Bake-Sale-To-Be

We're having a bake sale in a couple of weeks to benefit Sis and Bud's classmate who has cancer.  It started off as Sis's simple idea for a small, on-the-corner kinda thing but has blossomed into more bakers and an as-yet-to-be-determined location (either the local soccer fields or grocery store, so that we have foot traffic and don't use our home address).  I'm excited but also nervous, having never organized a big sale like this (so of course I looked online for tips about location, pricing, etc).  But I'm getting wonderful volunteer bakers and people to assist with the sale, so there is help.  And it's a great cause.  Sis is excited (not bothered by the changes).

And we can always do it again in the spring if it's successful, learning from our first experience!

So we're baking almost everyday to stockpile for the event, starting with Snickerdoodles and then Chocolate Snickerdoodles!  Mmmmm.  I actually thought of chocolate ones while making the first batch, but of course many others had come up with the idea before me.  So, we have about 150 squirreled away.  Next we'll do oatmeal raisin (the classmate's favorite) and some chocolate chip cookies.  And who knows what else from there.

I'll keep you posted.  And if you're local, I'll let you know when it is.

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Snickerdoodles (with cinnamon on outside of cookie)
yields 6-7 dozen

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening (or coconut oil)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

cinnamon-sugar:  1/2 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the shortening and sugar till smooth, then beat in the eggs, again beating till smooth.

Beat in the vanilla, baking powder, then add the flour, mixing slowly till combined.

Place about 1/2 cup cinnamon-sugar in an 8" or 9" round cake pan or in a zippered bag.

Drop the soft dough by teaspoonfuls into the pan with the sugar, about 6 to 8 balls at a time. Gently shake the pan to coat the dough balls with sugar. Place them on a lightly greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between them. Using the bottom of a glass, flatten each cookie till it's about 1/2-inch thick. Repeat till you've used up all the dough.

Bake the snickerdoodles in a preheated 400°F oven for 8-11 minutes.  They'll be set and just starting to turn golden. Remove the cookies from the oven, and cool them on a rack.

adapted from King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion 

Chocolate Snickerdoodles, my version
**Same recipe as above, but instead of 2 3/4 cups flour, use 2 1/4 cups flour and 1/2 cup cocoa.

Alternate:  Snickerdoodles (with cinnamon in the cookie)

Makes 4 dozen

1 ½ cups sugar

½ cup butter

½ cup shortening

2 eggs

2 ¾ cups flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

assorted colored sugars optional (or use cinnamon-sugar mixture)

 Heat oven to 400°F. Mix 1 ½ cups sugar, butter, shortening, and eggs. Stir in flour, cram of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

 Shape dough into 1 ¼” balls. Dip one side of ball in colored sugar (note: if you roll the whole ball in sugar, the sugar on the bottom will burn and stick to the pan). Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Gold Medal’s Cookies from the Heart or Extra Special Holiday Baking