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Where do I even start with these heavenly cookies?! There’s the chewy cookie itself, the cinnamon brown sugar filling swirled inside, plus the rich and silky cream cheese frosting on top! These cinnamon roll sugar cookies will be the most popular cookie on your Christmas tray! The icing itself is more than enough to make you swoon. It tastes just like the Cinnabon icing, only you can whip it up yourself in minutes.
Why You’ll Love These Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies
- Combines Two Favorite Desserts: These cookies blend the flavors of cinnamon rolls and sugar cookies, creating a unique and delicious taste that’s better than either treat alone.
- Pillowy Texture: The cookies are soft and enjoyable, topped with a rich, creamy frosting.
- Enjoyable Year-Round: Although they’re a hit during Christmas, these cookies are fantastic for any season. The flavors are consistently enjoyable, making them a go-to treat throughout the year.
- Pantry Ingredients: The recipe is simple and uses everyday pantry items.
Ingredients For Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies
From the cookie dough to the cinnamon filling to the cream cheese frosting, all 3 components of these cinnamon roll cookies are composed of kitchen staples.
Sugar Cookies
- All-Purpose Flour: Be sure to use the spoon and level method when measuring your flour to avoid packing it into the measuring cup and using too much.
- Baking Powder: Not baking soda.
- Salt: This flavor-enhancer is a must-have for sugar cookie dough!
- Butter: One stick, softened.
- Sugar: You’ll need one cup of sugar for these cookies.
- Egg: Large.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: For that classic sugar cookie flavor!
Cinnamon Sugar Filling
- Butter: Softened.
- Ground Cinnamon: To taste.
- Light Brown Sugar: This sweetens up the filling and adds a nice texture.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream Cheese: You’ll need 4 ounces.
- Butter: One stick or 8 tablespoons.
- Powdered Sugar: Butter and powdered sugar are the base of this great frosting recipe.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: For sweetness and flavor.
- Lemon Extract: To enhance the icing’s tanginess.
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies
Once you see how quick and easy these are, you’ll never make regular sugar cookies again! It just takes a little over an hour to chill the dough, but the rest goes relatively quickly.
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: Whisk flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Cream Butter & Sugar: In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Incorporate Egg & Vanilla: Add egg and vanilla, beating until combined.
- Combine with Dry Ingredients: Gradually mix in the flour mixture to form a smooth dough.
- Chill Dough: Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Roll Out Dough: On a floured piece of aluminum foil, roll the dough into a 1/4-inch thick rectangle.
- Add Filling: Spread butter over dough, then sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar.
- Roll Dough: Using the foil, roll the dough tightly and freeze for 45 minutes.
- Make Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, followed by vanilla and lemon extracts.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice dough into 1/4-inch cookies. Bake on an ungreased sheet for 8-10 minutes until edges brown. Cool on a wire rack.
- Frost & Serve: Once cooled, frost with cream cheese icing and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Short on Time? If you don’t want to spend time making your own cookie dough, go ahead and use your favorite store-bought brand. But the sugar cookies made using this recipe are bound to be tastier!
- Don’t Skimp on the Chill Time: Chilling the dough may require some patience, but it’s important for the success of this recipe. The initial chill time prepares the dough to be rolled nicely and the freeze time makes for easy cookie cutting.
- Roll Carefully: Work slowly when you use the tin foil to roll up the cookie dough with the cinnamon sugar. Make sure you’re rolling it tightly and evenly.
- Let the Cookies Cool Completely: Don’t frost your cookies until they’ve reached room temperature! Otherwise, you could end up with a melty icing mess.
How to Store Cinnamon Roll Cookies
- Keep these cookies stored in an airtight container on the counter for 4 days or refrigerate them for up to 7 days. Bring them to room temperature before serving.
- To freeze, keep them in a freezer-safe container with or without the frosting for up to 3 months. If they’re iced and you’re stacking cookies on top of each other, put sheets of parchment paper between the layers. Thaw cookies overnight in the fridge and bring them to room temperature before serving.
More Cookies to Try
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Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies
Soft sugar cookies are rolled up with cinnamon sugar and slathered with cream cheese frosting in these amazing Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies!
Ingredients
For the Sugar Cookies
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons butter,, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Cinnamon Roll Filling
- 1 tablespoon butter,, softened
- 1 to 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon,, I use 1 tablespoon because my family prefers less cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
For the Cream Cheese Icing
- 4 ounces cream cheese,, softened
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon lemon extract
Instructions
For the Cookies
- In a medium-sized bowl whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- Pour in the flour mixture and beat until you have a smooth dough.
- Flatten the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Take out a large piece of aluminum foil and flour it.
- Take the dough out of the fridge and place it on top of the foil.
- Roll it out into a rectangle, about 1/4-inch thick.
For the Filling
- Using your hands, spread the butter over the entire dough; sprinkle with cinnamon; sprinkle with light brown sugar.
Roll into a Log
- Holding onto the corners of the foil, those closest to you, begin to roll the dough away from you. Work slowly.
- Roll to the end of the foil.
- Wrap the rolled cookie dough in the foil and place it in the freezer for 45 minutes
For the Icing
- Place the cream cheese and the butter in a mixing bowl.
- Beat until creamy.
- Gradually add in the powdered sugar; beat until smooth, about 4 minutes.
- Pour in the vanilla extract and lemon extract; continue to mix until well incorporated.
Bake
- Preheat oven to 350˚F.
- Take out the cookie dough, unwrap it, and cut the cookies off the roll, about 1/4-inch thick.
- Place the cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they begin to brown around the edges.
- Remove from oven and let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Once cooled, frost with the icing.
- Frosted cookies will keep several days in an airtight container.
Notes
- Store-bought dough. Feel free to use pre-made sugar cookie dough from the store if you’re in a hurry.
- Chill. It might test your patience, but chilling the dough is crucial for this recipe’s success. The initial chilling helps in rolling out the dough smoothly, and freezing ensures that the cookies are easy to cut.
- Rolling. Take your time when rolling the dough with the cinnamon sugar using the foil. Rolling it tightly and uniformly is important to get the best results.
- Cooling. Wait until the cookies are completely cool before applying the frosting. Frosting them while they’re still warm could make the icing melt and become messy.
Nutrition
Calories: 192kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 94mg | Potassium: 34mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 322IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Did you make a recipe? Leave a rating
Thank you. Also could these be left in the freezer overnight?
Or no longer than 45 min
Are these cookies soft or crunchy?
Hi Bethany!
There’s a bit of crunch when you bite into them, but the inside is soft.
Thank you for joining the fun at the Christmas Cookie Swap Linky Party. I have pinned your yumminess xo
I made these and they are absolutely amazing! Took them to work and the staff LOVED them. Thank you for this recipe. A definite keeper.
Hi Karen!! That is awesome! I’m SO happy you all enjoyed them!