Cinnamon Roll Cookies Recipe delivers a buttery vanilla cookie wrapped around a brown sugar cinnamon swirl, then finishes with a tangy cream cheese drizzle. It suits anyone who craves cinnamon rolls but wants a crisp-meets-chewy cookie, and you can pull it off in about 1 hour 30 minutes, including chill time. I baked my first batch on a snowy Sunday and ate two before the tray even cooled, oops.
Why Cinnamon Roll Cookies Recipe Is Worth It
Cinnamon Roll Cookies Recipe packs cozy bakery flavor into a simple slice-and-bake format. You get neat spirals, warm spice, and a swoon-worthy glaze without proofing dough or setting an alarm for sunrise.
These cookies also keep their shape, travel well, and stack like champs for gifting. I love them for brunch trays and last-minute holiday swaps when everyone expects something special.
Tastes like a cinnamon roll met a sugar cookie and shook hands, and the whole tray vanished in 10 minutes. ★★★★★
Ingredients You Need
For the cookie dough
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to cool room temp (170 g; I use Kerrygold or Challenge)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 g)
- 1 large egg, room temp
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, optional but lovely
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (270 g; King Arthur gives reliable results)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch, optional for extra tender cookies
Shortcut: Use 1 pound chilled store-bought sugar cookie dough if time runs tight, then follow the filling and shaping steps.
For the cinnamon filling
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (100 g)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon (Saigon cinnamon tastes bold)
- Pinch fine salt
- 1 teaspoon milk or cream if the mixture looks sandy
Shortcut: Use a cinnamon-sugar blend and add 1 tablespoon brown sugar for caramel notes.
For the cream cheese glaze
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened (Philadelphia spreads smoothly)
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar (90 g), sift if lumpy
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tablespoons milk, to thin
- Pinch fine salt
Swap: Use a simple vanilla glaze by mixing 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 to 3 tablespoons milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla if you want a shelf-stable option.
Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Mixing bowls and spatula
- Parchment paper
- Rolling pin
- Ruler or straight edge, optional but helpful
- Plastic wrap
- Sharp knife or unflavored dental floss for slicing
- Rimmed baking sheets
- Wire rack
Quick Tips & substitutions
- Soften butter until it yields slightly to a press, not glossy or melty, for better structure.
- Mix just until the dough comes together to avoid tough cookies.
- Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment to prevent sticking and extra flour.
- Keep a small border clear of filling so the swirl seals cleanly.
- Chill the filled log 30 to 60 minutes for tidy slices.
- Use unflavored dental floss to slice clean spirals without squishing.
- Pull the cookies at pale edges; they firm up as they cool.
- Skip cream cheese and use vanilla glaze if you plan to store at room temp.
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 baking blend and add 1 teaspoon milk if the dough seems dry.
- Dairy-free: Use vegan butter and a simple powdered sugar glaze with plant milk.
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Cookies Recipe
Make the dough
- Beat the butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract; mix until smooth.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and cornstarch. Add to the bowl and mix on low until the dough looks uniform and soft.
- Press the dough into a 1-inch thick rectangle, wrap, and chill 30 minutes.
Roll and fill
- Roll the chilled dough between parchment into a 9 by 12 inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick, with a long side facing you.
- Stir the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter until it looks like wet sand. Add a splash of milk if needed so it spreads easily.
- Spread the filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border along the far long edge.
Roll tight and chill
- Roll the dough up from the long edge closest to you, using the parchment to help. Pinch the seam to seal.
- Wrap the log snugly and chill 30 to 60 minutes, or freeze 15 minutes, until firm.
- Trim the ends for neat spirals and save the trimmings for a baker’s snack.
Slice and bake
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Slice the log into 1/4 inch rounds using a sharp knife or floss. Space the cookies 2 inches apart on the sheets.
- Bake 9 to 11 minutes, until edges look set and centers still look pale.
- Cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then move the cookies to a rack to finish cooling.
Glaze
- Whisk cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, milk, and a pinch of salt until smooth and drizzle-ready.
- Drizzle over fully cooled cookies. Let the glaze set 15 minutes before stacking.
Variations
- Maple glaze: Swap milk with maple syrup and add a pinch of cinnamon to the glaze.
- Chai spice: Mix 1 teaspoon chai spice with the cinnamon for cozy tea notes.
- Orange twist: Add 1 tablespoon orange zest to the dough and 1 teaspoon zest to the glaze.
- Pecan crunch: Sprinkle 1/3 cup very finely chopped pecans over the filling before rolling.
- Cocoa-cinnamon: Replace 2 tablespoons flour with cocoa powder in the dough for mocha vibes.
- Cardamom kiss: Add 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom to the filling for a floral finish.
- Raisin swirl: Scatter 2 tablespoons minced raisins or currants over the filling for classic bakery energy.
Ways to Serve
- Pair with hot coffee, chai, or apple cider for peak cozy.
- Add to a brunch board with fruit, bacon, and a soft scramble.
- Make mini ice cream sandwiches with vanilla or cinnamon ice cream.
- Pack in cookie tins for gifting, with parchment between layers.
Storage
Keep unglazed cookies in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days. Refrigerate glazed cookies because of the cream cheese, and enjoy them within 5 days. Freeze the unbaked log for up to 2 months, then slice and bake straight from frozen and add 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time. Freeze baked, unglazed cookies for up to 2 months, thaw in the fridge, and glaze before serving.
Cinnamon Roll Cookies Recipe
Cinnamon Roll Cookies Recipe delivers a buttery vanilla cookie wrapped around a brown sugar cinnamon swirl, finished with a tangy cream cheese drizzle—perfect for anyone craving cinnamon roll flavor in a crisp-meets-chewy cookie.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using), and mix until smooth and well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, fine sea salt, and cornstarch. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until the dough comes together and looks uniform and soft.
- Press the dough into a 1-inch thick rectangle, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
- Roll the chilled dough between two sheets of parchment paper into a 9 by 12 inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick, with a long side facing you.
- In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, fine salt, and melted butter until the mixture looks like wet sand. If it seems too sandy to spread, add a teaspoon of milk or cream to help it come together.
- Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border along the far long edge so the swirl can seal.
- Starting from the long edge closest to you, roll the dough up tightly into a log, using the parchment to help lift and roll.
- Pinch the seam along the far edge to seal the log, then wrap it snugly in parchment or plastic wrap.
- Chill the filled log in the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes, or in the freezer for about 15 minutes, until firm enough to slice cleanly.
- Once firm, trim a thin slice from each end of the log for neat spirals and reserve the trimmings as a baker’s snack.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Slice the chilled log into 1/4 inch thick rounds using a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss, and arrange the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges look set and the centers still appear pale; do not overbake if you want a soft, chewy texture.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, milk (start with 1 tablespoon and add more as needed), and a pinch of salt until smooth and drizzleable.
- Drizzle the cream cheese glaze over the fully cooled cookies. Allow the glaze to set for about 15 minutes before stacking or storing.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Approximate per 1 cookie (about 1 of 30): 140 calories; fat 7 g; saturated fat 4 g; carbohydrates 18 g; fiber 0 g; sugars 10 g; protein 2 g; sodium 80 mg. Values are estimates and will vary based on exact ingredients, glaze amount, and cookie size.
Approximate per 1 cookie (about 1 of 30): 140 calories; fat 7 g; saturated fat 4 g; carbohydrates 18 g; fiber 0 g; sugars 10 g; protein 2 g; sodium 80 mg. Values are estimates and will vary based on exact ingredients, glaze amount, and cookie size.