After being invited to a cookie exchange party I scoured the internet looking for an easy and tasty cookie recipe. Since I don’t bake very often, I don’t really have a go-to recipe. Initially, I was going to find an easy bar cookie or some type of bark candy, both being easy to throw together and then cut/break after finished. But then I laid my eyes on these Cinnamon Roll Cookies on Picky-Palate’s cooking blog. Being a fan of anything with cinnamon, I opened the link and quickly scanned to see if it was something a non-baker could handle. The recipe seemed fairly straight forward, with pictures even. Sold! The ingredients were purchased after work on Friday, with plans to make the cookies Saturday evening.
My mom arrived this week and she and I spent most of Saturday downtown at the Renegade Craft Fair. It was a beautiful (actually on the warmer side in the sun) and leisurely day.
After some Christmas and personal shopping we headed home late afternoon. Before starting the cookies I took care of a couple of chores and walked the dog. The cookie recipe looked very straight forward, 9-11 minutes in the oven, no problem. So about 6 PM, the cookie baking began. At that time, I figured after about an hour, maybe two, the they’d be done.
I underestimated the time by HOURS! The base of the cookie is a fairly straightforward sugar cookie recipe. I whipped that up in my stand mixer and divided the dough into two rounds. Then I moved down to the next step in the recipe where the instructions said to chill the dough for 2 hours. Ummmmm…I hadn’t noticed that amount of time in my initial scan. So in the fridge it went, and now running 2 hours behind schedule.
On the bright side, a friend of mine who works for the CBS lent me an advanced DVD copy of the new movie, Last Vegas. The two hour delay gave us a chance to watch it, cookie baking free. It was cute. I wouldn’t recommend paying $15 to see it at the theater, but it’s definitely a fun at-home rental.
About 8:30, the dough was ready to work and I was ready to get started, again. The next step was to divide the dough and roll it into flat ovals. Then the ovals were smeared with butter, cinnamon, and sugar, rolled into logs, and sliced into the little cookies. Now, this was not hard in the least, but it was very time consuming. My initial, “Oh, it’s only 9-11 minutes for each batch,” turned into about 45 minutes from (start to finish) for each batch…and the dough made 6 batches.
They were a hit at today’s cookie party, but seriously, this is why I don’t bake. While I’m kind of a pro with time management in every other aspect of my life, baking always laughs in the face of my confidence.
They look fantastic and yummy. Have a wonderful visit with your mother....I am off to Santa Barbara tomorrow. Merry Christmas in case I get too busy to post.
ReplyDeleteThey are pretty good. Unfortunately (or fortunately) I came down with a headcold yesterday and can't taste or smell anything. Off they all go...out of my kitchen.
DeleteHave a wonderful trip as well.
My, but you don't do things by halves do you. 28 per, and five=140. Well done indeedy.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck with your Mom in town. I'll have a look at the links later.
Oh, I never would have made this recipe if it were just for me to use for the holidays, or if I did I would have halved it. For the cookie exchange, I had to bring 5 dozen, so 6 wasn't that much of a difference, but ya, it made a lot more than that didn't it. :)
DeleteAfter the exchange, there is now a variety of cookies on the plate that I will use for work colleague gifts.
I am not much for baking either...but I have a quick, yummy cookie...I found it on a pkg of Bob's Redmill Muesli....I just double the chocolate chips! just mix it all and bake for 10 to 12 minutes :)
ReplyDeleteYour cookies did look delicious :)
Yes, I need to find a go-to recipes. I like to try new ones, but that one was a lot of work. I don't have time for that the last week before break, especially since I won't even be home to enjoy them. FOUR MORE DAYS!!!
DeleteIt's so odd, but were you at that fair last year or the one before. But it does seem to be a BIG thing and well organised if the spread of places it pops up in are anything to go by. But surely it isn't like a circus given the distances involved.
ReplyDeleteAre there no markets that allow this type of thing to run year round.
Yes, it was a year ago that I posted about the fair - that was when I was pulled over for speeding but thankfully got out of the ticket. :) They don't come nearly enough as I'd like. This time of year there are few more, but I like this one a lot because it's not really crafty stuff like some of the holiday fairs. I've also attended the summer Renegade. It's very similar and I can see, unless they bring in new vendors, it's going to get repetitive as for the last two years I've seen a lot of the same artists. But I don't think the artists travel with the fair...they are local.
Deleteoh i feel for you.. sorry i giggled through the whole post.
ReplyDelete