This week I ran out of (gasp!) butter. That has happened one time in my last 4 years of dedicated baking. I always have lard on hand and needed to make some cookies for some nice guys we work with in the industry. The kids and I made Old Fashioned Snickerdoodles. These cookies turned out soft and tender, the had incredible flavor from the lard, (if you are a lard person) and I’ll certainly make them again. If you aren’t a lard person, or happen to be a vegetarian… use butter. They’re great both ways! *Full recipe at the end of the post.
Meet lard. Almighty pork fat product and friend of my Grandma in her baking. He’s my friend too.
Here’s my super-helper getting to work. I love this blogging thing because she helps me with every recipe so I can photograph it for you.
We have other sous chefs that like to show up and help. Sometimes peacefully watching and standing by… other times a little more aggressive and *helpful.
Finished dough.
Scoop them and roll them out into cinnamon sugar mixture.
*Do you have silicone sheet pan liners? I will promise the quality of your cookies will be enhanced if you purchase and use them. If you want, you can borrow mine too! (Not for long though, I use them frequently.) To check out “Silpat” mats, click here.
Friendly little things. Sweet, soft and old fashioned.
Old Fashioned Snickerdoodles
By: Cristen www.foodandswine.com
Makes 24 cookies
Ingredients:
3 C all-purpose flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cream of tartar *optional if you like a little crispness on the edges of your cookies
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 C sugar + 1/4 C sugar
1 C lard or butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt and cream of tartar in large bowl. Whisk well, set aside. Combine cinnamon and 1/4 C sugar in a separate small bowl, stir well, set aside. Cream sugar with lard or butter a large mixing bowl. Add vanilla and eggs, beat for 1 minute. Add dry flour mixture, mix only until combined. Scoop 2 TBSP sized balls of dough, roll into a ball and roll into cinnamon sugar. Place on parchment lined or silicone lined baking sheet. Bake cookies for 12-14 minutes until barely golden on the edges and set in the middle. Cool on a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container for 3 days.
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