Baking inspired by books - Snickerdoodles

During the winter I love eating snickerdoodles because they just taste like Christmas and happiness, and they are certainly my favorite cookies in the cold months, so I'm eating way more of them than I'm supposed to. (Also, I'm really sorry for the terrible lightning of the picture beneath.)

"We are in the kitchen. Margot is at the table on her computer; I am sitting next to her, rolling cookie dough into balls and dropping them in cinnamon and sugar. Snickerdoodles to get back in Kitty's good graces. Earlier, when I went in to say good night, Kitty rolled over and wouldn't speak to me because she's still convinced I'm going to try to cut her out of the Paris trip. My plan is to put the snickerdoodles on a plate right next to her pillow so she wakes up to the smell of fresh-baked cookies." (To all the boys I've loved before, chapter 1)

Before reading To all the boys I've loved before by Jenny Han (you can read a review here) I've never heard about snickerdoodles because they are pretty unknown here in Germany. So when I read this amazing book I had no idea what kind of cookies these are (I even thought they had something to do with snickers), but since Kitty is so obsessed with them, I searched for a recipe and made them. I'm honestly so glad I did because I just love them so much!

Ingredients:

-230g flour
-1/2 TS ground cinnamon
-2 TS baking powder
-1 pinch of salt
-115g butter
-150g sugar
-1 egg
-1 TS vanilla extract/8g of vanilla sugar
-sugar and cinnamon for cinnamon sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 190°C.
2. Stir your butter, then mix in your sugar and vanilla sugar/extract, add your egg and stir everything together.
3. Mix your flour with the salt, cinnamon and baking powder in a seperate bowl.
4. Stir your flour mixture in the butter mixture until you have a nice dough.
5. Form small balls of the dough and roll them in cinnamon sugar.
6. Bake them for about 10 min until they start to turn golden-brown.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe. Happy baking!

Leah

To all the boys I've loved before (Jenny Han)

During fall (which is my most favorite season by the way) I love to read contemporary novels that just make me feel all happy and warm inside. And what's better than being snuggled in blankets, drinking tea or hot chocolate, eating freshly baked muffins and reading an adorable book by candlelight? Yes, you're right: nothing.

To all the boys I've loved before is about 16-year-old Lara Jean, who wrote a secret love letter to all her previous crushes, but kept them hidden in her room. When her older sister Margot leaves for college, she has to take responsibility for the household and care for her little sister Kitty, since their mother died years ago and their father is busy with work. But that's not her only problem: someone sent her hidden love letters, so her past crushes start confronting her. To make things the least akward as possible she agrees with one of them called Peter, who wants to make his ex-girlfriend jealous, to be in a fake relationship. Over the course of this book you see her struggling to figure out what she really wants, while she's trying to keep her family over the great distance, but also her friendships together by attempting to be the best possible sister, daughter, friend and, suprising herself, girlfriend as well.

"Love is scary: it changes; it can go away. That's the part of the risk. I don't want to be scared anymore."

Honestly, this book (and the sequel called P.S I still love you, too) deserves a way better summery than the one I just wrote. I hope I got at least your attention with it, because you shouldn't miss reading these books for anything in the world. There are so many things I love about the story. First of all basically every character is really likeable and - more important - relatable, especially Lara Jean. I simply couldn't help but not to think she's similar to me, probably because she's pretty ordinary: she's rather shy and smart, doesn't have that much, but really good friends, loves baking, painting her nails and stuff like that. I really enjoy it in books, especially contemporary novels, when I can relate to the characters since that makes me feel close to them. Another great thing about the story: it doesn't only focus on the aspect of love, but way more on family, siblings and friendship, and what's it like to lose daily contact to someone who's incredibly important to you. The book just showed me how crucial family, and especially siblings are, and definitely made me appreciate my brothers a lot more. I loved the writing and the way the letters were worked into the story, and - of course - the so so cute and adorable covers!

Rating: 5/5 ✹

So if you're in need of some reads, which are especially great for fall and winter, you have to check these books out. They made me fall in love with Jenny Han's writing and I'm looking forward to reading the The summer I turned pretty trilogy in spring/summer because I've only heard great things about it. If you do pick up these books, I hope you enjoy them (I'm actually really sure you will) and thanks for reading my hopefully not too confusing review!

Leah