Buttery Cinnamon Roll Cookies
These cinnamon cookies are perfect for any occasion, especially when you’re craving a sweet, lightly spiced treat! It’s a third of the effort that goes into cinnamon rolls, as the dough comes together and minutes and you don’t have to worry about kneading, proofing, etc!
It’s a great recipe for holiday cookies, even for the most unskilled baker. It’s also open to variation within the dough and the sugar mix (see notes below).
Enjoy these cookies with milk, ice cream, or even by themselves!
Ingredients
For the cookie:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick, softened)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup sugar (white, granulated)
- 1 egg (ideally room temperature)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
For the cinnamon sugar/filling:
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 tbs cinnamon
- Pinch of salt (1/8 tsp)
- 1 tbs melted butter
Instructions:
- Prepare the cookie dough. Beat the butter on medium-high speed for 30 seconds. Add the sugar and beat on high speed for another minute. Then, add the vanilla and the egg and beat on medium for another minute. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add this to the butter mix and beat on low speed just until combined. Divide the dough into two halves (try to shape them roughly into rectangles), wrap them both in large sheets of plastic, and then chill for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
- Prepare the cinnamon sugar mix by combining the sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Then, melt the butter in a separate bowl. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Starting with one of the cookie dough squares, unwrap the plastic wrap that it is in. Then, roll the dough into a rectangle directly on top of the plastic wrap with a rolling pin, trying to achieve about 1/4 inch thickness. Brush the dough with half the melted butter and sprinkle with half the cinnamon sugar mix. Then, roll the dough starting from one of the shorter sides. Use the plastic wrap to help you roll it tightly. Then, cover the rolled dough in the plastic wrap and put it into the fridge for 10 minutes. Repeat for the other dough half with the remaining butter and sugar mix.
- Once the oven has preheated, prepare a large baking tray with a sheet of parchment paper. Then, take one of the large cookies dough rolls out of the fridge. Using a knife, cut 1/2” slices off of the roll and place them on the baking tray about 2 inches apart. Fit as many as you can, but this yields lots of cookies so expect to do at least 2 batches. If you can’t fit the entire roll (sliced), place the leftover into the fridge until it can be baked.
- Bake the cookies for 10 minutes on the middle rack in the oven. They should have a light golden color. Then, cool them for 2-3 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring. Enjoy!
Notes:
- For flavor variation, you can add various different spices (nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, chile powder, cocoa powder, etc).
- You can make the cookie dough a day or two in advance and freeze for convenience, but make sure to bake for 12 minutes (no need to defrost) for cookies any time!
- Store at room temperature in a sealed container for up to a week.
Buttery Cinnamon Roll Cookies
These cinnamon cookies are perfect for any occasion, especially when you’re craving a sweet, lightly spiced treat! They're essentially a sweet sugar cookie filled with melted butter and cinammon sugar, baked until light golden brown. It’s a third of the effort that goes into cinnamon rolls, as the dough comes together and minutes and you don’t have to worry about kneading, proofing, etc!
Equipment
- oven
- stand mixer, hand mixer, or whisk
- rubber spatula
Ingredients
Cookie:
- 1 1/2 cup flour
- 3/4 cup sugar white, granulated
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 egg ideally room temperature
Cinnamon sugar (filling):
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp salt (just a pinch)
- 1 tbsp butter melted
Instructions
- Make the cookie. Start by adding the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer (or just a bowl to hand mix) and mix on high speed for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the vanilla and egg and mix on medium for another minute.
- Combine the salt, baking powder, and flour in a bowl. Add to the butter mixture. Mix just until combined.
- Divide the dough into two and wrap in plastic. Chill in the fridge for one hour.
- For the filling: combine the sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Leave the melted butter separate.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. On a lightly floured surface or directly on the plastic wrap, roll out one rectangle of dough to about 1/4” thickness.
- Spread half the melted butter over it and sprinkle half the sugar mix. Roll tightly, starting with the shorter side. Wrap back in plastic and chill for ten minutes. Repeat for the second rectangle.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut 1/2” slices off of the rolled cookie dough and place them at least 2” apart. Bake for 10 minutes, until there is a light golden color. Enjoy!
Notes
- For flavor variation, you can add various different spices (nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, chile powder, cocoa powder, etc).
- You can make the cookie dough a day or two in advance and freeze for convenience, but make sure to bake for 12 minutes (no need to defrost) for cookies any time!
- Store at room temperature in a sealed container for up to a week.