To me, snickerdoodles are an essential Christmas cookie. No, they’re all together the absolute essential cookie. Sure, there’s gingerbread — which is definitely delicious — but with the mix of cinnamon and sugar that snickerdoodles have, they practically taste like Christmas.

It seems there are a lot of people who share my admiration for snickerdoodles. But what exactly is it that makes them so special?

Good snickerdoodles are light, soft, and oh-so chewy. They have a signature sweet and tangy flavour that greatly differs from that of an ordinary sugar cookie, and they glisten with a delicate cinnamon crust. Although cream of tartar is typically used in snickerdoodle recipes to add that unique tang, you can always substitute fresh lemon juice or white vinegar.

Overall, they’re easy to make, require few ingredients, and no chilling time in the fridge is necessary. Plus, kids have fun rolling them into balls and coating them in cinnamon sugar. What’s not to love? So, if you’re in need of a last-minute gift, these delicious Christmas treats are definitely Santa-approved. But I also wouldn’t blame you if you kept them for yourself.

INGREDIENTS

DOUGH:

1 cup butter, softened (I use salted)

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 3/4 cups flour

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

CINNAMON-SUGAR MIX

3 tsp sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350F and grease the baking sheet.

In a mixer — or stir in a bowl yourself — cream together sugar and butter. Add eggs and vanilla and blend well.

Add flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt together to wet ingredients.

Slightly stir in the dry ingredients with a spatula or wooden spoon before mixing to avoid a mess, then blend well.

Shape dough into one-inch balls (you can use a 1 1⁄2 tablespoon) and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Place two inches apart on baking sheet.

For perfectly soft cookies, bake for 8 minutes. Mine usually turn out flat after cooling, but I assure you they’ll remain soft. If you’re unsure about if they’re done or not, poke them with a toothpick. If it doesn’t come out clean, allow an extra minute while watching carefully to avoid overbaking. Depending on the sizes you roll out, you should make about 3-4 dozen cookies.

Store them in an air-tight container at room temperature to keep them soft and chewy. This will ensure they stay as fresh as the day you made them for about three days. You can also put them into a freezer bag or air-tight container and store them in the freezer for up to three months.