Snickerdoodles

I’ve become the girl that bakes enough treats to bring to the bar on Sunday morning for football.  It’s a good thing though; the bartender heavily discounts our bill, people look forward to whatever treats I bring, and I can bring out my inner mean girl by not giving a treat to people who are mean or obnoxious.  Just kidding; I don’t do that… though I wish I could.  I brought these to the bar last week and they were such a big hit that I made more for this week.

Ingredients & Method (adapted from Martha Stewart)

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup pure vegetable shortening (I use lard because I don’t like shortening - it’s all fake, processed junk)
• 1 3/4 cups sugar, plus more if needed
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, plus more if needed
• 2 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 400°.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (I finally bought some!), baking mat, or just coat it with some cooking spray.

Sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter, lard, and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs, and beat to combine. Add dry ingredients, and beat to combine.  (If you’re like me and don’t have a mixer, enjoy the workout your arms are about to get.)

In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the ground cinnamon. Use a small (1 1/4-ounce) ice-cream scoop (or just use your hands) to form balls of the dough, and roll in cinnamon sugar.

Place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are set in center and begin to crack (they will not brown), about 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheets after 5 minutes.

(I think they look like cinnamon munchkins, don’t you?)

The lard makes the cookies, though thin, really moist and chewy.  They’re a perfect addition to football and a nice stout or winter warmer style beer.

(meg)