Snickerdoodles

We first encountered these American cookies in a shopping mall near Boston.  The ones we had were the size you come to expect from American cookies and half baked as they seem to like them.  I remember they were sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon.  This is an American recipe that I have translated into English measures but the cookies are smaller and are more like a light shortbread than a gooey cookie.  The recipe produces dome like cookies but my wife asked me to flatten the second tray to make flat ones, you can see both results in the picture.  These were as easy to make as the peanut butter cookies and you can literally just knock a batch up.

SNICKERDOODLES

• 7oz plain flour
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4oz butter, softened
• 3oz caster sugar + 2 tbsp
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 tbsp cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4

Cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy

Beat in the egg and vanilla essence

Fold in the flour, nutmeg, baking powder, salt and 3oz sugar

Mix the cinnamon and 2 tbsp of sugar together on a plate

Roll the dough into balls the size of a walnut then roll them in the sugar mix to coat

Place on a lightly greased baking tray well spaced and press down if desired

Bake for abut 15 minutes till golden brown

Leave to rest on their trays for a minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool

This recipe made 25 for me.