Cookie #59 - Rhode Island Cinnamon Snails

No cookies yesterday. 

Sorry. 

It was my four year wedding anniversary and I was busy out to dinner. 

My wonderful husband took me to a local restaurant called The Marblehead Chowderhouse. 

It was delicious and so refreshing to have a nice, quiet dinner with adult conversation. 

Back to cookies....

The "Ocean State," Rhode Island, has many foods that are rarely found outside the state.  Their foods have a strong Portuguese influence and utilize a lot of seafood. 

Fitting, since 30% of the state's total area is made up of bays and inlets. 

One of the dishes that is found at many restaurants across the state - snail salad. 

The second I read that, I immediately thought of a recipe I had tucked away for cinnamon snail cookies. 

Fear not, no snails were harmed

in the making of these cookies. 

This is a soft, cinnamon dough that is rolled into long ropes and then formed into little snail shapes.  They're then brushed with an egg wash and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.

At least they're supposed to be.

(I seemed to have forgotten that part with this batch.)

I was interrupted by my very sweet one-year old daughter several times during the making of these cookies and I guess my mind was elsewhere.  That is one of the reasons I don't normally bake when my girls are awake.  I save my baking for during naps or after 8 pm.  I guess tonight I felt like breaking my own rule.

I didn't realize this until I tasted the cookie and thought: 

"They're not very sweet, are they?"

My darling husband said they'd be perfect with a cup of coffee, which they would. 

They just left me wanting something more.  

I also tweaked the recipe slightly.  I didn't feel the original recipe had enough flavor, so I increased a few of the ingredients.  I was happy with the overall cookie flavor, but they really need that cinnamon sugar.

They are awfully cute, though, aren't they?

Rhode Island Cinnamon Snails

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar*

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 egg white, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 
Cream butter and brown sugar.  Mix in cinnamon and baking powder.  Add egg and vanilla extract, mix until well combined. 
Add flour slowly, mixing until just combined.
Roll heaping tablespoons of dough into approximately 6" ropes 1/2" thick.  Coil each rope into a snail shape with one small coil on one end for the head and a larger coil at the other end forming the body.  Place 2" apart on parchment lined baking sheets.
Combine 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar together in a small bowl.
Brush each snail with the lightly beaten egg white and then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. 
Bake for 8 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

*If I had remembered this part, I probably would've used turbinado sugar for some added crunch.