I made a batch of this Soft Cinnamon Roll Cookies Recipe on a lazy Sunday afternoon when I was craving cinnamon rolls but didn’t want to deal with yeast and rising time. I rolled out sugar cookie dough, spread it with a buttery cinnamon sugar filling, and sliced it into little swirled rounds.
The moment they came out of the oven, my kitchen smelled exactly like a cinnamon roll bakery. I drizzled them with a simple vanilla icing and honestly couldn’t stop eating them warm off the tray. If you’re putting together a spread of homemade treats, Oven Fried Feta Rolls with Chili Honey Recipe makes a delicious savory contrast to these sweet cinnamon roll cookies.
Cooking Time
- Prep Time: 2 hours 20 minutes (includes chilling)
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled so the dough doesn’t turn out dense
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, gives the cookies a little lift without puffing them up too much
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, balances the sweetness in the dough
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened, let it sit out until it’s truly room temperature for a smooth dough
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, for the cookie dough base
- 1 large egg, room temperature, blends into the batter more evenly than a cold one
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, adds warmth to the cookie flavor
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled, for the cinnamon filling
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar, mixed with cinnamon for the swirl
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, the star flavor of the filling
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, for the icing
- 3 tablespoons milk, thins the icing to a drizzle consistency
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, for the icing
Note: this recipe makes about 36 small cookies, enough to share with a crowd or freeze for later.
Equipment You Need
- Stand mixer or hand mixer, to cream the butter and sugar smoothly
- Mixing bowls, one for dry ingredients and one for wet
- Rolling pin, to roll the dough into even rectangles
- Silicone baking mat or parchment paper, makes rolling and cleanup easier
- Sharp knife, for slicing the chilled dough logs
- Baking sheet, to bake the cookie slices
- Wire cooling rack, so the cookies cool evenly before icing
- Whisk, to mix the icing until smooth
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Cookies Recipe?
I like to think of this recipe as cinnamon rolls without the wait. You make a soft sugar cookie dough, roll it out, fill it, and slice it into swirled rounds instead of proofing yeast dough for hours. It only takes a handful of steps to get from mixing bowl to a tray of bakery style cookies.
Make the Cookie Dough
I whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together first so they’re evenly distributed. In a separate bowl, I beat the softened butter and sugar until it’s pale and creamy, then mix in the egg and vanilla. Once that’s smooth, I add the dry ingredients and mix just until a soft dough forms.
Roll Out the Dough
I divide the dough in half and roll each portion into a rectangle about 9 by 7 inches on a lightly floured mat. I try to keep the thickness even, around a quarter inch, so the swirl bakes uniformly. Working on a silicone mat instead of a floured counter makes the whole process a lot less messy.
Add the Filling
I brush each rectangle with melted butter, then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the top. I make sure to spread it all the way to the edges so every slice gets that cinnamon roll flavor in every bite, not just the center.
Roll Into Logs
Starting from one long edge, I roll each rectangle up tightly into a log. If the dough cracks a little, I just smooth it out gently with my fingers. Rolling slowly keeps the swirl tight instead of loose and uneven.
Chill the Dough Logs
This is the step I never skip. I wrap the logs and refrigerate them for at least two hours so the dough firms up. Chilling keeps the cookies from spreading out and losing their pretty spiral shape in the oven.
Slice and Bake
Once chilled, I slice each log into rounds about half an inch thick and space them two inches apart on a lined baking sheet. They bake at 350°F for about 10 to 11 minutes, just until the edges turn lightly golden.
Cool and Ice
I let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for five minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely. Icing warm cookies makes the icing melt and slide right off, so I always wait until they’re fully cool before drizzling.
Additional Tips for Making This Recipe Better
I’ve made these cookies enough times to pick up a few tricks that make a real difference.
- I always use room temperature butter for the dough, cold butter never creams properly and leaves lumps.
- I roll the dough on a silicone mat instead of flouring my counter, it keeps the dough from picking up extra flour and getting tough.
- I chill the logs for the full two hours, even when I’m impatient, because rushing this step always leads to flatter cookies.
- I use a sharp, thin knife to slice the logs so I don’t squish the spiral shape.
- I rotate my baking sheet halfway through baking since my oven runs a little hot in the back.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
I’ve made most of these mistakes myself before I figured out what was going wrong.
- I skipped chilling the dough once and the cookies spread into flat puddles with no defined swirl.
- I used cold butter straight from the fridge and ended up with a lumpy, uneven dough that was hard to roll.
- I rolled the filling all the way to the very edge of the dough, which made a mess when I rolled it into a log, so now I leave a small border.
- I iced the cookies while they were still warm and watched the icing soak in and disappear instead of setting nicely.
- I overbaked a batch trying to get golden tops, but these cookies barely brown on top, so I go by the edges instead.
How to Serve Cinnamon Roll Cookies
I like piling these cookies on a plate with the icing drizzle facing up so the spiral pattern really shows. They look especially pretty on a red or white plate for the holidays, or stacked in a clear jar for a bake sale. A light dusting of extra cinnamon or a few sprinkles on top makes them feel a little more festive.
I’ve also served them alongside a mug of coffee or hot chocolate for an easy afternoon treat, much like how a savory dish such as Baked Lemon Garlic Cod with Butter Sauce Recipe can round out a meal.
Variations
- Swap the vanilla icing for a cream cheese frosting if you want a richer, tangier finish.
- Use brown sugar in the filling instead of granulated sugar for a deeper caramel note.
- Add a pinch of nutmeg or cardamom to the cinnamon filling for a warmer spice blend.
- Make a maple icing by replacing the milk with maple syrup for a fall inspired twist.
- Use a dairy free butter substitute in both the dough and filling for a dairy free version.
- Stir orange zest into the icing for a citrusy contrast to the cinnamon.
Nutritional Information
Here’s a rough idea of what’s in each cookie, based on the recipe making about 36 small cookies.
- Calories: around 90 per cookie
- Protein: about 1 gram per cookie
- Carbohydrates: around 13 grams per cookie
- Fat: about 4 grams per cookie
Make Ahead and Storage
You can make the dough up to two days ahead and keep it chilled in the fridge before slicing and baking, which makes this a great recipe to prep the night before.
The unbaked dough logs also freeze well for up to three months. I just thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before slicing and baking as usual.
Baked cookies, iced or plain, keep at room temperature in a covered container for up to five days. Baked cookies also freeze well for up to three months, and I let them thaw at room temperature before serving.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe?
There’s a reason this cinnamon roll cookies recipe keeps coming back into my baking rotation.
- Easy to make: there’s no yeast, no proofing, and no waiting hours for dough to rise, just a straightforward cookie dough.
- Great for sharing: this batch makes about three dozen small cookies, perfect for parties, bake sales, or gifting.
- Customizable: you can swap the icing, spice blend, or filling sugar to match whatever flavor you’re craving.
- Make ahead friendly: the dough logs chill or freeze beautifully, so you can prep well before you need to bake.
- Tastes like cinnamon rolls: you get that cozy cinnamon roll flavor in a fraction of the time it takes to make actual rolls.
FAQs
Is this an easy soft cinnamon roll cookies recipe for beginners?
Yes, this is a beginner friendly recipe since it uses a simple sugar cookie dough with no yeast involved. The cookies stay soft in the center with slightly crisp edges once baked.
How does this compare to a Pioneer Woman cinnamon roll cookies recipe?
Most versions, including this one, follow the same basic method of rolling sugar cookie dough with a cinnamon filling and slicing it into rounds. The flavor and texture end up very similar across different versions of the recipe.
Can I use cream cheese frosting instead of the vanilla icing?
Absolutely, a cream cheese frosting works well if you want a tangier, richer topping in place of the simple vanilla icing drizzle.
Can I use Pillsbury cinnamon roll dough to shortcut this recipe?
You can use canned cinnamon roll dough in a pinch, but the texture will be softer and more bread like rather than the crisp edged cookie texture you get from a scratch sugar cookie dough.
What’s the difference between cinnamon cookies and cinnamon roll cookies?
Regular cinnamon cookies usually have cinnamon mixed straight into the dough, while cinnamon roll cookies have a rolled in cinnamon sugar filling that creates a visible spiral in every slice.
Can I make the cookie dough ahead of time?
Yes, you can chill the shaped dough logs in the fridge for up to two days, or freeze them for up to three months, then slice and bake whenever you’re ready.
Soft Cinnamon Roll Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- I whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together first so they’re evenly distributed. In a separate bowl, I beat the softened butter and sugar until it’s pale and creamy, then mix in the egg and vanilla. Once that’s smooth, I add the dry ingredients and mix just until a soft dough forms.
- I divide the dough in half and roll each portion into a rectangle about 9 by 7 inches on a lightly floured mat. I try to keep the thickness even, around a quarter inch, so the swirl bakes uniformly. Working on a silicone mat instead of a floured counter makes the whole process a lot less messy.
- I brush each rectangle with melted butter, then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the top. I make sure to spread it all the way to the edges so every slice gets that cinnamon roll flavor in every bite, not just the center.
- Starting from one long edge, I roll each rectangle up tightly into a log. If the dough cracks a little, I just smooth it out gently with my fingers. Rolling slowly keeps the swirl tight instead of loose and uneven.
- This is the step I never skip. I wrap the logs and refrigerate them for at least two hours so the dough firms up. Chilling keeps the cookies from spreading out and losing their pretty spiral shape in the oven.
- Once chilled, I slice each log into rounds about half an inch thick and space them two inches apart on a lined baking sheet. They bake at 350°F for about 10 to 11 minutes, just until the edges turn lightly golden.
- I let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for five minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely. Icing warm cookies makes the icing melt and slide right off, so I always wait until they’re fully cool before drizzling.
Notes
- I always use room temperature butter for the dough, cold butter never creams properly and leaves lumps.
- I roll the dough on a silicone mat instead of flouring my counter, it keeps the dough from picking up extra flour and getting tough.
- I chill the logs for the full two hours, even when I’m impatient, because rushing this step always leads to flatter cookies.
- I use a sharp, thin knife to slice the logs so I don’t squish the spiral shape.
- I rotate my baking sheet halfway through baking since my oven runs a little hot in the back.
