Holiday Spice Snickerdoodles

There are very few things I love more than a chewy cookie. Pair a chewy cookie with Christmas and it’s like I’ve died and gone to red and green heaven.

The way it works in our house is this: we have our standard favorites – thumbprints, peanut butter blossoms, sugar cookies slathered in sugary frosting, buckeyes (my little sister’s specialty), and a wildcard. Usually this wildcard is something random dreamed up by yours truly. Last year it was chocolate spice crinkles. This year it will definitely be these.

When I set out to do my holiday baking last week I was hardcore craving a snickerdoodle, but, ummm – that’s boring. So I added my usual mix of spices and switched up the typical cinnamon and sugar with coarse, red and green colored sugar.

I can admit I was skeptical. I am usually gaga over anything spiced, but this dough was just ok. Maybe too much spice? Maybe too much baking powder? Usually the dough is the best part of the cookie… but I baked them up anyway. And ohmigoodness I am glad I did. They turned out amazing! Crispy edges, perfectly chewy centers, and boy did they look gorgeous on my cookie platter.

I brought them to a party on Friday night and received rave reviews. A complete stranger introduced himself to me and said, “Are you Kristen? Kristen with the cookies? You are going to cause my holiday weight gain because I can’t stop eating those cookies.” Success!

If you need another cookie to fill up space on your holiday dessert table, definitely give these a try. I sent a second batch made with white chocolate chips (read: season finale of Dexter trumps rolling cookies in sprinkles) and they were just as good, but tasted totally different. You could make a double batch, remove half the dough from your mixer bowl, and add a bag of white chocolate chips to the remaining dough: two cookies, one effort. Double win!

Holiday Spice Snickerdoodles

*Adapted from my Cashew Butter Snickerdoodles

2 3/4 C Unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tsp Baking powder

Scant 1/2 tsp Salt

2 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Allspice

1/2 tsp Nutmeg

Heaping 1/2 tsp Ginger

1/4 tsp Cloves

1 C Unsalted butter, softened

1 C Sugar

1/2 C Brown Sugar

2 tsp Vanilla

1 Large egg + 1 egg yolk

Course red and green colored sugar for rolling

In a medium sized bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the butter both sugars until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add vanilla, and mix. Add the egg and egg yolk and mix. Slowly add the dry ingredients, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.

Transfer dough to an airtight container and chill for several hours, preferably overnight.

To bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Pour colored sugar in a shallow dish, a separate dish for each color. Take about a tablespoon of chilled dough and roll it into a ball. Roll the ball in the colored sugar until thoroughly coated. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. Repeat, alternating between red and green sugars, until you have rolled your desired amount of dough balls. Bake for 9-11minutes (9.5 is perfect if you want a nice, chewy cookie). Allow them to cool slightly on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack.

Makes approximately 4 dozen cookies.