This is the cookie for cinnamon-lovers! This delicious recipe is a mashup between a cinnamon roll, a snickerdoodle, and a sugar cookie. Soft and chewy sugar cookies with an incredible brown sugar-cinnamon swirl marbled all throughout.
This recipe is made with pantry staples and several tips and tricks for getting perfect cinnamon roll cookies every time. Read on for everything you need to make this delicious recipe!
Why you’ll love this recipe
Taste: Brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla! A delicious and comforting flavor combination.
Texture: Crisp edges, soft centers, with chewiness all throughout.
Basic ingredients: This recipe uses pantry staples, plus eggs and butter.
Ease: No special equipment required. The “hardest” part of this recipe is the cinnamon swirl technique and I have detailed tips and tricks for getting it right.
Recipe overview
*Full recipe below in recipe card*
Make the cinnamon sugar filling:
Stir together softened butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Place in the freezer for several minutes (to firm up) while you prepare the cookie dough.
Make the sugar cookie dough:
This is a variation of our Easy Sugar Cookies. This simple dough comes together in minutes.
Assembly:
In order to get layers, swirls, and pockets of cinnamon all throughout the cookie dough you’re going to layer the dough and pieces of the chilled cinnamon mixture. Here’s how to do that:
- Remove half of the dough from the mixing bowl and spread the remaining dough out across the bottom the mixing bowl.
- Remove the cinnamon mixture from the freezer and use two spoons to scoop small pieces (about a teaspoon each) of the cinnamon mixture and place them all over the dough in the mixing bowl.
- Once you have used half of the cinnamon mixture, get the cookie dough that you have set aside, and spread it or press it with your fingers into an somewhat even layer on top of the cinnamon and dough in the mixing bowl.
- Proceed to add the remaining cinnamon mixture (in little pieces) all over the top of that piece of dough.
Stir the cookie dough – BARELY:
Once you have your dough layered you are going to fold and mix it just barely. I do two folds, scraping up and over, followed by one to two stirs by hand with a rubber spatula. Do not use an electric mixer, this needs to be a brief stir that leaves some pieces of the cinnamon mixture in chunks and some pieces swirled into the dough.
Scoop and chill:
Scoop the dough into two-tablespoon portions using a cookie scoop. Pay attention while scooping to ensure that each scoop has a fair amount of dough mixed with cinnamon.
Place the dough balls on a plate and freeze for 10 minutes. This quick chill firms up the butter so the cookies don’t spread too much.
Bake:
Bake the cookies on parchment lined baking sheets for 10-12 minutes. They will look slightly under baked but they will firm up as they cool. If some of the cookies are misshapen after baking see the instructions below for shaping them.
Key technique for round cookies
This is a technique that I mention as an optional step for most of my cookie recipes but for this recipe it is crucial.
Some of the cookies will bake up a little misshapen. This is because pockets of cinnamon sugar might melt out while baking. Don’t worry, either of these techniques work for getting a perfectly round shape for every cookie in the batch!
Option 1: Immediately after the cookies come out of the oven place a round glass, bowl, or cookie cutter (larger than the cookie) upside down over the top of the cookie. Gently swirl the glass/bowl/cookie cutter in a circular motion. The edges of the cookie will bump against the inside of the glass creating a perfectly round shape. Note: This only works when the cookies are hot, straight from the oven, and still on the warm baking sheet.
Option 2: Immediately after the cookies come out the oven use the back of a spoon to gently push the edges inward to create clean edges and a round shape.
Recipe tips
Brief freezes for the cinnamon sugar mixture and the dough balls ensure that the cookies don’t spread too much while baking.
Layering the cookie dough with cinnamon sugar and gently folding the dough makes perfect cinnamon swirls.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup and to prevent the cookies from spreading too much.
Space the dough balls a couple inches apart on the baking sheets to give adequate room for spreading.
For thicker cookies leave the dough balls in higher mounds, for thinner cookies give them a slight pat down before baking.
Love cinnamon? Try these:
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Recipe
Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Cinnamon sugar filling:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1½ tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- pinch salt
Cookies:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened but still cool to the touch
- 1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar
- 1 ¾ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 ¾ cups all purpose flour, SEE NOTE
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F with racks near the center. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Cinnamon sugar filling:
- Mix together all ingredients (I use a small rubber spatula or fork) until well combined. Place in the freezer for about 10 minutes while you prepare the cookie dough.
Cookies:
- Using an hand mixer, or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add vanilla, egg, and egg yolk, and beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour (see note), baking powder, cornstarch, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until combined.
- Remove half of the dough from the mixing bowl and spread the remaining dough out across the bottom the mixing bowl. Remove the cinnamon mixture from the freezer and use two spoons to scoop small pieces (about a teaspoon each) of the cinnamon mixture and place them all over the dough in the mixing bowl. Once you have used half of the cinnamon mixture, get the cookie dough that you have set aside, and spread it or press it with your fingers into a somewhat even layer on top of the cinnamon and dough in the mixing bowl. Proceed to add the remaining cinnamon mixture (in little pieces) all over the top of that piece of dough. Your bowl should now have two layers of cookie dough, each layer topped with cinnamon sugar bits.
- Once you have your dough layered you are going to fold and mix it just barely. I do two folds, scraping up and over, followed by one to two stirs by hand with a rubber spatula. Do not use an electric mixer, this needs to be a brief stir that leaves some pieces of the cinnamon mixture in chunks and some pieces swirled into the dough.
- Scoop the dough into two-tablespoon portions using a cookie scoop. Pay attention while scooping to ensure that each scoop has a fair amount of dough mixed with cinnamon. Place the dough balls on a plate and freeze for 10 minutes. This quick chill firms up the butter so the cookies don't spread too much.
- Place dough balls a couple inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets. For thicker cookies leave the dough balls in higher mounds, for thinner cookies give them a slight pat down before baking. Any dough balls that do not fit into this batch that's baking should be refrigerated (not frozen) until the baking sheets have cooled and you're ready to bake them.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies have spread, the edges are beginning to brown and the center is still slightly underdone. Some of the cookies will bake up a little misshapen. This is because pockets of cinnamon sugar might melt out while baking. Don't worry, I have two techniques that work for getting a perfectly round shape for every cookie in the batch! See notes for shaping cookies as soon as they come out of the oven. Place baking sheets on wire racks and allow cookies to cool completely. They will firm up as they cool.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
chris riley
awesome 👌
Amberlee Snider
Absolutely delicious! Cooked perfectly. This recipe goes into the Favorites stack.
Allison
Yay! That’s great to hear. Thanks for stopping by!
Val
These were soooooo good. Amazing really. Thanks!
Allison
That’s great to hear! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Stacey Branger
EXCELLENT!!! These are delicious and amazing tasting. Love them.
Allison
Yay! I’m so glad! 🙂
Marialynn
I was wondering if I can use light brown sugar instead since it’s was I have in the cupboard?
Allison
Sure! Enjoy. 🙂
Susan Blackwell
Hello I tried to comment on the first page of comments but I could t. So…do you know if your cinnamon rolls cookies could be made as a bar cookie? In like a 13 x 9 pan? Thanks. My mouth is watering for them already
Allison
Hi, Susan. I’d recommend this recipe cinnamon roll blondie bars.
Jasmine
My cookies took a lot longer than the recommended 10-12 mins…What did I do wrong?
Allison
You’re oven might run on the cooler side or your dough balls might have been larger than mine. You can just add a few minutes to the bake time.
Charlene
My daughter made these last night and I believe they are the best cookie I have ever eaten. These are phenomenal.
Allison
Thanks for the kind review. 🙂
Tanya
I am wanting to make these cookies but trying to figure out why I need to separate the told from the egg whites if I’m just mixing it at the same time? Can I not just add the eggs whole? I may have missed this or misunderstood it. Just want to see before I make them!
Allison
Hi, Tanya. The recipe calls for one whole egg plus one egg yolk. You will add them both to the recipe at the same time. You can discard the remaining single egg white or use it for another recipe. Adding an extra yolk helps the cookies be a bit more rich and chewy. Hope that makes sense. 🙂 Enjoy!
May
I made these and they turned into soup in my oven. Did not work. I followed this to the tee!
Allison
Oh no! Sorry to hear that. You measured the flour as instructed? And chilled the dough balls?
Hope G
Oh my gosh I just made these and they are incredible! I didn’t chill bc I’m pressed for time but they are delicious!!Are they thin and an odd shape – yep and I don’t care 🙂 I added this recipe to my “Best meals made” pin. Thank you! I may chill next time – probably not tho! Lol Thank you for your recipes! I’ll be making more here shortly 🙂
Allison
Thanks for the kind review! I’m glad you enjoyed them. 🙂