I like to sit in the sun on the beautiful stone slab benches across from the Blue Bottle Coffee kiosk in Hayes Valley here in San Francisco. It's just a short walk from my house in an alleyway, a not-so-secret spot, slightly off the main strip. I also love to have lazy breakfasts beneath the tall ceilings, light streaking through the massive windows, in their cafe at Mint Plaza. I've known there was a Blue Bottle Coffee book in the works, and each time I go, I find myself uttering the same nine words, usually with my mouth full - I really hope this recipe is in the book. In addition to their coffee, which I'm more than happy to brave a line for, I have a list of go-to favorites from their beautifully concise and inspired menu. My hope was that all would be in the book: these Saffron-Vanilla Snickerdoodles, the Pickled Fennel Egg Salad, the Sesame Absinthe Cigars, and Catalan Eggs with Braised Greens. Check, check, check, and check! Every one is in the book. And like all things Blue Bottle, this is worth the wait.
The book will be released October 9th, but I've been hassling Ten Speed to get me an early copy for months. In part because I wanted to bump up my coffee know-how, but (no surprise) I was particularly excited about the recipes ! - the S affron-Vanilla Snickerdoodles were first up. In contrast to traditional snickerdoodles, Caitlin describes them as having "an unusual butterscotch flavor from the combination of saffron, brown sugar and vanilla." Now, I know these cookies well, and this recipe delivered a version that is a dead-ringer of the original - buckle in the middle, kiss of saffron, a thin golden crust that gives way to a fudge-textured center. Thank you. I made a double batch for a family trip to Lake Tahoe last week - baking half for the drive there, freezing the remaining pre-scooped dough to bake at the cabin. Everyone loved them.
I hope you like these as much as I do, make a double batch and freeze half of the pre-scooped dough for later baking. And be sure to measure the saffron carefully -it's easy to go too light/heavy. xo -h
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