BY MICHELLE LOPEZ
With her new cookbook, Weeknight Baking, Michelle Lopez of the blog Hummingbird High is on a mission to prove that baking doesn’t have to be a sprawling weekend project. To that point, this snickerdoodle dough comes together with a stand mixer in less than 10 minutes, and the dramatic red coating is as easy as blitzing some freeze dried raspberries for a couple of minutes with a few pinches of citrusy sumac. You can easily order freeze-dried raspberries online or pick up a bag at Trader Joe’s.
RASPBERRY SUMAC TOPPING
1⁄4 cup granulated sugar
2 heaping tablespoons freeze-dried raspberries, finely processed
2 teaspoons ground sumac
SNICKERDOODLES
2 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1⁄2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two half-sheet pans with parchment paper.
2. Prepare or place the raspberry sumac topping in a shallow bowl.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar and butter. Beat on medium-high speed until light, fluffy, and doubled in volume, 2 to 3 minutes, using a rubber spatula to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as necessary. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the eggs one at a time, adding the next egg only after the previous one has been fully incorporated. Add the vanilla and beat until just combined. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl once more, and beat on low speed for an additional 30 seconds.
5. Use a 3-tablespoon cookie dough scoop to portion the cookie dough into balls. Roll each in the raspberry sumac topping, covering them completely. Place the coated cookies at least 3 inches apart on the prepared sheet pans. Bake one pan at a time for 10 minutes, or until the edges have set but the centers are still gooey. The cookies will look puffed when you pull them out of the oven, but they will fall and crack into perfect snickerdoodles as they cool. Cool the cookies on the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes, or until the edges and bottoms of the cookies have set and feel firm to the touch. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough (or freeze it to bake later). Serve warm or at room temperature. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.