Today I felt like making Snickerdoodles. But let's face it. There are certain things that you just can't make without white flour and white sugar and have it be the same. A chocolate chip cookie, yes. A peanut butter cookie, yes. A Russian tea cake, yes. Even pie crust is great with freshly ground grains. But a Snickerdoodle by definition is white flour and white sugar. There really is no way around it. In fact, today when I told my oldest daughter that my snack-time plans included Snickerdoodles, she told me about an experience at Vacation Bible Camp last summer. She began:

"The teacher was giving a demonstration about what someone's heart is like with Jesus and without Jesus. She gave each of us Snickerdoodles. One had sugar and one didn't have sugar. She said when someone's heart doesn't have Jesus it's like the cookie without sugar. When they do, it's like the one with sugar. When all the kids tasted the cookie without sugar, they were all making yucky faces and sticking their tongues out. When I tasted it I thought, 'Mmmm. This tastes like my mom's cookies.'"

Okay. So I knew this Snickerdoodle experience had to be a good one. And guess what? It was! The kids kept coming back for more...and more....and more. While they were quite heavenly, they still don't have the classic white flour and white sugar Snickerdoodle taste, but they are pretty darn close. In fact, I'd say they are related. Nutty and caramel undertones. What's not to love? So today the cousin of the Snickerdoodle was born. We named it Giggledoodle. Not quite a Snickerdoodle, but a happy relative.

3 cups flour (I used 2 cups spelt, 1 cup millet; freshly ground)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup coconut Sugar (palm sugar)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 eggs

4 tablespoons maple sugar
4 teaspoons cinnamon

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, blend remaining ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix to combine. Roll a tablespoonful in your hand* and drop in cinnamon/sugar mixture. Roll to coat. Drop onto lightly greased Cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 6-8 minutes (slightly under-bake). Cool 3 minutes on cookie sheet and remove to wire rack to cool completely.

*The dough is quite sticky. Lightly wet your hands before rolling dough. I was able to roll 3-4 cookies before needing to re-moisten them.