Snickerdoodles

3 cups flour

1 T plus 1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1 ½ c plus 2 T sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease cookie sheets lightly.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together into a small bowl and set aside.

Combine the cinnamon with the 2 T sugar in a small bowl. Stir together thoroughly and pour into a plastic bag.

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the butter, 1 ½ c sugar, and vanilla together in a medium-size bowl until light and fluffy, 1 minute.  Stop the mixer once during the process to scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula, and scrape the bowl again at the end.

Add the eggs and beat on medium speed until they are blended, about 30 seconds.  Scrape the bowl.

Add half of the flour mixture, and mix on low speed for 10 seconds.  Scrape the bowl.  Add the remaining flour mixture and blend on low for 25 seconds, stopping the mixer twice to scrape the bowl.

Measure out generously rounded Tablespoons of the dough, and roll them into balls with your hands. 

Place 2 cookies at a time in the cinnamon-sugar mix and shake the ball to coat.  Then place the balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets, and bake until the centers are risen and slightly cracked and the edges are crisp, 16 – 18 minutes.  Cool the cookies on the baking sheets. 

Recipe provided by Sharon Fitzpatrick and served at the WCGS meeting February 10, 2005.