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Snickerdoodle facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Pile of snickerdoodles.jpg
Type Cookie
Place of origin United States
Region or state New England
Main ingredients Flour, butter or oil, sugar, cinnamon sugar, salt

A snickerdoodle is a type of cookie made with butter or oil, sugar, salt, and flour, and rolled in cinnamon sugar. Eggs may also sometimes be used as an ingredient, with cream of tartar and baking soda added to leaven the dough. Snickerdoodles are characterized by a cracked surface and can be either crisp or soft depending on the ingredients used.



The Joy of Cooking claims that snickerdoodles are probably German in origin, and that the name is a corruption of the German word Schneckennudel, a Palatine variety of schnecken. It is also possible that the name is simply a nonsense word with no particular meaning, originating from a New England tradition of whimsical cookie names. The Oxford English Dictionary claims the word's origin is "uncertain", and possibly a portmanteau of the word snicker, an "imitative" English word with Scottish roots that indicates a "smothered laugh", and doodle, a Germanic loanword into English meaning a "simple or foolish fellow", originally derived from the Germanic dudeltopf, meaning "simpleton, noodle, night-cap". The earliest use of the word recorded by the Oxford English Dictionary is from 1889.

Food trends

The snickerdoodle is a very common cookie in the United States, but is relatively unknown in other countries. The cookie is common to Mennonite and Amish communities and was a favorite treat of the Indiana poet, James Whitcomb Riley.

In more recent times, the Snickerdoodle cookie has transformed into a popular flavor of desserts, sweets, drinks, etc. Big brands have taken the simple dessert and turned them into their own original products. For example, General Mills created a Snickerdoodle flavored Chex Mix Muddy Buddies to their snack line. During the 2014 holiday season, Dunkin' Donuts unveiled a Snickerdoodle Cookie Latte on their holiday menu. In addition to a Snickerdoodle latte, Nestlé Coffee-Mate introduced their take on the cookie in the form of a coffee creamer. Brands such as Braum's Ice Cream and Prairie Farms have dedicated an ice cream flavor to the popular cookie.

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