Not just a cinnamon roll. Not just cinnamon cookies. These, my friends, are Cinnamon Roll Cookies! Let’s pause and relish the idea.
Why? …you may ask. Why not leave things be and let a spice cookie be a spice cookie and a cinnamon roll be a cinnamon roll?
Well for starters, I’m an overachiever. (Haven’t you noticed?)
Second, cinnamon cookies and spice cookies are generally not that visually appealing.
Third, cinnamon rolls take all day to make.
Fourth, cinnamon rolls do not fit in your pocket.
…I knew you’d see it my way sooner or later.
Beautiful Cellini dishes from Villeroy & Boch.
Cinnamon Roll Cookies, however, are perfect for lunchbox treats and your holiday cookie exchange. They look as good and they smell, and taste EVEN BETTER.
There are two secret ingredients that takes these little beauties to the next level.
First, cream cheese because:
- The cream cheese gives the cookies a light and tangy flavor with a tender texture.
- It makes the chilled dough easier to roll out.
- It helps the cookies to stand up a little–like cinnamon rolls!
Second, dry active yeast because it gives the cookies that underlying flavor that makes cinnamon rolls so irresistible. The goal here is to include the yeasty essence without activating it. So mix the yeast with cool vanilla prior to adding it to the dough. As long as it’s not warm, it will infuse with the vanilla, but shouldn’t foam and cause the cookie dough to rise more than needed.
Make a batch and bake half the cookies now and wrap the other roll for later. You can slice and bake homemade Cinnamon Roll Cookies in minutes whenever you need them!
Recipe: Cinnamon Roll Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened (1 ¼ cups)
- 4 oz softened cream cheese
- 3 tsp. vanilla extract, divided
- 1 tsp. dry active yeast
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 ½ Tb. cinnamon
- 3 Tb. whole milk
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Mix 2 tsp. vanilla extract with 1 tsp. of dry active yeast.
- Cream the butter, cream cheese, vanilla with yeast, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy—2-3 minutes.
- Turn the mixer on low. Add the salt, then slowly add the flour. Scrape the bowl and mix until well combined.
- Press the dough into a flat disk. Wrap and refrigerate the dough for (at least) 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl.
- Cut the dough in half and leave one half in the fridge while working with the first half.
- Flour a piece of wax paper and roll the dough into a 7 X 18 inch rectangle that is approximately ¼ inch thick.
- Sprinkle half the cinnamon sugar over the dough leaving 1 1/2 inches bare along the long edge. Starting on the cinnamon covered side, carefully roll the dough tightly toward the bare edge. You may want to cut the dough into two sections to make the rolling easier. *At this point, you can place the rolls back in the fridge and save for weeks if needed.
- Press the seam firmly, then cut the roll into 1/3-1/2 inch slices and lay on parchment paper lined cookie sheets.
- Repeat with the remaining dough and cinnamon sugar.
- Bake for 9-12 minutes.
- Cool completely. Then whisk the powdered sugar, milk and remaining vanilla extract together in a small bowl. Dip the face of each cookie into the glaze and set on a rack to dry.
Preparation time: 1 hour(s)
Cooking time: 10 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 64 – 72 cookies
More Fabulous Cookies:
Salted Dulce de Leche and Nutella Thumbprints
Potato Chip Cookies with Chocolate Drizzle
Chocolate Pretzel Cookies ~ Smitten Kitchen
Cranberry Pumpkin Ricotta Cookies ~ Family Fresh Cooking
Snickers Bar Cookies ~ Recipe Girl
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies ~ Steamy Kitchen
Love these! They are just so cute.
You are right, cinnamon rolls take all day. I like to eat them, too, but don’t always have the time. Your cookies are the perfect short cut. Great recipe!
These look SO good! Great for the holidays
Those mus taste divine!
Cheers,
Rosa
How delicious these look! So nice and soft looking. I love cinnamon!
Wow, these are just beautiful! I can’t wait to try these. Thanks for such a detailed post and recipe.
Oh my gracious! I .MUST.MAKE .THESE
These are lovely and look delicious. As much as I love cinnamon rolls you’re right – I’m much more likely to make cookies!
Love these cookies!
I want to pet these cookies and give them a paci.
What an interesting idea, adding yeast to get the cinnamon roll yeasty taste without activating it. You are so clever!
Heck, I was sold by the picture. No further sales needed on my end. We’re having a cookie exchange in our neighborhood so this might just make it to the table. They look heavenly.
These are so cute!
Awesome idea, love love love cinnamon rolls & who wouldn’t love it in cookie form. YUM!!
Oh yes, I could go for one o these. Me and cinnamon rolls like each other…A LOT.
These look WONDERFUL!
How perfect! I think I’ll make a few of these treats for my holiday baking.
Such an innovative recipe — and they look amazing — Christmas baking, here we come! Theresa
Yup I could pause over a plate of this puppies! Yum. I bet they smell as good as they look. Thanks a lot Sommer!
These do look delicious, I love all things cinnamony-so I know these would disappear fast at our house. Very creative and delicious-great post!
These are adorable and my favorite blog post of the day.
mmmmm sweet! literally and figuratively! I love the look of these. Beautiful photos too!
Love these! And you’re totally right, they fit in your pocket where the rolls don’t, obviously that makes them more appealing!
Those are so cute!! What a yummy cookie. My mom makes something similar to this around Christmas time, but just a little different. I think I will have to try these out!
These look so good! It’s funny that you shared these. I’m working on some right now but they’ll be a bit different. Gotta see if they turn out…fingers crossed! If they don’t I know where to find one that will.
I’ve done died and gone to heaven.
Totally on board with cinnamon rolls fitting in my pocket. These are awesome!
These look heavenly! What a fabulous fall treat (or anytime, really)
How cute!
I’ve made cookies similar to this with Nutella insides, but I love the cinnamon roll variation!
deeeeeelicious. and so cute, too!
Oh my!! These look fabulous. I am definitely adding these to my holiday baking list. I can’t wait to try them!
You have me convinced. I can practically taste these gorgeous little morsels.
Love these! They look so good, I am considering making them for my local cookie swap!
Those cookies are so perfect, look at the color, that white touch make them irresistible, this is something I have t try at home. Thanks for sharing.
These are adorable!! I’m so adding these to my Christmas cookie list!
Those look so delicious. My mouth is watering looking at the picture. Come visit us. We have a terrific pumpkin cheesecake today.
I do love cinnamon rolls but I’ll take your cookie version over one any day!
Oh I wish I had one of these right now with a cup of tea!
I love cinnamon rolls. They are an addiction that causes me real problems around the Holidays. I am going to have to give these a try because, surely, small bite sized cookies are less dangerous! Thanks for the great idea!
I am determined to bake more Christmas cookies this year. looks like this recipe needs to be the first on the list! thanks, Spicy!!
I always feel so guilty eating a whole cinnamon roll, but to make it into a cookie instead–perfect. Thanks for posting.
This looks great. Good for the holidays.
Those cookies would disappear very fast in our house!
These look wonderful- and Im with you, I love cinnamon roll cookies!
You had me at fitting these little cookies in my pocket. Cinnamon rolls on the go? Yes please!
These would fit perfectly in my pocket! Great idea Sommer!
These would fit perfectly in my pocket! Great idea Sommer!
I love these! They are so cute and oh my goodness I bet they taste amazing.
I’ve never seen them before. They are so adorable.
Can you be in love with a cookie? I think I am……this is awesome!!
Totally seeing it your way! So cute!
Found you via Foodbuzz top 9! Love your blog and these cookies look amazing!
These look gorgeous, and I do agree, cinnamon rolls are not usually so visually appealing. I can’t wait to make these cookies (plus have a spare roll in the freezer)
These are wonderful! I love any way to take cinnamon rolls and turn them into other things. What a great holiday idea these would be too! Great post!
These are heavenly! I live in a country where pre-packaged cinnamon rolls and sugar cookies do not exist… I’m so happy to have this recipe!
These loo to die for! I can sort of imagine them dissolve in my mouth in a perfect crumble
cinnamon has been scientifically proven to be the most powerful aroma in the world. it both picks you up and relaxes you, makes you more alert without getting jittery, and makes everyone, from every culture, feel better about where they are. cheers!
I tried making cinnamon rolls and it was a disaster… my kitchen. The rolls were decent but not worth all the time I put into them. My brother-in-law can make awesome cinnamon rolls. I need to visit them more often
These are awesome, so tru roll take ALLL day to make..and anything that fits into my pockret is a winner, lol!!
Oh wow! These are just heavenly and so darn adorable
Your cinnamon rolls are beautiful, Sommer and you make them sound so easy.
Oh these look so good!! I was needing an idea for simple dessert for our tailgate party this weekend!!
I FOUND IT!!! Thank you!! Can’t wait to try them!
These were really hard to roll out. I put them in the frig for 30min. but I am wondering if they needed to be in longer because the dough was not real stiff. Is that what my problem is? The dough is really good. I am baking a batch right now even though they do not look as cute as your picture. I can’t wait to taste one.
Hi Aimee,
Sorry you had trouble! I’m guessing the dough needed to be in your fridge a little longer. The chill time does seem to vary based on the fridge used and the shape of the dough when you place it in the fridge. Thin wide disks take less time–I’ll put a note above. I hope you enjoy them!
Thank you. The ones that I did bake (not very pretty) but they were wonderful. My kids really love them.
I will try this recipe again with a little more frig. time.
Aimee
Wow… these are absolutely incredible looking. I LOVE cinnamon & I love how these cookies are even iced. Fantastic recipe!!
xo
http://allykayler.blogspot.com
Wow! What a great new cookie idea! I would love to add these to my holiday rotation. Thank you for sharing such an inspired treat! I hope you are having a lovely weekend
You’ve just hit a nerve. These cookies are gorgeous, and I can practically spell the cinnamon. I’m putting these on my holiday-cookie-bake list. I love your bright, beautiful blog–and the photos are wonderful.
Keep sending me your posts via StumbleUpon. I’m loving every minute!
Since I am totally in love with cinnamon rolls I cannot help but want one of these cookies. Great idea!
What adorable little cookies! Looks like it makes a big batch, though. I’d definitely have to find someone to share them with!
Made these over the weekend and they are as delicious as they are cute. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
When I saw these I knew I had to make them. I just finished frosting them an they are sooo yummy! My icing is a bit thicker but they look as good as they taste, Tonight is my Bunco holiday ornament game, can not wait to hear the ohh’s and awwhh’s when the group taste these! Thanks for posting this recipe
Thanks for checking out MichDish! These cookies were definitely the hit of the cookie exchange party! What’s your trick to getting them to look so pretty?
Made these last night! SUCCESS and everybody at work loved them! Gone within an hour! The dough was alittle tricky to roll by itself, but the waxed paper helped without making a mess. Guaranteed to be an annual Christmas cookie!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Wow, these look absolutely delicious! Thanks for the idea…and the Sugar Rush!
would it ruin them if i made these with 2% milk and not whole milk?