Monday, June 20, 2011

Blueberry Snickerdoodles.

For the last three months, I've wanted to bake one thing and one thing only:

Snickerdoodles.
With blueberries!
I just wanted to know, but I kept putting it off. What would blueberries taste like in snickerdoodles? 
Would it taste like a muffin? Would it taste like a cookie? Would the blueberries explode and make them totally blue? 
I kind of hoped so. 4th of July, right?
So when I went to the store this week because we were not-so-surprisingly out of butter and found myself for the seventeenth time circling the berries, I thought, Fine. I'll buy them. Well... when they go on sale. The blueberries, that is. Blueberries are expensive, man.
Fact: blueberries never go on sale.

I'll wait until I go to that pick-your-own-blueberry farm. That's cheaper, right? No! I'll grow my own blueberries. On trees. Do blueberries grow on trees? Bushes? Vines? Who puts blueberries in snickerdoodles anyway? But it sounds delicious, right? Like a muffin? I love muffins. I should go to Starbucks after this. 

I put a pint in my cart. Took it out. Put it back. Took them out. Considered strawberries. Walked away. Came back. Bit my nails. 

And then finally I caved.  Best. decision. ever.
I used the perfect snickerdoodles recipe that I posted last Christmas, only instead of turning out soft inside and slightly crispy on the out, they came out thick and cakey and dreamy and bursting with fresh, juicy blueberries and a crackly, buttery layer of cinnamon-sugar.  
And very much not-blue.
See? Bursting. Little bubbly lava flows of blueberry goodness.

These are a little bit like the strawberry shortcake cookies I made in that they're best the day they're made or over the next few days, since they're made with fresh fruit and all.

Not that they lasted that long.
Finally. A cookie that can pass as a breakfast food!

Blueberry Snickerdoodles

Printable Recipe

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 large egg
2 heaping cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
*1 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar & 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon for rolling cookies in

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Beat together butter, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, and egg. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Slowly beat flour mixture into the butter mixture. Gently fold in the blueberries, being careful not to crush them. Otherwise you'll end up with purpleish-blue cookies, but if that's your thing, then go for it!

In a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup granulated sugar and cinnamon. Shape dough into 1-inch balls, then roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Place balls 3 to 4 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. With a flat-bottomed glass dipped in cinnamon-sugar, slightly flatten cookies. Be careful not to totally crush the berries though. Again... blue cookies.

Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until edges being to slightly brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cookie comes out clean. Allow to cool.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

*Because of the fresh berries, these cookies are best eaten within 3-4 days of making. 

Source: Adapted from Sunset, 1998.