Candied Bacon Cayenne Snickerdoodles

Do you sit around with your friends and have conversations about bacon? I do. And it was during one of these riveting chats that I realized I couldn’t remember the last time I had baked something with the beloved pig byproduct. Now that’s shameful.

I already had plans to bake some Cayenne Snickerdoodles (using an ATK recipe and adding cayenne) and decided that they would be a perfect vehicle in which to house the hog.

Bacon makes everything better. But what makes bacon better? Brown sugar. So it was only natural for these cookies to evolve into the awesomeness that I’m about to lay before you.

Candied Bacon Cayenne Snickerdoodles

Ingredients

– 1 3/4c sugar, divided
– 1T cinnamon
– 1/4t cayenne, heaping
– 2 1/2c flour
– 2t cream of tarter
– 1t baking soda
– 1/2t salt
– 8T ( 1 stick) butter, softened
– 1/2c shortening
– 2 eggs
– 8oz+ candied bacon (dredge bacon in brown sugar and cook)

Directions

1. Cook, cool and crumble your bacon.
2. Preheat oven to 375F and line parchment paper.
3. Combine 1/4c sugar, cinnamon and cayenne in a small bowl. Set aside.
4. Whisk together flour, cream of tarter, baking soda and salt.
5. Beat butter, shortening and remaining 1 1/2c sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy (2 to 3 min).
6. Add in eggs on low speed.
7. Also at low speed, mix in flour mixture. Then stir in your candied bacon crumbs by hand.
8. Roll 2T of dough into a ball and roll in that spicy cinnamon sugar. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Concept: Awesome! (I think one of my friends consumed four in a matter of minutes.) Execution: Could use a slight adjustment, which I’ve already included in the recipe.

Personally, I don’t think the cayenne was pronounced enough. I only used 1/4t, which is why I say in the recipe to “heap.” I don’t know if 1/2t would ratchet up the heat too much, but 1/4t of cayenne didn’t pack the punch I was looking for. Also, I only used 8oz of candied bacon; feel free to use more!