Cinnamon Bun Cookies are the best cinnamon swirl cookie recipe with cinnamon icing.
Cinnabon fan? Schedule time at the gym now so you can plan to sample several of these. That’s how delicious these Cinnamon Bun Cookies are.
When I was little, my mother used to make ‘pie dough cookies.’ She took leftover pie dough, rolled it out, spread butter and cinnamon/sugar, rolled it up, cut slices and baked. That was some good stuff. Love the memory of it too. Thanks Mom.
How to make Cinnamon Bun Cookies:
These cookies are not made with pie dough, but the concept is the same as cinnamon rolls. Vanilla cookie dough is rolled out, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and rolled back up into a log.
The log is then wrapped up and frozen. I freeze mine overnight, but you could certainly freeze it for a longer period of time… or just a couple of hours might be ok too.
The cookie dough log needs to be quite firm so that when you slice it- it’s firm enough that it will maintain its round shape. Half inch cuts will produce about 2 dozen cookies. That’s not a huge amount. Several readers have suggested that it’s best to double this recipe so you have enough cookies to eat AND share!
Once out of the oven, you will be drizzling a sweet cinnamon glaze on top.
The first time I made these, my husband ate half a dozen of these before I could manage to tell him that there was icing to go on top (he defended his gluttonous actions by explaining that he consumed fewer calories). They are perfectly delicious without the icing, but the icing really turns them into ‘wow’ cookies.
The icing is delicious, and it will harden after letting it cool.
I’ve tried a lot of cookie recipes. I’ve sampled a lot of cookies. And this is one of the better ones. We love these cookies. When the mood for cinnamon rolls strikes, you need to make Cinnamon Bun Cookies!
Here are a few more cookie recipes you might enjoy:
- Butter Brickle and Pecan Cookies
- Butterfinger Cookies
- Meringue Cookies
- Summertime Lemon Sugar Cookies
- Eggnog Cookies
- Chewy Molasses Spice Cookies
- Oatmeal Jammys
- Pumpkin- White Chocolate Cookies
Cinnamon Bun Cookies
Recipe Details
Ingredients
VANILLA COOKIE DOUGH:
- 3/4 cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
MIDDLE:
- 1 large egg white
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
ICING:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
PREPARE THE DOUGH:
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the butter, sugar, vanilla and salt. Add the flour, stirring until the dough comes together. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until you're ready to use it (an hour is good).
ROLL THE DOUGH:
- Transfer the chilled dough to a lightly floured piece of parchment or waxed paper. Roll it into a 9x12-inch rectangle. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg white and water until foamy. Brush onto the rolled out dough. In another small bowl, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle it evenly over the dough. Starting with a long edge, carefully roll the dough into a log, sealing the edge (if dough sticks to parchment, gently use a metal spatula to guide it off of the paper). Wrap in plastic wrap or parchment, and freeze until firm.
BAKE THE COOKIES:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two cookie sheets. Remove the dough from the freezer and unwrap it. Using a sharp knife, gently cut it into 1/2-inch slices. Transfer them to the prepared baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, until they're a light golden brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool.
ICE THE COOKIES:
- Sift or strain the powdered sugar into a medium-sized bowl to remove any lumps. Whisk the cream into the sugar to make a smooth icing. Drizzle or spread the icing onto the cookies (or serve alongside in a bowl for dipping).
Video
Nutrition
Do the cookies have to come to Room Temperature when they come out the freezer??
No, cut them while frozen.
I’ve made these soooo many times over the years, I’ve lost count! They’re always delicious, but they’re also always gone within a day! I’m going to give them as gifts this year, so I’m curious how long will they last at room temp in a sealed container? Thank you!
I’d say at room temp they’d be good for a few days. Other than that, freeze them.
Just made the dough and it sat in the fridge a couple hours until i was ready for it. Now the dough is so hard i can’t roll it. 😫 have it setting out on the counter hoping jt will be rollable soon
I think your cinnamon roll cookie recipe should be in the cookie hall of fame. I made up a cream cheese icing recipe that truly compliment your cookie recipe. All I did was add a cup of powdered cream cheese into a standard powdered sugar recipe with a pinch of citric acid and vanilla. Wow they were delicious. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Sounds good, thank you!
My dough keeps on cracking and is impossible to roll up without falling apart
Any ideas on what to do?
If cookie dough seems drier than it should, a few drops of milk usually pulls it back together.
Delicious! Instead of rolling the dough on a floured surface, I used powdered sugar for extra sweetness!
I can assemble much better than I can bake. Is it possible to use room temperature sugar cookie dough from a tube, to make these? They look amazing.
I have never tried that, so I have no idea!
These are amazing!!! Taste so much like an actual cinnamon bun it’s unreal. And probably the easiest cookie I have ever made.
What a great idea making cinnamon bun cookies! They look and sound so delicious with a cup of coffee ?
Can I replace the egg in this recipe with water or something else? My boyfriend is allergic to eggs.
I would try to use an egg replacer. Use Google to find some options!
Quick question about the icing… Does it stay soft or does it harden up? I want to make these for a cookie swap at work but I have to package them and am worried about the icing getting all over them. Thanks! They look great!
I think it hardens up pretty well- it has been some time since I’ve made them!
how long do you leave the dough in the freezer to firm up…15 or 20 minutes?
Thanks,
Kelli
Until it’s a bit firm… yes, 20 min. might be good!
Just made these delightful little cookies and I tell ya, they are sinfully delicious! They are chewy on the inside and a little crisp on the outside. I baked them for exactly 12 minutes and rotated the cookie sheet half way through. I just put the icing in a freezer bag and swirled the tops. They look great and I can’t wait to present them at tomorrow’s cookie exchange! Thanks for posting such a great recipe! This one is going in the box! 🙂
I just finished pulling my first batch out of the oven! They are delicious!! I have NEVER made homemade cookies, before. I am taking these to a cookie swap, tomorrow. This cookie swap will have some seasoned cookie swappers. I know these cookies will make those ladies proud. Thanks for sharing!! I will definitely make these again!!
WOW! These cookies are so wonderful. I made them for a cookie competition at my work and WON with them. I’m not the most confident baker and had my doubts but followed the recipe exactly. they turned out so great. definitely a holiday keeper.
I made these over the weekend, they were delicious. I actually couldn’t stop eating the icing with a spoon. 🙁 I would suggest doubling this recipe, it doesn’t make alot of cookies.
I made these cookies for a cookie exchange, but they didn’t make it out of the house- my husband ate half of them before I left! They are so yummy and relatively easy to make. I did use the cinnamon icing which was fine. This recipe is a keeper. Thanks!
Simply amazing recipe! My husband who hates sweets was coerced into trying them and giving his opinion since it was a new recipe for me. He ended up eating 6 of them! LOL I chilled the rolled dough for one hour in the fridge instead of the freezer and it was perfect for slicing. It’s easy to be tempted to overbake these since they didn’t look very golden on top, but when they cooled, they were the perfect texture. Might add a few raisins next time for variety, but the original recipe is fabulous as it is. Thanks for sharing this wonderful treat with us!
Just made these cookies for a cookie swap and contest tomorrow. These cookies are so delicious! One of the best I have tried! I did add a tad of cream cheese to the frosting. Wish me luck!
Very good. Just made them for Girlfriend and she just loves them….
Even those these have several steps they are the easiest cookies I have ever made! They look so impressive. I will make a double batch next time because I only got 18 cookies. They were awesome! My coworkers LOVED them!
ohmygoodness……..these are wonderful! Mine look NOTHING like your picture, but they taste yummy! I left the dough in the frig overnight, and it got really hard-had to let it sit on the counter quite awhile before it was soft enough to roll out…….will bake these the same day in the future. Mine look more like pinwheels…….not sure what I did “wrong”! Thanks for the yummy recipe. ( I put these in the freezer-will add icing when ready to serve.)
Hello, These look so yummy!
Can these be frozen?
I would freeze them without the icing. Ice them when ready to serve.
I made these at christmas for my annual cookie party. Hey were the first to go!
I didn’t use the icing, they were perfectly sweet and delicious just as is! Definitely a keeper recipe!
I made these cookies as part of my 25 Days of Christmas Cookies. I’m only on day 8 but my coworkers are still comparing all the cookies I make to these ones! They are irresistible!
Thanks for the recipe!
-Emily
Oh my these cookies were so good. I didn’t even eat the icing with it I have to make some more. I ate all of them before i could even take a pic. yummy
I made these last year for Christmas, they were a HUGE hit.So i bookmarked it and here I am again to make them!! yumm!
The first time I made these cookies I overcooked them a little because I wasn’t sure how they’d look finished. Even a little burnt, these cookies are amazing. They’re even better not burnt, of course, but a cookie that tastes good burnt is a really damn good cookie.
These look delicious! I’ve been searching for a cinnamon pinwheel recipe trying to duplicate the one my husband’s granny made him as a child. He said they were crispy-are these, and if not, how can I get them that way??? He said the cinnamon/sugar/butter mixture hardened on the bottom of hers-help recipe girl!
Ali- They’re not soft, but I wouldn’t say these are ‘crispy.’ I suppose you could get them more so that way if you baked them longer. They’re awfully good though! Let me know if you experiment w/ them! Good luck…