Today I am continuing the theme of baking with kids as a fun activity over winter break or anytime.  My niece Ashley loves to bake.  She is very creative in the kitchen, she and her sister, Haley,  have created their own version of “Chopped” at home.  Whenever Ashley comes over to visit she always asks me if we can bake something.  Recently we were having a conversation about pie and she told me how she had never made one, but wanted to learn.  I told her that Auntie Kristi loves making pies and I would teach her how.

I invited her over on a Saturday afternoon to play in the kitchen.  I also managed to turn the baking lesson into a math lesson as well, giving her only the 1/4 measuring cup, I asked questions such as “if you need 1 1/2 cups of sugar, how many 1/4 cups is that?”  Knowing we had lots of time I planned for her to make a pie and a cookie. Since I am on a cookie theme until the end of the week, today’s post is about the cookies she made, Snickerdoodles to be exact.  However, it should be mentioned, that her first attempt at making a pie was a great success.

Like Kelly, Ashley is also 10 and very comfortable in the kitchen.  I showed her choices of what we could bake and once we knew what we were making I had her read the recipe to make sure she understood each step.  Ashley did everything, measured her flour out level and even, rolled the cookie balls, placed them on the sheet evenly, every step she knew what her mission was and she was flawless. Ashley’s cookies were amazing, they turned out perfectly.

Snickerdoodles

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1/ cup salted butter

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

For rolling cookies before baking:

3 tbsp granulated sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine the butter, shortening, sugar, and eggs.  Thoroughly mix with electric mixer on medium speed until well combined, the mixture should have a creamy texture.  Sift together the flour, cream of tarter, baking soda and salt, add this into your wet mixture.  Next, in a small bowl combine the rolling sugar and cinnamon together.  Shape the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, about 1 tbsp per ball, and roll each one the cinnamon-sugar mixture.  Arrange on ungreased cookie sheets about 2 inches apart and bake for 8-1o minutes.  Edges should be set and the center still soft. Transfer to wire racks to cool. Makes about 4 dozen.