Cook's Illustrated Snickerdoodles

Total Time: 12 mins Cook Time: 12 mins

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 2 large eggs

Recipe

• 1 adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees. combine 1/4 cup of the sugar and the cinnamon in a shallow dish for coating and set aside. whisk the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.
• 2 beat the butter, shortening, and remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar together in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 6 minutes. beat in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed.
• 3 reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly mix in the flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds. give the dough a final stir with a rubber spatula to make sure it is combined.
• 4 using wet hands, roll 2 tablespoons of dough at a time into balls, then roll in the cinnamon sugar to coat and lay on two parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced about 2 1/2 inches apart. bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, until the edges are set and just beginning to brown but the centers are still soft and puffy, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking.
• 5 let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• 6 to make ahead: the dough can be made through step 3 and either covered tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen. to freeze the cookie dough, portion into individual balls, roll in the cinnamon and sugar, and freeze on a parchment- or wax-paper-lined plate (don't let them touch or they will fuse together) until completely firm, 2 to 3 hours. when ready to bake, reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees and increase the baking time to 17 to 22 minutes.