Cinnamon Roll Cookies

My friend, you’re about to make something amazing. These aren’t just cookies; they’re a warm, gooey hug you can hold in your hand. This recipe for The Best Cinnamon Roll Cookies takes everything we love about a classic cinnamon bun and turns it into a soft, chewy cookie.

The idea? Take a nostalgic dessert and give it a fun, modern twist. We’re getting that gooey, cinnamony goodness and baking it right into a cookie. It’s the perfect marriage of a simple sugar cookie and a buttery, spiced filling. The result? A stunning treat that looks like you spent all day on it. But here’s the secret… it’s actually an Easy Cinnamon Roll Cookies Recipe.

Recipe At-A-Glance

Let’s get a game plan together so you can bake these without a hitch.

Prep Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes (most of this is chilling the dough!)

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 40 minutes

The good news? The long chilling time is just for the dough to get firm. It’s a crucial step, though. It’s what keeps your cookies from spreading out and losing their beautiful spiral shape.

Servings and Scaling

This recipe makes about 36 cookies. That’s a great number for a party or just for having plenty of extras for yourself. The best part? It’s super easy to scale up or down. I even made a handy table to help you out.

To make…	Multiply all ingredients by:
Half the recipe (approx. 18 cookies)	0.5
Double the recipe (approx. 72 cookies)	2

Is this recipe difficult?

I’d say it’s Intermediate. The steps are pretty simple and you won’t need any special skills. But, the multi-step process and that long chilling time mean you need a little patience and some planning. Trust me, the final result is absolutely worth the effort. Even if you’re a beginner, you can totally nail this with a little guidance.

What you’ll need

• A large bowl and a medium bowl
• A hand mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle
• A rolling pin (a wine bottle works, I’ve done it!)
• Parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
• Baking sheets
• A whisk
• A sharp knife for slicing the dough log

My secret weapon for baking?

This recipe is perfect for making ahead of time. You can make the dough logs and freeze them for up to 3 months. This means you can have homemade cinnamon roll cookies whenever you want. Just slice and bake!

Let’s Talk Ingredients

You probably already have most of this stuff in your pantry. But, a few small details can make a huge difference in flavor and texture.

For the cookie dough, you’ll need:

• 2¼ cups (281g) all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) softened, unsalted butter
• ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the cinnamon swirl:

• 2 tablespoons (28g) melted butter
• ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

And for the icing:

• 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
• 3 tablespoons (45ml) milk
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

A quick tip: For the flour, spoon it into the measuring cup and then level it off. This gives you the most accurate amount. The same goes for the butter—make sure it’s softened, but not melted. And for the icing, you can use heavy cream or half-and-half instead of milk for a richer flavor.

My Step-by-Step Method

Okay, let’s get our hands dirty! I’ll walk you through this just like we’re in my kitchen, giving you all my best tips along the way.

Making the Dough

First, grab a medium bowl and whisk together your flour, baking powder, and salt. This makes sure everything is mixed up evenly. Set it aside for now.

Next, get out your mixer. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together on high speed for about two minutes. You want it to look creamy, smooth, and pale. This is the foundation of a soft Cinnamon Roll Cookies recipe, so don’t rush this step!

After that, add your egg and vanilla. Beat on high speed for about a minute until it’s all combined. It should look fluffy. If you see any bits on the side, just scrape them down with a spatula.

Now, add the dry stuff to the wet stuff. Turn your mixer to low and mix just until the flour disappears. My pro-tip? Stop mixing as soon as the flour is gone. If you mix too much, you’ll get tough cookies. We’re going for chewy cinnamon roll cookies!

Shaping and Filling

This is the most fun part. Divide your dough into two equal pieces. Roll each one out into a rectangle, about 9×7 inches. Aim for about a ¼-inch thickness.

Gently brush one tablespoon of melted butter over each rectangle, leaving a small border around the edges. In a separate bowl, mix your sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle it evenly over the butter.

Now, start rolling. Tightly roll each rectangle into a 9-inch log, starting from the long side. If you see small cracks, that’s okay! Just gently smooth them out with your fingers. A tight roll is the key to getting that perfect swirl.

The Most Important Step: Chilling

Once your logs are rolled, put them on a plate or cutting board and cover them loosely with plastic wrap. Now, put them in the fridge. This is the most important step: chilling! The dough needs at least two hours to firm up. This is what stops your cookies from spreading into flat pancakes in the oven and makes them easy to slice.

Here’s a great trick: Cut a paper towel tube lengthwise and use it as a cradle for your log in the fridge. It’ll keep the log perfectly round.

Time to Bake!

When you’re ready, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Take one dough log out of the fridge and slice it into ½-inch discs with a sharp knife.

Here’s another pro-tip for a clean cut: Use a piece of unflavored dental floss or thin string. Slide it under the log, cross the ends over the top, and pull to slice!

Place the slices onto the baking sheet, about two inches apart. Bake for 10-11 minutes. The sides should be lightly browned, but the centers should still look a little underbaked. This is how we get that incredible chewy cinnamon roll cookies texture. Let them cool on the baking sheet for five minutes before moving them to a wire rack.

Making the Icing

While the cookies cool, whisk together your icing ingredients in a small bowl until it’s smooth and there are no lumps. Once the cookies are completely cool, drizzle the icing over them with a spoon or from a small ziplock bag with a corner snipped off.

Variations & Customizations

This recipe is a great starting point. Here are some easy ways to make it your own.

• Make it vegan: Swap the butter for a vegan butter stick, the egg for ¼ cup of unsweetened applesauce, and the milk for a non-dairy milk like almond or soy.
• Gluten-free: A 1:1 gluten-free flour blend should work just fine.
• More spice: If you love a strong cinnamon flavor, add another ½ teaspoon to the filling.
• Fancy them up: Add some finely chopped pecans or walnuts to the filling. Or, after they’ve cooled, dip them in melted chocolate for a decadent treat.
• Seasonal twists: In the fall, swap out half of the cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice. For the holidays, a pinch of nutmeg or a dusting of crushed peppermint can make them extra special.

Serving and Storing

These cookies look great on a simple white platter or a rustic wooden board. Serve them still slightly warm with a generous drizzle of icing. A hot cup of coffee, a frothy latte, or a cold glass of milk are the perfect match.

Store your finished cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Want that fresh-from-the-oven feel? Pop a cookie in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to warm it up.

As I said before, this recipe is a true Homemade cinnamon roll cookies hero. You can make the dough logs, wrap them tightly, and freeze them for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, just let the log thaw in the fridge for about 30 minutes, then slice and bake as usual. This makes last-minute baking a breeze and ensures you always have a delicious treat ready to go!

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