Cinnamon & Apple Cinnamon Cookies

Today is Larry’s work potluck holiday party. Of course I was volunteered to make something to contribute. Larry asked for my caramels Video #18 – Making Caramels with Priscilla, Making Caramels, but I couldn’t just give caramels, so I made cookies too. I made two variations of the same cookie. One was just plain cinnamon swirl cookie, and the others were apple cinnamon swirl cookies. I’ll find out later how everything went. I’m going out on a limb to say they will be very well received and liked. I have a feeling they will all disappear pretty quickly. :)

Had I read the recipe first, I might not have made these delicious cookies because of the time it takes to make them, but the few that have been sampled so far, and NOT by me by the way, have received rave reviews, making them worth the time and effort. and Larry loves anything with apples and/or cinnamon.

Cinnamon Swirl and Apple Cinnamon Swirl Cookies

The recipe is the same for both of these variations with the exception adding finely chopped apples to one batch. Adding the apples were an after thought, just to add some variety. I knew I was going to have to double the recipe, so I made one batch plain and one batch with apples.

1 cup or 2 sticks of softened butter

2/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1 TBSP vanilla

2 cups flour

1 egg lightly beaten

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice or 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground cloves and 1/2 tsp ground ginger

2 cups peeled and finely chopped apples if making them with apples

2 cups powdered sugar

2 TBSP milk

1 tsp vanilla

Beat the butter and sugar together for 2 minutes, then add the egg and vanilla. Add the flour 1/2 at a time, beating in between each addition. When the dough is made, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at 30-60 minutes before the next step.

While the dough is chilling, mix together the brown sugar and spices together, and apples if using, or you can add the apples separately on top.

When the dough is ready, roll it out into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Brush the dough with the beaten egg. Evenly spread the cinnamon and brown sugar mixture over the dough. If using apples, add them on top of the mixture.

Carefully start rolling the dough into a 15×10 inch tube, firmly pressing as you go to seal it. Place the dough on a sheet pan, cover and place in the freezer for about 30 minutes. This will make it easier to slice. Silly me, I forgot to add the brown sugar to my spices, so I just added a little bit on the top of each cookie, and gently worked it in. The results were the same, and if I never said anything, no one would have ever known about my little faux pas. :)

When the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 375* F or about 191*C.

Slice the dough with a serrated knife, into slices about 1/4 inch thick. Place the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper about 2 inches apart.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until the edges lightly brown. Allow the cookies to cool for a couple of minutes on the tray, then place on a cookie rack to cool completely.

When the cookies are completely cooled, add the frosting.

The frosting is the powdered sugar with milk and vanilla. Make it the consistency you like. If you like a thinner frosting, add a little less powdered sugar. If you like a thicker frosting, add a little more. You can also add a cream cheese frosting too if you prefer. I also added a few festive sprinkles on to differentiate between the two variations. The apple version was spruced up with the sprinkles.

And voila. Larry’s cookies and caramel tray was ready to party.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukkah and Happy Holidays. Stay safe and stay well. ’Til next time.