Cinnamon Roll Cookies

Recipe for Cinnamon Roll Cookies for The Secret Recipe Club Cookie Carnival! A light, buttery cookie dough is covered in a layer of cinnamon sugar, rolled, and cut into swirl-shaped cookies.

Secret Recipe Club

My Secret Recipe Club group is taking a break the month of December, but I jumped at the opportunity to participate in the Secret Recipe Club Cookie Carnival 2014! Like the Secret Recipe Club, each participant was assigned a blog to secretly search through and try a recipe. Instead of picking any recipe on the blog, we had to choose a cookie recipe!

I was assigned It’s Yummi. Chef Becca, of It’s Yummi, is in a different Secret Recipe Club group than me, so this was the first chance I got to explore her blog. Becca is a formally trained chef from Wisconsin who created her blog to provide healthy and fresh recipe ideas for those on a budget, with the occasional sweet treat thrown in.

I obviously focused on the sweet side for the Cookie Carnival. She has so many delicious cookie recipes to choose from! I was inspired by her Cinnamon Roll Cookies.

Other great cookie recipes I have pinned for later include: Chai Snickerdoodle Cookie Bites, Finnish Almond Log Cookies, Strawberry Lemon Linzer Cookies, and Molasses Crinkle Cookies.

Cinnamon Roll Cookies

I used Becca’s recipe as inspiration and switched the Cinnamon Rolls Cookies up a little by making a light, shortbread-like base and rolling it over a cinnamon brown sugar filling. They are such a fun little treat packed with a flavor reminiscent of the cinnamon roll pastry.

The cookie dough is very fragile, so work gently and carefully to roll it up into a log. Using a silicone mat or wax paper will help with this step. If the dough does tear while tightly rolling, use your fingertips to gently press the dough back together. Make sure the logs are well-chilled before slicing and use a sharp knife to keep their compact spiral shape.

The addition of cornstarch helps add to the light texture.

Don’t add the glaze until the Cinnamon Roll Cookies have cooled to room temperature. If the glaze is too thick to drizzle, add a small splash of milk. If it is too thin and won’t hold its shape, add a little more powdered sugar.

After the glaze has set, the cookies will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for 3-5 days.

Looking for more Cinnamon Roll-based recipes?

Try my

• Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls
• Kanelsnegle (Danish Cinnamon Rolls)
• Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake

Check out what everyone else made!

• Glazed Eggnog Cookies from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
• Lime Meltaways from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Andes Mint Chocolate Chunk Cookies from Flying on Jess Fuel
• Vegan Chocolate Coffee Crinkle Cookies from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
• Chocolate Pudding Cookies from An Affair from the Heart
• Sesame Seed Cookies from Desserts Before Dinner
• Spiced Honey-Ginger Cookies from Bewitching Kitchen
• Oatmeal Raisin Cookies from Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Chocolate Peppermint Swirl Cookies from Making Memories with Your Kids
• Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies from The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Compost Cookies from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Salted Peanut Butter Cookies with Snickers from The Weekend Gourmet
• Chocolate Coconut Oat Cookies from Chef in Disguise
• Turtle Cookies from Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
• Speculaas from Making Miracles
• Classic Sugar Cookies from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Hazelnut Meringues from Savored Grace
• Orange Spritz from The Pajama Chef
• Oatmeal Cream Pies from The Tasty Cheapskate
• Ginger Nut Cookies from Cook with Sara
• Cherry Pie Shortbread Cookies from Sid’s Sea Palm Cooking

Cinnamon Roll Cookies Recipe

Adapted from It’s Yummi

Print Pin

5 from 4 votes

Cinnamon Roll Cookies

A recipe for Cinnamon Roll Cookies! A light, buttery cookie dough is covered in a layer of cinnamon sugar, rolled, and cut into swirl-shaped cookies.

Course Dessert

Cuisine N/A

Keyword cinnamon, cinnamon roll, cinnamon sugar, cookie, dessert

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Resting Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time 2 hours

Servings 55 -60 Cookies

Ingredients

Cookie Dough:

• 1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter softened at room temperature
• 1 cup (235 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups (320 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Cinnamon Sugar Filling:

• 1/3 cup (75 grams) packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon (7 grams) ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled

Glaze:

• 1 cup (100 grams) powdered sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 milliliters) milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large bowl, beat together butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in egg, followed by the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Beat in the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt just until combined. Divide the dough into two halves, pat each into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and cinnamon.
• On a well-floured surface, silicone mat, or wax paper, roll one disc of dough into a large rectangle about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. Brush 1 tablespoon of the butter evenly and gently across the surface. Cover with half of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Very carefully and slowly, tightly roll up the rectangle long side to long side into the shape of a log. If the dough tears, gently press back together. Wrap the rolled dough in plastic and return to the refrigerator for 1 hour. Repeat with remaining disc of dough.
• Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment or lightly grease.
• Place the chilled dough on a cutting board and slice in 1/2 inch (1 1/4 cm) thick slices. Arrange 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake in the preheated oven until set and the bottoms are lightly golden. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature. Repeat with remaining log of dough.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until just thin enough to drizzle. If too thick, add a little more milk. If too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.
• Once the cookies are cool, drizzle with the glaze. Allow to cool until set before storing in an airtight container at room temperature.