Anna Sultana’s Snickerdoodle Cookies / Snickerdoodle Muffins

About a year ago I shared the recipes for Anna Sultana's Monkey Bread Muffins / Monkey Bread Coffee Cake in one post.

A two-fer, so to speak.

Well, Christmas is coming.

And, in the spirit of the season, I’m posting another two-fer. 

Snickerdoodle cookies and muffins.

A snickerdoodle is a cookie with a cracked surface.

They can be either soft or crisp.

Snickerdoodles are similar to sugar cookies. 

Sugar cookies are rolled in white sugar while snickerdoodles are rolled in a sugar/cinnamon mixture.

Now you know.

Snickerdoodles , according to The Joy of Cooking, comes from the German word Schneckennudel (snail noodles), a kind of pastry.

Or it could just be a funny name people liked saying.

Whatever… it’s an easy, delicious cookie.

And muffin!

Hints: 

About the cookies….

I combined the sugar and cinnamon for the coating in an 8 inch square pan so I could make about 10 balls, put them in the pan, and coat them together before transferring them to the cookie pan.

It seemed more efficient and less messy this way.

If you want puffy snickerdoodles, use 1/2 Cup shortening instead of 1/2 Cup oil. 

For crisper cookies, bake at 425º F for 7 - 9 minutes.

About the muffins….

You can half fill the muffin cups, add chopped walnuts or pecans, and then top with the remaining batter.

Or you can add a sprinkle of the sugar cinnamon mixture to the half-filled cups before adding the remaining batter.

                        Snickerdoodle Cookies

Makes 36 cookies          

Grease 3 cookie sheets 

For Cinnamon Sugar Coating

In a pan combine

1/3 Cup sugar

2 Tablespoons cinnamon

Set aside.

For Cookies

Combine in a medium bowl

2 3/4 Cups flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Place in a large mixer bowl 

1/2 Cup butter, softened

1/2 Cup oil

1 1/2 Cups sugar

2 large eggs 

Beat until light and fluffy.

Stir in flour mixture.

Place the oven rack in the centre of the oven.        

Preheat oven to 400º F

Take a spoonful of the dough and form a ball about 1 1/4 inch in diameter.  

Place the ball in the pan of the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Repeat about nine more times.

Roll the balls around until they are coated with cinnamon sugar.

Place the coated balls, about 2 inches apart, on a greased cookie sheet.

Repeat with the remaining dough until it is all used.

Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until they are brown on top.

Remove the cookies from the pans and place them on wire racks.

Let them cool completely.

                        Snickerdoodle Muffins

Grease well a 12 cup muffin pan and set aside.

Combine in a shallow bowl

3/4 Cup sugar 

3 Tablespoons cinnamon 

Set aside.

Combine in a medium bowl

2 1/4 Cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 teaspoons nutmeg

Set aside.

Place in a large mixer bowl 

1 Cup butter

1 Cup sugar

Beat until light and fluffy.

Stir in

2 teaspoons vanilla

Add, one at a time, and mix in well

2 large eggs

Add alternately to the batter (3 dry, 2 liquid additions)

the flour mixture

1 1/4 Cups sour cream

Scrape the bowl and combine the batter well, but don’t over beat.

Scoop out enough batter for one muffin.

Drop it into the shallow bowl of cinnamon sugar. 

Roll the batter ball around in the mixture until it is covered in cinnamon sugar. 

Place the batter ball in a muffin tin cup. 

Repeat with the remaining batter.

Preheat the oven to 350º F

Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar on top of the muffins.

Bake for 20 - 22 minutes until the top is golden brown.

Serve warm.