Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the shortening and sugar until smooth.

Add the buttermilk and vanilla, again beating until well combined.

Add the nutmeg/cinnamon, flour, baking soda, and salt to the wet ingredients and beat until the mixture forms a cohesive dough.

Place about 1/2 cup cinnamon-sugar (1 teaspoon cinnamon mixed with 1/2 cup sugar) in a shallow bowl.

Gather 1 tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball.

Place the ball in the bowl or bag of cinnamon sugar.

When you've got five or six dough balls in the sugar, gently shake them until they're completely coated.

Place them on a lightly greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet, leaving about 1.5 inches between them.

Using the bottom of a glass, flatten each cookie until it's about 1/2-inch thick.

Bake the snickerdoodles for 12 minutes.

Remove the cookies from the oven and cool them on a wire rack.