Cinnamon Roll Cookies

Cinnamon Roll Cookie Recipe – All the illusion of the cinnamon roll swirls with the allure of the cookies into one amazing recipe. This sugar cookie based treat with cinnamon sugar filling makes for a great dessert. 

Not just a cinnamon roll. Not just cinnamon cookies. These, my friends, are Cinnamon Roll Cookies! Let’s pause and relish the idea.

Why? Why not leave things be and let a spice cookie be a spice cookie and a cinnamon roll be a cinnamon roll?

Well for starters, I’m an overachiever.

Second, cinnamon cookies and spice cookies are generally not that visually appealing.

Third, cinnamon rolls take all day to make.

Fourth, cinnamon rolls do not fit in your pocket.

…I knew you’d see it my way sooner or later.

Cinnamon Roll Cookies for the Holidays

Cinnamon Roll Cookies, however, are perfect for lunchbox treats and your holiday cookie exchange. They look as good and they smell, and taste EVEN BETTER.

There are two secret ingredients that take these little beauties to the next level.

First, cream cheese because:

• The cream cheese gives the cookies a light and tangy flavor with a tender texture.
• It makes the chilled dough easier to roll out.
• It helps the cookies to stand up a little–like cinnamon rolls!

Second, dry active yeast because it gives the cookies that underlying flavor that makes cinnamon rolls so irresistible.

The goal here is to include the yeasty essence without activating it. So mix the yeast with cool vanilla prior to adding it to the dough. As long as it’s not warm, it will infuse with the vanilla, but shouldn’t foam and cause the cookie dough to rise more than needed.

Ingredients Checklist

• Unsalted butter softened
• Softened cream cheese
• Vanilla extract
• Dry active yeast
• Granulated sugar
• All-purpose flour
• Salt
• Brown sugar
• Ground cinnamon
• Whole milk
• Powdered sugar

How to Make This Cinnamon Cookie Recipe

Instructions…

Mix 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract with 1 teaspoon of dry active yeast.

Cream the butter, cream cheese, vanilla with yeast, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until the wet ingredients are light and fluffy—2-3 minutes.

Turn the mixer on low. Add the salt, then slowly add the flour. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix until the dry ingredients are well combined.

Press the dough into a flat disk. Wrap and refrigerate the dough for (at least) 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Mix 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon together in a small bowl.

Cut the dough in half and leave one half in the fridge while working with the first half.

Flour a piece of wax paper and roll the dough into a 7×13-inch rectangle that is approximately 1/4-inch thick. Then cut the dough into two sections to make the rolling easier.

Sprinkle half the cinnamon sugar mixture over the dough leaving 1 1/2 inches bare along the long edge. Starting on the cinnamon-covered side, carefully roll the dough tightly toward the bare edge. Press the seam firmly on the sugar cookie dough log.

Repeat with the remaining dough and cinnamon sugar. Place the rolls back in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes to harden the dough. *At this point, you can wrap the rolls with plastic wrap and refrigerate them for 2-3 weeks if needed.

Cut the roll into 1/3- to 1/2-inch slices and lay on parchment paper lined or silicone baking mat lined cookie/baking sheets.

Bake for 9-12 minutes. Cool completely. Then whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and remaining vanilla extract together in a small bowl. Dip the face of each cookie into the glaze and set them on a wire rack to dry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Make This Dough Ahead Of Time?

Sure you can! Make a batch and bake half the cookies now. Then wrap the other roll for later. They can be stored in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can slice and bake homemade Cinnamon Roll Cookies in minutes whenever you need them! 

How Long Do These Cookies Last? 

You can store the baked cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 6 days.

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• Potato Chip Cookies with Chocolate Drizzle
• Chocolate Pretzel Cookies ~ Smitten Kitchen
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Check the printable recipe card below for the nutrition information including calories, carbohydrates, protein, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, potassium, fiber, vitamin, and calcium percentages.

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5 from 7 votes

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Cinnamon Roll Cookies

Prep Time: 1 hour hour

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Not just a cinnamon roll. Not just cinnamon cookies. These, my friends, are Cinnamon Roll Cookies!

Servings: 72 cookies

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter softened
• 4 ounces softened cream cheese
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract divided
• 1 teaspoon dry active yeast
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

• Mix 2 teaspoons vanilla extract with 1 teaspoon of dry active yeast.
• Cream the butter, cream cheese, vanilla with yeast, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy—2-3 minutes.
• Turn the mixer on low. Add the salt, then slowly add the flour. Scrape the bowl and mix until well combined.
• Press the dough into a flat disk. Wrap and refrigerate the dough for (at least) 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl.
• Cut the dough in half and leave one half in the fridge while working with the first half.
• Flour a piece of wax paper and roll the dough into a 7×13-inch rectangle that is approximately 1/4-inch thick. Then cut the dough into two sections to make the rolling easier.
• Sprinkle half the cinnamon sugar over the dough leaving 1 1/2 inches bare along the long edge. Starting on the cinnamon-covered side, carefully roll the dough tightly toward the bare edge. Press the seam firmly.
• Repeat with the remaining dough and cinnamon sugar. Place the rolls back in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to harden the dough. *At this point, you can wrap the rolls and refrigerate for 2-3 weeks if needed.
• Cut the roll into 1/3- to 1/2-inch slices and lay on parchment paper lined cookie sheets.
• Bake for 9-12 minutes. Cool completely. Then whisk the powdered sugar, milk and remaining vanilla extract together in a small bowl. Dip the face of each cookie into the glaze and set on a rack to dry.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 82kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 10mg, Sodium: 23mg, Potassium: 15mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 120IU, Calcium: 7mg, Iron: 0.3mg

Course: Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Author: Sommer Collier

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