In this case

After writing that last post and slurping down a thermal mug of coffee, I dug into the Halloween candy (Mr. Handsome hadn’t taken it with him to work that day), and, thus fortified, stepped into my kitchen where I proceeded to debone two chickens and turn their bones into a thick broth, trim and steam three heads of broccoli, cook a big pot of sausage and beans, whip up some cornbread, and make these cookies.

I got the recipe for these cinnamon cookies from a cookbook I checked out from the library. I was flipping through the pages on a leisurely, rainy (sick and miserable) afternoon, searching for cookie inspiration, when these cookies jumped right out at me and stuck a wooden spoon in my hand.

I don’t consider myself a huge cinnamon fan. I am fond of buttered toast with cinnamon sugar on top, but beyond that, baked goods that try to replicate that flavor have always fallen short—either the cinnamon flavor is peripheral or the cookie isn’t buttery enough.

These cookies, however, do not fall short. Quite the contrary. In this case, o happy day, Buttery, Snappy-Crisp marries Cinnamon Sumptuousness and they live happily ever after.

For about 12 whole seconds before they go—wheeeee!—down the hatch.

Crispy Cinnamon Cookies
Adapted from Great Cookies: Secrets to Sensational Sweets by Carol Walter

That there is no salt or leavening is not a typo.

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg, separated
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Demerara sugar, or sparkling white sugar, for garnish

Cream the butter. Add the sugar and beat some more. Add the egg yolk and mix well. Add the cinnamon and flour and mix to combine.

Chill the dough for about an hour before rolling into small balls and placing, well spaced, on lightly greased cookie sheets. Using the smooth bottom of a drinking glass, smoosh the dough balls flat. You may need to dip the bottom of the glass in flour to keep it from sticking to the dough.

Mix the egg white with 2 tablespoons of cold water and brush it on top of each of the cookies before sprinkling liberally with coarse sugar. (Regular granular sugar will work fine—it just won’t provide as much of a crunch.)

Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges begin to turn golden brown. Allow the cookies to rest on the hot baking sheet for a couple minutes (to set up) before transferring them to the cooling rack. As they cool, the cookies will crisp up.

Store the cookies in an airtight container for a couple days, or transfer them to the freezer for longer term storage.

Yield: about four dozen cookies, give or take a couple dozen depending on the size of your dough balls.

This same time, years previous: homeschoolers have it tough