Just Because I Love You

Today is National Just Because Day. Hum, that can be taken as a positive thing, or a selfish thing. I’m eating all the potato chips and not sharing even a single one just because I can.

I’m baking you cookies just because I love you. Yeah, I’d rather bake. Originally I was going to bake Snickerdoodle Cookies for Hubby. There is a cute story behind the Snickerdoodle. I’ve mentioned before one of the greatest ways Hubby shows that he loves me is that he will watch all my Hallmark and Great American romance movies with me. We have even had discussions about the various eposodes of the frontier-themed shows. One of my favorites is When Hope Calls, a spin-off from When Calls the Heart. Both were originals for the Hallmark Channel, but Hallmark decided to drop When Hope Calls, so it’s rival network Great American picked it up.

In a recent episode a main character mentioned that her favorite cookie was Snickerdoodle . Now the story takes place in the fictional town of Brookfield in Western Canada around 1916. Hubby remarked that he didn’t think she would even know about Snickerdoodle since he doubted if Snickers were invented yet. If Snickerdoodle were made with Snicker candy bars, he would have been right. Snickers were first introduced in 1930. However; there are no Snickers in a Snickerdoodle. The cookies was first enjoyed by the Mennonite and Amish baking communities. By 1891, everyone had discovered these Buttery Cinnamon delights. Hubby, as it turns out, was one of those rare people on the planet that had never had a Snickerdoodle. So we bought some at a bakery. He did not care for the cookie at all. It was soft, but not very flavorful. Naturally I took it upon myself to bake up some Snickerdoodles, adding cinnamon to the dough itself and the ratio of sugar to cinnamon for the roll to 2-1. This way the cookie has a nice kiss of cinnamon without being overpowered by the spice.

The coward that I am, I wasn’t sure if Hubby would like my Snickerdoodle Cookies any better than the store-bought ones, so I decided to bake up another cookie I was sure would please. After all, this is Just Because Day. Just because I love this man, I’m baking cookies.

Snickerdoodle Cookies
8 tablespoons Butter
2-3/4 cups Flour
2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1-3/4 cups Sugar, divided
4 tablespoons Cinnamon, divided
1/2 cup Shortening
2 large Eggs
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Set butter on the counter to soften.

Sift flour, cream of tartar and baking soda in medium bowl. Set aside. Cream 1-1/2 cups of the sugar, a tablespoon of cinnamon, the softened butter and shortening together in a stand mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well blended. Cover. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Heat oven to 400-degrees. Mix remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons of cinnamon together. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in cinnamon sugar mixture to coat. Place 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 1 minute. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

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Soft and Chew Gingerbread Molasses Cookies
3-1/4 cups Flour
2 teaspoons ground Ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1-1/4 teaspoons ground Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground Cloves
1/4 teaspoon Salt
3/4 cup Margarine, softened
1-1/2 cups Sugar, divided
1 Egg
1/2 cup Dark Molasses

Heat oven 350-degrees. Line baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper, set aside.

Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside. In another mixing bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir molasses. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture.

Place dough in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to chill. This will make it a little easier to work with.

Using a small scoop (about 1 tablespoon) scoop up a walnut sized ball and drop a small bowl of remaining 1/2 cup of sugar. Roll cookie in sugar and then roll into a ball. Place the gingerbread balls onto a silicone lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. With the palm of your hand, flatten slightly. (If your mat has circles like mine, make the rounds about the size of the inside circle) Sprinkle tops of flattened cookies with about a pinch or so of the sugar, then press and spread around for a light dusting of sugar.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the heated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. These cookies are soft and oh so cake-like it’s a sin.

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 Stay awake!
For you do not know when the Son of Man will come.