe does not and that is what makes them softer and chewier.
The use of cream of tartar is what gives them the beautiful cracked appearance. Do not leave it out. The use of cream of tartar is what separates a tangy, chewy snickerdoodle from an ordinary cinnamon-coated sugar cookie.
The acid in cream of tartar gives snickerdoodles their distinctive tangy flavor, and the chew happens because cream of tartar prevents sugar in the cookie dough from crystalizing into crunchiness. Its called Chemistry!
Some people add cinnamon to the dough when making snickerdoodle cookies. Some people add vanilla. I can tell you that neither one is necessary or even traditional.
These are pretty perfect just as is. The cinnamon sugar coating gives them plenty of cinnamon flavor without you having to add any more.
HOW TO MAKE SNICKERDOODLE COOKIES
These are relatively simple to make. The key to their shape is refrigerating them. Skip this step and the butter in the cookies will make them spread out on the pan. Do not skip the refrigeration if you want a lovely shaped cookie.
Preheat oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6.
Sift together flour, cream of tartar, soda, and salt, and then sift again.
Whisk the sugar and cinnamon for the coating together in a bowl. Set aside.
In separate bowl or stand mixer, cream together butter and the first amount of sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, mixing it all well together.
Add the dry ingredients in four parts, mixing well after each addition.
Cover and chill for at least an hour. (I usually chill for about 2 hours.)Roll dough into walnut-sized balls, and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture.
Place the balls two inches apart on a lined baking sheet.
Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes until cookies are done, but still soft. Let cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to cooling rack.
You can prepare the cookie dough and chill it for up to three days before baking it. I would let it sit on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes before shaping and baking in that case.
You can shape the dough into balls and freeze the balls in a zip lock baggie if you wish. (Without the cinnamon sugar coating.) When you are ready to bake bring out of the freezer. Let sit at room temperature for half an hour, roll them in the cinnamon sugar and then bake as per the recipe.
You can freeze the baked cookies for up to three months.
I really hope that you will be inspired to want to bake and enjoy these lovely cinnamon sugar coated buttery cookies! If you want to bake a full batch, simply double the ingredients for the recipe.
If you are a fan of the small batch, why not try out some of my other small batch baking recipes!
PEANUT BUTTER CUP PRETZEL COOKIE - With these you have a crisp edged chewy middle-d brown sugar cookie. Just like a chocolate chip cookie, but with the added touch of peanut butter flavor. Filled with crisp and salty pretzel pieces. Sweetened and studded with sweet peanut butter cups with a slight tang of the semi-sweet chocolate for balance. Recipe makes 8 delicious cookies.
MISSISSIPPI MUD BARS (SMALL BATCH) - Rich and fudgy with a beautiful dense moist texture. Filled with toasted nuts. Topped with toasted marshmallows and a chocolate fudge icing, this recipe makes an 8-inch square pan of deliciously moreish bars.
Lee Bailey's Snicker Doodles
Yield: 1 1/2 dozen
Prep time: 2 H & 10 MCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 2 H & 20 M
This is a delicious small batch recipe for one of my favorite cookies. Recipe adapted from Lee Bailey's cookbook, Country Desserts
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cup (185g) plain all purpose flour
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- pinch salt
- 1/2 cup (120g) butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (150g) sugar
- 1 large free range egg
To coat:
- 4 TBS granulated sugar
- 1/2 TBS ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6.
- Sift together flour, cream of tartar, soda, and salt, and then sift again.
- Whisk the sugar and cinnamon for the coating together in a bowl. Set aside.
- In separate bowl or stand mixer, cream together butter and the first amount of sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, mixing it all well together.
- Add the dry ingredients in four parts, mixing well after each addition.
- Cover and chill for at least an hour. (I usually chill for about 2 hours.)
- Roll dough into walnut-sized balls, and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Place the balls two inches apart on a lined baking sheet.
- Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes until cookies are done, but still soft. Let cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to cooling rack.
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!
These are our favourite cookie. I make a double batch, one with regular flour and one with gluten free flour. I usually freeze most of the gluten free ones and just take out a couple at a time.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips Linda! Very helpful! xo
DeleteThanks for explaining the reason for using cream of tarter. I always wondered why they had a distinctive taste from other cookies.
ReplyDeleteYou are very welcome Elaine! xo
DeleteLove your reciepes, I also have your cook book. I make your cream scones all the time adding dried cranberries and orange zest. Love them!
ReplyDeleteI am so pleased that you are enjoying them! Thank you so much! xo
DeleteWhy are you heating the oven at step one? Wait until after the fridge, or at least halfway through the chill time.
Delete