Easy Cookie Recipe: Snickerdoodles!

These were the first cookies I baked all by myself as a kid. They came out perfect the first time. I like them because they are crisp on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. I also am not a fan of chocolate cookies, so these are a perfect alternative, covered in a cinnamon and sugar mix.

I baked these again this week, trying to more professional, whipping the eggs first and then adding the other ingredients – making sure they were creamed perfectly. I don’t recommend doing this. This batch was a little harder than usual. Perhaps this is a perfect cookie for the person who knows nothing about baking!

I used my KitchenAid mixer – my baby. The recipe is also easily done with a hand mixer, or, if you have the energy, a hand whisk and wooden spoon.

Big mixer is great, but a hand mixer or a whisk and wooden spoon will do

The recipe is very easy, but contains some ingredients that are not so easily found in Turkey and other countries:

Vegetable Shortening (Crisco) – I have added links to other online recipes that use butter.
Cream of Tartar – I have also added a link to purchase “Krem Tartar” online if you can’t find it in your local market. I have added a link to other alternatives to Cream of Tartar – which I have NOT tried – including lemon or vinegar.
Finally, I use US measuring cups and US measuring spoons, even though I am baking in Turkey. I provided a link for metric conversion, and also added those measurements – but I have not baked using those conversions. If you are going to frequently use U.S. recipes in another country, I suggest buying these.

SNICKERDOODLES

Ingredients:

1 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco) (possible Sana can be used – but see other links for recipes with butter.
1 1/2 cups sugar (300 g)
2 large eggs
2 3/4 cups flour (345 g)
2 tsp. Cream of Tartar (Krem Tartar – about 3-4 Turkish cay kasigi)
1 tsp. Baking soda (1 poset karbonat, 5g)
1/2 tsp. salt (about 1 Turkish cay kasigi)
3 TBS of sugar plus 1 tsp of cinnamon mixed together. (3 Corba kasigi seker ve 2 cay kasigi tarcin)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 Celcius)
Mix in one large bowl: Shortening, sugar, eggs
In another bowl, sift or whisk the dry ingredients: flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until combined. It will be very dry and crumbly
Roll the batter into balls the size of a walnut, about 1″ or 2.5 cm around.
Put the cinnamon and sugar mix in a flat bowl or on a plate. Roll each ball into the mix, covering the ball in cinnamon and sugar.
Arrange the balls about 2″ (5cm) apart on a cookie sheet. You do NOT need to grease the tray. However, I do use baking paper (Pişirme Kağıdı) for easy cleanup. I find the paper can be used again.
The balls will flatten as they bake. Bake for approximately 8 -10 minutes. Do not over-bake them. They will be light in color, but golden on the bottom. Over-baking will still taste good, but will not be chewy inside.
Remove immediately from cookie sheet and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Ingredient Measurement Conversions and Substitutes:

Flour conversion: http://www.traditionaloven.com/conversions_of_measures/flour_volume_weight.html
Sugar conversion: http://www.traditionaloven.com/conversions_of_measures/sugar_amounts.html
Butter conversion: http://www.traditionaloven.com/conversions_of_measures/butter_converter.html
Cream of Tartar substitutes: http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/substitutes-for-cream-of-tartar.html#b
Cream of Tartar substitutes (Turkish): http://alisekerli.blogspot.com.tr/2009/01/krem-tartar-ve-limon-suyu.html
Krem Tartar purchase online: http://www.gurmenet.com.tr/?urun-1259-ayfer-kaur-krem-tartar-toz-85-gr-Shortening substitute: http://www.eatbydate.com/substitutions/shortening-substitute/