Cinnamon Roll Cookies

I have to say I really am enjoying this 12 week of Christmas Treats blog hop!  I'm getting great ideas from the other bloggers, and it is making me look forward to the holidays! Thank you so much to Brenda from Meal Planning Magic for hosting this great swap!

This week's recipe is for these delicious and adorable Cinnamon Roll Cookies.  I made them last year and they were a hit!  There is just something special about cinnamon rolls around the holidays, and getting to enjoy them in cookie form is a real treat.

I actually did not make the frosting last time because we were travelling and it was just too much to remember to bring on top of all the other things we needed to pack for the holidays. But, it is a very easy glaze and can either be made real quickly or made and stored in a separate container (of course I didn't think of this then). Either way, these cookies were fabulous without the glaze too! And these cookies will freeze great, so if you want to get ahead with your holiday baking, these are a great choice to get you started!

Cinnamon Roll Cookies

For the Cookies

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 roll (16.5 oz) refrigerated sugar cookies

For the Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Warm water, if necessary

Heat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, combine granulated sugar and cinnamon; set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into 9x6-inch rectangle. Spread cinnamon-sugar mixture over dough; gently press into dough. Starting at the short side, roll up the dough into log; sprinkle with any cinnamon-sugar that falls out. If desired, sprinkle with additional cinnamon sugar.

Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 12 (1/2-inch) slices. Place slices 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.

Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes; then transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely before glazing.

In small bowl, stir all powdered sugar, butter and vanilla until smooth. If necessary, add warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency.

Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies; let stand until set. Store in airtight container, using waxed paper between cookie layers.

Source: Pillsbury.com