Cinnamon Bun Cookies

I love cinnamon buns. Love them warm out of the oven, covered in sticky icing, the soft, pillowy outside and the gooey inside with bits of cinnamon and sugar ending up all over your fingers. Seriously, cinnamon buns are delicious, but they're a lot of work. Next best thing? Cinnamon bun cookies!

They're not a simple drop cookie,  but they have much less work than cinnamon buns do! The end result is a crisp, buttery cookie with a warm cinnamon taste - plus a house that smells amazing.

You can drizzle them with a little glaze if you want, or just leave them as is to enjoy. 

Tip of the Day: In some instances, foil or plastic wrap can substitute just fine for parchment paper. Not here. The dough is quite sticky and will adhere itself to foil or plastic in the freezer with the end result being not so pretty cookies. Invest in parchment!

Recipe: (via Heat to 350)

1/2 cup powdered sugar

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 large egg white 

1 tablespoon water

Beat together the butter, powdered sugar, salt and vanilla until light and fluffy. 

Add in the flour and stir until the dough comes together. Form the dough in to a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours. 

On a piece of parchment paper, roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 9x12". 

Whisk together the egg white and water and brush it on the dough, then mix together the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle it evenly over the dough

Roll the log up in to a long, thin, tight roll, then wrap in the parchment paper and stick in the freezer for at least 1 hour. 

Using a sharp chef's knife, cut the log in to 1/2" slices, then bake on parchment paper at 350 F for 10 to 14 minutes.