Snickerdoodles

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar for rolling
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Before you cook

• Set the butter out an hour ahead so it is soft but still cool.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment.
• Stir the quarter cup of sugar and the cinnamon together in a shallow bowl.

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Whisk the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl.
3. Beat the softened butter with the one and a half cups of sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl between additions.
5. Mix in the vanilla.
6. Add the flour mixture in two additions and mix on low speed just until the dough comes together.
7. Roll the dough into 24 balls about the size of a walnut.
8. Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar until heavily coated.
9. Set the balls two inches apart on the lined sheets.
10. Bake one sheet at a time for 9 to 11 minutes, until the cookies have puffed, cracked across the top, and just begun to settle in the middle.
11. Let them firm up on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a rack to cool.