BAKING
My favorite version of a cinnamon roll is something that's soft and not overly sweet, and the cinnamon is prominent without being too overwhelming. These cinnamon roll cookies capture that in a quicker-to-make cookie that's equally as satisfying.
Cinnamon roll cookies
Yield: 26 (2-inch) cookies
For the dough
■ 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
■ 1 large egg, at room temperature
■ ¹⁄³ cup packed light brown sugar
■ ¼ cup powdered sugar
■ 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
■ ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
■ 1 ²⁄³ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
■ ¼ teaspoon baking powder
For the filling
■ ½ cup packed light brown sugar
■ 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
■ 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
■ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
■ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the icing
■ ½ cup powdered sugar
■ 1 ½ teaspoons milk, plus more as needed
■ ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
■ 1 pinch kosher salt
Make the dough
Beat butter, brown sugar, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and salt together in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed until fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a flexible spatula as needed, about 2 minutes.
Add the egg and beat on medium speed until well-combined (it will look curdled), scraping the bowl as needed, 15 to 30 seconds.
Whisk flour and baking powder together in a medium bowl. add to the butter mixture and mix on low speed until just combined and no dry spots remain, scraping halfway through, 30 to 40 seconds.
Transfer the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and use the plastic to pat it into a rough 7-½-by-6 ½-inch rectangle that's about ½-inch thick. Tightly wrap the rectangle in the plastic wrap and refrigerate until well-chilled and firmed, at least an hour and up to one day.
Make the filling
Whisk brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt together in a medium bowl. Drizzle in melted butter and stir together until evenly moistened.
Roll, fill and chill the dough
Lightly dust a work surface and rolling pin with all-purpose flour. unwrap the dough and lightly dust both sides with flour. Quickly roll the dough out into a rough 13-by-8-inch rectangle that's about 1/8-inch thick, continuing to lightly dust with flour as needed.
Using your hands or a spoon, scatter the filling over the dough (this helps with spreading). use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the filling as evenly over the dough as possible. (You may need to work it a bit, but this stiffer mixture prevents the cookie from unraveling in the oven and makes for a thick, gooey swirl that doesn't melt out.)
Starting with one of the long sides, tightly roll the dough up into a log (if the dough cracks at any point, just pinch it back together). Cut in half crosswise.
Wrap each dough log in plastic wrap and place on a small rimmed baking sheet or plate. Chill until firm, about 40 minutes in the freezer or at least 1 hour and up to 1 day in the refrigerator.
Bake the cookies
Arrange two racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat the oven to 350 F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Unwrap the dough logs. Use a sharp knife to cut each one crosswise into ½-inch-thick rounds (26 to 28 total). To keep the cookies round, roll the log slightly every few cuts.
Divide and arrange the cookies between the baking sheets, spacing them evenly apart.
Bake, rotating the baking sheets between racks and from front to back halfway through, until the cookies are just set, matte and spread slightly, 8 to 11 minutes total. Let cool on the baking sheets, about 30 minutes.
Make the glaze and finish the cookies
Whisk powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract and salt together in a small bowl until the glaze is smooth and runs off the whisk in ribbons. If it's too thick, add more milk sparingly, about ¹⁄8 teaspoon at a time, until fluid.
Drizzle over the cooled cookies and let sit until the glaze is set, about 15 minutes.
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Kayla Hoang is a contributor to TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. submit any comments or questions to editorial@thekitchn.com.