Ingredients
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 c. (150 g.) granulated sugar
1/2 c. (115 g.) packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 c. (240 g.) plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. (20 g.) milk powder
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
6 oz. (170 g.) cream cheese
Preparation
Step 1Preheat oven to 350°. In the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed until well combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl, add egg and vanilla, and beat until combined, about 2 minutes more.Step 2Add flour, milk powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; beat on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Step 3Divide dough in half. Knead cinnamon into one-half of dough. Step 4Fill a 2-ounce cookie scoop (or 1⁄4-cup measuring cup) halfway with cinnamon dough, then fill remaining half with plain dough. Pinch and twist doughs together with your fingers to form a swirl. Flip dough ball upside down. Using your thumbs, create a well big enough to place 1 tablespoon cream cheese inside, then wrap dough edges around cream cheese to completely seal. Step 5Arrange rounds seam side down on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2" to 3" apart. Using the palm of your hand, flatten dough. Step 6Bake cookies until edges are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.Step 7Let cool slightly on sheets (they’re awesome warm) or store in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 1 week.
They’re the most accessible baked good. They’re handheld, portable, not fussy at all, and yet a single bite of a cookie can move a person to happiness like no other dessert can. My favorite person to make cookies for is someone who least expects it—showing up to the dentist with a fresh batch or stashing a few in my mailbox for the letter carrier. My day runs on cookies. I try to squeeze the treat into every meal: a Peanut Butter S’mores bar for lunch, a Cocoa Mint Chip cookie for a late-night snack. I like pulling inspiration from some of my favorite desserts (chocolate mint cookies and cream ice cream, fireside s’mores with a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup) and imagining them as a cookie. My go-to special-occasion baked good is a fresh, warm cinnamon bun. The buttery cinnamon swirl, the gooey cream cheese frosting—I knew I had to dream it into a cookie. The best part about these cookies is they’re totally appropriate to eat them any time of day you’d normally eat a cinnamon bun: breakfast, midday snack, midnight craving. If your day runs on cookies too, you’ll love them. Made these? Let us know how it went in the comments below. sugar
