You guys these cinnamon roll cookies are so easy and always such a hit! They are perfect for holiday time with friends and family and will make you look like an expert baker when in reality these are krispy treat easy. (remember that commercial where the mom threw flour in her face before bringing treats to her family or am I dating myself here?)
Easy or not, these pack major flavor reminiscent of strolls through mall and the wafting smell of Cinnabon which in actuality could be considered a drug itself. How anyone resists is beyond me…?
These cookies IMO are even better as a cinnamon roll to me feels like… a lot! I can’t enjoy them because I’m thinking” this is most likely 3000 calories.” So here you are in time for the holidays a little slice-n-bake piece of heaven. Just enough to satisfy and feel as though you indulged.
These cookies came to mind because my mom, who can’t waste any food, loves to save the end of her pie dough, sprinkle cinnamon and sugar and bake up little pastries with the leftovers. Let me tell you, it’s delicious. It got me thinking I could make the entire roll and slice and frost it and viola! Mini Cinnamon Roll Cookies!
This recipe can be adapted in many ways, you could add cream cheese to the filling, preserves, colored sprinkles, chocolate… being a purist I’m keeping it simple here but you do you. You could even roll the log in coarse sugar and cinnamon and really take it over the top…
The recipe yields 2 rolls for cookies so it’s great to bake one and freeze the other for a rainy day when you just want freshly baked cookies. It will stay fresh wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then sealed in a freezer bag for 3 months.
I’m not going to lie and say this cookie is healthy but cinnamon is something that does have amazing benefits for your body the most notable being it helps to balance the blood sugar. And since cookies = sugar… well you see where I’m going here.
Studies show ceylon is the most helpful kind so I try to use that when I can find it. This brand on Amazon is organic and delicious! I like to zhuzh mine up with a simple glaze of powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and cinnamon and top with fancy sprinkles.
This recipe is easily made vegan by subbing regular butter for vegan butter (I like miyokos best)
I am so excited for you all to try this recipe for special occasions and see not only how easy it is but how delicious – I hope you love it as much as we all did!
SLICE-N-BAKE CINNAMON ROLL COOKIES
Equipment
- cookie sheets
- food processor (optional)
Materials
- 20.5 oz Butter divided
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2.5 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1.5 cups Brown Sugar
- 2.5 tbsp Cinnamon
- 1.5 tsp Vanilla extract
For the Frosting
- 1.5 cups Powdered Sugar
- .5 tsp Vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp Milk
- pinch of cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees (if dough is ready to go if not make your dough and when you're ready to roll out, preheat your oven)
- Make the dough – In the bowl of your food processor ( you can also use a large bowl and a pastry cutter) add the 2.5 cups of flour, 1 tbsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp salt and pulse to combine. Add 16 ounces of cold cubed butter (2 sticks) and pulse til you get coarse crumbs. Slowly with the motor running stream in approx 1/3 cup ice cold water. (Use just enough til the dough pulls away from the bowl of the processor) Dump the dough onto plastic wrap, form a disc and wrap tightly. Refrigerate 1-2 hours. (Overnight is also great and a time saver if you do it the day before you want to make these)
- When you're ready to use the dough take it out off the fridge to soften while you prepare your filling. Melt 4.5 tbsp butter in your microwave in a medium mixing bowl then add 1.5 cups light brown sugar, 2.5 tbsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla extract. Set aside
- Cut the dough in half and add powdered sugar to a work surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle shape as evenly as possible (it doesn't need to be perfect as you'll discard the ends anyway)
- Spread half the filling along the rolled out pastry dough and roll it up into a log, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3-4 hours. (you could also freeze 1 hour) Repeat this process with the second half of the dough and filling. (You can save the second batch and freeze for another time if you don't need as many cookies)
- Remove the chilled dough log, slice and discard the ragged ends and continue slicing into discs 1/3 inch thick. Place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes in your preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool at least 10 mins before frosting.
- Brush a thick layer of glaze over top of the cookies and add sprinkles if desired. Allow frosting on cookies to "set" for approx 30 min before trying to stack and pack away. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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