SippitySup

It’s Christmas cookie time. A time that makes everyone smile, right? But you know what? I am not a big fan of making cookies. So fussy and repetitive. Especially when decoration is required. Sticky icing used to glue on sparkly candies that under non-holiday circumstances I would never eat. Which is why I like these Cinnamon Snap Cookies. Simple to make but so full of holiday spirit.

In fact I was invited to a blogger Christmas cookie exchange. Full of bloggers I love and bloggers I know are great cooks. But I showed up empty handed. No cookies from me. I had intended to make these cookies. But I didn’t. I felt a little bad. But I was busy. Busy reading blogs…

I read all kinds of blogs, and it takes up all kinds of time. Time I could (better??) spend wrapping ribbons around cookies, right? Instead I read blogs with great photos. I read blogs that make me laugh. I read blogs from people I like, and I read the train wreck blogs too. In fact those are some of my favorites!

I read blogs you never heard of and I read the famous blogs that make my toes curl with envy. So of course I read Simply Recipes. I mean who doesn’t, right?

But as many blogs as I read, what I don’t do all that often is cook something straight from another blog. Especially when it come to cookies. Sure I get inspired by many of the wonderful things people are cooking out there, but when it comes to Christmas cookies I prefer to admire mine from one end of a monitor.

But not today. Today I have a cookie from Garrett McCord. He of Vanilla Garlic makes appearances on the aforementioned Simply Recipes from time to time. This cookie comes from one of the regular star turns he makes over there. I don’t know if he intended this as a Christmas Cookie. But it’s a perfect candidate in my mind. Anyway. It’s my kind of cookie. Not too sweet, with an alluring texture. Both crisp and chewy. It has the bold bite of cinnamon, making it perfect for the holidays. Perfect for the weather. Perfect for savoring. Perfect for sharing. Just all around perfect. So I did not really change a thing. Except– well, I sprinkled mine in turbinado sugar instead of a cinnamon sugar mixture. Hey, I didn’t want to be accused of stealing his recipe. GREG

Cinnamon Snaps from Garrett McCord

makes 4 1/2 dozen

CLICK here for a printable recipe

Reminiscent of an old-fashioned ginger snap. These cookies have the bright bite of cinnamon and a crisp yet chewy texture.

• 2 c + 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/2 t baking soda
• 1 T ground cinnamon
• 1/2 t ground ginger
• 1/4 t ground cloves
• 12 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 c sugar
• 1/2 t vanilla extract
• 1/4 c honey
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 c turbinado sugar, or more as needed

Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar together in an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the honey, egg, and vanilla extract and beat for another minute on medium until well incorporated. Be sure to pause halfway through to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Slowly mix in the dry ingredients and mix until they are incorporated into the dough and the dough is smooth.

Lightly flour a work surface and divide the dough into two equal parts. Lightly roll them out into logs about 2‑inches in diameter. Place them on pieces of plastic wrap and wrap them up and carefully smooth the logs out. Place in the freezer and chill at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Set aside a small bowl the turbinado sugar.

Slice the dough into 1/4‑inch rounds with a sharp knife. Take each round and press one side into the turbinado sugar. Place the dough round sugar-side up. Give the cookies plenty of space as they will spread when they bake.

Bake for 10–13 minutes or until a dark golden-brown. Be sure to watch them very carefully after 10 minutes as they can burn very quickly. The cookies will puff up a bit and remain soft once out of the oven. Don’t worry as they will become crisp as they cool. Allow the cookies to cool on the sheet for a minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Greg Henry writes the food blog Sippity Sup- Serious Fun Food, and contributes the Friday column on entertaining for The Back Burner at Key Ingredient. He’s active in the food blogging community, and a popular speaker at IFBC, Food Buzz Festival and Camp Blogaway. He’s led cooking demonstrations in Panama & Costa Rica, and has traveled as far and wide as Norway to promote culinary travel. He’s been featured in Food & Wine Magazine, Los Angeles Times, More Magazine, The Today Show Online and Saveur’s Best of the Web. Greg also co-hosts The Table Set podcast which can be downloaded on iTunes or at Homefries Podcast Network.

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