These Cinnamon Roll Cookies taste like your favorite cinnamon rolls, but in cookie form! Soft and chewy cookies loaded with a cinnamon sugar filling and drizzled with a simple glaze. They’re what cookie dreams are made of! 

Cinnamon-flavored sweets are always a good idea, and these cinnamon roll cookies need to be added to your “must make” list. 

They kind of taste like a snickerdoodle, but much better (I said what I said!). They’re more like a sugar cookie loaded with bursts of cinnamon-sugar. Then of course, drizzled with a glaze, just like your favorite cinnamon rolls. 

This cinnamon raisin granola and apple blondies are two of my favorites when I’m craving something sweet and cinnamon-y, but these cookies are even better. 

Recipe features

• Soft and chewy cookies, making them the perfect texture.
• Loaded with balls of cinnamon, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and drizzled with a simple glaze, just like cinnamon rolls!
• A “fancy” cookie recipe that will surely impress guests. 

Ingredients

All purpose flour – I used regular flour, but gluten free 1:1 baking flour should work if you want to keep these cookies gluten-free. 

Butter – Unsalted; If you’re using salted butter, omit the salt from the ingredients. 

Sugar – Granulated sugar is used for the actual cookies, and light brown sugar is used for the cinnamon-sugar dough balls. Both are necessary! 

Eggs – I normally say flax eggs should work, but I wouldn’t use them in this recipe. You can try, but these cookies are just a little more finicky than others, so I’d stick with regular eggs.

Cinnamon – An absolute must for any cinnamon-based recipe.

Vanilla extract – Pretty much necessary for all cookie recipes.

Powdered sugar – For the drizzle on top, which may seem a little *extra* but is absolutely not. You include a glaze on actual cinnamon rolls, so it may as well be included on cinnamon roll cookies too.

Instructions

Step 1: Make the cinnamon-sugar filling. Start by mixing the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes or so, which will allow it to “harden” a bit so it isn’t as wet. Then, use a 1/2 teaspoon to scoop the mixture into small balls, placing them directly onto a small baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer while making the dough.

Step 2: Make the cookie dough. Add flour, baking powder and salt to a medium bowl. In a separate large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together, then add the eggs and vanilla and stir to combine. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and gently mix with a hand mixer until cookie dough forms.

Step 3: Combine. Remove the balls from the freezer and transfer them to the bowl with the cookie dough. Use a wooden spoon to gently stir to incorporate. Next, make the cinnamon-sugar topping by stirring the sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl.

Step 4: Prepare. Use your hands to scoop up 2 tablespoons of the cookie dough and roll it into a ball, then roll the ball into the cinnamon-sugar and place it onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Because these cookies spread a lot, limit 6 cookie dough balls per baking sheet/batch. 

Step 5: Bake. Bake the cookies in the oven for 11-13 minutes. As soon as you remove the baking sheet from the oven, use a circle cookie cutter (or round glass) to separate the cookies and form them a little more nicely. See “tips” section below for how to do this. Wait a few minutes, then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack.

Step 6: Add the glaze. Once the cookies have cooled, add the glaze. Whisk the powdered sugar and milk together until a glaze forms, then drizzle some over each cookie. Enjoy!

Tips and tricks

• Let the butter mixture sit. Start by making the cinnamon-sugar filling, then once it’s made, let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. This allows the mixture to firm up so it’s easier to roll into balls.
• Allow room for cookies to spread. Because of the butter content, these cookies spread a lot while baking. So, limit each batch to 6 cookies per baking sheet. 
• Don’t use cream cheese: This might be a hot take, but I strongly preferred a simple glaze made with milk and powdered sugar vs. one made with cream cheese. While the cream cheese tastes delicious, it doesn’t solidify on the cookie, so it ends up being kind of wet, which makes the cookies difficult to store and even eat. 

Storage

Room temperature: Store cookies in an airtight container on the kitchen counter for up to 4 days. 

Freezer: Wait for the cookies to cool, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. 

More tasty cookie recipes

• Almond Flour Chocolate Cookies
• Coffee Cookies
• Almond Sugar Cookies 

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!