Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups white granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, cream together 1 cup of softened butter and 1 ½ cups of white granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, ensuring a smooth texture.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, mixing thoroughly until the batter is smooth and well combined.
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon salt to remove lumps and combine evenly.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, stirring until a soft cookie dough forms with a uniform consistency.
- Make Cinnamon Sugar: In a small bowl, mix ¼ cup sugar with 1 tablespoon cinnamon to create the cinnamon sugar coating for the cookies.
- Form and Coat Dough Balls: Roll the cookie dough into walnut-sized balls and roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture until fully coated.
- Chill Dough: Place the coated dough balls on a plate or tray and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Chilling overnight is ideal for better flavor; however, you can skip this step for a flatter cookie.
- Preheat Oven: When ready, preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C) to prepare for baking.
- Arrange Dough on Baking Sheet: Place the chilled dough balls on an ungreased baking sheet, ensuring at least 2 inches of space between each to allow for spreading.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are lightly golden and centers look set. The optimal baking time is about 9 minutes and 30 seconds for a perfect texture.
- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for one minute before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is optional but recommended for best flavor and texture; skipping chilling will result in flatter cookies.
- Use softened butter for easier creaming and better texture.
- Do not grease the baking sheet to allow cookies to spread properly and develop crisp edges.
- Adjust cinnamon sugar ratio to taste if you prefer less or more cinnamon flavor.
- For uniform cookie size, use a small cookie scoop or measure the dough balls for consistency.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
