My Grandma's Snickerdoodles

As we celebrate God's greatest gift to us tomorrow, we will hopefully be surrounded by family and friends, creating new memories and remembering times past, including our lost loved ones.

My grandma, Helen Elizabeth Cave, was a wonderful cook.  She passed away when I was only 9, but I remember how kind and loving, full of life and humor she was.  Neither of my children had the chance to meet her, but every year they eat her snickerdoodles.

For as much as I love the internet and how technology lets me swap recipes with people all over the world, there's something very tangible and sacred about your own family's food "history".  Luckily, my mom and aunt have saved my grandma's recipe box with all her old recipes written in her own handwriting.  It's a very tangible memory, touching the past, just as my daughter's handprint is touching her great-grandma's cookies in the picture.  Of course they don't taste quite the same as when my grandma made them, at least that's what my mom says every year, but I think that has more to do with her missing her mom, rather than the actual taste of the cookies.

And it's a darn good cookie too!  My mom sugars them red and green.  This time I decided to use golden "sanding" sugar mixed with a bit of cinnamon, like the original recipe calls for.  Here's a scan of my grandma's recipe, coffee (or most likely tea) stains and all.

Cherish the time with your loved ones tomorrow and have a very Merry Christmas!  I'll be back sometime next week.  In the meantime, here's a typed version of my grandma's recipe so you can try them too. 

Snickerdoodles
2 c. sugar
1 c. butter, softened
2 eggs
1/2 t. vanilla
pinch of salt (1/2 - 3/4 t.)
1 t. baking soda
2 t. cream of tartar
3 c. flour
Cinnamon and sugar for the topping, or any other festive colored "sanding" sugar.
Beat the butter with a hand mixer on high for about one minute.  Add sugar and beat again until fluffy.  Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well mixed.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda and cream of tartar with a whisk.  Add to the butter mixture and beat on low until the dough comes together in a ball.
Working quickly, form each heaping teaspoon of dough into a round ball and dip the top into the cinnamon sugar mixture.  Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat baking mat.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes, rotating pans halfway through.  Makes about 4 dozen snickerdoodles.