Martha's Cinnamon-Swirl Cookies

Martha's Cinnamon-Swirl Cookies

This recipe was originally published as A Cookie of the Month in Martha Stewart Living Magazine. I always rip these out along with her Desserts of the Month because they always look so fabulous but I very rarely get around to making any of them. I didn't get around to making these either! My son made them while we were away last weekend and let me tell you these were a wonderful welcome home! The whole house still smelled like cinnamon...Mmmm. These are awesome with coffee I discovered and are now a family favorite. You must give these a try. Enjoy!

Recipe: Cinnamon-Swirl Cookies

Ingredients
FOR THE DOUGH
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
2 large eggs

FOR THE FILLING
2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup light-brown sugar
1/2 cup dark-brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (1 1/2 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions
Make the dough: Sift flour, salt, and baking soda into a large bowl. Beat butter, sugar, and orange zest with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture gradually, and beat until just combined. Divide dough in half, wrap each half in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour (or overnight).

Turn half the dough onto floured parchment. Roll into a 10-by-12-inch rectangle, then trim edges straight. Repeat with remaining half of dough. Transfer rectangles on parchment to a baking sheet, and refrigerate until firm but pliable, about 10 minutes.

Make the filling: Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl until well combined. Crumble mixture evenly over rectangles. Starting on a long side, roll 1 rectangle into a log, and wrap it in the parchment. Repeat with remaining rectangle. Refrigerate logs for 1 hour (or overnight).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut each log crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, and bake until edges are golden brown, about 19 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies will keep, covered, for up to 3 days.