If you’ve ever wished you could pack the taste of a cinnamon roll into a cookie, you’re in luck! These Cinnamon Roll Cookies are a spiced delight with tangy cream cheese icing swirled on top.
Cinnamon Roll Cookies have the taste of your favorite breakfast pastry without all the work. Much like snickerdoodles, they’re rolled in cinnamon-sugar before baking for a delightful crunch as you bite into them.
What’s not to love about this combination of two of your favorite treats?
What really separates these from other cookies is the cream cheese icing. It’s the ideal match for the warm cinnamon flavor of the cookie. So get a little fancy and pipe the icing in neat swirls, or simply spread it on and call it a day.
These cookies go perfectly with a hot cup of coffee or even a chai latte. For more spiced cookies, my Copycat Crumbl Pumpkin Cake Cookies also feature a dreamy cream cheese frosting. Or, keep it simple with my Classic Cinnamon Cookies.
Why You’ll Love these Cinnamon Roll Cookies
- They’re soft inside with a lovely crunch outside.
- Extra cute with a spiral of cream cheese icing on top.
- Great for special events and holidays.
- Make the dough ahead of time.
- Fun to make with kids! Let them roll the cookies in cinnamon-sugar and help with the icing.
Helpful Tools
- Mixer – Use a hand or stand mixer to do most of the work for you.
- Cookie scoop – Picking the right cookie dough scoop size has a greater impact than you might expect on the outcome. I like to use a small cookie scoop for this recipe that holds 1 Tablespoon of dough.
- Cookie sheet
- Parchment paper or Silpat – Either option will keep the cookies from sticking to the baking sheet.
- Piping bag or icing spatula – To decorate the cookies.
- Wire rack – For cooling the cookies faster and more evenly.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Cinnamon – This warming spice brings deliciousness and warmth to these cookies.
- Sugar – Sweetens up the cookie dough and helps it retain moisture.
- Cream cheese – Creates a creamy icing reminiscent of cinnamon roll glaze.
- Powdered sugar – Lends structure and sweetness to the icing. Don’t have any on hand? Believe it or not, it’s not complicated to make your own powdered sugar.
- Butter – Creates a rich, buttery cookie base and lends flavor to the icing.
- Flour – This creates the structure of the cookie dough. Use the spoon and level technique to ensure your cookies won’t be too dense.
- Baking powder – Helps your cookies rise in the oven.
- Egg – This binds the cookie dough together and adds moisture and richness.
- Vanilla – Adds a tasty and irresistible aroma.
Variations
- Orange-Vanilla Icing – Add a couple of drops of orange oil while mixing.
- Almond Icing – Substitute the vanilla extract with almond extract.
How to Make these Cinnamon Roll Cookies
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Preheat oven and prepare baking sheets.
- In a larger bowl, cream the butter and sugar together, beating until you have a fluffy mixture.
- Add the egg and vanilla. Beat together until fully mixed and smooth.
- Stir in the dry ingredients until mixed well.
- Scoop the mixture into 1 tablespoon balls.
- Make the cinnamon-sugar mixture by combining the cinnamon and sugar.
- Roll and coat each dough ball in the cinnamon-sugar. Place cookies on baking sheets with 2 inches of space between them.
- Flatten the cookies to discs about ⅓ inch thick. Bake as directed.
- Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. As the cookies cool, combine the icing ingredients and beat until smooth.
- To ice the cooled cookies, use a piping bag to make swirls. Or, spread it on with an icing knife or spatula. Sprinkle the finished cookies with cinnamon if desired.
Tips
- An easy way to flatten your cookies is by placing a piece of parchment paper over them. Then lay another cookie sheet over them and use it to press all the cookies to the same thickness.
- Ensure your butter is at room temperature for mixing the cookies and making the icing.
- Save time while rolling the dough in cinnamon-sugar. Put the cinnamon-sugar in a container wide enough to hold 3-4 balls at a time. Place 3-4 inside and gently shake the container back and forth until they’re all coated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Once you’ve rolled the dough balls in cinnamon-sugar, freeze them in a single layer on a lined baking sheet. Then transfer them to an airtight container, separating them with strips of waxed paper. Increase the bake time for frozen cookies by 1-2 minutes.
Yes, you can tightly wrap the dough and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days before baking it. After that, you might prefer to let the dough come to room temperature for easier scooping.
Yes. Like the cookie dough, you can make the frosting and place it in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days before using. You may need to give it a good stir after it’s been sitting for a while.
How to Store
- Room Temperature – Allow the cookies to cool completely. Then store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerate – Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freeze – Freeze the finished cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet. Then store them in an airtight container with waxed paper between the layers. They’ll last up to 3 months. Allow them to thaw to room temperature before eating.
Cinnamon Roll Cookies
Ingredients
For Dough
- 1 ⅓ cups flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup butter, unsalted, room temperature
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- 1 egg, large
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Rolling
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
For Frosting
- 3 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
- 5 Tablespoons butter, unsalted, room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- In a larger bowl, cream the butter and sugar together, beating until you have a fluffy mixture.
- Add the egg and vanilla. Beat together until fully mixed and smooth.
- Stir in the dry ingredients until mixed well.
- Scoop the mixture into 1 tablespoon balls.
- Make the cinnamon-sugar mixture by combining the cinnamon and sugar.
- Roll and coat each dough ball in the cinnamon-sugar.
- Place cookies on baking sheets with 2 inches of space between them.
- Flatten the cookies to discs about ⅓ inch thick.
- Bake in a 350ºF oven for 10-12 minutes until they’re set.
- Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- As the cookies cool, combine the icing ingredients and beat until smooth.
- To ice the cooled cookies, use a piping bag to make swirls. Or, spread it on with an icing knife or spatula. Sprinkle the finished cookies with cinnamon if desired.
Video
Notes
- An easy way to flatten your cookies is by placing a piece of parchment paper over them. Then lay another cookie sheet over them and use it to press all the cookies to the same thickness.
- Ensure your butter is at room temperature for mixing the cookies and making the icing.
- Save time while rolling the dough in cinnamon-sugar. Put the cinnamon-sugar in a container wide enough to hold 3-4 balls at a time. Place 3-4 inside and gently shake the container back and forth until they’re all coated.
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