For my blog, hobby, curiosity, stress relieving and mostly for my family.
I want to bake the best cinnamon cookies for my son. Thus, my quest for this post is to search for the BEST thin, soft and chewy snickerdoodles that will stay nice, soft and chewy indefinitely after the day of bake.
Next, I did my research and baked.
Then... Ta-dah! I found my BEST Snickerdoodles!
Check out these Snickerdoodles!
They are the BEST SOFT CHEWY and DELICIOUS!!!
Why this recipe?
Being an analytical person, I have searched and compared all of the best reputable snickerdoodles recipes that I can find from Google and my cookbooks.
Guess what? They are almost the same! Or at least 85% similar!!!
Some recipes prefer to use all shortening or half shortening half butter to enhance the chewy texture of the cookies but most recipes insist that the use of cream of tartar is absolute essential for baking the best snickerdoodles.
Why cream of tartar and baking soda? If baking powder is made of cream of tartar and baking soda, why can't we just use baking powder?
After baking these cookies, I can fully understand and appreciate the use of cream of tartar for this recipe. An excess amount of cream of tartar is added in this recipe to react with all of the lesser amount baking soda, giving the cookies a lot bubbles of carbon dioxide gas within any metallic aftertaste.
Then, the short baking time will cause the semi-baked bubbles to collapse after cooling, giving the cookies a comforting soft chewy texture.It is also true that the use of all shortening or half shortening half butter can enhance the chewy texture of the cookies because butter browns faster than shortening causing the all-butter cookies to be firmer than the all-shortening cookies. However, I must say that the all-shortening cookies are way less tasty than the all-butter cookies due to the lack of milky butterfat flavor and so I suggest that the use is of half shortening half butter is the next best option. Don't like to use shortening for baking? Then, don't use shortening! Personally, I think that the all-butter snickdoodles are soft and good enough to be within the best acceptable range!
Testing testing...
Baking these snickdoodles with either all butter or half butter half shortening.
The all-butter cookies taste awesome!!! Very soft and chewy!
... but the half butter half shortening cookies are softer!
So soft! So chewy! So yummy!!!
Here's a video showing how I baked these cookies. It's an easy and straightforward recipe but please be aware that the cookies will spread a lot! And please do not over-bake the cookies!
Please note that the ingredients used in this video is half of the ones listed in the recipe below. Music: Bensound
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Here's the recipe.
Makes 12 large cookies
120g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter*, softened at room temperature
150g (3/4 cup) caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla paste or extract
1 large egg, about 52g without the shell, at room temperature
180g (1 1/4 cup) all-purpose / plain flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp baking soda
For the cinnamon sugar coating:
25g (2 1/2 tbsp) caster sugar
15g (about 2 tbsp) ground cinnamon
*or use 60g unsalted butter plus 60g shortening, preferably the Crisco ones with no trans fat. Please do not use Copha shortening or substitute this with vegetable oil. For people who are living in Australia, you can buy this item via USA foods, online or in the shop at Moorabbin, Victoria.
Mix the cookie batter at least 1-2 hrs or the day before baking.
Using a wooden spoon or an electric mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar for 1-2 mins or until combined and fluffy. Add vanilla, egg (bit by bit) and beat well after each addition.
Sift flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt into the butter mixture. Use a spoon or spatula to mix until mixture is combined.
Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and let it rest in a fridge for at least 1 hrs or overnight. Store the wrapped dough in an airtight container if you are resting it in a fridge overnight.
When the cookies are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F.
Remove the dough from the fridge and leave it at room temperature for about 10 mins before shaping and baking.
Line baking trays with baking papers.
Mix 25g caster sugar and 15g ground cinnamon to make the cinnamon sugar coating.
Divide dough by weight into 12 equal portions (about 42-44g each). Roll each portion into a ball and drop it into the cinnamon sugar. Coat well. Arrange onto the lined trays with about 5 cm apart. IMPORTANT: The cookies will spread so make sure the cookies have enough space in between. Use the back of a metal spoon or your hand to flatten the cookie dough to about 1 cm thick.
Bake for 9-10 mins. IMPORTANT: Do not over-bake the cookies! The cookies are still soft when they are freshly baked. Swap the trays around halfway through baking or until thoroughly baked at the edges. Baking duration may vary slightly due to the different oven settings.
Allow cookies to cool slightly and set on the tray for about 15 mins, then transfer onto wire racks to cool completely.
Serve and enjoy. Store any uneaten cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up 1 week. Believe me... These cookies will stay nice, soft, moist and chewy even up to 1 week!
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