There's been errands, and dentists, and birthdays. We also can't forget healthy eating, exercising, and walking the dog. In the midst of all this business, it's important to take time for ourselves.
On these particularly hectic days, I like to forget about it all and get lost in my kitchen. I like to take time from my busy day to feel the small grains of flour run through my fingers like warm sand on sunny day. I like to roll bits of sweet dough into tiny balls and gently dip them into cinnamon and sugar. I like to sit back and smell the sweetness in the air. It's days like this that I just want to be in the kitchen.
Yesterday, I was reminded - in a slightly spastic manor - of my need to make these cookies. While eating lunch with Mr.H, my eyes drifted to small curly dog sitting on the ground. This dog reminded me of mine, and how I needed to take him for a walk. And then I wondered how long I had been sitting staring at this dog. As my head slowly turned in the direction of the clock, out of the corner of my eye, there it was - the infamous Snikerdoodle. With a total lack of reservation, I dropped my fork, jumped out of my chair, and nearly knocked over a passerby. I extended my right arm, prepared to slap anyone who got in my way, and grabbed the last one. After only one bite, they had quickly moved from the back of the catalogue to the front row. I spent all night with my laptop flipped open, all my baking books spread around me like a sharp uncomfortable blanket.
Late that night, after extensive research, I decided on a recipe from the White on Rice Couple's blog. Clearly Todd had done his research, and it was apparent that we were looking for the same thing in a cookie. I made only minor changes to his recipe, substituting the butter for lard and freezing the cookie before baking.
These cookies turned out chewy, slightly crisp on the outside, perfectly sweet, and are the height of melt-in-your-mouth perfection. Thanks Todd and small dog, and apologies to Mr. passerby.
SNIKERDOODLE CINNAMON SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE (makes 30 cookies)
{recipe adapted from White on Rice Couple}
Ingredients
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp corn starch
1/4 cup whit granulated sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
Directions
1. In a large bowl cream the butter and sugars with a handmixer, until light and fluffy, approximately 8 minutes.
2. Add the eggs, vanilla, and salt. Mix all the ingredients until combined
3. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and corn starch.
4. Add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar. Gently combine.
5. Place the dough in the freezer for one hour.
6. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
7. In a small bowl, mix 1/4 sugar and 1 tbsp cinnamon. Remove the dough from the fridge. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the dough into tiny balls the size of a quarter. Roll the dough in the cinnamon sugar ensuring to evenly coat the cookies. Place each cookies on a baking sheet 2 inches apart. The dough will expand while baking.
8. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes. The cookies should be slightly golden on top when done. Remove the cookies from the baking sheet and let cool on a wire wrack.
