Breakfast or Dessert! These Cinnamon Roll Cookies Are Irresistible

With a buttery, cinnamon sugar filling, and sweet sticky glaze, these cinnamon roll cookies take your favorite dessert and make it into something new. Made with easy pantry staples these cinnamon cookies are deliciously soft and comforting.

Skip the effort of making traditional cinnamon rolls and whip up these cookies instead! With all your favorite dessert flavors, these cookies come together in half the time it would take to make rolls.

A soft, sugar cookie filled with cinnamon sugar and then drizzled with a sweet sugar glaze. These cinnamon roll cookies are comfort food you won’t be able to put down. 

Great for holidays, showers, and gatherings, these cookies not only taste rich and flavorful but make your house smell amazing too!

Ingredients for Cinnamon Roll Cookies

For the filling:

• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

For the cookie dough:

• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

For rolling:

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon

For the icing:

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation time: 20-25 minutes (including ingredient preparation and cookie formation)
Chilling time: At least 2 hours
Baking time: Around 10 minutes per batch of cookies.
Cooling time: About 10 minutes (after removing the cookies from the oven).
Serves: 18

How to Make Cinnamon Roll Cookies

1- Prepare the filling:

• In a bowl, mix the softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until well combined.

• On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, make small portions or chips of the filling using a teaspoon.

• Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator to harden the filling.

2- Prepare the cookie dough:

• In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the brown sugar and granulate sugar until creamy.

• Add the eggs and vanilla extract, beating until well combined.

• In another bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar.

• Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture, mixing until no lumps remain.

• Incorporate the chilled filling chips into the dough.

3- Chill the dough:

• Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours or overnight to allow it to firm up and the flavors to meld.

4- Prepare the rolling mixture:

• In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon.

5- Shape and bake the cookies:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
• Form dough balls using approximately 4 tablespoons of dough each.
• Roll each dough ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until fully coated.

• Place the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving space between them to allow for spreading.

• Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.

6- Prepare the icing:

• In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.

• Drizzle the icing over the cooled cookies.

Variations and Substitutions

Sugars: If you want to play around with texture and flavor, try using a different kind of sugar in the icing. Cane sugar, coconut sugar, or turbinado sugar will all alter the cookies.

Raisins:  Add in some dried cranberries or raisins for a chewy texture and burst of flavor.

Crunch: You can mix some chopped pecans right into the sugar cookie dough or toast them and sprinkle them on top of the glaze for a bit of crunch.

Chocolate-lover: In place of the sugar glaze, you could drizzle the sugar cookies with a chocolate ganache.

Tips and Tricks To Make The Best Cinnamon Roll Cookies

If you love soft and chewy cookies, remove the baking pan from the oven when they still look a bit soft in the middle and the edges are golden. They’ll continue to cook and firm up on the baking sheet as they cool.

Changes in the amount of flour used can alter the texture of the cookies in a flask. Measure your flour properly by spooning it into a measuring cup and not scooping up the flour with the cup itself. Then, level it off with a knife to get the most accurate amount. 

Make sure to let your butter and eggs come to room temperature before mixing them into the batter. This way everything mixes evenly and stays smooth.

Don’t overmix! Mix the dough until just combined. Overmixing can lead to cookies that become just a bit too tough.

The icing will melt into the cookie if it’s drizzled on before the cookies are fully cooled. To prevent it from spreading too much, let the cookies cool fully.

The cookies will spread out on the baking sheet a bit when cooking. To make them look pretty, use a spatula or a circular object to reshape the edges if needed.

Store the cinnamon roll cookies in an airtight container on the counter for a few days. If you live in a very humid area though, you may want to store them in the fridge so that they hold their texture. Then, let them come back to room temperature before you serve them.

You can make the cinnamon roll cookies a bit in advance if needed and freeze them. To do this, form the cookie dough balls and place them on a baking sheet. Pop them in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up before transferring them to a freezer bag or container. When you need them, place the balls right from the freezer onto a baking tray and into the oven. Add an extra couple of minutes to the cooking time.