Looking for a fun and easy cookie recipe? These cinnamon roll cookies are the perfect mix of melt in the mouth vanilla biscuits, with a delicious cinnamon sugar swirl.
Cinnamon buns have become very popular in recent years but making them at home can be a bit of a faff. I made them once, they were delicious, but they took pretty much all day to make and disappeared in minutes. If I'm totally honest they were no better than the ones I could buy in a local bakery so I probably will not make them again.
These cinnamon cookies on the other hand are simple to make, not too time-consuming and give that wonderful combination of vanilla and cinnamon in a biscuit.
If you love cinnamon rolls, you'll adore these crisp cinnamon roll cookies! Perfect for morning coffee, afternoon tea time, or gifting to friends.
Bake a batch today and enjoy the best cinnamon flavoured treat! Once tried I'm sure like me, you will make them again and again.
And. if you love cinnamon as much as I do you might also like to try my Snickerdoodles which are soft and chewy and covered in cinnamon sugar
Ingredients
See recipe card for full instructions and quantities.
- Butter - I tend to use lightly salted butter as that is what I have in the fridge. If you use unsalted butter add a pinch of salt. It should be just soft at room temperature.
- Caster sugar - I use golden caster sugar for most of my baking. It's the same as normal caster sugar, but it's unrefined, It is a little more flavoursome with light caramel tones.
- Egg Ideally free-range, separated
- Vanilla extract
- Milk - whole semi or skimmed whatever you have to hand is fine here.
- Plain flour - (US =all purpose) is best because it helps give the cookies a light crumb.
- Demerara sugar - adds crunch the cinnamon filling
- Cinnamon - Ground
Variations
- Lemon Roll cookies - add the grated zest of lemon to 4 tablespoons of granulated sugar and use in place of the cinnamon sugar
- Chocolate Roll cookies - spread with chocolate spread in place of the cinnamon sugar omitting the egg white.
Substitutions
- Demerara Sugar - I love the extra crunch demerara sugar adds to the swirl , but you could use granulated sugar instead if you do not have any demerara.
How to make Cinnamon Roll Cookies step by step
Step 1
Make the cookie dough.
Step 2
Roll the dough into a rectangle.
Step 3
Brush the dough with lightly beaten egg white.
Step 4
Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the dough.
Step 5
Tightly roll up the dough lengthways.
Step 6
Cut into thin slices and bake.
Top Tip
Don't skip the chilling this stops the cookies from spreading too much when baked.
Equipment
You do not need any special equipment to make these cookies.
Storage
These cookies will keep well, if stored wrapped inside an airtight container.
The uncooked roll can be frozen for up to 6 month. Freeze the roll, well-wrapped. To thaw and bake leave at room temperature until soft enough to slice. Bake as above.
This is ideal if you want to be able took cook some now and some fresh at a later date.
Pin for Later
📖 Recipe
Cinnamon whirl cookies
Equipment
- roling pin
- baking sheet
- nonstick baking parchment
Ingredients
- 150 g (5oz) butter softened
- 75 g (3oz) golden caster sugar
- 1 medium egg seperated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoon milk
- 250 g (9oz) plain flour
- 4 tablespoon demerara sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Beat 150g (5oz) softened butter with 75g (3oz) caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Then beat in 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 3 tablespoon milk. Sift in 250g (9oz plain flour and mix to a soft dough. Chill for 15 minutes.
- Roll out the dough on a sheet of baking parchment to form a rectabgle about 30 x 20 cm (12 x 8in).
- Brush the surface of the dough generously with beaten egg white. Mix 4 tablespoons demerara sugar with 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon and sprinkle over the surface of the dough.
- Roll up from the long side like a Swiss roll. Wrap in the parchment and chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180℃ (160℃ fan)/350°F/gas mark 4.
- Cut the dough into 5mm (¼in) slices and place on a baking sheet allowing room for the cookies to spread during baking.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until pale golden. Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Did you make this recipe? I would love to know what you think, so please rate and leave a comment to let me know.
Have you made this recipe? I would love to hear from you. Did you enjoy it, did you change anything? Leave a comment and rate the recipe. Comments may be held for moderation before publishing.