1940's Snickerdoodles

Here's a little recipe I rescued from 1941 in honor of the current show I'm doing - Noel Coward's Peace In Our Time. It's not exactly my usual offering - not remotely vegan or low calorie, to be sure - nor is it my own invention (as I wasn't alive in 1940), but it is delicious and makes a great offering to potlucks and friends. To be enjoyed in moderation, with a cup of Earl Grey or Irish Breakfast (for dipping and sipping). The italics are my notations.

1940's Snickerdoodles
(makes ~50)

1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup baker's sugar
2 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
a sprinkle of ginger (1 tsp)
a scrape of nutmeg (take a whole nutmeg, then scritch off about a tsp of it with a small grater or zester)
additional sugar and cinnamon to taste (~tbsp each, for the outside of the cookies)

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Melt the butter in a saucepan (or microwave). Cream together butter, eggs, and sugar until you have a smooth texture.

(In a separate bowl) Sift the dry ingredients together and stir into the sugar mixture (making sure each addition of the flour mixture is combined before adding the next). Chill the dough for two hours.

Roll chilled dough into balls the size of uncracked walnuts. (Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on a flat surface.) Roll each in the cinnamon sugar (covering the outside). Place three fingers apart on a (parchment paper covered) cookie sheet. Bake for twelve minutes.


So there you go. I don't generally go in for so much butter - or any at all (I actually choked a little bit as I added it), but I will say that these are excellent dipping cookies. They cool to a hard, crispy cookie that softens in tea instantly. As with all things good and bad, use discretion when enjoying these. I've been making them to sell at the concessions booth for my play, which is a good way to keep them away from myself. When my schedule loosens up a bit, I will play with making a more guilt-free version of these.

Go on, have a peace! Enjoy!