Time for another Blogger’s Choice Swap! I took a month or two off the swaps so we could move and get the house organized. Now that most of the house is in order, I am participating again. It feels good to be back!
This month, I was given Christine’s Kitchen Chronicles to look for inspiration. Christine has so many wonderful recipes that it was difficult choosing just one item to try! Christine is Asian like I am, and we’ve messaged each other a few times to wish each other a Happy Chinese New Year over the time that I’ve “known” her (online, that is). I still need to find some courage and patience to make her ever-popular Chinese bakery-style cake and Chinese Bolo Bao.
Anyway, I took the easy route and found these cinnamon roll cookies. Cinnamon rolls are on my baking bucket list, and I still haven’t found the time or energy to make them. I’m getting one step closer since I’m making the cookie version first! Baby steps, people.
Since I didn’t want to have 48 cookies lying around the house, I halved the recipe. These cookies were great! I love the fact that they looked like regular cinnamon rolls, and they definitely had a similar flavor profile. The cookies on their own are not too sweet, so if you’re not a frosting type of person, you can leave that part off. Those of you who have a sweet tooth (myself included) will like the added frosting to give it a more authentic cinnamon roll taste.
Thanks for a fantastic cookie recipe, Christine!
Cinnamon roll cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Filling
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter very soft
- 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Icing
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 Tablespoons melted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2-4 Tablespoons milk
Instructions
Make the cookies
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugars together in a large bowl (using an hand-held electric mixer) or the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add the eggs one at a time, and beat until just combined. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl. Add add half of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Then add the remaining flour mixture and mix until combined, scraping the bowl as needed. Mold the dough into a ball in the center of the bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and chill in the freezer for 30 minutes, or the refrigerator for at least an hour.
- Once the dough is chilled, divide it into two equal halves. Place one half back in the bowl and return it to the fridge. On a large piece of plastic wrap, pat the first half of the dough into a rectangle about nine inches by twelve inches, and about half an inch thick. Place half of the butter on the dough and spread it all the way to the edges. Then sprinkle half of the brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over the buttered dough and press gently to get the mixture into the dough. Use the plastic wrap to tightly roll the dough into a log. Place the log in the freezer for 30 minutes or the refrigerator for at least an hour.
- Repeat with the remaining half of the dough and filling ingredients.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (I used my Silpat).
- After the dough has chilled the second time, slice each log into half inch slices (you should get about 24 slices per log). Place cut side up on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely before icing.
Make the icing
- In a medium bowl, combine the butter and instant espresso powder. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla and whisk until it just comes together. Next, add the milk, one tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached. It should be thin enough to drizzle, but thicker than a glaze.
- With the cookies on a wire cooling rack set over parchment paper, drizzle the icing over the them with your whisk. Allow the cookies to set up for a few minutes before stacking or storing.
These look great! I'm not a huge icing person either so I like that you can keep it off!
One word: yum!
I've made these before and they are yummy! Cinnamon rolls take some time but I think they are worth the effort.
These look awesome! When I saw you post them on WC, I demanded to know why you were not already in my Google Reader. Consider that situation remedied.
Hi Eva! I'm so glad that you enjoyed these and were able to dip your toe into the world of Cinnamon Bun deliciousness :). If you need some full-out cinnamon bun recommendations, you can't go wrong with Clone of a Cinnabon (http://christineskitchenchronicles.blogspot.com/2010/01/clone-of-cinnabon.html) or for something *REALLY* rich and outrageous, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Stuffed Cinnamon Buns (http://christineskitchenchronicles.blogspot.com/2012/04/secret-recipe-club-chocolate-chip.html)Your photo is fab and we're going to need to swap authentic Asian recipes as we're able to collect them. Thanks also for leaving a review on my post of these cookies.
Yummy! I can't wait to make these!!!
These look awesome – cinnamon roll-anything and I'm there 🙂
These look ridiculously delicious!!
I have been meaning to make these. My family is crazy about cinnamon rolls. Then you put them into cookie form? My kids and husband will go nuts. They look perfect Eva!
Oooh these look delicious! And so much quicker than real cinnamon rolls!!! Thanks so much for linking up with mine and Whipped Baking's Christmas Cookie Exchange!