Snickerdoodles
the underdog of cookies
Ingredients
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened - always Country Crock plant butter!
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
¼ cup plant-based milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1 ½ cup all purpose flour
1 ¼ tsp cornstarch
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
¼ tsp salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar mixed with 2 tablespoons of cinnamon (for coating)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your pan(s) with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, add your softened butter and both sugars. Using a mixer, beat the butter and sugars together until extremely light and fluffy, really incorporating air into the mixture - at least 4-5 minutes, scraping the bowl and beaters down periodically.
Add the milk, vanilla, and almond extract - mix until incorporated.
Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt to the bowl and mix. You’ll want to mix this a bit with a spoon or spatula to incorporate the flour a bit before using your mixer, so the flour doesn’t explode everywhere! Mix on low speed until just combined.
Using a large ice cream scoop, roughly ¼ cup, scoop your cookie dough and roll into large rounds. This amount yielded 9 cookies for me! You can make these cookies as large or small as you’d like, this is just the size I prefer.
Roll each ball of dough in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and place on prepared sheet about 2 inches apart from each other.
Bake for 10-12 minutes on the middle oven rack. When you remove them from the oven, they will have spread slightly and will have risen in the middle with a nice domed shape. Immediately out of the oven, lift the pan about 2-3 inches off the counter and then drop it, and repeat this a few times. This will cause the cookies to slightly deflate and give you a nice soft, chewy texture. Let cool for at least 30 minutes. Enjoy!
Notes
I know cream of tartar is a weird ingredient, but I think you really need it to make tried and true snickerdoodles - it’s what gives them their signature tangy, slightly tart flavor! Plus it makes them perfectly chewy. I’m sorry to make you buy an ingredient that you may never use for another recipe (although I’ve heard you can make homemade playdough with it??), but it’s inexpensive and you’ll basically have it forever. Trust me, buy the weird cream of tartar.
If you don’t have almond extract on hand, don’t worry - these cookies will still be delicious with all vanilla extract! The almond just adds a little more depth of flavor.
I found this vintage ash tray (pictured above) at an antique store and used it for a little centerpiece at my wedding. When I brought it home and found out it perfectly fit a cookie, I nearly squealed. I find it to be the cutest thing ever and I will now dedicate my life to finding more fun ash trays to serve cookies on. (After being washed very thoroughly, lol.)