First of all- I went to Green City Market Chef’s BBQ last night.  Translation: 235893205832 Chicago restaurants came and presented little tastes from their chefs.  Highlights include the Four Season’s Corn Ice Cream, Nightwood’s Cucumber/Berry Popsicle, and the Signature Room’s Sun Golden Gazpacho with Jalapeno and Cilantro Sorbet (and a scallop for good measure).  Other highlights include this picture of me with Rick Bayless:

Moving on.  This recipe is about snickerdoodles.  WOW RIGHT! After talking about jalapeno sorbet this seems REALLY impressive!  But these are at least FANCY snickerdoodles.  You may have noticed I’m always trying to make childhood food legit for an adult eater.  Example: Chicken Paillards (chicken nuggets), Homemade Wheat Thins, etc. 

These Cardamom and Currant Snickerdoodles are no exception. 

Inspired by Splash of Something

You’ll need:

2 sticks unsalted butter, melted/cooled

0.5 cup packed brown sugar (I used light)

1 cup granulated sugar

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cardamom*

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cream of tarter

0.5 teaspoons kosher salt

3 eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

0.75 cup dried currants

For the coating that makes this cookie a snickerdoodle:

0.25 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoons cardamom (or more if you’re aggressive)**

*I know cardamom is expensive.  It’s actually the 3^rd fanciest (most expensive) spice by weight only beat out by vanilla and saffron.  This is one of those things like saffron or truffle butter where a little goes a long way and it’s absolutely worth it.  Indulge ya self.  You could always use cinnamon……that’s just as fancy…….

**Also- if you’re wondering what the hell cardamom is it’s a spice used in a lot of middle eastern cooking… it’s also in masala chai… it’s also in the cookies you are about to make as soon as you are done reading this recipe

Whisk together dry ingredients (sugars, flour, baking soda, cream of tarter, cardamom and salt).

In a separate bowl whisk together egg, butter, vanilla.  Add dry ingredients and stir until JUST combined.  Fold in the currants.

Chill the dough for ten minutes (try not to eat it all).  Mix together the sugar/cardamom coating and roll roughly one ounce balls of dough in the coating.  Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake for 9 minutes at 425.  Make sure you leave a decent amount of space between the cookies because they will spread out.  Also they will be very soft when you first take them out which is okay.  YUM GROWN UP COOKIES!