Christmas cookie-ing continues

My freezer is rapidly filling with lovingly tinfoil-ed lumps of cookie dough. I don't even label them - I like to be surprised when I unwrap them. Ooh! Gingersnaps!



Frosty the dough man.


Despite my fanatical love of cookie-making, I was beginning to feel a little less than motivated last weekend.  With all the cooking, cleaning, shopping and planning that goes on during holiday season, my to-do list sometimes makes me wish for some elves of my own.

Never fear though, gang. I figured out a way to motivate myself. Not all the dough needs to go into the freezer.



Be still my heart. Hootie cranks.


I liberated just enough dough to make eight cookies, and the promise of fresh, warm cookie-bliss was more than enough to get me measuring, mixing and merry-making.

This week I bring you:

Snickerdoodles.

I love this cookie for its' old-fashioned, homey goodness.  Nothing smells better than a cinnamon-coated cookie in the oven. Heaven.

1/2 cup room temperature, unsalted butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (plus 2 tbs more for rolling)
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp cream of tartar*
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon (for rolling)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl mix 2 tbs granulated sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon.

In a separate bowl, cream butter, shortening and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, mix well. Blend in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Shape into balls. Roll balls in cinnamon/sugar mixture. Place cookies 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes, until set but not hard. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
*In a pinch you can replace the cream of tartar with 4 tsp baking powder.




Do you see what I see?