Let me give you a brief history of the recipe, since it's only been around a short while. This is similar to a number of cookie recipes, nothing unfamiliar to be found, adapted and adjusted from three different cookie recipes. I was fooling around in the kitchen, looking for something that I could make from the ingredients on hand, not being in the mood for a run to the store for nuts or chocolate chips. I started playing around with the recipes that I had on hand, and I gave this version a try and ate the whole batch (one quarter this recipe) in a day's time. Good cookies have a habit of disappearing quickly in my house.

     Several days later, a concert was being held at Doug's studio up in Bryan, Bill Staines making an appearance. And as is the habit of the house concerts there, there is a pot luck table for goodies that show up with the audience. Well, I had enjoyed these cookies so much that I made up a quad batch and hauled them up there with me. Bill Staines, Doug, Ellen, and Lyse were there when I arrived early, so I whipped out the cookies and offered then a sneak preview, Franci showing up from out of town just in time to raid the cookie jar. Needless to say, there were raids for seconds and thirds. In the natural course of events, I was asked the name of the recipe, and alas, I had none.
     A discussion insued over mouthfuls of cookies, Cin Drops, Cinner's Treat, any number of combinations of cinnamon and sinfully good. But Lyse objected, saying that the M sound that you make while eating them (mmmmm-mmmmm) should dominate the name. A brief silence ensued, and then I said MombaDrop. Now the name isn't like mambo the dance or mamba the snake, both with hard B's. It's closer to momma, the B very soft, barely (but still) there, as if said with a mouth full of cookie, and said very quickly with a snappy rhythm. There was a practice session of saying the name over more cookies, and it became official. They went down in the recipe book as MombaDrop Cookies as I closed the cookie jar, saving some for the audience that arrived later on, after the studio was cleaned and rigged for the show and ensuing jam session. (People are still mentioning how surreal it was having Bill Staines backing me up on bass. I certainly must agree and consider it a great honor.)

   Okay, enough story. Let's get on with the recipe, since it's become a rather familiar item in my kitchen. The usual desert warnings apply.
     NFF      Not fat free.
     CH       Calorically hazardous.
     AG       Addictively good.
     MAYOR Make at your own risk.

Ingredients:

1 lb butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla
5 cups sifted all purpose flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Topping
1 cup granulated sugar
2-4 tbsp cinnamon

     This is the quad batch, the only way I make them anymore. You may reduce the measurements by half or quarter if you find yourself capable of resisting. I can't resist, and I don't even try. Makes 50 to 80- 2 1/2 to 3 inch cookies, depending on the drop size.

     Preheat the oven to 375 F. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and both sugars until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat to an even batter. Add the baking powder, baking soda, and salt and blend at medium speed for at least a minute to assure an even mix (critical). Add the flour and blend until uniform. Drop ping pong ball sized drops with a tablespoon onto an ungreased 11X17 jelly roll pan (to contain the sides as they spread out from the drop). 4X5 is the usual arrangement. Cook for ten to twelve minutes to a soft bake golden brown.
     Remove from oven and sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar topping to a moderate covering. (This topping helps prevent their sticking when stacked, so don't shake off all the excess that doesn't stick to the cookie.) Separate the edges when slightly cooled and carefully remove from pan with a spatula to cool further on a lint free towel. Store in a sealed container to preserve the soft bake moistness.
     This batch takes four runs in the oven, so it's best if you have two pans to run the baking in shifts, one in the oven while the other is cooling and being placed on the towel. It keeps you busy for most of the forty to fifty minutes that they are baking. Counting prep time, it consumes about an hour of your time.

     Don't be stingy. They're easy to make and relatively inexpensive, and with the right attitude, you can gleen all sorts of favors in return for your effort in the kitchen. (I'll make them, but only if you. . . .) Don't be surprised to see them vanish in a big hurry, even if you live alone.