It's August, people. That means next month is September. And once September hits, it's only 23 more days until fall. Spices, bonfires, musty leaves, cool breezes...I'm so ready.
But...it's still not quite here. Until then, snickerdoodles will have to do.
It's been a bit, I know. If it weren't for my commitment to a weekly Sundays with Joy post, where would this blog be?
My motivation has been slightly lacking. Creative juices just aren't flowing, they're more...dribbling. I'll catch a drip once in awhile, but for the most part, it's pretty dry.
That, and I've been doing a large amount reading and regular cooking/baking for the fam. I get caught up! Writing/photography takes time, and effort. But even if posts become far and few inbetween, at least I can say that they're all worth putting up.
So, snickerdoodles! I'm not sure how you define your perfect snickerdoodle, nor do I understand how you could even reach a decision. Stuffed with caramel, thin and chewy, thick and cake-y...there is no end to the snickerdoodle variations. For me, it entirely depends on my mood.
This time round I was feeling the thick, cake-y, bite-size delights that are Nigella Lawson's snickerdoodles. Each little bite fills your mouth with the delight that only freshly-ground nutmeg can bring, followed by the sweet sensation of cinnamon sugar. When baked properly, the dough comes out with a bit of a crumble, but is still incredibly tender. I've made this recipe many times, and it's definitely among my favorites.
Do try one of these little miracles, especially if you're as impatient for autumn's coming as I am.
Nigella's Snickerdoodles
Yield: about 30 cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 2/3 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, cream the butter with the 1/3 cup sugar until light in texture and pale in color. Then beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients on low speed and mix until combined, mixture will be slightly crumbly. Chill the dough for 30 minutes in the fridge, or for 15 minutes in the freezer.
Combine the remaining sugar and cinnamon on a plate. Squeeze cookie dough together in your hand, and roll into walnut-sized balls (about a scant tablespoon of dough each). Roll each ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and place on the cookie sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
Bake for about 14 minutes; until slightly puffed and set, but still quite soft in the middle. Remove from the oven and let rest on the baking sheets for 1 minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Sources: adapted from How to Be a Domestic Goddess, via EatingPlaces
