These Cinnamon Roll Cookies are a holiday favorite in my family that we have been testing and perfecting for over a decade! A sweet, sugar cookie base is swirled with a cinnamon sugar filling, then topped with a creamy glaze after baking. Each bite of this irresistible cookie recipe feels like Christmas morning all over again.
The Original Cinnamon Roll Cookies Recipe
Almost 2 decades ago my sister and I sat in our kitchen brainstorming how we were going to transform our favorite breakfast treat into a cookie form. (I.e., the initial creation of these Cinnamon Roll Cookies!)
We found a pretty simple sugar cookie recipe and added a hint of cinnamon to the base. Then we executed the rest of the steps as if making Cinnamon Rolls: a layer of melted butter, a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar, roll up, slice, and then bake!
The first few rounds didn’t turn out the prettiest (we still needed to nail down the rolling and chilling technique) but they sure were delicious.
So while I’m not sure I can totally claim the complete origination of the Cinnamon Roll Cookie idea, I will say it was the first my family and the rest of Southeast Texas had ever seen!
Since then we make these cinnamon roll cookies EVERY year for Christmas and the holiday celebrations. It has won countless cookie competitions with our friends and is always a showstopper.
So if you’re needing a cookie recipe that is sure to impress, look no further than these Cinnamon Roll Cookies!
(For a more classic holiday favorite, check out these Cut-Out Sugar Cookies.)
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Flour. Choose either all-purpose flour or a gluten-free 1-to-1 blend for the best texture. Grainy flour, like whole wheat flour, won’t bake up the same.
- Sugar. Both white sugar and brown sugar are needed for this recipe. Powdered sugar is also needed for the glaze.
- Butter. Salted butter is best. The salt will help to balance the sweetness of all the sugar. Be sure it’s at room temperature so it easily mixes into the batter.
- Egg. A large egg is needed. If possible, get free-range or natural eggs from the grocery store for the most flavor and health benefits.
- Baking powder. This ingredient achieves that fluffy texture you want in your sugar cookies.
- Cinnamon. What are cinnamon rolls without cinnamon? You can increase or decrease the amount to your preference.
- Cream cheese. Just like traditional cinnamon rolls, these cookies are topped with a delicious glaze. Cream cheese is needed to create that tangy, rich flavor.
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Cookies
Please see the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and more detailed instructions.
Make the Batter
First, preheat the oven to 350℉.
Then, add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. You can also use a handheld mixer if you prefer. Beat the ingredients on medium speed until creamy. This should take around 1 to 2 minutes.
Crack the egg and pour the vanilla extract into the butter mixture and beat for another 30 seconds.
In a separate large bowl, stir together the flour, ½-teaspoon salt, baking powder, and ½-teaspoon of cinnamon.
Slowly, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the bowl. Mix on low speed after each addition. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl while mixing. If you turn the mixer up too high, you’ll end up with a face full of flour.
After all of the dry ingredients are incorporated into the wet ingredients, cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. However, don’t leave it in longer than an hour or else it will be very difficult to roll!
Make the Filling and Roll Out
Melt the butter for the cinnamon filling in a small bowl. Then, stir together ⅓-cup brown sugar, ⅓-cup granulated sugar, and 1-teaspoon cinnamon in a separate small bowl.
Place a piece of wax paper that is 20- to 24-inches long on a flat surface. To keep it from sliding, spray a little water underneath it.
Place half of the chilled dough onto the middle of the paper. Roll it out until it’s a 16×8-inch large rectangle. Do your best to get a clean, rectangular shape. Trim the edges if needed.
Use a pastry brush to spread half of the melted butter over the dough, then sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar mixture over the butter.
Shape, Slice, and Bake
Starting at a long side, roll the dough into a log or hot dog shape. Apply some pressure to reinforce the shape as you roll so it’s tight.
If the dough cracks a little, that’s okay! Just smooth it out and keep rolling.
Repeat these steps with the other half of the cinnamon roll cookie dough.
Before slicing, refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.
Cut each cookie dough log into 16 pieces with a sharp knife. Place each slice on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving at least 2 inches in between them.
Bake cookies in the preheated 350℉ oven for 10-12 minutes. The top of the dough will turn golden brown.
Make the Glaze
While the homemade cinnamon roll cookies are baking, combine the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a medium-sized bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to blend on medium speed until it’s smooth and creamy.
Pour in the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until your desired consistency is reached.
To ice the baked cookies after cooling, either add the glaze to a Ziploc bag with the corner cut off or a piping bag fitted with a small round tip.
Meal Prep and Storage
- For refrigeration: Prepare the cookie dough up until the “roll up like a hot dog” step or after you slice the cookie dough. You can refrigerate the dough for up to 3 or 4 days in an airtight container.
- For freezing: Prepare the cookie dough up until the “roll up like a hot dog” step. Wrap cookie dough with wax paper, place in an airtight zip-top bag (you may have to cut the “hot dog” dough in half to fit), and freeze for up to 3 months.
In both of the cases above, make the glaze when you bake the cookies.
You might also enjoy these Coffee Cake Muffins.
FAQs
The absolute best icing for cinnamon roll cookies is a cream cheese glaze. Simply whisk together cream cheese, powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla, and milk until your desired consistency is reached.
Cinnamon roll cookies are made by rolling cinnamon and butter filling into a sugar cookie base, then slicing and baking them. Don’t forget the cream cheese glaze after cooking.
More Cookie Recipes
Everyone loves a good cookie. And thankfully, there are many ways to prepare them! Try any of these cookie recipes next.
Peanut Butter Blossoms and No-Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies are full of chocolate and peanut buttery goodness.
Cut-Out Sugar Cookies are easy and delicious.
Enjoy a healthy treat with these Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies or Almond Butter Oatmeal Cookies.
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Cinnamon Roll Cookies Recipe
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Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup butter salted, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg large
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 3 cups all purpose flour or a gluten-free 1-to-1 blend
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
Cinnamon Sugar Filling
- ⅓ cup brown sugar packed
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 3 Tbsp. butter salted, melted
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 1 ½ Tbsp. cream cheese softened
- 1 Tbsp. butter melted
- 1 ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ½ tsp. vanilla clear
- 1-2 Tbsp. milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: Place butter and sugar in a large bowl of a stand mixer, or using a handheld mixer, beat on medium speed until creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and continue beating for another 30 seconds.1 cup butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp. vanilla
- Whisk the Dry: In a separate large bowl, whisk together flour, ½ teaspoon salt, baking powder, and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon.3 cups all purpose flour, ½ tsp. salt, 1 ½ tsp. baking powder, ½ tsp. cinnamon
- Add Dry to Wet: Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low-speed after each addition. Once dough is thick and thoroughly mixed, refrigerate for 30 minutes, and no longer than 1 hour.
- Prepare Filling Ingredients: Melt butter in a small bowl and set aside. Whisk together ⅓ cup brown sugar, ⅓ cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a separate small bowl.⅓ cup brown sugar, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 3 Tbsp. butter, 1 tsp. cinnamon
- Roll out and Fill: Place a 20 to 24-inch long sheet of wax paper onto a flat surface. Add the refrigerated cookie dough in the middle of that paper and roll out into a 16” x 8” rectangle. If not a perfect rectangular shape, cut and trim the edges and keep rolling the dough until it is. Using a pastry brush, spread half of the melted butter over the dough and then sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar over the butter.
- Shape Dough into a Log: Starting from the longer side, roll dough into a hot dog shape or log, reinforcing the shape as you go to ensure it is tight. (The dough may crack slightly- that's totally ok! Just smooth out the cracks and keep rolling.) You should end up with a 16"-long log. Refrigerate the dough for another 30 minutes before slicing.
- Slice and Bake: Slice the cooking dough into 16 pieces. Place the slices onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet at least 2-inches apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. Repeat the above steps with the other half of the dough. Wait for cookies to cool completely before finishing with the cream cheese glaze.
- Make the Glaze: While the cookies are baking, add cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla to a medium-sized bowl and beat on medium-speed with an electric hand mixer until smooth and creamy. Pour in milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat until your desired consistency is reached.1 ½ Tbsp. cream cheese, 1 Tbsp. butter, 1 ¾ cup powdered sugar, ½ tsp. vanilla, 1-2 Tbsp. milk
- Ice the Cookies: Place cream cheese glaze in a Ziploc bag and cut off a small corner of the bag to create a piping bag or add the glaze to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Drizzle the glaze over cooled cookies.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I usually give cookie platters as gifts on the holidays but I’m concerned about the cream cheese/milk souring if not refrigerated. Can they be left out without spoiling?
Hi JoAnna! While I usually leave these out, they do have cream cheese which the FDA does not recommend leaving at room temperature. I would recommend either leaving the icing off until just before bringing the platters over OR skipping the cream cheese in the icing and adding extra powdered sugar to get the right consistency. Hope this helps!
Can you clarify the glaze instructions? The list of ingredients says 1 3/4 cup powdered sugar but instructions say to add one cup. Also the instructions say to add the cream cheese twice.
Thank you so much for letting me know about the correction of the amount of powder sugar in the instructions! I’ve updated the recipe so hopefully there is no more confusion. The first mention of cream cheese is when you cream it with the powdered sugar and butter. The second mention is when you add that milk and vanilla to that cream cheese mixture. Thanks again for taking the time to comment, Vanessa.
I was so excited to make these cookies but I really struggled with rolling the dough. It crumbled and broke all the way through and some “rolls” fell apart so much that I had to roll them up into balls. Any tips to make the rolls stay together?
Great question, Dana! You’ll want to make sure that the butter is softened before making your dough. This will help give the dough some pliability. Hope this helps!
I made withe the 1 to 1 measure gluten free flour and the dough was too dry to roll. I had to put back in the mixer and add more butter to get to the right consistency to roll properly. I also added finely chopped pecans to mimic my favorite christmas treat, Rugelach. Hot out of the oven, I haven’t tried one yet. I also cut into smaller slices to make more cookies. Been another minute now and am eating one. It tastes just like a cinnamon roll! A bit putsy, but tastes great!
Hi Kasey! That was a great idea to add the chopped pecans. My hubby loves pecans, too, so I might have to try that this Christmas! Thanks so much for your comment and review!