Cinnamon Roll Cookies (by Kat)

When I think of goody plates, I've noticed that taste seems to go by the wayside. For me, a great goody plate MUST have a variety of different shapes, colors, textures, but taste should still rule the day. These cookies are one of my new favorites, and I am not a gal who generally has the patience for multi-step cookies. I like to make the dough, slap them in the oven, and get things cleaned up while they bake. These cookies are SOOO worth the added refrigeration steps. If you're like me and don't like the waiting around, just make them in tandem with something else. While these are chilling, bake/finish another task...or just catch up on an episode of "The New Adventures of Old Christine," and then you're ready to go on with these babies.

First off, the raw dough is delicious. As for taste, they are very reminiscent of a snickerdoodle, but really do taste like a cinnamon roll in cookie form. This is a perfect dunking cookie - the cookies are firm without being too crunchy on the outside while deliciously moist on the inside. Perfect for soaking up milk or hot chocolate without falling apart on you. This would be a perfect "do ahead" cookie - bot the dough and the unfrosted cookies will freeze up to a month.

Cinnamon Roll Cookies
Filling:
1/2 cup white sugar
2 T cinnamon

Dough:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Icing:
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/4 cup warm water (called for but use WAY less)
1/2 tsp powdered egg whites*
*Usually in the baking aisle in a canister. It helps the icing dry hard. It's OK to skip it, but the iced cookies won't be stackable.

1. For the dough, sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together. Cream butter and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; mix until incorporated. With mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients, blending just to incorporate; do not overmix!

2. Trace a 9x16-inch rectangle on a sheet of parchment or wax paper. Pat dough into the rectangle using your hands, then sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar over the dough.

*This dough is sticky! I found it easiest to roll the dough into the rectangle by putting a piece of wax paper on top and then rolling the dough in a "wax paper sandwich." I worked quickly, but I found it necessary to refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes before trying to roll it into the log shape. Totall worth the extra step.

3. Roll the dough into a log, beginning on the LONG side and using the wax paper to help you. Dust the outside of log with remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture. Wrap log in plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours.

4. Preheat oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper (or use baking mat.) Slice chilled dough into 1/2-inch disks and place on prepared baking sheets 1 inch apart. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden. Cool on pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.

5. Combine icing ingredients in a bowl (icing will be thin - UNDERSTATEMENT OF THE YEAR! Next time I will use WAY less water - with 1/4 cup, the icing was too thin to even show up on the cookie!) Drizzle over cooled cookies; let stand at room temperature until icing dries. Makes 30-32 cookies.

Recipe from Cuisine at Home Holiday Cookies magazine, December 2008