Cinnamon Bark Cookies
December 20, 2010
There are some ingredients that go hand in hand with the holiday season, and cinnamon is at the top of that list for me. Sprinkle it on a dollop of whipped cream that tops a cup of hot chocolate, mix it with sugar crystals that dust a snickerdoodle, or just use the cinnamon sticks as a holiday garnish. When I came across a recipe for Cinnamon Bark Cookies in my local paper, they looked so festive I just had to make them. While the ingredients seem simple enough, there is a bit of a learning curve when making these.
Let's just say my first few attempts to assemble these cookies, resulted in a pathetic mess that you would definitely not want to leave out for Santa. I quickly disposed of those, too embarrassed to capture my failure on camera, and set about making another batch. After about the third or fourth batch, I finally got the hang of it, and was able to produce a few that weren't too shabby. These little cookies are crispy and a little buttery, with a hint of cinnamon. Yum!
Cinnamon Bark Cookies
Printable Recipe
8 large egg whites
2 cups sugar, plus 1/4 cup
2 cups all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
1 tsp cinnamon extract
10 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/3 cup heavy cream
brown gel food coloring
2 tsp cinnamon
Heat the oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick silicon baking mat.
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to whisk together the egg whites and 2 cups of sugar until foamy. Add the flour and salt and mix to incorporate. Add the cinnamon extract, butter and cream, then beat again until completely smooth. In small amounts, add the brown food coloring a drop at a time until desired color is reached, stirring thoroughly between additions. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar with the cinnamon.
Scoop a teaspoon of batter onto the prepared baking sheet. Using a small offset spatula spread the batter thinly and evenly into a rectangle about 2-by-5-inches. Depending on the size of your baking sheet, you should be able to fit 2 to 4 cookies on at a time.
Sprinkle each rectangle lightly with the cinnamon-sugar. Bake the cookies for about 5-8 minutes, or until the surface looks dry. The edges should not be browned.
Working quickly and as soon as the baking sheet comes out of the oven, use an offset spatula to flip each rectangle over. Tightly roll both long sides of each rectangle toward the center, similar to forming a scroll. Set aside to cool and repeat in batches with remaining dough.
TIPS
* These cookies must be shaped into the rolled cinnamon stick as soon as they come out of the oven.
* Only cook 2-4 cookies at a time, or the rest will cool too quickly before you can roll them.
* For best results use a silicone baking mat, but if you don't have one use a well greased baking sheet.
* To remove the cookies from the sheet, use an offset spatula.
* Spreading the batter thinly ensures even baking of this cookie. Working with the delicate cookie while still warm and pliable is essential.
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38 comments:
These look really pretty and sound yummy!!
Lovely presention, original idea, and just wonderful!
Looks delicious and simple, which is a great combination.
I was wondering if you use any particular brand of cinnamon?
Thanks.
Mike
Oh, these are SOOOOO cool!! So creative - gorgeous.
Beautiful pictures! They look so delicate, do they crumble easily?
These look well worth the effort!
Mike - I don't use any particular brand of cinnamon, just whatever I have on hand:)
Makenzie - Yes, these do crumble fairly easily. They are definitely a dainty cookie:)
wow!! those cookies look amazing!! I can only imagine how hard they were to perfect! Thanks for all your hard work on this recipe, those cookies certainly were worth it!
Cheers
Dennis
wow! wow! wow! They look beautiful. So elegant! I would love to eat the together with some custard cream :)
I could only imagine how difficult these must have been to make! Good job persevering because the end result looks and sounds WONDERFUL. Thank you for sharing such great treats with me. I hope your week is full of love, joy and good food!
Oh my... these are so lovely! They look like they can be gobbled up in no time :-) Thank you for sharing the recipe and the tips ;-)
Wow, I am impressed that you kept trying! Definitely worth it, these look really cool.
What a unique little cookie. Love the shape.
These look absolutely gorgeous! Definitely love the idea and will be trying these out soon!
Such a pretty dish!! Love how delicate these look... they would be such a great addition to a dessert table!
These are gorgeous! When I saw them on my news feed I thought it was just a picture of cinnamon sticks but its the actual cookie! I'll let you know when I'm feeling adventurous and give them a try because I love everything cinnamon.
YUM! These look heavenly! great post :)
Just beautiful and original. Love them.
Very creative! Your pictures are gorgeous too!
These are beautiful! Cinnamon has a special place in my heart along with peppermint. I love seeing these wonderful flavors around the holidays!
these look amazing!!!
Awesome idea! How come I didn't think of that?!?! Thanks alot!
That looks so Yummy! Will need to try it next year!
What beautiful cookies. Adding to next years "must bake" list. Happy Holidays!
Hi there!
I woke up this morning to my blog header and button gone with a photobucket image in its place, saying I have exceeded my band width. I immediately went to check with my blog designer, Splendid Sparrow and it seems that her website has disappeared. I am quite nervous, because I recommended her to a friend. My friend gave her a deposit a few months ago and hasn't heard a word from her. I started googling around for other Splendid Sparrow clients and that's when I found you. It looks like you might be in the same predicament. I was wondering if you have any information? I'm going to try and contact Theresa now. I'll let you know if I hear anything. Please feel free to email me at anytime.
I love these! What a great idea! Such a great presentation! These would be an excellent gift! Thank you for sharing.
i love how gorgeous this looks!! yum!
Wow, I love cinnamon, but I don't know that would try these. I'm not a perfectionist. Yours are gorgeous.
these are so pretty & festive! I made something similar except with chocolate- Peppermint Bark Lollipops :) http://wp.me/p15gh6-co
These are so pretty...and I am sure are delicious as well :)
So gorgeous, love the photography
These would go lovely on top of some vanilla chai cupcakes...YUM! Thanks for sharing!
They look like fruit leathers! Such an original idea.
It seems like a lot of work, but it's totally worth it. I just tried this recipe the other day and people were amazed with it. The only bad thing about this recipe is that the cookies disappear really quickly. I have to take time to make them again soon.
I'm so glad you had the chance to make them:) They are a bit of work, but the results are satisfying:)
these look awesome!! Such an interesting idea!
So excited that I stumbled upon your blog--your recipes look divine! Quick question: can you describe what brown gel food coloring is--maybe even sharing with us what brand you used? I've found a couple of different items at the store, but none of them match your description exactly.
Wow, these look absolutely delicious! Thanks for the idea...and the Sugar Rush!
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