These cookies have been a big hit this summer, traveling to cottage country, Ottawa valley farmland, Mom's office, and a girls' night BBQ. They can be summed up very simply: cinnamon rolls in a cookie. It's a divine melding of cinnamon and walnuts mixed into a cookie!
They're a perfect match for a quiet cup of tea or coffee (guilty pleasure breakfast?) but are equally yummy when eaten around a noisy kitchen counter with a bunch of friends.
We found the recipe on "Canadian Baker Too", a blog we visit quite often. The original recipe comes from Martha Stewart. Before making these, note that they are refrigerator cookies, so they have to sit for a while - which means you need to set aside a few hours for baking.
Cinnamon Roll Cookies
Cookie Dough
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup softened butter
1 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest
2 eggs
- Mix together butter, sugar, and orange zest on medium speed, until smooth. Beat in eggs.
- In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking soda. Add slowly to butter and sugar mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined.
- Divide dough in half. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Roll dough onto well floured surface into a rectangle that's approximately 10x12 (ours was probably a bit smaller). Transfer the rolled-out dough onto a cookie sheet and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Filling
4 tablespoons softened butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- To toast walnuts, spread on a baking sheet and bake at 350 F for 5 minutes. You can also use a frying pan on the stove to achieve the same result.
- Use a fork or spoon to combine the filling ingredients. Crumble the mixture evenly over the rectangles of dough.
- Starting at the long edge, roll the dough rectangles into logs. Make the logs tight, because air bubbles will cause the cookies to fall apart when you slice the dough. If the dough doesn't seem sticky enough, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes.
- Wrap the logs in parchment paper and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Slice logs into cookies (just like you do with the Pillsbury dough) that are about 1/4 inch thick. Transfer onto cookie sheets.
- Bake in 350 F oven for about 13 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Let cool for a few minutes on pan before transferring to wire racks.
Make sure to remember the orange - it adds a little zip.
Mixing the dough.
Make sure to keep your rolling pin well-floured to avoid stickiness.
Spreading the filling evenly should make the dough easier to roll into logs.
Slicing the dough... try to keep them at
a uniform thickness.
Ready to bake!
