Description
These Cinnamon Roll Cookies capture the comforting flavors of classic cinnamon rolls in a soft, bite-sized cookie. Featuring a tender dough swirled with cinnamon sugar and topped with a rich cream cheese glaze, they are perfect for breakfast treats or dessert. The recipe includes a straightforward dough preparation, rolling, baking, and finishing with a luscious cream cheese frosting drizzle.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup butter (salted, room temperature)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (or a gluten-free 1-to-1 blend)
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
Filling
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 3 Tbsp. butter (salted, melted)
Glaze
- 1 ½ Tbsp. cream cheese (softened)
- 1 Tbsp. butter (melted)
- 1 ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ½ tsp. clear vanilla extract
- 1-2 Tbsp. milk
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to get it ready for baking the cookies.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer, beat the room-temperature butter and sugar on medium speed until creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add in the egg and vanilla extract, continuing to beat for another 30 seconds until well combined.
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a large separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon to evenly distribute all dry components.
- Combine Dry and Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture on low speed. Mix thoroughly until a thick dough forms. Then cover and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes to 1 hour to firm it up.
- Prepare Filling: Melt the butter in a small bowl. In another small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon to make the cinnamon sugar filling.
- Roll and Fill Dough: Lay a 20 to 24-inch sheet of wax paper on a flat surface. Place the chilled dough in the center and roll it out into a 16” by 8” rectangle. Trim edges if needed to shape it precisely. Brush half of the melted butter evenly over the dough, then sprinkle half the cinnamon sugar mixture over the butter.
- Form Dough Log: Starting at the longer side, roll the dough tightly into a 16-inch long log, smoothing out any cracks as you go for a compact shape. Refrigerate this log for another 30 minutes to make slicing easier.
- Slice and Bake: Cut the dough log into 16 equal slices. Place slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet spaced at least 2 inches apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly golden. Repeat steps for the remaining dough half. Let cookies cool completely before adding the glaze.
- Make Glaze: While cookies bake, beat together softened cream cheese, melted butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract on medium speed until smooth. Add milk, one tablespoon at a time, until the glaze reaches your desired consistency for drizzling.
- Glaze the Cookies: Transfer the cream cheese glaze into a Ziploc bag and snip a small corner off or use a piping bag with a small round tip. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookies evenly and allow to set before serving.
Notes
- Refrigerating the dough helps achieve better slice cleanly and keeps the shape intact during baking.
- If the dough cracks while rolling, press and smooth gently to maintain a neat log shape.
- Use gloves or a parchment paper sheet to roll out dough for less stickiness and easier handling.
- You can substitute gluten-free flour with a 1-to-1 blend to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before glazing to prevent the frosting from melting.
- The glaze can be adjusted in thickness by varying the amount of milk added.
