This holiday season, you might be thinking about adding a little extra spice to your life. So, try baking these buttery sweet holiday snickerdoodles to celebrate the season.

I love snickerdoodle cookies, and I wanted to create a cookie that was just right. So I decided on adding nutmeg and clove to the cinnamon sugar rolling mixture to give these some holiday flair. The spices add just a bit of a twist on this cookie classic.

If you are tired of pumpkin everything (see my pumpkin pie, pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, and pumpkin cream cheese rangoons), then maybe try this simple cookie makeover. With a mix of nutmeg and cloves, this snickerdoodle recipe gives you a tasty and unique flavor. From the smell of this dough to the flavor of the finished cookie, these cookies give your mouth a treat.

Try the perfect holiday nutmeg and clove snickerdoodles today! These are definitely the best holiday snickerdoodle cookies ever, and I am definitely not a biased reviewer.

What Are Snickerdoodles?

Seeming to hail from the New England area of the US, the exact origins of this cookie are unknown. Along with its unknown origins comes the mystery of its very name. It could be Germanic, could be a portmanteau of snicker and doodle, or it could just be a fun nonsense made-up name for a cookie.

I think it’s just utter nonsense for the fun of it.

Either way, snickerdoodle cookies are slightly modified sugar cookies that are rolled in a cinnamon-sugar mixture before baking. They’re placed on the baking sheet and cooked as balls, then bake into scrumptious round treats.

One of the most unique aspects of the snickerdoodle is the inclusion of cream of tartar in the baking mixture. When used in snickerdoodles, it lends a tangy flavor and also makes them more chewy.

To make these unique holiday snickerdoodles, we’ll include nutmeg and cloves along with the cinnamon.

What is Cream of Tartar?

With cream of tartar being such an integral ingredient in snickerdoodles, what even is it?

Before researching and making this recipe, I had no idea what cream of tartar was. Even though I have used it before in a few different recipes like my homemade whipped cream.

Cream of tartar is tartaric acid. It is actually a byproduct of fermenting wine. This ingredient is commonly used in a few baking applications – to stabilize eggs (especially in meringues) or cream, and to help prevent sugars from crystallizing.

It tends to come in smaller containers because recipes usually call for small quantities. It is a white powder that can have a faint lemon-lime scent since it is an acid. Find cream of tartar in the store with the dried herbs and spices or down the baking aisle.

So, why is cream of tartar used in snickerdoodles? This is one of the ingredients that is used to create the typical snickerdoodle. The acidity of the tartar creates a tangy flavor in the cookie. It also prevents the sugar from crystallizing and so creates a chewier texture.

Mixing the Dough

Mixing the dough for snickerdoodle cookies is very easy with the right tools. I highly recommend using a stand mixer to whip up these tasty treats. But everything can be stirred and mixed by hand. It may be able to count as your workout for the dough. So plan ahead.

Before you begin to mix the dough, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). That way it will be ready to go when the dough is finished. Start by mixing the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. Then add the butter and sugar into your stand mixer bowl or a separate bowl if mixing by hand.

Cream together the butter and sugar until fully combined and it looks a little fluffy. Then add in the eggs and vanilla and mix them together. At this point, the dough will be a fairly wet mixture with lumps still visible. This is expected, so don’t try to overmix it into a super smooth consistency.

Now it’s time to add the flour mixture.

Empty the bowl of flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt into the main mixing bowl and mix it until combined. This is the final mix and it should now be smooth cookie dough.

Rolling the Holiday Snickerdoodles

Let’s roll those cookies!

Snickerdoodles get their signature flavor and look from a mix of sugar and cinnamon. For our holiday snickerdoodles, we’ll be adding ground nutmeg and cloves to the mix as well.

And to get the spiced sugar onto the cookies we need to roll the snickerdoodle dough into balls and then roll it around in the sugar mixture. So, start by mixing together the sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Get everything evenly distributed. I decided to mix it together on a plate since it would be easy to roll the dough around.

Now scoop and roll the dough into balls. Use a spoon or dedicated cookie scoop on the dough. They don’t need to be perfectly round, just a good shape for rolling around.

After rolling the dough into balls, take them one by one and place them in the sugar and spice mix. Roll the dough around so that it gets coated everywhere with the spiced sugar. You may want to roll them once, let them sit for a minute or so, and give them a second roll around to get them fully coated.

The more sugar coating, the better in my opinion.

Why Nutmeg and Clove?

I’ve always had a soft spot for cloves, I just love the way they smell. But I promise that isn’t the only reason I added them to this recipe. I swear.

Snickerdoodle cookies are typically made by rolling the dough in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. And nothing else.

But I wanted to add a little more holiday flavor into the treats – hence the holiday snickerdoodles recipe. And it made sense because cinnamon is already a pretty popular spice to use around the holidays.

So, I started thinking of all the other spices used around the holidays and what might pair well with the cinnamon. And when you think of fall flavors, you think about pumpkin spice. The spices commonly used in pumpkin pie and the ubiquitous fall flavor that takes over every year.

Included in the typical pumpkin pie spices are cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. And so this combination was born and seemed perfect for these holiday snickerdoodles.

And the combination of all these spices is delicious. But don’t take my word for it, make the recipe and try it for yourself.

Baking Holiday Snickerdoodles

After mixing the dough and rolling it all in the flavored sugar, all that’s left is to bake the cookies.

And the main goal here is just to not burn them.

Place the rolled dough balls onto a greased baking sheet about two inches apart from each other. Then pop the tray into the preheated oven. If you’ve forgotten to preheat before mixing the dough, then preheat now and wait until the oven has come to temperature to start baking.

Preheating ensures the cookies will start to bake immediately upon going into the oven.

Bake them for 8 to 10 min. when checking on them, you’ll be looking for a golden color on the cookie itself. It can be a little difficult to distinguish and differentiate since the cookies were rolled in spiced sugar.

While baking the dough balls will flatten out into perfect cookies with amazing texture. Remove the cookies from the baking sheet to a wire cooling rack.

Then eat the cookies. Store them in an airtight container after about an hour to make sure they stay soft and fresh for as long as possible.

These snickerdoodles are delicious when served warm with a glass of milk. Just make sure you wait long enough for them to cool so that you don’t burn yourself on the delicious treats.

How did yours turn out?

I’d love to hear when you try these holiday snickerdoodles! Take a pic of your food and share your success with me by adding it to your Instagram stories or feed, and tagging me @doyouroux, or by using #doyouroux.

Plus, leave a rating to let me know how you liked the recipe. It helps me out a lot to know how things worked out… or didn’t.

Perfect Holiday Nutmeg and Clove Snickerdoodles

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: DessertDifficulty: Easy

Servings

24

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Total time

20

minutes

These soft, buttery, spicy cookies are full of clove and nutmeg flavor. Make a batch of holiday snickerdoodles to share with family and friends.

Ingredients

• 2 and 3/4 cups flour

• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup butter

• 1 and 1/2 cups white sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/3 cup white sugar

• 1 and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 and 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1 and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C)
• Mix together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set it to the side
• In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and 1 and 1/2 cups sugar until fully combined and a little fluffy looking
• Add the eggs and vanilla and mix together well
• While stirring with the stand mixer, pour in the flour mixture from step 2 and let it mix until fully combined and a soft dough has formed
• In a wide bowl or small plate, combine the remaining 1/3 cup sugar with the ground cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg
• Use a small cookie scoop or spoon to scoop out the dough, roll it into a ball, roll it into the spiced sugar mixture, set them to the side for about a minute, and then roll it into the sugar mixture a second time for a thorough coating
• Place the rolled dough balls 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet
• Put the baking sheet into the preheated oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place the cookies onto a wire cooling rack

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The post The Perfect Holiday Nutmeg and Clove Snickerdoodles appeared first on Do You Roux?.

The ubiquitous flavor of pumpkin spice is now synonymous with the season changing to fall. But that isn’t the only flavor to enjoy.

From mouthwatering maple to ambrosial apples, there is something here for everyone. But, which flavors are really worth our time during autumn and the spooky season? I have taken it upon myself to review 10 fall flavors and let you know which are worthwhile.

So, now on to the totally not subjective and absolutely set-in-stone fall flavors tier list.

Pumpkin Spice – F Tier

Let’s get this out of the way, I’m not a fan of pumpkin spice. Not because I think it’s too ‘basic’ or that the flavor itself isn’t tasty but on principle alone. Pumpkin spice is not its own spice. So it must be F-tier.

It originates from all of the spices that make up a pumpkin pie.

Pumpkin spice has long since been synonymous with fall because of the far-reaching pumpkin spice latte (a PSL for short…) made famous by Starbucks.

In fact, the spice you usually buy at the grocery store is just an imitation of the true flavors that make pumpkin pie. The spice contains cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice.

So instead of buying a pre-made spice, why don’t you try making your own? You can easily combine these five basic spices into a delicious mixture that will remind you of pumpkin pies and other autumn treats.

And even though this is the worst of the fall flavors, you can enjoy it in these recipes (though only one calls for pre-made pumpkin spice mix):

• Easy Brown Sugar Pumpkin Spice Butter
• Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
• Pumpkin Spice Syrup

Cloves – A- Tier

I have a confession. I’ve got a soft spot for cloves. For me, I think it was love at first smell.

So I may be biased but I definitely think cloves are A-tier. But because I can be reasonable and recognize others might not enjoy the flavor as much, I’ll knock it down to an A- for fall flavors.

Some may find the flavor and smell of cloves overwhelming. I don’t know how. I would like to wrap myself in a blanket of cloves for the whole fall and winter season.

Unfortunately, it is a bit difficult finding recipes that feature cloves. And I’m sad to say I haven’t made a recipe for this site yet to use cloves as the star. Though my clove ratios in all pumpkin pie spice creations are skewed much higher than most.

So try the following clove recipes:

• Smoked Ginger Chicken with Cardamom, Cloves and Cinnamon
• Apple Butter with Cinnamon and Cloves
• Honey Baked Ham With Cloves

Cranberry – D Tier

I’ve long had a grudge against cranberries.

I’ve never really loved their flavor and found them a bit sour for my taste. I must admit that I do have a real bad sweet tooth. But, my issue with them started when they just started being used in everything.

Maybe it was cheaper to include cranberries or their juice in things, but it just took over. It may be a kind of smart cooking technique to use this fall flavor to cut the sweetness of other foods. But I just won’t stand for it.

Though I have to say that craisins – dried cranberries – make for pretty good salad toppings. That’s the saving grace that secures them a D instead of an F rating.

If you’re more into cranberries than I am, try these creations:

• Cranberry Orange Bread
• Fresh Cranberry Bars with Oat Crumble Topping
• Cranberry Coulis Recipe

Maple – A Tier

Maple syrup is one of my favorite things to cook with. Not only does it taste great, but it can be used to make delicious treats. Maple syrup can be used in place of sugar or honey.

You’ll want to get real maple syrup, rather than any kind of imitation. There are a bunch of different grades of maple syrup and whatnot, but I can’t be bothered to get into all of that right now.

Because it is a natural product, maple syrups can vary widely depending on a whole lot of environmental and processing factors. But I think that lends a bit of uniqueness when looking at different

Its sweet, slightly spicy, and vanilla flavor profile along with its wide versatility give maple syrup an A rating.

If you’re looking to add maple flavor to your life, here’s how to get started:

• Delicious Orange Maple Soy Glazed Salmon
• Maple Cinnamon Roasted Chickpeas
• Maple-Glazed City Ham

Pumpkin – D Tier

Pumpkins are a symbol of the season. If you think of fall you’ll likely think of leaves changing colors and pumpkins.

But just because something is iconic doesn’t mean it is the best. Just like with pumpkin spice, we have to keep it real.

Most things that use pumpkin call for canned pumpkin. That’s because it can be annoying to cook and prepare your own pumpkin. Plus, the typical pumpkin you think of for carving up and decorating is not the best for eating. Those varieties are much smaller.

Plus, most recipes with pumpkin really feature other more powerful flavors that overshadow the gourd itself, so how good can it really be? Just look for butternut squash recipes instead cause they’ll probably be better.

When it comes down to it, pumpkin tends to make a better decoration than it does a flavor. So it’ll rank D-tier on our fall flavors list.

Put your canned pumpkin to good use in these recipes:

• Fall Spiced Pumpkin Pie
• Super Simple Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Pumpkin Risotto

Cinnamon – A+ Tier

Cinnamon is one of the most popular spices in the world. Its warm, woody, slightly sweet flavor and amazing fragrance make it one of the best.

Many many fall recipes call for the addition of cinnamon. It definitely seems to be the most widely used spice from the list of those that make up the warm spices of pumpkin pie spice.

With its delicious flavor and wide usability, cinnamon deserves an A+ rating.

Here are some cinnamon-centric recipes:

• Simple Cinnamon Candied Sliced Almonds
• Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
• Savory Cinnamon Shoulder Roast

Ginger – C Tier

Okay, ginger itself is better than C-tier. But I’m out here judging everything as fall flavors. And I haven’t ever really associated ginger with just the fall. It is a year-round kind of spice that is used widely in many dishes.

Warm, peppery, with some heat and zest, use ginger when you’re looking to add that extra kick to a dish. Whether fresh or ground, it can add a whole layer of complexity to food.

Because ginger is just not quite associated with fall, I had to rate it lower than it really deserves.

Get your ginger fix with any of these:

• Glazed Carrots with Honey and Ginger
• Simple Candied Ginger
• Ginger Broccoli Stir Fry

Pecan – A Tier

Pecans are nuts that grow on trees. If you have a tree in your yard, you might be able to get some pecans from time to time. However, most people buy them at the store.

If you love pecans, then you should definitely add them to your diet. You can eat the raw seeds straight from the shell, but you can also bake them into cookies. This is one of the best ways to enjoy the flavor.

You can also use pecans as an ingredient in many different recipes. Ground, chopped, whole,

Here are some recipes for enjoying this nutty treat:

• Pecan Crusted Chicken
• Double-Chocolate Pecan Pie
• Butter Pecan Fudge

Nutmeg – C Tier

I mostly think of nutmeg as a finishing garnish. It is difficult to find recipes with nutmeg as a featured ingredient.

Especially associated with eggnog (which is a trash drink… don’t get me started), it is somewhat comparable to cloves but with a nutty, woody flavor.

I’ll admit that I’ve never grated any fresh, just used a prepackaged spice. So maybe that would improve its ranking for me. But until then, nutmeg gets a grade of C compared to all fall flavors.

Try this warm spice in any of these recipes:

• Ultimate Jerk Seasoning
• Silky Smooth Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
• Seasoned Breaded Chicken

Apple – S Tier

Apple is one of the most popular fruits around the world. From applesauce to apple pie, this fruit is delicious. If you want a snack that can help you keep your energy levels high, then you should consider apples.

They are so completely versatile. Eat it straight. Bake it. Chop it. Slice it. Juice it. Top a salad. Blend it up into applesauce. Add it to pies and desserts galore.

Plus, there are like a million different varieties of apples that all have a slightly different taste. So there’s bound to be a variety for everyone.

Because fall is when apples naturally ripen, this is when they are at their peak. Especially if you can find a pick-your-own orchard near you for those super-fresh and ripe apples. Also, you need apples to make both apple juice and apple cider. Which are both top-tier drinks in their own right.

For all these reasons, apples get the highest rating possible when ranking the fall flavors – S-tier.

So, don’t let

• The Best Apple Pie
• Excellent Fall Apple Crisp
• Homemade Applesauce Recipe

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