Cinnamon Cookies

These cinnamon cookies pack a double hit. Ground cinnamon goes into the dough itself, then more cinnamon sugar gets sprinkled on top before baking. The result is warm spice through every layer.

The dough uses egg yolks only, no whole eggs. That extra fat from the yolks without the water from the whites keeps these cookies tender and crumbly rather than chewy. Brushing the tops with unbeaten egg white before the cinnamon sugar topping goes on creates a tacky surface that grabs the sugar and holds it in place during baking.

Add the flour in three batches and mix just until combined each time. Overworking this dough develops gluten and turns tender cookies into tough ones.

Pro Tips

• Cream the shortening and sugar until genuinely light and fluffy. This takes a solid 3 to 4 minutes and builds the air pockets that keep the cookies tender.
• Sift the flour, cinnamon, and salt together so the cinnamon distributes evenly. Unmixed pockets of cinnamon will give you hot spots of flavor.
• Bake at the full 400°F (200°C). The high heat sets the outside quickly, locking in a crisp edge while the center stays soft.
• Pull them when the edges are just golden. They firm up as they cool on the pan.

Variations

• Add ¼ teaspoon of cardamom or nutmeg to the dough for a warmer, more complex spice flavor.
• Press a pecan half into the center of each cookie before baking.
• Roll the dough into balls and flatten with the bottom of a glass dipped in cinnamon sugar for uniform rounds.