Soft and Puffy Snickerdoodles

Earlier this week, I was in Texas for three days. The meals we had in the small city where my grandparents live were nothing special - mostly revolving around IHOP and Chinese takeout - but these cookies were there for us at the end of every meal. They are the perfect anytime snack. Sweet enough to be a satisfying dessert, yet no so sweet that you feel guilty having one before lunchtime!

I made these the night before we left, and they were whipped up in less than an hour altogether. These cookies are so easy to mix up, and a great cookie for late at night when you want your dessert fix and don't have a whole lot of time. As we discovered, they also keep well for several days.
I believe these were supposed to come out thin and a bit crispy, but mine came out thick and pretty soft. That's okay- I loved them anyway! The cinnamon sugar on the outside created a crisp little shell around the pillowy interior; one delicious cookie.
Enjoy! <3

Soft and Puffy Snickerdoodles
(from Cannella Vita)

1/2 cup butter softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, the eggs and the vanilla. Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.
Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls. Mix the 2 tablespoons sugar and the 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.