Snickerdoodles

One of my first cooking memories is of baking cookies with my mother.  Once every couple of weeks, she would tell me to go choose a cookie recipe from the cookbook and we would bake whatever I chose.  There were sugar cookies encrusted with nuts, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, and a few times, we even made our own doughnuts.  These cookie journeys with my mother inspired my love of cooking.

I think cookies feature highly in the fantasies of all American children and as an adult, I still crave a warm cookie right out of the oven with a cold glass of milk.  Snickerdoodles are a classic cookie, simple and delicious. These cookies fulfill all my cookie criteria, crisp and cinnamony on the outside and soft and chewy inside, and they go perfectly with that glass of ice cold milk.  My boys love to help roll the cookies and dip them in the cinnamon topping.

Makes about 30 large cookies

Cookie Dough:

1 cup (225 grams) butter

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tablespoon light corn syrup or honey

2 ½ teaspoons vanilla

3 ½ cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

 

Topping:

5 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoon cinnamon

In a large bowl, cream butter until fluffy.  Add sugar and beat until combined.  Add eggs, corn syrup and vanilla and mix together.   Mix together the dry ingredients and then beat into egg and sugar mixture.  The mixture will look dry and crumbly but will easily form a big ball.Mix together topping ingredients in a small bowl.

Take walnut sized portions of the dough and roll into a ball with your hands.  Roll the cookies into the topping mixture until it is evenly coated.  Place the balls on a cookie sheet.  Resist the temptation to press the balls down.  They will expand while they are baking.

Bake at 375ºF on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 ½ inches apart for 10 to 12 inches until the cookies have spread out and they are golden brown. 

P.S. If you have left-over cinnamon sugar, save it to use on cinnamon toast....