Cinnamon Lover's Cookie (picture)

While an Internet search will turn up a real recipe for what are called "cinnamon roll cookies", I think this recipe makes cookies that TASTE like cinnamon rolls.  I made a single batch the first time, but always a double batch after that.

 
INGREDIENTS:

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup room temperature butter
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
cinnamon/sugar mixture

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a mixer bowl, cream together sugar and butter; beat in egg and vanilla.
2. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt-- add to butter mixture and mix well.
3. Cover/refrigerate 2 hours, or proceed without  doing this. (Dough will be a bit sticky.)
4.  Form into 'walnut sized' balls.  Roll each ball (they're kind of sticky) in a mix of cinnamon/sugar to coat.
5. Set cookies 1-inch apart on lightly greased cookie sheet, or use parchment paper.
6. Using hand, flatten only slightly.
7. Bake at 350-degrees for 12-13 minutes or until the edges are only slightly browned.
8. Cool on pans for about 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on racks.

These cookies are good 'as is', but, to make them even more like the cinnamon rolls I make, I line them up end to end on cookie sheets and drizzle rows of 'browned butter' icing on them-- pouring slowly from the kettle and moving along and above the rows of cookies.  I make 'browned butter' icing like this:

Heat 1/4 or 1/2 stick butter in pan only until golden brown in color (stirring all the while).  Quickly add about two tablespoons milk to stop the browning, and then some SIFTED powdered sugar till you have the amount and consistency of frosting you need.  It may be necessary to add tiny amounts of more milk to get a smooth texture.  (When it's how you want it, a 'thick' kind of 'runny', you have to get this onto the cookies quickly before it thickens.)  I immediately drizzle 'strips' of this over the cookies.   I line the cookies up in rows on a cookie sheet and drizzle lines of frosting over the long rows of cookies (each cookie ends up with about three strips of frosting).  ENJOY!!!!