Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Warm and sweet with a complex flavor profile thanks to the tangy-ness of the cream cheese and lemon, which also adds a delightful freshness. While the almond flavor isn’t dominant, it definitely adds a warm nuttiness alongside the cinnamon.
Texture: These cookies are slightly crisp around the edges but chewy in the middle.
Ease: The recipe is easy to follow although it does dirty multiple dishes.
Appearance: These cookies have a winsome crinkled appearance due to the cinnamon sugar coating.
Pros: Easy to make, whole wheat, lower in fat. You don’t have to use almond butter, you can use other nut butters like peanut.
Cons: None.
Would I make this again? I’ve already used this recipe twice.
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Is there anything better than the warm aroma of cinnamon wafting through the air, especially when it means something scrumptious is about to be pulled out of the oven? Just knowing that there are cookies baking is comforting but the scent of cinnamon is particularly satisfying. It’s no wonder realtors bake cookies before an open house. Unlike traditional snickerdoodle recipes, this one uses less fattening ingredients and whole wheat flours. Not to mention the numerous health benefits cinnamon possesses: anti clotting, anti microbial, blood sugar control, fiber, and ancient warming qualities according to WH Foods.
But really, who cares about all of that? Because cinnamon tastes wonderful and the word snickerdoodle is fun to say. All those health touts are all just convenient excuses to bake this mouth-watering snickerdoodle recipe.
Almond-Butter Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (about 3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons smooth almond butter
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 4.75 ounces white whole-wheat flour (about 1 cup)
- 1.5 ounces whole-wheat flour (about 1/3 cup)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats.
- Place the first 4 ingredients (brown sugar, cream cheese, butter, almond butter) in a medium bowl, and beat with a mixer at high speed until well combined (about 2 minutes). Add 1 teaspoon lemon rind, vanilla extract, and egg yolks; beat until well blended.
- For most accurate measurement, weigh flours with a digital kitchen scale. If you don't have one, lightly scoop flour into measuring cup and level with a knife. Combine flours, baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt using a whisk. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat at low speed until well combined. Combine the remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon and granulated sugar in a small bowl. Using a spring-loaded cookie scoop or spoon, roll rounds of dough in cinnamon sugar then drop dough onto prepared baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 6 minutes; flatten cookies with the back of a spatula. Bake an additional 6 minutes. Cool on pans 1 minute. Remove from pans, and cool on wire racks.
While wild almond species are toxic, domesticated almonds are not; Jared Diamond argues that a common genetic mutation causes an absence of glycoside amygdalin, and this mutant was grown by early farmers, “at first unintentionally in the garbage heaps, and later intentionally in their orchards”. ,
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Wow! These cookies are sooo tasty and fun to make! I wish I had doubled the ingredients because these were gone in a flash.
I'm so excited to have found your blog Tessa, these desserts look so tasty!
These look so delicious, I will definitely try these!
Please check out my new blog and tell me what you think!
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Patty- I think I'll do what you suggested next time! I have another cookie recipe that calls for just peanut butter (no butter or cream cheese, etc) and its delicious!
Liz- Thank you!! 🙂
I love the recipe lowdown. It helps so much!
Oooh! Snickerdoodles with almond butter and cream cheese? These sound divine!
These sound and look delicious! I adore cinnamon and almond butter. I'd try upping the almond butter in these (and using less butter/cheese) but that's because I can't leave a perfectly good recipe alone without adding my own healthy flair. 😉
I used to bake cinnamon goods when we were trying to sell our condo so the place always smelled fantastic. It didn't take long. 🙂
I'm so excited to find these! I adore a good snickerdoodle (I'm totally a self-proclaimed cinnamon addict) but almond butter really takes them to a whole new level!
Yum, these look fabulous!
Yum! And since it's from Cooking Light, I can eat more!
Snickerdoodles are a household favorite here… These will make me feel less guilty when I reach for that second cookie. Nicely done!
I've never made snickerdoodles because I always thought they just looked so plain, but these ones look delicious!