Cinnamon Bun Shortbread Cookies

Have you ever craved for a cinnamon roll but did not have the patience to wait for rising dough? These cookies are the answer to the need for instant cinnamon gratification! There is a refrigerator/freezer time (good things can't be rushed) but it's not as agonizing as constantly peeking under a towel- covered bowl to see if the yeast has kicked in. And even though they are in the form of a crispy shortbread, I think any hardcore cinnamon bun lover will find these cookies very satisfying.

I have to be honest, these did not turn out the way I imagined they would. Actually I wasn't sure what to expect but it certainly wasn't a cinnamon pinwheeled shortbread. As I was preparing the vanilla dough, things began to click and I was once again reminded that I should really read through recipes before diving into them. With the amount of butter used for a small batch, it became clear that these were going to have the wonderful kind of rich texture that melts inside the heat of your mouth. And instead of being soft and chewy, they were going to have the crisp, sand-like texture of a shortbread.

I was not at all disappointed, just surprised. Even though these did not have the texture of a cinnamon bun, they did have all the buttery flavour. Thanks to fact that you roll the dough up in the same fashion as a real bun, the cinnamon/sugar mixture is evenly dispersed throughout all that butteriness. The glaze is a decadent ribbon of cream, sugar, and cinnamon. You may find yourself spooning up as much it as possible, not even caring if the cookies have had an equal share. Go ahead, no one is looking.

Cinnamon Bun Shortbread Cookies
(recipe by RecipeGirl)

* printer friendly Recipe *

Ingredients

VANILLA COOKIE DOUGH:

½ cup powdered sugar

¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter

• ½ tsp salt
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  
  MIDDLE:

• 1 large egg white
• 1 Tbs water
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
  
  ICING:

• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tbs heavy whipping cream
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  
  
  
  Method:

1. Prepare dough: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the sugar, butter, salt and vanilla. Add the flour, stirring to make a cohesive dough. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until you’re ready to use it.

2. Roll the dough: Transfer chilled dough to a lightly floured piece of parchment or waxed paper. Roll it into a 9×12-inch rectangle. In a small bowl, whisk together egg white and water until foamy. Brush onto rolled out dough. In another small bowl, whisk together sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle it evenly over the dough. Starting with a long edge, carefully roll the dough into a log, sealing the edge (if dough sticks to parchment, gently use a metal spatula to guide it off of the paper). Wrap in plastic wrap or parchment, and freeze until firm.

3. Bake the cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two cookie sheets. Remove the dough from the freezer and unwrap it. Using a sharp knife, gently cut it into ½-inch slices. Transfer them to the prepared baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, until they’re a light golden brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool.

4. Ice the cookies: Sift or strain the powdered sugar into a medium-sized bowl to remove any lumps. Whisk the cream into the sugar to make a smooth icing. Drizzle or spread icing onto cookies (or serve alongside in a bowl for dipping).

*I was only able to make 18 cookies but I sliced mine slightly thicker than 1/2 inch*