simple snickerdoodles

Life's just chock full of interruptions, ain't it? You're on a roll, then suddenly, BAM! you hit a roadblock. I've been training for a little race that's coming up in a mere two and a half weeks. I've begun to depend on the rhythm that my running schedule has provided for my weeks, and even looked forward to running obscene distances on the weekends. This week, though... oh, this week. I haven't run since Sunday. The only excuses I can come up with are sore hips, job stress, headaches and these cookies. No matter what I do, I would much rather eat a crunchy on the outside, chewy in the middle, cinnamon-and-sugar-crusted piece of heaven on earth than be outside for almost and hour, sweating and quite possibly becoming soaked to the bone by torrential rain.

Wouldn't you?

I decided, if these snickerdoodles must bring me down, you're coming with me. So do yourself a favor (?) and go bake them, now. Snickerdoodles are very simple to make beautiful and perfect, if only you pay attention to a few key pieces of advice. I'm not reinventing the wheel here, just providing a little friendly reminder that not all cookies need chocolate chips, oatmeal or even brown sugar to be considered worthy of the title.

Snickerdoodles
{Adapted from Betty Crocker Cooking Basics}
Makes about 30 medium cookies or 4 dozen small

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter (2 sticks), room temperature
1 large egg
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

about 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 2 tbsp ground cinnamon for topping

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl or mixer on medium, beat sugar, butter and eggs until well mixed. Slowly stir or sift in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt until dough comes together. If dough is very soft, refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes.

2. In a small bowl, stir together sugar and cinnamon for topping. With wet hands, roll dough into even balls (I made mine 1 1/2 inches across). The more evenly sized the balls are, the more consistently baked they will be. Roll balls gently in topping and place, about two inches apart, on a baking sheet lined with parchment.

3. Bake sheets one at a time for 8 to 10 minutes, until just set and beginning to crack along the tops. Immediately remove to a cooling rack. Alternate baking sheets or allow to cool for 10 minutes between batches.

4. Eat and share all at once, or store in airtight container for up to 5 days, or in freezer for a month.