Mouthwatering Cookie Recipes - How to Make Snickerdoodles and Jam Thumbprints

I am giving away my secret recipes for the two cookies I love the most. It's not the recipe that makes the difference with these cookies, but the methods. Most people who bake snickerdoodles, bake them too long. Snickerdoodles are usually crunchy cookies, but mine are soft. These soft cinnamon treats are my all-time favorite cookies.

Every recipes that I have seen for Jam Thumbprints tells you to put the jam in AFTER baking. That leaves you with a cookie that is slightly too sweet. Baking the jam in the cookie adds a baked fruit flavor that is to die for.

I used to make homemade jelly. Since my mom and aunt continue to make some of my favorites from scratch, I no longer put myself through all that work and hassle. Making jelly is hard work, and you should show off that hard work in as many ways as possible. That's one of the reasons I love Jam Thumbprints. These cookies highlight homemade jams and jellies perfectly.

How to Make Snickerdoodles

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

With an electric mixer, beat butter for thirty seconds. Add 3/4 cup all purpose flour, one cup sugar, one egg, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar. Beat until thoroughly combined. Add 3/4 cup flour and beat until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate for one to twenty-four hours.

In a small bowl, combine the two tablespoons sugar with the one teaspoon ground cinnamon.

Shape the chilled dough into one inch balls. Roll the balls in the sugar/cinnamon mixture. Apply a very light coating of cooking spray onto your cookie sheets. Place balls onto cookie sheets about two inches apart.

Bake cookies at 375 degrees for ten to eleven minutes. Cookies are done when the edges are golden. Place cookies on a wire rack to cool.

How to Make Jam Thumbprints

Ingredients:
2/3 cup butter or margarine
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup jam, jelly or preserves