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Cinnamon Roll Cookies

These cinnamon roll cookies are soft, filled with cinnamon flavor and topped with a cream cheese frosting. A fun twist on snickerdoodles.

This dessert combines two of my favorite sweet treats — cinnamon rolls and sugar cookies.

Frosted cinnamon roll cookies on counter.
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Frosted Cinnamon Roll Cookies

These cinnamon and sugar cookies are so good!

If you love my cookies with cream cheese or Lofthouse sugar cookies, these are a fun one too. They’re topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting and a little sprinkle of cinnamon.

Although these are one of our favorite Christmas cookies, this treat tastes festive year-round too.

Frosted cinnamon roll cookies.

Soft Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies Ingredients

It has all the pantry staples in one medium bowl! It is that delicious and easy to make!

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Butter: Unsalted, softened butter left on the countertop will make these cookies extra creamy!
  • Sugar: Adds sweetness to every bite.
  • Eggs: This binds and holds the cookie dough together as it mixes in the bowl.
  • Vanilla extract: Added in for flavor and more moisture to the cookie dough.
  • All-purpose flour: The base of the cookies is in the flour. The flour will add texture as well as the thickness of the cookies.
  • Baking powder: This helps the cookies rise and keeps them contained rather than spreading while being baked.
  • Ground cinnamon: Swirl in cinnamon to give it that cinnamon roll taste!
  • Sea salt: Pinch of salt that gives it texture as well as a sweet and salty plus savory flavor!

How to Make Cinnamon Roll Cookies

These cinnamon roll cookies are just what you need to have a sweet dessert! It is simple to make and comes together by mixing the dry ingredients with the wet. It is an easy recipe that has all the flavor!

  • Mix. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla, and mix well.
  • Combine. Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt and mix until a firm dough forms. Chill in the refrigerator.
  • Roll out cookie dough. Roll the dough into one-inch balls and place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Flatten each ball slightly with your hand or with a drinking glass.
  • Bake. Preheat oven and bake until the bottom edges are just slightly golden brown. Remove to a cooling rack and let cool before frosting.
Frosting cookies on cooling rack.

Ingredients for Homemade Frosting

These cookies have an easy-to-make cinnamon roll frosting on them that’s better than anything you can get from a mall

  • Cream cheese: Soften the cream cheese by leaving it out at room temperature until it is easy to sink your finger through.
  • Butter: This is best softened at room temperature similar to the cream cheese. Cut the butter into slices to help it mix better with the wet ingredients.
  • Powdered sugar: Add a little at a time giving the frosting that rich thickness with a soft texture.
  • Vanilla: Just a dash of flavor!
  • Milk: Choose either milk or cream to make this frosting nice and creamy.
  • Cinnamon: Since these are cinnamon sugar cookies we need to add sprinkle of cinnamon to the frosting for that extra boost of flavor!
Stacked cinnamon roll cookies on counter.

5 star review

I’ve made this recipe and it was a huge hit with my friends and neighbors! They’re delicious both warm and chilled!”

-Kaylee

Baking Tips + Tricks

As you are making this cinnamon roll cookie recipe, keep these tips and tricks in mind to help you get the best results possible. This will help ensure you have soft and delicious cookies every time!

  • Use softened cream cheese. There are two easy ways to do this: you can either leave out the cream cheese at room temperature for about 45 minutes or microwave it on high for about 15 seconds.
  • The butter also needs to be softened. It’s important that the butter is soft, not melted. For this reason, I skip the microwave. Instead, you can cut your butter into small cubes so they soften in an hour or less. If you need to soften it quickly, you can put your butter in a double boiler and pour boiling water in the bowl underneath the bowl holding butter.
  • Flatten the dough with a drinking glass. Once the dough is made, you’ll roll it into 1″ balls before placing them on the parchment paper. Then, grab a clean drinking glass and use the bottom to flatten each cookie to 1/2″ thickness.
  • Cool before frosting. Make sure your cookies are completely cool before adding your frosting. It’s hard to wait, but otherwise, they might melt the icing rather than hold its fluffy form.
  • Frosting. Instead of a thick frosting, you can drizzle on a cream cheese glaze if preferred. A cinnamon buttercream or sour cream frosting would also taste delicious on top. Making these during the holidays, this eggnog frosting recipe is a must!

Recipe FAQs

What is the explanation for rolled cookies?

Rolled cookies are cookies that are made by rolling the cookie dough flat. Using a lightly floured surface or parchment paper to roll the cookie dough to a certain thickness before placing it on a cookie sheet. You can even use cookie cutters to cut shapes, animals, or numbers and letters.

What is the difference between rolled cooked and dropped cookies?

Rolled cookies are considered more crumbly and less chewy compared to drop cookies. Rolled cookies are thin and crisp whereas dropped cookies are chewy and softer. Drop cookies usually use a cookie scoop and drop them directly onto the cookie sheet or silicone baking mat.

What is rolled or molded cookie method?

Rolled cookie method can be rolled out by using a rolling pin or rolling into a cookie dough log and cutting the dough into slices. Molded cookies are made from a stiffer dough that is similar to clay. Roll the dough into balls or similar shapes. Peanut butter cookies are a great example of molded cookie method.

What is the secret to rolling out cookie dough?

The secret to rolling out cookie dough is having the cookie dough slightly chilled from the refrigerator. Using parchment paper, put the cookie dough between the two pieces and shape a rectangle using your hands. Roll the dough using a rolling pin at the center and roll the dough away from your body.

Stack of cinnamon roll sugar cookies with a bite taken out.

Freezing Baked Cookies

Allow cookies to cool completely. Place on a baking sheet and then freeze for 30 minutes. Once the frosting has hardened you can stack in a covered container. Take out 1 hour before ready to serve. 

Love warm spiced treats with icing? This eggnog cupcake will also be a new favorite!

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stacked cinnamon roll cookies on counter

Cinnamon Roll Cookies

4.97 from 350 votes
↑ Click stars to rate now!
Author: Jamielyn Nye
These cinnamon roll cookies are soft, filled with cinnamon flavor and topped with a cream cheese frosting.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Chill Dough: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 24

Video

Ingredients 

Cookies

  • 1 cup unsalted butter , softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar , could also do half brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour , more if needed
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • cinnamon sugar , for rolling (optional)

Frosting

  • 4 ounces cream cheese , softened
  • 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
  • 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-2 teaspoons milk or cream , as needed
  • Ground cinnamon , for sprinkling

Instructions

Cookies

  • In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla, and mix well.
  • Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt and mix until a firm dough forms. Add an extra Tablespoon or two of flour if the dough is too sticky, being careful not to over mix. Chill 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Roll the dough into one inch balls and place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. You can roll balls in cinnamon sugar for more cinnamon flavor if desired. Flatten each ball slightly with your hand or with a drinking glass to be about 1/3- to 1/2-inch thick.
  • Bake 7 to 8 minutes, or until the bottom is barely golden. Be careful to not over bake. Remove to a cooling rack and let cool before frosting.

Frosting

  • In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the powdered sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla and milk as needed to reach desired consistency. Beat until light and fluffy.
  • Pipe onto cooled cookies (you can use a 1M tip or snip off the top of a zip-top bag) in a spiral shape. Sprinkle the tops with cinnamon or cinnamon sugar. Store in a covered container up to 3 days.

Notes

Cinnamon sugar: For extra cinnamon flavor, roll the dough balls in cinnamon sugar before baking. You could also add in freshly grated cinnamon or mix in cinnamon chips for extra cinnamon flavor.
Storage: Store in a covered container in the refrigerator 3-5 days.
Freezer instructions: Allow cookies to cool completely. Place on a baking sheet and then freeze 30 minutes. Once the frosting has hardened you can stack in a covered container. Take out 1 hour before ready to serve. 
Variation: You could also serve these cookies with a cinnamon buttercream or drizzle with a cream cheese glaze
Note: On 2/9/24 I reduced the flour from 3 cups to 2 3/4 cups of flour after retesting them. The key to soft cookies is not over mixing and not over baking. 

Nutrition

Calories: 264kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 171mg | Potassium: 83mg | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 435IU | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 0.9mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

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