On the Lighter Side: Snickerdoodles

[Re-posted from Juggling With Julia]

In this cinnamon-crazed family where dessert is part of one's birthright, there are
few sweets that rank higher than Snickerdoodles. We made them a while back for
the first time, and they were OMG-delicious. The traditional recipe is pretty
straight forward -- lots of butter, some flour, sugar, leavening, and loads of
cinnamon. I decided to go with a lighter version this time to see if it was
worthy.

This recipe by Cooking Light is rock solid. The 3/4 cup of butter that went
bye-bye wasn't missed for a second. They are easy to make, cook up in about 7
minutes, and are crisp-chewy delicious with tons of cinnamon flavor. The
original recipe suggested flattening the cookie with the flat bottom of a glass,
but I did it both with and without that step with no difference in results or
cooking time. We also did all the mixing by hand, instead of dragging the
electric mixer out. I love keepin' it simple!

Thrill your kids with this sweet after-school snack. Just don't tell them
it's healthier :)

Snickerdoodles
Makes about 3 dozen
from Cooking Light

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat two cookie sheets with cooking spray.

1) Combine flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar, stirring with a fork.

2) In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup of sugar and butter in a large bowl, and
stir vigorously until well blended. Add the corn syrup, vanilla, and egg; beat
well.

3) Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture, mix just until
combined. Cover and chill for 10 minutes.

4) In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon.

5) With moist hands (keep a wet paper towel nearby to keep your hands moist)
shape dough into 42 (1-inch) balls. Roll balls in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place
them 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray.

6) Bake at 375 degrees for 5-7 minutes (cookies will be slightly soft). Cool on
baking sheets for two minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool completely on wire
racks.