October 6, 2021
All the love and cinnamon-y goodness of a cinnamon bun is hiding in this cookie! So delicious, it’s like a small drop of heaven from the oven.
Speckled and spotted with a cinnamon sugar paste, and then drizzled or dipped in a sweet glaze, this variation of the original is great success. While I sometimes make authentic cinnamon buns, these novel cookies are so much easier to prepare.
I used to turn the page on a recipe if it called for the use of a rolling pin. Don’t make the same mistake I used to make. For these cookies I did use a rolling pin to spread the dough out into a rectangle in preparation for the cinnamon paste. No fear, if you are scared of your rolling pin, or don’t have one, this step can be done with your fingers. I just found it easier to use a rolling pin to get the dough started. If you are afraid of your rolling pin, don’t be. This is a good dough to practice on. It’s not finicky like a pie crust. It’s very pliable.
Ingredients
Filling
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter, melted
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dough
3/4 cup (6 tablespoon) butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
1 teaspoon being powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Icing
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1-2 tablespoons milk
Directions
Preheat oven to 350º F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Filling
In a medium bowl melt the butter in the microwave. When melted, add the brown sugar and the cinnamon until a thick paste forms. Set a side
Dough
In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix with a spoon.
In the bowl of a standing using the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and the granulated sugar. Mix on medium for 2-3 minutes. Next add the egg, vanilla and cream, mixing until combined. You may need to scrape down the bowl. On low, add the flour mixture until just combined again scraping the bowl as necessary. The dough will look crumbly. Raise the speed of the mixer to medium and mix until the dough comes together. (It won’t form a ball, but when you see it come together you will know what I mean)
On a lightly floured surface, or piece of parchment paper, using a rolling pin or your fingers (see introduction) roll out the dough into a 10 x 15 inch rectangle. This does not need to be perfect! Don’t forget to sprinkle some flour on the dough itself if you are using a rolling pin, so the dough does not stick to it. Spread the filling mixture on top of the dough, leaving about an inch at the edges. Roll the dough up tightly from the long edge, so you are left with a long log.
Cut the cookie log into 1/2 inch slices and place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet. You can fit 8 on a sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the baking pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack. Let cookies cool completely before icing them.
Icing
In a medium glass bowl melt the butter in the microwave. stir tin the powdered sugar and add the milk slowly until desired consistency. (I used about 1 1/2 tablespoons of milk.)
There are two ways to ice these cookies. 1) you can just dip the tops in the icing and cover the whole top in sugary goodness. 2) you can drizzle the tops with icing, so you just get a hint of added sweetness. ( I went with the drizzle method - but actually piped the icing with a ziplock bag.)