Snickerdoodles

Author Notes

When you say chewy I say Snickerdoodles. I cannot say I invented this recipe, but I have made a few modifications since my mother sent me the recipe she used and I grew up eating. Shortening (organic with no transfats :)) combined with butter prevents the cookies from spreading too thin, yielding a chewy and soft center. Do not overbake, or they will not pass the chewy-test. —TasteFood

Test Kitchen Notes

The dough is quite crumbly, so you'll really need to smoosh the dough balls together. Despite the unconventional texture, they come out just like a good snickerdoodle should: chewy-cakey and fragrant with cinnamon, with only a few lost to excessive cracking. They otherwise hold a nice shape from the small amount of shortening and full teaspoon of baking powder. I also tested a version with more egg; the dough came together and the cookies held together more consistently as they baked. So it's up to you: if you want security and binding power, go with 2 eggs. Or live on the edge and get a handful of misshapen but delicious snickerdoodles all to yourself. Note: My best results were from the minimum cooking time of 12 minutes, rotating the sheet once, without waiting for them to appear golden. - Kristen —The Editors