This simple, buttery cinnamon sugar cookie—crispy around the edges and chewy in the middle—is one of our most popular cookies at Tribeca Treats. Despite the sugar coating, the butter and salt offset the sweetness, giving the cookie a nice balance of flavors. For a more traditional sugar cookie, you can leave out the cinnamon and coat the cookie with only sugar. Snickerdoodles bake to form a perfectly round, flat shape, so they make a beautiful, simple holiday gift stacked in a cellophane bag and tied with a ribbon.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 3 dozen cookies

　　1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

　　1 teaspoon cream of tartar

　　1/2 teaspoon baking soda

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

　　3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

　　1 large egg, at room temperature

　　1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

　　

Step 1

Sift the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt into a mixing bowl and set aside.

　　

Step 2

Beat the butter in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment at high speed until it is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Add 3/4 cup sugar and mix on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula halfway through mixing to ensure that the butter and sugar are well mixed.

　　

Step 4

Add the egg and mix until combined. Again, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure that the ingredients are incorporated.

　　

Step 5

Add approximately half the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until the flour is incorporated, about 30 seconds. Repeat with the remaining flour and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the flour is fully incorporated.

　　

Step 6

Remove the dough from the bowl and wrap it in plastic wrap. Let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.

　　

Step 7

While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper or spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

　　

Step 8

Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and scoop or roll it into balls about 1 tablespoon in size. At this point, the cookie dough can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month (separate layers of dough balls with waxed paper).

　　

Step 9

When ready to bake, mix 2 tablespoons sugar with the cinnamon in a small bowl. Roll each ball of dough gently in the bowl to coat with the cinnamon sugar mixture.

　　

Step 10

Place the balls of dough about 1 inch apart on the prepared pans. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the pans once halfway through, until the edges of the cookies are firm (the cookies will remain fairly light in color). Remove the cookies from the oven, let them cool slightly on the pans, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool to room temperature (or serve warm).

　　

Step 11

Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

　　Sweet Chic