These warm, swirled Cinnamon Roll Cookies capture everything I love about a cozy bakery treat—soft, buttery dough rolled around a cinnamon-sugar center and baked into bite-sized pinwheels. They’re a perfect bake for holidays, school lunches, or an afternoon coffee break when you want cinnamon comfort without the fuss of making a full roll. If you want the exact proportions and method I follow, try this Cinnamon Roll Cookies recipe for a fail-safe batch every time.
Why you’ll love this dish
This cookie feels like a miniature cinnamon roll: all the warm spice, caramelized brown sugar, and buttery dough in a quick, hand-slice format. It’s kid-approved, easy enough for weekday baking, and friendly on a budget since the pantry staples do all the work. You’ll get soft centers with slightly crisp edges in about 20–25 minutes from start to finish.
“These cookie pinwheels disappeared in less than an hour—soft, cinnamony, and exactly what my Sunday needed.” — happy baker
How this recipe comes together
You’ll make a simple enriched cookie dough, roll it out on parchment, sprinkle on a cinnamon-sugar filling, and roll into a log. Chill briefly if the dough gets too soft, then slice into rounds and bake until golden. This technique yields neat spirals every time and keeps mixing straightforward—no chilling or laminating required beyond handling the roll gently.
What you’ll need
2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp salt, ½ cup unsalted butter, softened, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, packed, 1 large egg, 2 tsp vanilla extract, For the Filling:, ½ cup brown sugar, packed, 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Substitution tips:
- For a lighter cookie, swap ½ cup of all-purpose flour for ½ cup whole wheat pastry flour for a nuttier flavor.
- Use unsalted margarine or coconut oil (solid) if you need dairy-free—expect a slight texture change.
- If you prefer less sweetness, reduce the granulated sugar to ⅓ cup and the filling brown sugar to ⅓ cup.
Step-by-step instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and 1 tsp ground cinnamon.
- In another bowl, cream softened butter with granulated sugar and ½ cup brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and 2 tsp vanilla extract until smooth.
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined—do not overwork.
- Prepare the filling by combining ½ cup brown sugar and 2 tsp ground cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Place half of the dough on a piece of parchment paper and press or roll into a roughly rectangular shape about ¼–½ inch thick.
- Evenly sprinkle the filling over the dough, then use the paper to help roll the dough tightly into a log.
- Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
- Slice the logs into ½-inch rounds and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden but centers remain soft.
- Let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling.
Best ways to enjoy it
Serve these with a steaming mug of coffee, chai, or hot chocolate for a cozy morning. They also pair nicely with plain Greek yogurt and fruit for a brunch spread, or alongside a simple green salad if you’re making a dessert plate for guests. For a touch extra, drizzle a thin vanilla glaze over warm cookies or serve with a scoop of cinnamon ice cream.
Keeping leftovers fresh
Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days—place a slice of bread in the container to help maintain softness.
Refrigerator: Cookies will keep 5–7 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
Freezing: Freeze unbaked cookie logs wrapped tightly in plastic and foil for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge before slicing and baking. Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months—thaw at room temperature.
Reheating: Warm a cookie for 8–12 seconds in the microwave or 4–6 minutes in a 300°F oven to refresh the texture.
Tricks for success
- If the dough feels too sticky to roll, chill the logs for 15–20 minutes first—cold dough slices cleaner.
- Roll tightly but gently to avoid cracking the spiral; the parchment trick helps keep hands clean.
- Measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling off to avoid dense cookies.
- For uniform slices, use a sharp serrated knife and wiggle gently as you cut, or chill and use a thin dental floss under the log and pull to slice.
- For extra cinnamon punch, brush the rolled dough with a thin layer of melted butter before sprinkling the filling.
Creative twists
- Add chopped pecans or walnuts to the filling for crunch.
- Stir ¼ tsp ground cardamom or nutmeg into the filling for warm complexity.
- Make them chocolate-cinnamon: brush the dough with a thin layer of chocolate spread before adding the cinnamon sugar.
- Use maple sugar or coconut sugar in the filling for a different caramel note.
- For a gluten-free option, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend and reduce baking powder slightly if the blend is already leavened.
Helpful answers
Q: Can I make the dough ahead of time?
A: Yes—make the dough and roll logs, then wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days before slicing and baking. You can also freeze unbaked logs up to 2 months.
Q: Why are my cookies flat or spread too much?
A: Overmeasuring butter or flour, or baking on a too-warm sheet, can cause excess spread. Chill the logs briefly before slicing and ensure your baking powder is fresh.
Q: How do I keep the swirl intact while baking?
A: Roll the log firmly and evenly, and slice with a sharp knife or chilled log. Slight shrinking of the swirl is normal as the dough rises—still delicious!
Q: Can I make a glaze for these?
A: Yes—mix 1 cup powdered sugar with 1–2 tbsp milk and ½ tsp vanilla until drizzly. Spoon over cooled cookies for a sweet finish.
Q: Are these safe for kids to help make?
A: Absolutely—kids can help press dough, sprinkle filling, and slice rounds (with supervision for cutting).
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Cinnamon Roll Cookies recipe
Cinnamon roll cookie recipe
Cinnamon Roll Cookies
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Warm, swirled cookies capturing the essence of cinnamon rolls in a bite-sized format.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- For the Filling:
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and 1 tsp ground cinnamon in a bowl.
- Cream softened butter with granulated sugar and ½ cup brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and 2 tsp vanilla extract until smooth.
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined—do not overwork.
- Prepare the filling by combining ½ cup brown sugar and 2 tsp ground cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Place half of the dough on parchment paper, roll into a rectangular shape about ¼–½ inch thick.
- Evenly sprinkle the filling over the dough and roll tightly into a log.
- Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
- Slice logs into ½-inch rounds and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes or until edges are lightly golden but centers remain soft.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to finish cooling.
Notes
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Can be frozen for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 21g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 15mg