These Soft Cinnamon Roll Cookies are the perfect blend of two beloved treats – a warm, gooey cinnamon roll and a bakery-style soft cookie! Made with a buttery dough, swirls of cinnamon sugar, and finished with a luscious cream cheese icing, they deliver all the cozy flavors of a classic cinnamon roll without the hassle of working with yeast!

Best Soft Cinnamon Roll Cookie Recipe!

If you love the warm, cozy flavor of a classic cinnamon roll but don’t have time to make yeast dough, these Soft Cinnamon Roll Cookies are the perfect solution! They combine everything you love about cinnamon rolls, including buttery dough, sweet cinnamon swirls, and creamy frosting, in an easy-to-make cookie form. Each bite is soft, tender, and packed with cinnamon sugar goodness!

Whether you’re baking for the holidays, a weekend treat, or simply satisfying a sweet craving, these cookies are guaranteed to become a family favorite!

Why this Recipe Works

The Cinnamon Swirl is Distributed Throughout – Gently swirling the cinnamon filling into the dough ensures every bite contains cinnamon sugar flavor, just like a classic cinnamon roll.

Slight Under Baking Keeps them Soft – Pulling the cookies from the oven when the centers are just set allows residual heat to finish baking them without drying them out.

Cream Cheese Icing Adds Richness – The icing provides the tangy, sweet finish that makes cinnamon rolls so irresistible and helps keep the cookies moist.

Combines the Best Qualities of a Cinnamon Roll – This recipe makes soft baked cookies by using moisture rich ingredients, careful dough preparation, and gentle baking to create thick, fluffy cookies with plenty of cinnamon flavor.

Ingredients You’ll Need for the Cinnamon Swirl

6 tbsp Butter (Softened) – Creates a rich, spreadable filling that helps the cinnamon sugar adhere to the dough.

3/4 cup Brown Sugar – Adds sweetness and a subtle caramel flavor while keeping the swirl soft and gooey.

1 1/2 tbsp Cinnamon – The star ingredient that gives the cookies their classic cinnamon roll flavor.

The Dough

1 cup Butter (Softened) – Provides a soft, tender texture and buttery flavor.

1 2/3 cup Sugar – Sweetens the cookies and helps create lightly crisp edges.

2 Eggs – Adds structure, richness, and moisture.

2 tsp Vanilla – Enhances the warm, sweet flavors throughout the dough.

3 1/2 cups Flour – Forms the base of the cookies and gives them structure.

1 tsp Baking Soda – Helps the cookies rise slightly and stay soft.

3/4 tsp Salt – Balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor.

1 1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar – Creates a softer, chewier texture while adding a subtle tang similar to classic Snickerdoodles.

The Cinnamon Sugar

1/3 cup Sugar – Adds a sweet, lightly crunchy exterior.

1 1/2 tbsp Cinnamon – Boosts the cinnamon roll flavor and gives the cookies their signature finish.

And the Cream Cheese Icing

2 oz Cream Cheese (Softened) – Adds a rich, tangy flavor that mimics traditional cinnamon roll frosting.

1 tbsp Butter (Softened) – Makes the icing smooth and creamy.

1 cup Powdered Sugar – Sweetens and thickens the frosting.

1/2 tsp Vanilla – Adds warmth and depth of flavor.

2 tbsp Milk – Helps create the perfect drizzling consistency.

Homemade cinnamon roll cookies with a tender, fluffy texture

How to Make Soft Cinnamon Roll Cookies

Make the cinnamon swirl filling by beating together 6 tbsp softened butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, and 1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon in a medium size bowl until smooth and creamy.

Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.

Scoop marble size balls of the mixture onto the prepared pan. Freeze for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Make the dough by beating together 1 cup softened butter and 1 2/3 cup sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.

Add in 2 eggs and 2 tsp vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Add in 3 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1 1/2 tsp cream of tarter. Gently beat into the mixture until just combined.

Drop frozen cinnamon balls into the dough. Do not use the mixer to combine. Carefully fold into the mixture with a spatula making sure to leave streaks throughout the dough.

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon.

Scoop 1 1/2 tbsp size balls of cookie dough and roll into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Transfer to the prepared pan, leaving enough room between the cookies to spread.

Bake for 11-12 minutes.

Immediately after removing from the oven, use the edge of a spatula to push the edges of the cookies toward the center to shape them into proportionate circles.

Let cookies sit on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Optional: When cookies are cool, mix together 2 oz softened cream cheese, 1 tbsp softened butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla, and 2 tbsp milk to form the cream cheese icing. Drizzle over the cookies.

Avoid Overmixing the Dough – Mix only until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can make the cookies tough.

The Icing is Optional – But, the combination of a tender cookie and rich icing mimics the texture of a fresh cinnamon roll.

Let Icing Harden – Before stacking and/or storing.