I enjoy a good challenge, especially when it comes to cooking or baking but when it gets to be the holiday season, I think it's best to go with the easiest possible recipes. I've already told about my feelings for cheating when baking for the holidays, but another possible solution to the rush of the holidays is to use very few and very common ingredients and simple techniques. 

Snickerdoodle cookies definitely fit the bill here. They're a simple, light and sweet cookie with a cinnamon bite- perfect for all your cookie exchange parties. Plus- they have a cute name that's fun to say! 

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

For rolling dough:
5 tablespoons sugar 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon 


Directions

Preheat oven to 375F 


Cream the butter, at room temperature. You don't need to fully cream it, because you'll be adding more ingredients next.  

Tip: I don't usually have room temperature butter on hand so I like to microwave it for around 10-15 seconds to warm it up and make it easier to cream.


Add sugar to creamed butter.  


Cream both these together until smooth and fluffy. 


Beat in the egg, you can use a mixer on a low speed or a wooden spoon. 


Add in vanilla extract and mix. 
 

Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl.


Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mix well. 


This is what it will look like when done! 


In a separate, small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon. 
  

Form the dough into balls 1 inch across, roll them into a mixture of the sugar and cinnamon and place them on a baking sheet, leaving enough space for the cookies to expand. 

Bake for about 8-10 minutes. 

Tip: The cookies should be a light golden brown colour. Be sure not to overbake them. 


And there you are- fresh from the oven snickerdoodles that are ready to be devoured! 

Recipe via cookingcloset.com