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Hi Bold Bakers!
WHAT YOU GET: A crumbly, tender Cinnamon Roll Cookies recipe filled with buttery cinnamon and brown sugar, topped with a cream cheese glaze. I’ll show you how to get that perfect spiral, and in the end, you’ll walk away with a batch of 30 incredible cookies.
There is something so comforting about cinnamon rolls — the warm spices filling the air while baking, the wonderfully indulgent taste of buttery cinnamon and brown sugar, and the cream cheese glaze. That’s exactly what I wanted to capture when I decided to take that breakfast favorite and translate it into a delicious shortbread cookie.
This recipe is everything you want a cinnamon roll from the mall to taste like, but with a twist. Instead of waiting for the yeast to rise, as you would with my Homemade Cinnabon recipe, this recipe creates a satisfying shortbread cookie.
Customize this to your cinnamon roll preference: add chopped bittersweet chocolate or nuts to the delicious cinnamon filling, such as walnuts or pecans!
Why Add Cornstarch To Shortbread Cookies?
If a cookie recipe calls for cornstarch, it’s best not to skip it — that’s especially true when you’re making shortbread cookies. Cornstarch, which doesn’t lend any “corn” flavor to your baked goods, is included in desserts to help texture and structure.
When cornstarch is combined with flour, it inhibits gluten from forming. As a result, your shortbread cookies come out incredibly tender but still maintain their iconic crumbly texture that doesn’t fall apart. An ideal shortbread cookie is delicate and should almost feel like it melts in your mouth but still holds its shape when you bite into it!
Why You Should Chill Your Cookie Dough
Chilling your cookie dough allows flavors to develop and helps maintain the shape of your cookies. Maintaining the shape is fairly important for homemade Cinnamon Roll Cookies as you want that iconic cinnamon roll swirl throughout.
Tools You Need To Make Cinnamon Roll Cookies
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Parchment paper
- Baking sheet
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Homemade Cinnamon Roll Shortbread Cookies
- The cornstarch is essential: it helps inhibit gluten formation and gives the cookie its tender but crumbly texture.
- When rolling the cookie log, make sure that you are rolling tightly and evenly, so you don’t have any surprise gaps in the center when you slice the cookies.
- Plastic wrap or parchment paper can be used while rolling to help you form an even log.
- Once your log of cookie dough is assembled, it can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. If frozen, defrost slightly, but slice while still cold to keep the round shape.
- For a fun variation, add ½ a cup of finely chopped bittersweet chocolate or nuts, such as walnuts or pecans, to your filling.
Make More Cinnamon Rolls
When it comes to cinnamon rolls, Bigger Bolder Baking knows a thing or two.
- Baklava-Inspired Cinnamon Rolls
- Cinnamon Roll Muffins
- Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread
- Make Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls Right At Home
- Gemma’s Best-Ever Cinnamon Rolls (No-Knead, No Machine)
- Make A No-Yeast GIANT Cinnamon Roll
- 1-Hour No-Yeast Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
- Giant Cinnamon Roll in a Skillet
- Crazy Dough Cinnamon Rolls
- Cinnamon Roll Pancakes w/ Cream Cheese Glaze and Toasted Pecans
- Microwave Cinnamon Roll Oatmeal in a Mug
Want To Go Deeper?
Level up your baking skills even further and subscribe to the Bold Baking Academy today! You’ll get access to all the in-depth baking courses both past and present, access to the Bold Baking Academy Community, and the one-of-a-kind Baking Concierge — which is a fast & direct connection to Gemma & her team of culinary experts to answer any baking question you might have.
That’s right, inside or out of the Academy! So subscribe now!
Try These Recipes!
Cinnamon Roll Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Cookie dough
- 1 cup (8oz/225g) butter (softened)
- ½ cup (3oz/85g) dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup (2oz/57g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk (at room temperature)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (10oz/284g) all-purpose flour
Cinnamon Filling
- ½ cup (3oz/85g) dark brown sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons (1oz/30g) butter (melted)
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 2 tablespoons (1oz/30g) cream cheese (softened)
- 1 tablespoon milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (4oz/115g) powdered sugar (sifted)
Instructions
Make The Cookie Dough
- In a medium bowl or with a stand mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for a few minutes, until fluffy.
- Add the egg yolk, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until combined.
- Fold in the flour until fully mixed. Wrap the dough well and refrigerate for 30 minutes, until firm.
- Once chilled, place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll it into a 10x12-inch (25 ½x30 ½ cm) rectangle.
Make The Cinnamon Filling
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter, then spread evenly over the surface of the dough.
- Starting at a longer end, roll the dough into a tight, even log. Wrap the log well with plastic wrap and refrigerate until very firm, at least 2 hours.
- Once ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Unwrap the log of dough, slice into ¼-inch (6mm) thick slices, and place them 1-inch (2 ½cm) apart on your prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are just beginning to brown on the edges. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Prepare The Cream Cheese Glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk the cream cheese, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth, then whisk in the powdered sugar.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookies and let them set for about 30 minutes before serving. Store leftover cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Thank you for sharing this recipe, Gemma. I made them “plain”, i.e. without the glaze. The biscuits taste so good; I’ll probably have to make another batch quite soon. 🙂
They are so good Gemma. My dough was soft even after freezing. So I rolled them thick so that they don’t break while rolling. Next time would add more flour. But they tasted great. Thanks
Hi Gemma! I tired this recipe and it came out very crinkled and crumbly.. not sure where I went wrong☹️
I am going to make these cookies – how firm is the glaze when set? Wondering if the cookies can be stacked in a tin, in order to transport them to a friend’s house. Thank you!!