A Cookie By Any Other Name Is Inferior. And not as Funny.

As promised, the Snickerdoodle recipe.  (Isn't that a funny name for a cookie?)

As usual, I just can't give you a recipe.  There has to be distractions, commentary to entertain, and tips to help you make the best darn cookie ever invented.  Basically, I write in a way which prevents you from simply pushing "print page" to get the recipe.  :)

I make these more than any other cookie, not just because they taste delicious, but because they are the PERFECT cookie to make with little kids.  Cuckoo and I made them last week, because Giant wanted to take them into his class for his birthday.  Buttercup saw these photos and said, "Oh, I remember making those.  I loved rolling the cookies in the sugar!"

Make them with little children.

I don't care if you have to pull one off the street.  Involve a child.

Onward...

The original recipe is from my mom.  My tips are in italics.

Mix the following:

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs

Sift:  Ha!  I don't own a sifter and have never sifted in my life.

2 3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tarter
1/2 teaspoon salt

Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet, mixing as you go.  The last half cup may kill your mixer, seeing as how this is one thick dough.  If your mixer starts to smoke, unplug it and finish mixing with a spoon.)

Cover and chill in refrigerator.  I usually make the dough before going to bed, then bake the cookies in the morning, but you and the cookies can chill for as little as 2 hours.

 

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

 

Stir together 2 Tablespoons sugar and 1 Tablespoon cinnamon on a small plate.

 

Roll the dough into balls the size of walnuts.  I use a spoon to scrape the dough out of the bowl, then simply roll it around between my hands to round it out.   (Like you couldn't have figured that out.)

 

 

THIS IS WHERE THE KIDS COME IN!!!!

 

 

Have the kids roll the balls in the cinnamon-sugar until they (the balls, not the kids) are completely covered.

 

 

 

Place the cinnamon-sugared balls onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet a few inches apart.

 

 

 

While taking photos of cookie sheet, realize the early morning sun is casting a lovely shadow on the golden wall of the kitchen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes.

 

Go back to taking photos of the flower while they bake.

 

The photo is from Phoenix.  He is a Boy Scout and last week earned his next level in scouting, Life.  The Boy Scouts are very much about honoring their mothers, so whenever a boy reaches a new level, he gives his mom a pin.  At Life, she also gets a rose and a promise to give her the other 11 out of the dozen when he gets his Eagle (the next, and highest, level).

 

Then get back to making cookies.

 

WARNING!!!!!

 

Your child helper will very likely have licked his fingers after the last cookie went on the cookie sheet before going in the oven.  You will want to wash his hands between each and every tray!!!

 

After (usually) 9 minutes, the cookies will appear dry, but not brown.  Take them out of the oven.  I leave them on the stovetop (burners off!) on the cookie sheet for another minute.  The cookies will deflate a bit and finish their cooking process on the stovetop.

 

 

Sometimes, as I put the cookies in the oven, they roll a bit.  The cookies will run together, but who the heck cares?  They still taste delicious.  And show that they are homemade.

 

Move the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely before putting them in a storage container.

 

 

Or in your mouth.

 

He's saying, "This is the best cookie I have ever had!" 

 

This recipe made about 4 dozen cookies.

 

Enough for each of Giant's classmates, teachers, siblings, parents, and soccer teammates to have a cookie.

 

They were begging for more.

 

Because these cookies are THE BEST!

 

Let me know if you try them.

 

Have a lovely day!