These cinnamon sugar cookies are buttery, sugary with a hint of vanilla and just the right amount of cinnamon. Baked until crisp on the outside but soft on the inside. The recipe is surprisingly simple and easy to make too. A perfect cookie flavor to add to your cookie jars during the festive or holiday season.
Table of Content
Almost every year, these cookies are in my gift hampers during the holidays. They are so popular with family and friends.
In fall, I have a few cookie doughs that I make in big batches and save in the fridge so I can have them on hand every time we have guests. This is definitely one of them, along with my soft molasses cookies, chocolate crinkle cookies, and cranberry pistachio cookies.
About these cookies
These cinnamon sugar cookies are similar to soft sugar cookies but are coated in additional cinnamon and sugar before baking. These bake thin and crisp on the outside and are an absolute addiction. This is one of the popular cookies in my edible gifts cookie jar during Christmas.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Unsalted butter - I like to use unsalted butter in all my baking so I can control the amount of salt. And yet, if you must use salted butter omit the salt in the recipe.
- All-purpose flour - I always use all-purpose flour with great success. You do not need any other flour.
- Cornstarch - Also known as cornflour - I never miss an opportunity to add starch, cornflour, rice flour, semolina. These add a nice crumbly melt in the mouthfeel. It also lightens the cookie.
- Brown Sugar - I've used light brown sugar and highly recommend it. White sugar will make the cookies crisper while the brown sugar will make them chewier
- Vanilla extract - I like using vanilla extract. And yet, it also tends to color the dough. So, if you need a white or plain white dough, add clear vanilla extract or rose essence. Having said that, always use a good quality vanilla extract. I know it's expensive which is why I make my vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste as well as vanilla sugar.
- Cinnamon - Use a good quality cinnamon powder from a trusted source. Cheap brands don't give the best flavor and cake take woody.
Step by step instructions
Prepare dough
- Combine together flour, cornflour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger
- Cream together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy
- Add vanilla, and egg - combine well.
- Next, add the flour mixture - combine well but do not over mix.
- Cover the dough and let chill in the fridge for an hour or until firm
Shape cookies and bake
- Preheat the oven at 170 C / 340 F.
- Combine brown sugar and cinnamon for coating in a bowl.
- Take a small golf size amount of dough and roll into a ball.
- Coat in the cinnamon sugar.
- Then, place on a baking tray.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden.
- When baked, remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, transfer to an airtight cookie jar.
- These cookies will keep for up to 2 weeks.
Frequently asked questions
These cinnamon sugar cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. You can freeze the dough for up to a month or freeze the cookies for up to three months.
These cookies are supposed to spread some.
However, too much butter or sugar in the recipe can lead to cookies spreading. Too much baking powder or baking soda can also make cookies spread too much.
Place cookies on a cold, not hot baking pan.
And make sure the oven is at the right temperature.
It is always a good practice to refrigerate cookies while the oven is preheating. Chilling cookie dough helps solidify the butter in the cookies. This helps when baking by preventing them from spreading since chilled dough takes longer to melt compared to room temperature fat.
These cookies have a good shelf life as a dough as well as cookies.
The dough, if wrapped well, can usually stay in the fridge for 5 to 6 days before coating and baking.
You can also place the unbaked cookies on a parchment-lined tray, wrapped well with cling wrap, for about 3 to 4 days.
In addition, this cinnamon sugar cookie dough can be frozen for a month or more if covered well.
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Printable Recipe
Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
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Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
Dough
- ½ cup (113 g) Butter ((1 stick) unsalted, room temperature)
- ½ cup (110 g) Brown sugar
- 1 Egg (large)
- 1 ½ cup (190 g) All-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon Cornflour
- ¼ teaspoon Baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Ginger (ground)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
Coating
- ½ cup (100 g) Sugar
- 2 teaspoon Cinnamon
Instructions
- Combine together flour, cornflour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ground ginger.
- Cream together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla, and egg – combine well.
- Next, add the flour mixture – combine well but do not over mix.
- Cover the dough and let chill in the fridge for an hour or until firm.
- Preheat the oven at 170 C / 340 F.
- Combine brown sugar and cinnamon for coating in a bowl.
- Take a small golf size amount of dough and roll into a ball.
- Coat in the cinnamon sugar.
- Then, place on a baking tray.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden.
- When baked, remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, transfer to an airtight cookie jar.
- These cookies will keep for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Purvi
Hey sorry for a late reply. And thanks for the egg substitute . Will share with you when I try it.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Purvi
poornima bhat
Hi amazing recipe...
But can you help with an egg substitute or can it be skipped..
Would also love to know if this can be done with your other Cookie recipes that has eggs...
Veena Azmanov
Hey Poornima. All cookies are different so I can't tell if this works for all cookies. I do have lots of eggless cookies recipes.
Someone tried this recipe with yogurt and said it was good. She replaced the egg with 2 tbsp yogurt instead. Let me know if it worked.
Natalie
I love sugar cookies! These cinnamon cookies look amazing - perfect with a cup of tea ♥
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Natalie.
Kelly Anthony
I'm going to add this soft on the inside but crunchy on the outside to my list of cookies to make this holiday season. These cinnamon sugar cookies are sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Kelly. Yes, these are definitely crown pleasers