Cinnamon Roll Cookies: Soft, Frosted, and Irresistibly Swirled

By cosass

September 30, 2026 11 Min Read

If you love cinnamon rolls, these cinnamon roll cookies deliver all that flavor in cookie form. They are thick, soft, and packed with a brown sugar and cinnamon filling, then finished with a cream cheese frosting that makes them feel a little more special than an everyday cookie.

Developed in 2020 during peak COVID—when many of us were at home making banana bread and watching the news—this recipe has since found its way into hundreds, if not thousands, of homes. It is fun to make, even more fun to eat, and works any time of year.

What Makes These Cookies Special

Frosted and unfrosted cinnamon roll cookies on a large oval plate.

The dough uses a mix of all-purpose flour and cake flour, which gives the cookies a soft, tender texture. Cake flour is finer and lighter than all-purpose flour and can be found in most grocery stores, usually on the top shelf. If you do not have cake flour, you can substitute all-purpose flour; for this recipe, you will need 4 cups total all-purpose flour.

The filling is a simple blend of brown sugar, softened butter, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Once rolled inside the dough and baked, it creates a swirled, gooey center. The cream cheese frosting on top adds tang and sweetness.

Ingredient Notes

Flour: A combination of all-purpose flour and cake flour yields the perfect soft cookies. Use the spoon-and-level method to measure flour; too much flour can result in drier, harder cookies.
Butter: For the cookies, use cold, unsalted butter straight from the fridge—not melted, frozen, or room temperature. For the filling and frosting, the butter needs to be softened but not too soft. Do not let it sit out for more than 15 minutes; if it does, place it back in the fridge before using.
Egg + 2 egg yolks: The extra egg yolks add richness, soft tenderness, and help bind the dough. Make sure both the egg and egg yolks are at room temperature.
Brown sugar: Feel free to use light or dark brown sugar for the filling.
Cream cheese: Use full-fat cream cheese that is softened so it mixes well with the other frosting ingredients.

Step-by-Step Directions

blogger tawnie graham in a kitchen with an instant pot and several dishes of food

Make the Cinnamon Sugar Filling

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, softened butter, cinnamon, and salt until smooth. Set aside.

Make the Cookie Dough

Whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar until smooth, then mix in the eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla. Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined and being careful not to overmix.

Fill and Roll

On a lightly floured surface, press the dough into a long rectangle using your hands. Spread the cinnamon sugar filling evenly over the dough, then carefully roll it up from the long edge. Slice into 20–24 equal pieces.

Bake

Roll each slice into a ball, making sure to seal the filling inside. Place on a prepared baking sheet, gently flatten, and bake for 8–11 minutes. Use a round cookie cutter or the back of a spoon to “cookie scoot” the edges into a perfect circle right after baking. Then let cookies cool completely.

Frost and Enjoy

Make the cream cheese frosting, then spread it onto cooled cookies and sprinkle with a little extra cinnamon.

Expert Tips

Cream butter and sugar: Make sure your butter and sugar are properly creamed to ensure your cookies do not end up flat or dense.
Seal the filling inside the dough: Make sure the cinnamon sugar filling is completely enclosed in the dough ball so it does not ooze out while the cookies bake.
Soften the frosting ingredients ahead of time: Before you start making the cookies, set the cream cheese and butter out to soften so they are ready when it is time to make the frosting.
No cake flour? No problem! If you do not have cake flour, you can substitute all-purpose flour instead. For this recipe, you will need 4 cups total all-purpose flour.
Use light-colored baking sheets: Dark baking sheets absorb more heat and can cause the bottoms of your cookies to brown too quickly or even burn.
Do not overbake: These cookies look very soft and slightly underbaked when you take them out of the oven.
To get cookies perfectly circular: Immediately after the cookies come out of the oven, place a circular cookie cutter or a circular drinking glass around one of the cookies (it should be larger than the cookie so you do not cut off any edges) and give the cookies a spin.
Cool on the sheet: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps them set and prevents breakage. Also, if you try to add the cream cheese frosting to a warm cookie, it will slide right off.

Storage and Freezing

Store frosted cookies in the fridge for up to 5 days, or unfrosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make these in advance?

Yes, you can make the cookies in advance. Make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 days. When ready to bake, take the cookie dough out and allow it to come to room temperature while your oven is preheating.

Can I use a hand mixer?

The recipe author has not personally tested using a hand mixer for this recipe. If you do, be sure the butter and sugar gets creamed together well. Creaming the butter and the sugar incorporates air into the butter which contributes lightness to the cookie dough.

Why did my cookies spread?

This could be for many reasons. Be sure the cinnamon sugar filling inside does not escape, and do not use baking spray on your cookie sheets. Place cookies straight onto your pan, or use a sheet of parchment paper or a baking mat.

Recipe Card

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cinnamon roll cookies
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 377kcal
Author: Tawnie Graham of Kroll’s Korner

Ingredients

2½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups cake flour
2 tsp. corn starch
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup cold, unsalted butter, cubed
1¼ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the Cinnamon Sugar Filling

1¼ cup brown sugar (light or dark), packed
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 Tbsp. cinnamon
Pinch of salt

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. full-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2½ cups confectioners sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
Splash heavy cream, as needed

Instructions

Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a few cookie sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
Make the cinnamon sugar filling: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, softened butter, cinnamon, and salt until smooth. Set aside.
Whisk dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the flour, cake flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.
Cream the butter: Place the cubed butter into the bowl of a stand mixer and secure the paddle attachment. Turn the mixer to medium speed and cream for about 1 minute.
Add the sugar: Then add in the granulated sugar and cream until smooth, about 1–2 minutes. It should look almost like a paste. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add wet ingredients: Add the eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla extract, and blend until mixed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again.
Combine ingredients: Gradually add in the dry ingredients, about 1/4 cup at a time. Being careful not to overmix.
Roll dough: On a clean, lightly floured surface, press the cookie dough into a long rectangle. (For sizing, you can use a 9×13-inch dish for reference.) Flatten it out using your hands; no rolling pin necessary.
Add filling: Spoon the cinnamon sugar filling onto the dough and into an even layer.
Roll: Roll the dough up, starting on the long edge, being careful not to tear the dough. (If you floured your work surface this should not be an issue but if it does tear a little, it is out the cookie dough is forgiving and you will be rolling into balls anyways).
Cut: Cut the cookie dough into equal slices. You should be able to get about 20–24 cookies.
Form into balls: Roll cookies into balls, being sure to seal the filling inside so it does not ooze out. I like to pinch the bottom so it is sealed, and then leave some of the swirl on top. Place on a prepared cookie sheet and press down slightly to flatten the cookie a little.
Bake: Bake for 8–11 minutes or until edges are lightly golden brown. I always underbake just a little for perfectly soft, tender cookies.
Cookie scoot: If desired, use a round cookie cutter or the back of a spoon to gently “cookie scoot” around the edges right after baking to create perfectly round cookies, especially if some of the filling oozed out or escaped.
Cool cookies on the baking sheet for ~10–15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Make the cream cheese frosting: In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the softened cream cheese and butter using a hand mixer. Then add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Mix until smooth. Add more powdered sugar or a splash of heavy cream, as desired, for perfect consistency.
Add frosting: Spread or pipe frosting on top of cooled cookies; sprinkle with cinnamon if desired and enjoy!

Notes

Store frosted cookies in the fridge for up to 5 days, or unfrosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
When rolling a dough ball, be sure the cinnamon sugar filling inside does not escape by pinching the edges of the dough around the filling. If it oozes out, it can cause the cookies to lose shape or look a little wonky. You can easily fix this by cookie scooting with a round object and swirling around the cookie.
2020 Recipe: The original recipe had the cookies baked at 400°F and only made 10–12 large cookies. A lower oven temperature of 350°F and smaller cookies make a more tender, soft cookie. The brown sugar filling was also increased just a little and ground cinnamon was added to the sugar cookie dough. (2026 update).