Week Two of Christmas Cookies: Cinnamon Roll Cookies

These cookies were made with a lot of love, and a little profanity.  Really.  Let me explain... these cookies have been made a million times in the blogging world - we all know there are many variations.  I just so happened to choose a difficult one.  Picture this:  it's 11:00 p.m. and I am at the kitchen counter cursing at the dough as I am desperately trying to roll it up without it breaking.  Grrr.  I am not a baker, by any stretch of the imagination.  I think the thing that bugs me about baking is that a recipe has to be followed to the letter, and even after it is, sometimes it just doesn't come out right.  (This, fortunately, was not one of those cases.)  I don't know enough about the chemistry of food to adjust baking recipes.  I love to cook - I can add, delete, substitute, and change ingredients until my heart is content.  When I cook, I don't usually curse at my food... unless I drop it on the floor.  All that being said and all baking-headaches aside, these turned out FABULOUSLY.  They are every bit as good as they look.  I asked my husband if they were worth the headache, his response:  "They weren't a headache for me."  Of course not, all you did was eat them.  Silly me.  It only took me two days to make them....
Next year, at this time, you will probably find me at my kitchen counter, cursing the dough.  They are that good.  Best dishes and yummy dreams!

xoxo,

Cinnamon Roll Cookies

Recipe by:  Sommer at A Spicy Perspective 

2 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 tsp. of vanilla extract

1 tsp active dry yeast

1 c. sugar

3 3/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 1/2 tbsp. cinnamon

3 tbsp. whole milk

1 c. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

chopped pecans (my addition to the recipe)

1.  Mix 2 tsp. of cool vanilla with the dry yeast.  

2.  Cream the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla-yeast mixture with an electric mixer for 2 minutes until fluffy.

3.  Turn the mixture on low, add the salt, and slowly add the flour.  Mix until combined.

4.  Shape and press the dough into a flat disc on plastic wrap.  Wrap it up and allow it to cool in the refrigerator for at least 1 1/2 hours. 

5.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon. 

6.  Cut the dough in half, leaving half in the fridge.

7.  FLOUR your rolling pin and wax paper well, then roll the dough into a rectangle shape about 1/4 inch thick and 7*18 inches in size. (Trim the edges to make a rectangle.)

8.  Sprinkle half of the cinnamon and brown sugar on the dough.  Leave area on the edges of the dough clear.  

9.  Slowly, roll the dough up and seal the end seam.  Wrap and place the dough back into the fridge to chill (it makes it easier to cut).  

10.  Repeat with the other set of dough.  Then, cut the rolls into 1/2 wide cookies.  

11.  Place the cookies on a sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake for 9-10 minutes.

12.  Allow cookies to cool completely, the mix the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk to make the glaze.  Dip the face of each cookie in the glaze, then sprinkle with pecans (my little addition).  Set them to dry.

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I also shared this recipe with:
http://theartsygirlconnection.blogspot.com/2011/12/pininspirational-thursday-11-linky.html
and the cute buttons on the side bar!