Snickerdoodles are basically a sugar cookie, but with the addition of cinnamon and traditionally, cream of tartar (to activate the baking soda). It has a crackly surface and can be crunchy or slightly chewy. These cookies are slightly chewy, which I think is better

This was a two day lesson, since the dough needed to be chilled. We made the dough on Tuesday, and did some notes on cooking terms (julienne, baste, cream, etc.) Today (Friday) we baked the cookies and finished the terms notes.

Needless to say, I had to break up a fight in the blue kitchen because one boy thought he should get 9 cookies instead 6 because he did more work. The cookies are yummy The batch makes about 2 dozen.

Players:

Yes.. shortening, I know. I will tell you what I tell my kids. It is made from VEGETABLES. It’s not lard. Is it good for you? Habsolutely not. Will it kill you in very small amounts? No more than going outside without sunblock on. It can do great things to baked goods. Just saying. Don’t consider me team crisco, I’m just saying.

First, cream the butter and sugar. This is a step novice bakers don’t do right. Cream means to beat together (with electric mixer) until light and fluffy. It should take between 3 and 5 minutes. It should look like wet sand when you’re done. It is almost always done with butter/shortening and sugar. Your fat should be at room temp, so the air bubbles can catch in the fat particles

And here it is finished:

Next, add your egg and vanilla and combine completely.

Now, add your dry ingredients that you’ve sifted (flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt). Beat together JUST until incorporated. Beating too long once the flour is in will develop the gluten and make for a tough cookie. Tough cookie, haha.

Next, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes or a few days. Dough will freeze for up to a month!

We had to do it by kitchen color/period. Wrapped up tight in plastic wrap… adorable.

DAY TWO (or thirty minutes later).

Unwrap dough (let it sit out for a minute or two first) and roll into 1 inch balls. You could make them bigger or smaller if you wanted, but make them UNIFORM. Cookies of the same size and shape will cook evenly!

Next, mix up 1 tsp. cinnamon with 2 tbsp. sugar in a bowl. Dredge (meaning to coat with flour or sugar) the cookie in the mixture.

Now, place about twelve on each cookie sheet (2 inches from edges and from each other… no one wants kissing cookies!). So four down the long side, three across the short side.

To bake two sheets at once, you need to STAGGER and SWITCH. One tray in upper left, one tray in bottom right. Set timer for half way, then switch locations completely!

Cookies were done after 8 minutes total.

Let them set up on the sheets, then transfer to cooking racks. Enjoy!

Recipe:

1 c. + ¼ c. = 2 tbsp. all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoons baking powder

1 tsp. cream of tartar

¼  cup unsalted butter, room temperature

¼ c. shortening

¾  cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

½  teaspoon vanilla extract

Coating:

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1.      Heat oven to 400 degrees.

2.      Sift the flour, salt, cream of tartar, and baking powder.

3.      Cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg and the vanilla. Combine completely.

4.      Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Do not over mix.

5.      Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes or up to several days. 

6.      Shape chilled dough into balls, roll in coating, and place 2 in. apart on cookie sheets (ungreased).

7.      Stagger and switch. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes.

8.      Cool on wire rack.

These would keep for 3 or 4 days tightly sealed at room temp.