Reimagine glazed cinnamon rolls as cookies using an orange-scented sugar cookie dough filled with crunchy cinnamon sugar. Topped with an orange glaze, you'll want these breakfast pastry look-alikes any time of day!
Make the dough: Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or if using a hand mixer, just a large bowl), and cream them together until the mixture is very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Add in the egg, vanilla, orange zest, and Fiori di Sicilia (if using) to the bowl and beat until thoroughly combined.
Add in the flour and salt and mix on low speed until the dough is combined and crumbly.
Use your hands to knead the dough into a smooth ball, trying not to overwork the it. The dough should be smooth and slightly tacky, but not sticky. If the dough is too dry, add water slowly in 1 teaspoon increments and knead it into the dough. If the dough seems too wet, knead in 1 teaspoon of flour, again kneading gently until the dough reaches the right texture.
Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Flatten each into a disk and wrap them in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes.
Make the filling: In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, coarse sugar, and cinnamon until the filling is well mixed. Fish out any hard lumps of brown sugar, if necessary.
Shape the cookies: Lightly flour aSilpat silicone mat or parchment paper. Roll one of the dough disks into a rectangle, roughly 7- x 9-inches and about ¼-inch thick, leaving the other disk in the refrigerator until you're ready to shape it. Try not to use too much extra flour as you're rolling out the dough.
With the long side facing you, brush the melted butter over the rolled out dough, then sprinkle with half of the filling. Tightly roll up the rectangle into a 9-inch log, keeping the edges as even as possible. Smooth out any cracks in the dough with your fingers, but some cracking is fine.
Wrap the log tightly in plastic wrap, then transfer back to the refrigerator. Repeat shaping a log with the other half of the dough.
Chill both dough logs for at least 2 hours, and up to 2 days.
Bake the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line a half sheet baking pan with a Silpat silicone mat or parchment paper.
Remove one of the chilled dough logs from the refrigerator. If needed, gently round out any flat areas on the log on the counter. Using a sharp knife, slice the log into ½-inch rounds. Place the slices onto the baking pan about 2-inches apart, and tighten up the spirals as needed.
Chill the cookies on the baking pans for about 5 to 10 minutes before baking. Like with all butter cookies, this will help keep their shape while baking. Repeat shaping and chilling the second dough log.
Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes or until lightly browned on the sides. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the glaze: In a small bowl, sift the powdered sugar to remove any lumps. Add 1½ tablespoons of orange juice and the Fiori di Sicilia (if using), stirring until you get a thick glaze. Adjust the consistency by adding more orange juice as needed.
Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookies and allow to set a few minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Storage instructions: The cookies will last in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Baked cookies (with or without the glaze) can be frozen for up to 3 months and thawed overnight in the refrigerator.
Make-ahead instructions: You can freeze the disks of unshaped cookie dough or the shaped cookie logs for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before continuing with the recipe.
Recipe Notes
For the filling, choose any mix of sugar and spices (with or without finely chopped nuts) that you'd like. Use a ratio of 3 parts sugar to 1 part spice (that's about ¼ cup sugar to 1 tablespoon of spice). Try maple sugar mixed with a cinnamon, cloves, and chopped walnut or use a ready-made sprinkle mix. For a different take, skip the sugar-and-spice filling for other flavor combinations, like chocolate chips sprinkled on raspberry or apricot jam. Spread your wings and let your creativity soar!For the glaze, complement the flavor of your icing by replacing some of the liquid with milk, juice, syrup or a liqueur of your choice. Apple Spice Cookies uses boiled cider for its glaze, while Maple Walnut Scones contains maple syrup. Have fun with the glaze flavors!