Christmas Cookie Carnival: Holiday Snickerdoodles

Day 2 of my Christmas Cookie baking adventure.  You can see day one's cookie here.  I got an earlier start on the cookies today...finishing up yesterday's batch at 9pm was not very fun or good for my back lol.  By the way, here is a holiday baking tip:

Bring your ingredients to room temperature before making your dough.  Butter, eggs, etc. will blend better when they are all the same temp. :)

First things first...put on your holiday apron and have one of your kiddos take a pic.  This is actually the only apron I own!  Got it at the Dollar Store a couple of years ago. :)

Now these cookies are good for several reasons:  First, they are tasty.  Who doesn't love a snickerdoodle?  Plus with the colored sugar they look quite festive.  Second, the recipe makes a nice big batch.  Great for making up cookie tins as gifts.  Lastly, they freeze wonderfully.  I always make these early in the season for that reason.

The assembly line.

The finished product.  Hard to see the green and red sugar, but it's there.  And on my counter, floor, shirt, kids' mouths...:)

Holiday Snickerdoodles

2 tbs red sugar
2 tbs green sugar
1 tbs ground cinnamon, divided
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Heat oven to 400.  In small bowls mix 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon with red sugar and green sugar. (I usually add a lot more colored sugar than the recipe calls for.)  Beat sugar, shortening, butter and eggs.  Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.  Shape dough into small balls and roll in cinnamon-sugar mixtures.  Place balls on parchment lined baking sheets and flatten slightly.  You can sprinkle more colored sugar on top if desired.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until centers are almost set.  As with most cookies, underdone is better than burnt!