Classic, Comforting Snickerdoodle Cookies

As autumn weather begins, that’s when I lean into the season’s cozy vibe for comfort food.  And for me, nothing says comfort like homemade cookies my mom used to make while my sisters and I “helped”.  We grew up in a home where packaged cookies were rarely purchased, and if we wanted something sweet, we had to make it ourselves.  So we did. And boy did we have fun.  Just about every night we made some sort of sweet treat - desserts, pies, cakes and of course, cookies!  

And where else to go for inspiration for this month’s open house cookie but my favorite childhood cookbook from our church in the 1960’s -  Trinity Presbyterian Church of San Jose.  I still refer to this cookbook for the tried and true recipes I grew up with, including the well worn recipe for Snickerdoodles.  That was the era of Crisco ® shortening, so I adapted it a bit and used part butter and organic Spectrum ® all vegetable shortening, hoping that will somehow be better for me! These delicious cinnamon-sugar coated cookies have the crispy-edge and chewy goodness you expect in a Snickerdoodle.

I hope you enjoy these cookies and that it brings back happy memories of your childhood as well! 

Snickerdoodles

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Ingredients:

• ½ cup vegetable shortening (I use Spectrum ® organic)
• ½ cup butter (1 stick), softened 
• 1 ½ cups white sugar 
• 2 eggs
• 2 ¾ cups flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon soda
• ½ teaspoon salt

For cinnamon sugar:

• 2 T sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions:

Cream together the butter, shortening and sugar.  Add in the eggs and beat until light and fluffy.  Sift together flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt.  Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture until just combined.  Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.

Scoop out portions of dough that are about 2 T and roll into balls (they should be about the size of small walnuts) and then roll them in the cinnamon sugar.  Place about 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake the cookies for approximately 8 minutes or until they just start to turn light brown on the corners. Let cool for about 5 minutes and then place on a cooling rack to cool completely.