Cinnamon Roll Cookie Recipe: Soft Swirls with Cream Cheese Glaze

For cinnamon roll and cookie lovers! These cookies combine a tender sugar cookie dough swirled with a buttery cinnamon-sugar filling and finished with a simple two-ingredient icing. They strike the perfect balance of soft and chewy with a lightly crisp edge—warm, cozy, and irresistible.

These treats are exactly what they sound like: all the flavor of a cinnamon roll transformed into a cookie. The base is a sugar-cookie–style dough that’s rolled thin, spread with melted butter and cinnamon sugar, then rolled up and sliced into pinwheels. They’re delicious plain or topped with a quick powdered sugar glaze.

The dough bakes into a tender, buttery cookie with a shortbread-like melt-in-your-mouth texture and just enough chew. The cinnamon swirl adds warmth and spice, elevating a classic vanilla cookie into something special.

Cinnamon roll cookie dough

The dough is inspired by traditional sugar cookie and shortbread recipes, resulting in a cookie that’s soft, buttery, and easily melts on the tongue. Making the dough follows the familiar creaming method: cream butter and sugar, add eggs and vanilla, then fold in dry ingredients. The dough should be chilled before rolling—divide it into two disks, wrap tightly, and refrigerate.

Shaping the dough into two disks helps it chill evenly and speeds up chilling time. It also makes rolling easier since you’ll work with one disk at a time.

Rolling out the cookie dough

Once chilled and firm, roll, fill, and shape the dough. A few practical tips make this process smoother:

1. Keep the second disk cold: Leave one disk in the fridge while you work on the other so it stays easy to handle.
2. Prevent cracks: If the dough is too cold it may crack. Either let it sit 10–15 minutes at room temperature or lightly knead it to soften slightly so it rolls without tearing.
3. Use a lightly floured surface: Dust with flour sparingly to prevent sticking—too much flour can dry the dough.
4. Keep the dough moving: Lift and rotate the dough as you roll so the bottom doesn’t stick.
5. Chill if needed: If the dough softens too much while you work, return it to the fridge to firm up before continuing.

Shaping cinnamon roll cookies

After rolling the dough into a rectangle, brush with melted butter and evenly sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar. Leave a narrow, unfilled strip along one long edge—this clean strip helps the seam stick when you roll the dough. Lightly wet the strip with water, then roll the dough tightly from the filled side into a log.

Wrap the log and chill until firm so it slices cleanly and won’t spread too much in the oven. Repeat with the second disk. When chilled, slice the logs into 1/2-inch rounds, arrange on parchment-lined baking sheets with space between, chill briefly, then bake until edges are golden. Finish with a simple glaze of powdered sugar and a little milk or water if desired.

More tips

1. Measure flour accurately: A kitchen scale gives the most consistent results. If using cups, spoon flour into the cup and level it off—don’t scoop directly from the bag.
2. Use room-temperature ingredients: They blend more smoothly and help ensure proper texture and spread during baking.
3. Chill the dough: Proper chilling keeps the dough manageable, helps hydrate the flour, and prevents excess spreading. Avoid quick-freezing methods that don’t chill evenly.
4. Storing: Once completely cool, keep leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

Other cinnamon roll inspired recipes

• Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake • Cinnamon Roll Gooey Butter Cake • Mini No-Bake Cinnamon Roll Cheesecakes • Mini Pie Crust Cinnamon Rolls • Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls

If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and share a photo on Instagram by tagging @eatsdelightfulblog—I love seeing your creations!

Cinnamon Roll Cookies

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• Author: Mimi
• Total Time: 50 minutes + 3 hours chill
• Yield: 24 cookies

Enjoy!

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