Cinnamon Roll Cookies
We did it! We finally won the Neighborhood Cookie Contest!
Before I continue, let me clarify the “we.” I say “we” but truly it is Mattes who deserves 99% of the credit. She shopped for the recipe (three times due to forgetting her credit card the first time and not buying enough butter the second time) and she spent roughly 5 hours baking the darn cookies (do not let this deter you, the recipe was tripled and she may have been distracted by the gaggle of girls who “kept her company” in the kitchen–three at the island, another sprawled on the floor–while she baked). I am claiming the 1% because I chose the recipe, Chewy Frosted Cinnamon Swirl Snikerdoodles by Half Baked Harvest and I’ve always believed that my ability to spot a good recipe is my only gift in the culinary arena.
This recipe jumped out to me because it seemed “extra.” Extra cinnamon-y, extra chewy, extra delicious. Gary said, “A cinnamon cookie will never win.” but we perservered and look who is doing the victory lap! Mattes suggested the rebranding for these cookies, hence Cinnamon Roll Cookies, and she is spot on. This perfect describes these decadent delights and besides, the long titles of Tieghan’s Half Baked Harvest recipes have always slightly irked me.
So here it is, the 2022 Winner for BEST TASTING COOKIE at the River Falls Christmas Cookie Party. Make these for your family, friends or to treat yourself. Santa will be thrilled to find a couple alongside a glass of milk, and they might even land you on the Nice List. I’ll be back in 2023, in the meantime, enjoy the holiday season!
Cinnamon Roll Cookies
Ingredients
Cinnamon Swirl
- 1/2 c dark brown sugar
- 4 Tbls salted butter at room temperature
- 2 tsp cinnamon
Cookies
- 2 sticks salted butter at room temperature (1 cup)
- 3/4 c dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 c all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/3 c granulated sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
Icing
- 2 oz cream cheese
- 2-3 Tbls milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 c powdered sugar
Instructions
Cinnamon Swirl
- In a bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Line a small baking sheet with parchment. Crumble/tear the cinnamon mix over the baking sheet, creating small chunks, no more than 2 tsp in size. They should be small like chips. Freeze 10 minutes, until firm.
Cookies
- Add 1 stick of butter to a skillet set over medium heat. Cook until the butter begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a heatproof bowl. Freeze for 10-15 minutes, but no longer.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, beat together the remaining stick of butter, the cooled browned butter, and the brown sugar until combined. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Add the vanilla, beating until creamy. Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Fold in the frozen cinnamon chunks.
- Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Roll the dough into rounded tablespoon size balls and then roll through the cinnamon sugar. Place 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 8 minutes, rotate pan and bake for another 1-3 minutes or until the cookies are just beginning to set on the edges but still doughy in the center.
- Remove from oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. They will continue to cook slightly as they sit.
Icing
- Meanwhile, make the icing. Melt the cream cheese in the microwave, stirring until smooth, 15-20 seconds. Whisk in the milk and vanilla. Add the powdered sugar, whisking to combine. Add a little more milk if needed to thin.
- Spread or drizzle each cookie with icing.
- Eat warm or let cool to set the icing. The icing will harden/dry enough to stack.