nom nom

snickerdoodles.  . . 

they are my favorite. . . and this particular recipe just kicks butt!  Most recipes end up kind of flat (seriously, I searched pinterest and all I saw were flat, beautiful cookies) and tasty, but these. . . nice, light, and fluffy!  Those people at the test kitchens for cook's illustrated really know what they are doing!  Seriously.  These things are light and fluffy.  My husband says that none can compare (and he's picky!).  I think that the key in this recipe is the cream of tarter. . . it's only a half a teaspoon.  That is significantly less than most recipes out there. Don't worry, these cookies still have that delicious taste that makes them a snickerdoodle (it wouldn't be a snickerdoodle if it didn't!

Here's the recipe:

Chewy Snickerdoodles
By Cooks Illustrated

Ingredients:
3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. cream of tarter
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
10 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups + 3 Tbs sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbs cinnamon

Directions:
:: heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line sheet with your favorite parchment paper or Silpat.
:: Whisk together flour, baking soda, cream of tarter, salt, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.   Set aside.
:: Beat the butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).  Add eggs and vanilla and beat until well incorporated.  Add the dry ingredients and beat until moistened, start at your lowest setting and then increase the speed to medium and beat for 30 seconds.
:: Mix together in a small bowl the remaining 3 tbs of sugar and cinnamon.  Shape the dough into walnut sized balls and dip into sugar mixture.  Place on cookie sheet and bake until lightly colored around the edges, and cookies have puffed and started to deflate, about 12 minutes.  Cool on a rack.

I have found this recipe somewhere, but I found the recipe here, when I went back to get it. . . it looks like a cool baking blog.