I have been on a huge cinnamon kick lately- I don’t know exactly why, but I’m not complaining! There are so many awesome cinnamon-based recipes out there and lately I’ve been craving my favorite Cinnabon copycat cinnamon rolls, but I’ve had zero motivation to actually make them. And so, I decided that I’d like to try to create a recipe close to those rolls, but drastically cut back on the prep time, baking effort, and hopefully eliminate the need to put on my Thanksgiving sweatpants after eating them. And so, these cinnamon roll sugar cookies were born. They definitely satify that cinnamon roll craving that everyone gets from time to time, but they’re so easy that you can go from start to finish in just a few steps.
Materials You’ll Need:
- Sugar cookie dough
- Decorating bag
- Basting brush
There’s very little that you’ll need to make these babies. I started with my favorite sugar cookie dough, amended very slightly to fit this particular recipe. The original dough calls for a mix of vanilla and almond extracts, but in this case I’ve eliminated the almond extract completely and used 2 full teaspoons of vanilla extract instead. However if you love almond you could absolutely continue to use it, or maybe switch the almond out for something else you enjoy, like anise. There’s really no wrong choice here! I’ve linked the recipe as I decided to modify it for these cookies at the bottom of the post. The best way to apply the butter that the cinnamon and sugar will stick to on the insides of these cookies is with a basting brush. You’ll also want a decorating bag with the tip snipped quite small for the cookie icing step- but you don’t need a specific decorating tip or coupler. Just cut it small and you’ll be all set!
Tips for Success:
Once you’ve made your dough, you want to roll it out into a rectangle shape on parchment paper or a floured surface. I’ve done several sizes but I’ve found the one that works best for me is about 9″x12″, with your dough about 1/4″ thick. My sugar cookie recipe should make near the exact amount needed to make two of these rectangles at that size and thickness. Make your rectangle of dough an actual rectangle. I use a pizza cutter to shave off the edges and make the sides parallel. I’ve found that if I just eyeball it and don’t actually even out the edges, I end up wasting a lot of dough and I have a much harder time rolling it out into a nice log shape.
You don’t want your dough to get so warm that it won’t roll up when it’s time, so when you reach the filling step, use butter that has been completely melted but then allowed to cool. Hot butter is a lovely thing, but not in this recipe! Use your basting brush to apply a coating to the entire surface of your dough, paying close attention to make sure you get the edges. You want your edges to stick closed so that your cookies don’t begin to open or unravel later in the process. Generously sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar mixture over the butter, using your fingertips to press it lightly into the dough’s surface.
When it comes to rolling up your dough, you may find that it cracks a little- especially at the beginning when the curl is quite tight. Just smooth the dough back together with your fingertips and continue to roll it up. You should find it gets easier as it goes along and the curl is not quite so tight. Do your best to roll the dough tightly, with no gaps. You may notice that despite your best efforts, the outside edges of the roll are looser than the middle, and that’s okay. It happens to me too, and the good news is that we can fix it! Gently pick up your rolled dough log and place it onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap that baby up nice and tight, and then apply a bit of pressure and pull gently from the middle outward to the ends. This will help stick those loose edges together. Once you’re satisfied, stick the logs into the fridge for about two hours.
Next, grab a sharp knife and cut your logs into circles. Pick a knife that is made for a press straight downward, like a butcher knife. You don’t need a serrated knife because you don’t want to saw these cookies back and forth or you’ll ruin the cinnamon swirl shape. So stick with a butcher knife if you have one handy- and if you don’t, just do your best with whatever knife you have to just press down to cut- never saw. I like my cookies at about 1/4″ thick, and I really wouldn’t go any thinner than that. They’ll be crisp on the edges and soft in the middle after about 9 minutes in the oven. If you prefer a cookie that’s just generally softer, you could increase the thickness to your taste, but you’ll want to watch them in the oven and adjust your baking time.
And then, finally, the icing! The only thing you’ll want to pay attention to here is that it’s not too thin. If your icing is too thin, it’ll spread on the cookie and it won’t hold that pretty line shape. There’s really no wrong way to decorate these cookies, though- so if you want to ice the entire top, a thinner icing would be ideal. You can see in the video above that I like the way that the distinct lines look on these cookies, so I prefer my icing be a bit thicker. You don’t want it to be frosting consistency, just enough that it will hold it’s shape. If you need to thicken yours up after a few cookies, just squeeze the bag out into a bowl, add a little more powdered sugar, and refill the bag. I’d suggest doing a bunch of them at once to save time- just cover the surface underneath your cookies with foil or parchment for easy cleanup!
Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookie Dough
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 sticks butter
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3 cups flour all purpose
Cookie Filling
- 3 tsp butter melted and cooled to room temperature
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp cinnamon
Cookie Icing
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 Tbsp milk
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla extract, and continue to beat until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in several stages, mixing well to combine. Dough will be crumbly.
- Press the dough together with your hands and then roll out into two 9"x12" rectangles on parchment paper or a floured surface. Dough should be about 1/4" thick.
- Combine the filling's cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl, and melt the needed butter, allowing it to cool.
- Cover the rectangle's surface with a coat of melted butter, paying close attention to edges. Sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mixture over the top of the butter, using fingertips to press it lightly into the dough.
- Carefully roll up the dough into a log, wrap in plastic wrap and allow to chill for about 2 hours in the refrigerator.
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Remove the dough logs from the fridge and cut into coins about 1/4" thick, and place on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes, or until edges are just barely golden. Allow several minutes to cool on sheet before removing to a rack to cool completely.
- Once cool, whisk together all icing ingredients. Pour the icing into a decorating bag and snip the tip of the bag to create a small hole.
- Ice cookies in several lines left to right and then top to bottom, or in the design of your choosing.
And there you have it- cinnamon roll sugar cookies! I have a feeling these are going to be in heavy rotation at my house, and maybe at your house too! Make sure to let me know what you think in the comments below, and if you have any questions that I can answer, that’s a great spot to put those as well. I hope you enjoy this recipe, and happy baking until next time!
