Cinnamon Roll Cookies

Cinnamon roll cookies are a fun twist on a classic gooey cinnamon roll. A simple, buttery, from-scratch sugar cookie dough is swirled with a delicious cinnamon-sugar mix, baked to golden, and drizzled with a sweet glaze.

Cinnamon Roll Cookies Ingredients

Substitutions And Additions

SUGAR COOKIES: If you have a preferred sugar cookie recipe, you can substitute your own recipe for ours.

How To Make This Cinnamon Roll Cookies Recipe

STEP ONE: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together and set dry ingredients aside.

STEP TWO: Using the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer and a large bowl, add the butter and beat on medium speed until soft and fluffy, about two minutes.

Add the cream cheese and continue to beat together until creamy and no lumps remain, about two minutes.

Add the sugar and continue beating for another two minutes or until fluffy.

After scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, turn the mixer on medium speed and add the eggs, pure vanilla extract, and almond extract.

Allow it to mix until fluffy, about two minutes.

STEP THREE: Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture while on low speed and allow the mixture to incorporate slowly until a dough forms.

Again, you’ll want to be sure to scrape the sides down with a rubber spatula as needed. Do not over-mix!

STEP FOUR: Divide dough into two equal amounts, placing each in a piece of plastic wrap.

Wrap plastic wrap around the dough and refrigerate for one hour before rolling out the dough.

STEP FIVE: While your dough is chilling in the refrigerator, make your cinnamon filling.

Combine all ingredients for the cinnamon filling in a small bowl, stir together and then divide it in half and leave it sitting out until chilling time for the dough is complete.

Do not refrigerate the cinnamon filling, so it stays soft and spreadable. 

STEP SIX: After chilling, remove the dough from the fridge. Dust powdered sugar on your whole area (a Silpat mat works best or a clean counter), dust the log and dust your hands.

You can use a rolling pin, but it’s easier to get your measurements quicker if you press it out by hand.

Roll out one log at a time to roughly 8×9 inches. You want the rolled dough to be about ¼-inch thick.

You don’t want it to be too thick, or it will lose the cinnamon roll shape while baking in the oven!

STEP SEVEN: One log at a time, evenly spread ½ of the cinnamon mixture over the dough, and get ready to roll!

It’s important that whatever end you choose to be the inside of the roll has cinnamon all the way to the edge. 

STEP EIGHT: For the opposite end (which will be the largest end part of the spiral), leave a ¼-inch of the area along the whole edge that does not have cinnamon filling on it.

Tightly roll the dough into a 9-inch log. The center of the cookie is the start of the rolling process so go slowly, if it starts to crack or bunch, hold your hand over that area for a few seconds, so the warmth from your hands warms the dough.

By warming the dough, it makes it more elastic so you can easily patch any crack or hole with your fingers and continue rolling.

STEP NINE: Once logs are tightly rolled, wrap them in plastic wrap and chill for two hours. 

STEP TEN: Remove the cinnamon roll cookie logs and place them on a large cutting board. Preheat your oven to 350°F.

A serrated knife can be used, but dental floss works best to cut the cookies. Put a long piece of dental floss underneath the log to make a cut for a ½-inch cookie.

Pull each piece of floss to the opposite side of the log, slicing gently through the dough.

The gentleness of the floss cutting from one side to the other helps the log not to be squished down by the knife.

If you do use a knife, be very gentle while pressing down to cut through the log. You want to work quickly to ensure the logs are still chilled when you cut them.

Cut each cookie to a thickness of about ½-inch slice. Again, you don’t want it to be thicker than that, so it doesn’t lose its shape.

STEP ELEVEN: Place each cookie on the silicone baking mat or prepared baking sheet 2-inches apart from each other or about 12 on a sheet.

STEP TWELVE: Bake for 8 to 11 minutes. Remove from the oven right as they start to brown on the edges. Do not overcook these cookies.

They are best when they are taken out of the oven when they are still light and golden brown.

They may appear to be undercooked but will continue cooking inside after removing from the oven.

STEP THIRTEEN: Leave cookies on the baking mat or cookie sheet for three minutes before removing them to a cooling rack.

For The Icing

STEP ONE: While the cookies are cooling, make your icing. Whisk all icing ingredients together in a bowl.

If the mixture is too thick for your liking, add additional milk, ½ teaspoon at a time.

Add powdered sugar one teaspoon at a time if it is too thin until the desired consistency is reached.

STEP TWO: Drizzle the icing over the cookies.

How To Serve

These delightful cookies will be a welcome treat any time the craving strikes.

Enjoy them with a cup of coffee, whipped hot chocolate, or a homemade pumpkin spice latte.

Want more cookie recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth? These crowd-pleasing copycat Doubletree cookies have been a reader favorite for years.

Of course, traditional chocolate peanut butter no-bake cookies are always yummy!

Storing Cinnamon Swirl Cookies

ON THE COUNTER: Store cookies in an airtight container on the counter for three to four days.

IN THE FREEZER: Freeze these delicious cookies in an airtight container for up to three months.

These delish cookies offer a winning flavor that is the perfect easy, comforting dessert to serve year-round or as part of your holiday baking. You’ll want to make these easy cinnamon roll cookies again and again (try our copycat Cinnabon cinnamon rolls and yummy crescent roll cinnamon rolls, too!).

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