Blueberry Snickerdoodles

I have a confession to make. While I think snickerdoodles are a very pretty cookie, I rarely make them. First off, cinnamon is fine but I am not IN LOVE with it. Fine for Christmas things and with raisins and all of that, but otherwise I don’t feel the need to add it to things.

Secondly, snickerdoodles always seem so… well, for lack of a better term, plain. Sure the cookie dough base is a classic, allowing the vanilla and butter flavors to really come through, but still. Snickerdoodles are not what I immediately think of when I want a cookie. In fact, they are usually at the bottom of the list. I need a little more pizzazz, something interesting.



One weekend, I decided to finally make snickerdoodles, but also wanted to change things up a bit. What to do, what to do. I idly poked through the cabinets trying to find the answer… Then I came upon the package of Trader Joes dried blueberries that my sis Anne had sent me. I had been saving them for something special (we don’t have a Trader Joes here, sadly). Well, if spicing up a boring cookie isn’t special enough, I don’t know what is.
It was such a simple change, and yet it made such a huge difference. The soft, chewy little blueberries burst in your mouth, and work so well with the cinnamon. It’s like your favorite blueberry cobbler in cookie form! I gave most of the cookies away (as per my usual procedure), but kept about half a dozen at the house. They are perfect for a quick breakfast in the mornings. : )

Blueberry Snickerdoodles

(adapted from Capree's recipe)

Ingredients:

1 c. butter, softened

1 1/2 c. white sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

2 c. dried blueberries

2 Tbsp. white sugar

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Cream together butter and 1 1/2 c. sugar until pale and fluffly. Add the eggs, one at a time, until well mixed, then add the vanilla. Sift together the flour, cream of tartar, soda, salt, and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon. Add to dry ingredients, then stir in dried blueberries. Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls.

Mix the 2 Tbsp. sugar and 2 tsp. cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until set but not too hard. Remove immediately from baking sheets.