New Year Cinnamon Roll Cookie Squares

New Year Cinnamon Roll Cookie Squares are soft, buttery cookie bars topped with a generous blanket of cinnamon sugar, giving you all the cozy flavor of a cinnamon roll without any yeast or rising time. They slice into tidy squares, travel well, and are perfect for parties when you want something simple but festive.​

The base is a straightforward sugar‑cookie style dough: creamed butter and sugar, egg, vanilla, and just enough leavening to keep the bars tender. Spreading the dough in a pan and showering it with cinnamon sugar before baking creates a crackly, fragrant top that mimics the swirl of a classic roll.​

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all‑purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt (optional, if butter is unsalted)
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon sugar, plus more if you like a thicker topping (about 1/4 cup sugar mixed with 1–2 teaspoons cinnamon works well)​

Approximate nutrition (per square, depending on pan size): 210 kcal | 9 g fat | 29 g carbs.

Step‑by‑Step Instructions

1. Prep the pan and oven

1. Heat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Line an 8×8‑ or 9×9‑inch baking pan with parchment, leaving an overhang for lifting, and lightly grease.​

2. Make the cookie dough

1. In a bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
2. Beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low just until a soft, thick dough forms; avoid overmixing so the bars stay tender.​

3. Assemble and bake

1. Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan; a spatula or lightly floured fingers help smooth it into the corners.
2. Sprinkle the surface generously with cinnamon sugar—use at least the 2 teaspoons listed, and more if you want a clear cinnamon‑roll effect.​
3. Bake 26–30 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the center looks just set; a toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter.
4. Cool completely in the pan on a rack before lifting out and slicing into squares.​
   
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