Snickerdoodles

Out of chocolate chips? That's ok. No brown sugar? No problem. You've got everything you need to make snickerdoodles! I have tried a few different recipes for snickerdoodles over the years, and this is my favorite. They don't end up flat like many others I have tried and are chewy. You do need one irregular and interesting ingredient called cream of tarter. It's white and powdery and you can find it with the spices at the grocery store. It gives the cookies their signature tangy flavor and prevents the sugar from crystallizing which makes them chewy. Save a little extra time for refrigerating the dough. Give them a try!

Snickerdoodles

adapted from beyondfrosting.com

1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cream of tarter

3 TBSPs sugar
2 tsps cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and 2 cups of sugar on medium speed until well creamed. Add eggs and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
3. In a separate bowl,  whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar. Slowly add into batter and mix until combined and dough forms.
4. Refrigerate the dough for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
5. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon.
6. Using a cookie scoop that is about 2 TBSPs, scoop cookie dough into balls. Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture and place on prepared baking sheet.
7. Bake at 350° F 10-12 minutes. Allow cookie to cool on the baking sheet for several minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cherry Pie Bars

When I keep going back to a recipe, it means it's time to post it to my blog. I've made these a few times and we love them! I haven't tried it with a different filling other than cherry, but I plan on it. They aren't overly sweet, and go great with hot cocoa.

Cherry Pie Bars
cookingclassy.com
Bars
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 1/2 (21 oz) cans cherry pie filling
Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 1/2 - 3 Tbsp half and half

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13 by 9-inch baking dish (for thinner bars use a 15 by 10-inch baking dish).
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Mix in eggs one at a time, then blend in vanilla and almond extracts.
4. With mixer set on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until combined. Reserve and set aside 1 1/2 cups batter
5. Spread remaining evenly into prepared baking dish. Top with cherry pie filling spreading into an even layer. Dollop small spoonfuls of the remaining batter evenly over top.
6. Bake in preheated oven about 30 - 37 minutes (near lesser time for 15 by 10 baking dish and greater time for 13 by 9).
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

For the glaze: In a small mixing bowl whisk together all glaze ingredients adding enough half and half to reach desired consistency. Pour into a resealable bag, seal bag and cut a small tip from one corner then drizzle over top of cooled bars. Allow glaze to set (to set it quicker chill in freezer) then cut into squares.