Cinnamon Roll Cookies

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At my high school, you have to take one gym class to get gym credit (because it is also a health class) and the rest of the three credits can be sports. So, I decided to knock out my class in the first semester. And last week we were studying nutrition and had to keep track of all the food we ate for a week (I have not gotten the results on this little project yet, but my teacher glanced at it and said it looked healthy. But the dessert section was conveniently covered up). Anywho, I made these last week so just about every day it says "cinnamon roll cookie." And I'm sure my teacher has no idea what exactly that means. But come on. Cinnamon roll cookie. I'm sure he'll be happy about it.

(That's my hand by the way. It looks great, huh? I should go into a career of hand-modeling. Not blogging. Hand modeling is where it's at.) 

(I might just bribe him with one to get my grade up.)

And one other thing I would like to complain about, to an understanding audience such as yourselves, is that while he was talking about nutrition, my teacher said, and I quote, "There is no benefit to a cupcake [or cookies, as the case may be] other than the mental high it gives you while you're eating it." I wanted to get up in class and go "Excuse me. I beg to differ." and launch into a lengthy explanation about eating a cookie a day is good for your soul and not to mention, you can savor food and that mental high can last for a long time. Especially if it's super sugary and you feel the rush even after you've eaten it all. *snaps fingers in z-formation*

Basically I just wanted to contradict his statement because in no way is that true. I mean baked goods have loads of benefits. Like giving you a good taste palette  And tasting good. And comforting you. And for enjoying with company. Am I right? Help me out here.

Whatever. These benefit your tastebuds. That's what counts.

Anyways, this idea came from my brother, actually, who when I asked what he wanted requested cinnamon roll cookies. So I did some research and compiled this recipe. None of this was my own creating, but I found all the recipes from different places and combined them.

It's a simple sugar cookie dough, and with the filling you might just think it would taste like a snicker-doodle.

But, oh no sir, it does not. Now, in my professional opinion, what distinguishes it from a snicker-doodle is the streusel. The streusel is what makes it seem like an actual cinnamon roll and what gives it it's extra sweetness. And the icing helps too. A lot. It tastes just like those cans of Pillsbury frosting icing. (Confession: whenever we made cinnamon rolls from those cans as a kid I would always want to just eat that plain. Sometimes I took a swipe or two with my finger. And I always made sure my cinnamon roll was drenched in the stuff. Shh.)

(I love these close-up shots with all the streusel all detailed and in your face)

It tastes like a sweet little dessert-cinnamon roll. I would not recommend eating these for breakfast. But hey, I can't stop you. I don't know who you are. You could eat as many as you'd like for breakfast. Even more than you'd like. And I'd have no idea. ;)

-Audrey

Cinnamon Roll Cookies
Cookie:
From: Tastes of Lizzy T
Ingredients
• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 to 4 tablespoons buttermilk

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in dry ingredients. Add just enough of the buttermilk to moisten the dough and make it soft, not wet. We used about 1 tablespoon.

Streusel:
From: Bright-Eyed Baker
• 2 1/2 ounces (1/3 cup, packed) brown sugar
• 1 3/4 ounces (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 6 3/8 ounces (1 1/2 cups, spoon and level) all-purpose flour

1. Whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Add the melted butter and whisk in until well-incorporated. Fold in the flour until it is completely incorporated into the mixture and the dough comes together in a ball; you may need to use your hands to finish clumping all the dough together. Set aside while preparing the remaining recipe components.

Filling:
From: Sally's Baking Addiction
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Spread the softened butter on top. Mix together the cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle it all over the dough. Add more cinnamon/sugar if desired. Roll up the dough tightly.

Icing:
From: Gimme Some Oven
Cream Cheese Icing Ingredients:
o 1/2 cup butter, softened
o 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
o 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
o 1-2 Tbsp. milk (if needed)

Either in the bowl of an electric stand mixer, or a mixing bowl, whisk softened butter and cream cheese together until combined. Then whisk in powdered sugar until combined. If the icing is too thick, add a tablespoon or two of milk to thin.

Assembly:

1. Prepare all of the parts of the recipe.

2. Roll the dough into strands (or in Kindergarten, they call them worms) and lightly spread with butter. Put the filling onto the butter so it sticks and roll up the cookie like a cinnamon roll.

3. Top with streusel.

4. Bake for 8 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes on the baking sheets before removing to cool on a rack.

5. Once completely cool, pipe the icing onto the cookies in a swirl. Let harden, and then eat.