Naturally, I only wanted to make them because of the name (I wanted to be able to say ‘snickerdoodles’ a lot).
Where does the name come from? Not at all clear, several theories around, from ‘snail noodles’ in German seriously mispronounced (Schneckennudeln) to a folk hero allegedly called Snickerdoodle. Or perhaps it’s just a portmanteau word coined to mean ‘funny scribbles’ reflecting the abstract patterns that appear on the cookies from the cinnamon sugar coating.
When the name (and the cookie) comes from is surprisingly long ago: the records quote ‘1889 Home-maker Apr. 58/1. Snickerdoodles... Bake in flat biscuit tins... Sift cinnamon and sugar over the cake before baking.’
Wherever and whenever, the cookies are laughably easy to make and grinningly delicious. Get the kids to assist so they roll the dough balls in sugared cinnamon like dung beetles. Also tempting to add choc chips – but then you’d turn the funky snickerdoodles into plain old choc chip cookies which would be a shame.