These unusual cookies are super buttery and sweetened with cinnamon sugar. They taste like the best cinnamon toast from your childhood. Must make!
So, this is it. This is "The Holidays". But for me, it just feels like a regular old Friday. It's such a different experience to be in a big city like New York this time of year. As soon as the turkey gets cleared from the table, Christmas music is playing everywhere, people are dancing in the streets and buildings are filled with over-the-top decorations that are more like art installations than ad campaigns. But here in Brigantine, I'm still moseying around my undecorated house, putzing in the garden and basking in the unusually warm weather. And, hey! Look at that. I just used three of my favorite verbs in a sentence. See, it's not so bad.
If there's one thing that always gets me into the holiday spirit, it's baking cookies. This is a most unusual recipe. I discovered it years ago on Orangette, the first blog I ever followed, and later swore it off due to its insanely high level of addictiveness. The recipe comes courtesy of Molly Wizenberg's late grandmother, and it's as quirky and retro as it is delicious. They're definitely more of a cookie than they are breakfast, but I find it perfectly acceptable to serve them whatever time of day you damn please.
Cinnamon Toast Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 stick 8 tablespoons butter, melted
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 6 slices white sandwich bread or more as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment to prevent sticking and for easier cleanup.
- Pour the melted butter into a bowl. Whisk together the cinnamon and sugar in a wide, shallow dish.
- Stack the slices of bread and cut them diagonally into quarters to get 24 triangles.
- Use a pastry brush to generously brush the butter onto both sides of one triangle of bread. Then, dip the bread into the cinnamon sugar to coat on both sides, being careful not to make it too thick. Lay it on the prepared baking sheet, then repeat with the remaining bread triangles.
- Bake for about 25 minutes, until lightly browned. Allow to cool to room temperature - they'll crisp up as they sit. Once cooled, store in an air tight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
- Now here's the really strange and difficult part: These are not the kind of cookie that tastes better straight from the oven. In fact, they are much, much better once they've aged a day or two and the flavors have time to meld.
Notes
- *The original recipe calls for Pepperidge Farm bread, which is what I used. If you can't find that brand, use anything that's not overly soft and squishy (like wonder bread) or buttery (like brioche).
- *Molly's recipe calls for unsalted butter, but I find anything this sweet benefits greatly from a bit of salt. Salted butter is essential.
- *The quantities here should use up all of the bread, but if you have any butter or cinnamon sugar remaining, just use up more bread until its all gone.
Chrissy Lauletta
I’ve kept this recipe for several years because it sounded delicious, unusual, and has No chocolate (I love chocolate, but wanted to try something quite different)
When you featured this recipe again this past Christmas I knew it was time to give it a try.
It couldn’t have been any easier to make. Smelled heavenly. Then we did exactly what you said NOT to do; we tried the cookies as soon as they came out of the oven. It was decided that they would never be on our cookie list again and chalked it up as a Huge mistake!
Thankfully the Cinnamon Toast Cookies were stored with the other Christmas favorites but virtually forgotten. A few days later we sampled one and it was unbelievably delicious. Each day they became better and better and more popular. We have made a few changes, like cutting off the crust from the bread and making the cookies a smaller bite. Otherwise, they are a homerun! Lesson learned, they are worth the wait!
Coley
Wow, what a great review! I'm so glad you gave them another chance - it really is crazy how different they taste after a day or two. Thank you so much!!
Emily
These turned out great.. I was skeptical when they first came out, they just tasted like toast.... After a few hours I had another and they melted in your mouth. It reminded me of a sweet version of the butter garlic toast you get at supper clubs. These are a great addition to a brunch!
Coley
So glad you liked them! They definitely get better as they "age". One of my favorite recipes!
Val from PA
Definitely gonna have to try these! They look very intriguing!