I enjoy every moment of summer and begin referring to the season as such as soon as the weather starts to turn warm and fresh fruit appears in the stores. But for me it’s not truly officially summer until Big Brother starts. That’s right. I said it. I watch Big Brother and have never missed an episode. I look forward to it each summer. Call it my guilty pleasure if you wish, but more than that, it’s my old friend, one of my favorites, back to entertain, relax, and de-stress me each July.
Mom and I get way more into BB than anyone should any reality show. Mom always says she’s not going to watch, but each year, she jumps on the couch and we watch with undivided attention, commenting on who’s playing the best and worst game, guessing who will be nominated and evicted, and cheering during competitions as though we are watching the Olympics.
Nothing makes me happier than a little BB. It’s pure fun. Yes, I love shows like Grey’s Anatomy, but it’s not always super fun to watch shows that make me cry and my heart race. It can be a super emotional experience that has even left me sleepless. Such does not happen with the experience that is BB. It’s a silly show, with silly people, and even sillier sets and games. That’s what makes it brilliant. It’s so cheesy, it’s enjoyable, if not addictive.
I’m also a Showtime subscriber, which means I have access to Big Brother After Dark. Some nights it’s crazy boring, but others it’s even more addictive than the show itself. I don’t watch it as much as I might like anymore, but a few years ago when I spent the better part of a summer trapped at home not feeling well, it made sleepless nights exponentially better. And when I wasn’t lying awake, I TiVoed it to watch during the day when a third viewing of Ocean’s Eleven just wasn’t going to cut it.
Though it may sound stupid, I have found a lot of comfort in BB over the years. Maybe that’s why I look forward to the next edition as soon as the current one ends. It’s an hour of fun in what otherwise tends to be a pretty crazy and stressful world. I think of Snickerdoodles in much the same way. They are a classic cookie recipe, one I remember eating my entire life, and they offer me comfort each time I bite into them.
These are killer Snickerdoodles. The edges are crispy, while the centers stay soft and moist. It’s a buttery tender cookie with that great cinnamon sugar all over the outside. I also added cinnamon chips, which give this amazing flavor. I had never used cinnamon chips before, but now I can’t wait to think of other ways to use them. They have such great cinnamon flavor.
As with most cookies, be sure to underbake rather than overbake. I baked mine 10 minutes and think 9 probably would have done it. The original recipe also says it yields 48 cookies. I’m not sure in what world that is at all possible. I got 25 and they were a nice, normal size, but I still think they could have been a little bigger. But really, these are just amazing, craveable cookies that make the whole house smell fantastic.
The next time you need some comfort for whatever reason, make some Snickerdoodles and eat them while you watch Big Brother. That’s sure to dissipate any stress you might have.
Snickerdoodles
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 25 1x
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup pure vegetable shortening, room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup cinnamon chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment.
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening, and 1 ½ cups sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. I did this by hand, but a hand or stand mixer would also work. Add eggs, and mix to combine. Add the flour mixture and mix just until dough is formed. It will be stiff and hard to mix. Mix in cinnamon chips so they are fully incorporated.
- In a small bowl, mix together cinnamon and remaining ¼ cup sugar. Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop the dough into cookies. Roll each dough mound in cinnamon sugar so that it is fully coated. Place cookies about 2 inches apart on baking sheets, as they will spread.
- Bake the cookies about 10 minutes, until they are cracking on top and a set around the edges. They will still be very soft in the middle, but they will set up as they cool. Do not overbake them. Rotate sheets halfway through baking if necessary. Cool cookies completely on pans. May be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week or frozen, wrapped in parchment and foil and placed in a zipper bag for up to 6 months. Thaw at room temperature for about an hour.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
Those look super yummy!
Thanks, Tamara. They are quite tasty if I do say so myself.
These look great i could eat about 8! 🙂
Thanks, Miss Messy! I had to resist from eating 8 🙂
I totally find snickerdoodles comforting too 🙂 A late family friend, Mary Mac (yes, her real name), was famous for them. She was still making them for everyone at the age of 99. She was a wonderful, sweet, comforting woman and I can never see a snickerdoodle and not think of her 🙂
★★★★★
That’s such a great story! I love when foods remind me of great people or events. That’s part of why eating is such an emotional experience.
I enjoyed your story. I know you always watch BB now I know why. These cookies look great. I can almost smell the cinnamon.
★★★★★
Thanks, Debbie! I love all the cinnamon on these cookies.
As I have stated before, nothing can start an onslaught of over indulgence like a good snickerdoodle. However, I fear drinking an entire gallon of milk with several pounds of cookies can never be ‘good’ for you, but I am truly powerless to the allure of cinnamon and sugar combined in warm buttery discs of hmmmmmmmm.
On a side note, I would like to offer a word of encouragement on your efforts so far. It takes a special kind of fortitude and resilience to step-out and go for it. Congratulations on all you have accomplished and all that is sure to come.
★★★★★
Snickerdoodles are definitely addictive. I think that’s scientifically proven, right? 🙂
Thank you so much, Art for your kind words. It is a struggle some days, especially when things aren’t happening as quickly as I wish, but encouragement like that makes me work even harder, so I really appreciate it 🙂
CINNAMON CHIP Snickerdoodles? Laura! I am in love with these! I’ve never baked snicker doodles with any kind of add-ins. You are making my head swirl with new ideas. I love these. Nothing beats a classic snicker doodle, right?!
Thank you so much, Sally! I wanted to use up the cinnamon chips I had, which I bought without an idea of how to use them, and magic happened. I will never make snickerdoodles without cinnamon chips again.