Cinnamon, sugar, butter — and the puffy-soft/slightly crispy texture is what makes this classic cookie one of my favorites.  The key is just the right ratio of ingredients, and using baking soda and cream of tartar for leavening.

Here’s a bonus – this is recipe is supremely easy to throw together — no need for a mixer.  Enjoy!

Snickerdoodles

2 sticks unsalted butter
10 1/2 oz (1 1/2 cups) white sugar
2 large eggs
14 1/2 oz (about 3) cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt

For rolling: combine 3 1/2 oz (1/2 cup) sugar with 4 tsp ground cinnamon in a small bowl.  Set aside.

For the dough: Melt the butter.  Stir together the 1 1/2 cups sugar, melted butter, and eggs.

Mix or sift together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt in a bowl.  Add flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low until just combined.

Make large (almost 1/4 cup) balls of dough.  Roll balls of dough in the sugar/cinnamon mixture and place on baking sheet, allowing at least 2 inches between cookies.

Bake at 400 until done (see note.)  Check after 11 minutes.  The cookies should be golden on the edges, but still soft and tiny bit doughy in the center.  They will set up more when they cool, so don’t over bake them.   Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

HOT TIP:  you can easily freeze the prepared but unbaked balls of dough.  Just set them on a tray, freeze until firm, then pop them in a container and store in the freezer.   Whenever the desire for a cookie hits just pop a few in the oven, bake for 15 minutes or so, and you have fresh hot cookies ready to go.