In The Kitchen With The Editor: December 2025 – Cinnamon Sugar Cookies

December 9, 2025 Stefan Montauk Columns 0

When I was growing up we didn’t have a lot of money, so there weren’t usually a lot of sweet treats in the house except for holidays and birthdays.  Granted, I grew up with five brothers so that meant six birthday cakes every year.  In the “off seasons,” we relied on cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on toast “buttered” with margarine and a side of milk. Yes, back then this was a treat!

Those of you are in my age bracket (let’s say those who remember drive-in theaters and rotary telephones) know that the older you get the more you crave nostalgia and those tastes from your childhood. This is what led me to this recipe…a taste for nostalgia. So, I took my favorite sugar cookie recipe and tweaked it to give me that cinnamon/sugar memory.  I hope you try these easy and flavorful cookies. You won’t be sorry you did!

Cinnamon-Sugar Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 ¾ Cups All-purpose Flour
  • 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
  • ½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
  • ¼ Teaspoon Salt
  • 2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon (or more to taste)
  • 1 Cup Butter (or Margarine), Softened
  • 1 ½ Cups White Sugar
  • 1 Egg at Room Temperature
  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the softened butter and sugar until smooth and light. Beat in egg and vanilla until well combined.
  3. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed (If using a stand mixer, watch that divot in the bottom of the bowl. The dry ingredients tend to hide there). Refrigerate the dough for 15 to 20 minutes to firm up. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 375°.
  4. Roll heaping teaspoons of the batter into balls (the way you would make a meatball) and place them on ungreased cookie sheets…12 should fit on a large cookie sheet.
  5. Bake 2 sheets at a time in a preheated 375° oven, rotating the sheets halfway through to promote even baking. Bake for 10-12 minutes, depending on your oven, or until cookies “crackle” on top.  Let stand on cookie sheets for 2 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!