- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup granulated sugar (for rolling)
Equipment Needed
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Electric mixer (or whisk if you’re feeling adventurous)
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper (optional but recommended)
- Cookie scoop or tablespoon
Step-by-Step Instructions
First, I start by preheating my oven to 350°F (175°C). This is a critical step because a properly preheated oven ensures the cookies bake evenly and achieve that perfect golden hue. While the oven warms up, I grab my mixing bowl and cream together the softened butter, packed brown sugar, and granulated sugar using my trusty electric mixer. I let it go for about 3-4 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy, which creates that dreamy texture in the final cookie. Trust me, this step makes a huge difference—it really helps to aerate the butter.
Next, I add the eggs one at a time, incorporating them fully before adding the next. I also splash in the vanilla extract during this stage, feeling the warmth of its scent fill my kitchen. Once mixed, I sift together my dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a separate bowl. When I mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, I like to do this in three parts, ensuring it all comes together smoothly without any floury pockets. If you’re too eager and add it all at once, the dough could become overly dense, a mistake I made in my early baking days!
After I’ve mixed everything just until combined, I let the dough rest for about 10 minutes. I’ve found that this rest allows the flavors to meld beautifully and makes the dough much easier to handle. With the dough ready, I use a cookie scoop to portion out small mounds on my lined baking sheets, leaving enough space for them to spread while baking. It’s helpful to flatten the mounds slightly with the back of a spoon before baking, which gives them a more uniform shape. (See the next page below to continue…)