Cream of tartar is what separates a snickerdoodle from a plain cinnamon sugar cookie. It supplies the tang, and it reacts with the baking soda to produce the crackled top and the chewy center. Leave it out and you have a sugar cookie in costume.
Snickerdoodles for a crowd
Makes about 4 dozen
– 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
– 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
– 1 teaspoon baking soda
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
– 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
– 2 large eggs
– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the coating
– 1/4 cup granulated sugar
– 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
2. Whisk the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl and set it aside.
3. Beat the butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until the mixture is pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
4. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until it disappears. Do not overwork it.
5. Stir the coating sugar and cinnamon together in a shallow bowl.
6. Roll the dough into balls about 1 1/4 inches across, then roll each one in the cinnamon sugar until it is well covered.
7. Place them 2 inches apart and bake 8 to 10 minutes. Pull them when the edges are set and the centers still look underdone and puffed.
8. Let them sit on the sheet 5 minutes. They will sink and crackle as they cool.
If the dough is soft and hard to roll, chill it 20 minutes. Do not substitute baking powder for the cream of tartar and soda together — the flavor goes flat and the tops come out smooth instead of cracked.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.
