A Happy Schnickerdoodle Morning

   February has come and gone and I would gladly forget most of it.  The beginning of February found me up in Maine with my parents.  My Dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer and my thought was to spend some time with him at the beginning while he was still able to enjoy Ayla.  I had no way of knowing that would be his last week on earth.  Our Heavenly Father took him home to be with Him on February 5th...literally, one week from the time I arrived.  The next week was a whirlwind of arrangements and activities and the rest of February was a blur.  I surfaced today and realized I wanted to bake!

   Schnickerdoodles are one of my favorite cookies.  I grew up making them with my mom and I truly think I enjoy baking them because of the very fun name they have.  I'm not positive of the history of this light little cookie (nobody really is), but there are rumors that its name stems from the Dutch or German word for "snail".  I do know the Schnickerdoodle was very popular in New England in the early 20th century (no records of recipes were found in 19th century cookbooks).  I like to think that the happy whimsical name was coined by some Maine family as they cooked around their wood stove and that is why I'm so attracted to the name and the cookie!  Of course, I'm not a true "Mainer".  My parents are from "away"...both were born in New Hampshire and as everyone in Maine knows, "If your cat had kittens in the oven that wouldn't make them biscuits!"  (Thank you, Tim Sample)!

     Anyway, Ayla and I pulled out the simple ingredients for Schnickerdoodles and enjoyed a very fun morning of baking. The cookies came out PERFECT!  Simple recipes often do! They are the perfect blend of crisp outsides and soft chewy insides. That is why I like it.  Here is my mom's recipe:

Grammie's Schnickerdoodles

1 cup shortening (or 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup shortening)

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 2/3 cups flour

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Cream first three ingredients.  Sift rest of ingredients and add to sugar mixture.  Roll dough into 1" balls.  Roll into a mixture of 1/4 cup sugar and 2/3 tsp. cinnamon.  Place 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees.

Happy baking!