Classic Cinnamon Sugar Cookies

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and both white and brown sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract, mixing for another 2 minutes until fully combined.
3. Gently fold in the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt until just incorporated. Be careful not to overmix.
4. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the 5 tablespoons of white sugar and the ground cinnamon for the coating.
5. Cover the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for approximately 30 minutes, if time permits. This helps the cookies hold their shape.
6. Scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of dough for each cookie and roll it into a ball. Then, roll each ball generously in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until evenly coated.
7. Place the coated cookie dough balls onto prepared baking sheets, ensuring they are at least 3 inches apart to allow for spreading. Sprinkle any remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture over the tops to ensure they are fully covered.
8. For thicker cookies, spoon the dough directly onto the baking sheets without rolling into perfect balls, aiming for taller mounds. For thinner cookies, gently press the center of each dough ball with your finger to slightly flatten before baking.
9. Bake for 10-11 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown.
10. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.