If the cozy swirl of a bakery cinnamon roll married the crisp edges of a sugar cookie, you would get these Cinnamon Roll Cookies. Buttery, tender, and ribboned with cinnamon-sugar, they are slice-and-bake simple with a silky vanilla glaze. Your kitchen will smell like a hug.
Why You’ll Love This Cinnamon Roll Cookies
- Bakery flavor, weeknight ease: a simple slice-and-bake dough with a classic cinnamon-sugar filling.
- Soft centers, lightly crisp edges that stay tender for days.
- Foolproof make-ahead: chill or freeze the dough log for fresh cookies anytime.
- Customizable glaze and spice blends to match any season.
Cinnamon Roll Cookies Ingredients & Substitutions
- Unsalted butter: 3/4 cup (170 g), softened. Sub dairy-free butter sticks for a dairy-free option.
- Granulated sugar: 3/4 cup (150 g). Sub coconut sugar for a deeper caramel note.
- Large egg: 1, room temp. Sub 1 flax egg for egg-free, texture will be slightly more tender.
- Vanilla extract: 2 tsp. Almond extract works for a bakery-style twist.
- All-purpose flour: 2 1/4 cups (270 g). For gluten-free, use a 1-to-1 baking blend with xanthan gum.
- Baking powder: 1/2 tsp.
- Fine sea salt: 1/2 tsp.
- Optional milk or cream: 1 to 2 tsp only if dough seems dry, for easier rolling.
Filling:
- Unsalted butter: 3 tbsp (42 g), very soft.
- Brown sugar: 1/2 cup (100 g), light or dark.
- Ground cinnamon: 1 tbsp.
- Pinch fine salt.
- Optional: 1 tsp cornstarch to help the filling stay put while baking.
Glaze:
- Powdered sugar: 1 cup (120 g), sifted.
- Milk or cream: 1 to 2 tbsp, to thin.
- Vanilla extract: 1/2 tsp.
- Pinch salt to balance sweetness.
Step-by-Step Instructions to Make Cinnamon Roll Cookies
Step 1: Cream butter and sugar
In a stand mixer or bowl with a hand mixer, beat softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in the egg and vanilla until smooth, scraping the bowl.
Step 2: Add dry ingredients
Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry mix to the butter mixture on low until a soft dough forms. If crumbly, add 1 to 2 tsp milk. The dough should be smooth and pliable, not sticky.
Step 3: Chill the dough
Form the dough into a flat rectangle, wrap, and chill 30 minutes to make rolling easier and to minimize spreading.
Step 4: Roll and fill
Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment to about 9 by 12 inches and roughly 1/4 inch thick. Spread the softened butter over the surface. Stir brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and optional cornstarch, then sprinkle evenly over the butter, leaving a 1/2 inch border on one long side.
Step 5: Roll into a log and firm up
Starting from the long side without the border, roll tightly into a log, sealing the edge. Wrap the log in parchment and freeze 15 to 20 minutes until firm for cleaner slices.
Step 6: Slice
Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment. Slice the log into 1/2 inch rounds using a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss for perfect spirals. You should get about 22 to 24 cookies.
Step 7: Bake
Arrange cookies 2 inches apart. Bake 9 to 11 minutes until the edges look set and the bottoms are just turning light golden. Do not overbake. Cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.
Step 8: Glaze
Whisk powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until smooth and drizzleable. Adjust with more milk or sugar as needed. Drizzle over cooled cookies and let set.
Tips for Success
- Weigh your flour when possible. Too much flour makes the dough crack while rolling.
- Roll between parchment for a smooth surface and less sticking. A light dusting of flour is plenty.
- Freeze briefly before slicing. Firm dough equals neat spirals and minimal spread.
- Use an oven thermometer. A true 350°F helps keep centers soft without over-browning.
- Cut with dental floss for the cleanest swirls. Slide under the log, cross ends over the top, and pull tight.
Variations of Cinnamon Roll Cookies
- Cream cheese glaze: Swap 2 tbsp of the milk for 2 oz softened cream cheese and thin as needed.
- Maple glaze: Use maple syrup for part of the liquid and add a pinch of cinnamon.
- Chai spice filling: Replace cinnamon with a chai blend of cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and clove.
- Pecan crunch: Sprinkle 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans over the filling.
- Browned butter dough: Brown the butter, chill to solidify, then cream for a deeper, nutty flavor.
Serving Suggestions: What to Pair with Cinnamon Roll Cookies
- Hot coffee or a cinnamon cappuccino for a cozy afternoon pick-me-up.
- Vanilla ice cream or cinnamon gelato for a dessert plate.
- Warm apple cider or chai for a fall gathering.
- Holiday cookie boards with chocolate-dipped pretzels and candied nuts.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Room temperature: Store glazed cookies airtight up to 4 days. Separate layers with parchment.
- Freeze baked: Freeze unglazed cookies up to 2 months. Thaw at room temp and glaze fresh.
- Freeze dough: Wrap the log well and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge until sliceable.
- Refresh: Warm cookies at 300°F for 3 to 4 minutes or microwave 5 to 7 seconds to revive softness.
Memories Made Around the Table
My niece calls these spiral hugs. We baked a batch on a snowy afternoon, and the cinnamon scent drifted through the house long after the last cookie disappeared.
FAQs
Can I make the dough ahead? Yes. Chill the dough up to 48 hours or freeze the log for up to 2 months. Slice and bake from chilled, not frozen solid.
How do I keep the cookies from spreading? Chill the rolled log until firm, do not over-soften the butter, and measure flour accurately. Parchment-lined sheets help too.
My dough cracked while rolling. What should I do? Let it rest at room temp 5 minutes, then patch cracks with a bit of dough and continue rolling gently.
Can I reduce the sugar? You can reduce the filling sugar by 2 tbsp without impacting texture. Reducing dough sugar may change tenderness and spread.
How do I get defined swirls? Roll tightly, leave a clean border, use the cornstarch in the filling, and slice with dental floss after a short freeze.
Final Thoughts
These Cinnamon Roll Cookies are comfort in cookie form. Keep a dough log in the freezer and you are never more than a few minutes from warm, swirly bliss.
Cinnamon Roll Cookies: Soft Swirls with Vanilla Glaze
Equipment
- 1 Stand mixer or hand mixer
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 2 Baking Sheet parchment-lined
- 1 Parchment Paper
- 1 Wire rack
- 1 Unflavored dental floss (optional)
- 1 Oven thermometer (optional)
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 0.75 cup unsalted butter softened
- 0.75 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2.25 cups all-purpose flour
- 0.5 tsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 to 2 tsp milk or cream only if dough seems dry
Filling
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter very soft
- 0.5 cup brown sugar light or dark
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 1 tsp cornstarch optional
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
- 1 to 2 tbsp milk or cream to thin
- 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt to balance sweetness
Instructions
Make the Cinnamon Roll Cookies
- In a stand mixer or bowl with a hand mixer, beat softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in the egg and vanilla until smooth, scraping the bowl.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry mix to the butter mixture on low until a soft dough forms. If crumbly, add 1 to 2 tsp milk. The dough should be smooth and pliable, not sticky.
- Form the dough into a flat rectangle, wrap, and chill 30 minutes to make rolling easier and to minimize spreading.
- Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment to about 9 by 12 inches and roughly 1/4 inch thick. Spread the softened butter over the surface. Stir brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and optional cornstarch, then sprinkle evenly over the butter, leaving a 1/2 inch border on one long side.
- Starting from the long side without the border, roll tightly into a log, sealing the edge. Wrap the log in parchment and freeze 15 to 20 minutes until firm for cleaner slices.
- Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment. Slice the log into 1/2 inch rounds using a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss for perfect spirals. You should get about 22 to 24 cookies.
- Arrange cookies 2 inches apart. Bake 9 to 11 minutes until the edges look set and the bottoms are just turning light golden. Do not overbake. Cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.
- Whisk powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until smooth and drizzleable. Adjust with more milk or sugar as needed. Drizzle over cooled cookies and let set.