Cinnamon Bun Cookies
A fun and easy twist on homemade cinnamon buns that kids can help make, these Cinnamon Bun Cookies are delicious and tender sugar cookies with a cinnamon sugar swirl and optional candy melt “frosting.”
Cinnamon Bun Sugar Cookie Recipe
Cinnamon buns are one of my favorite treats and a regular fixture in our house for special events – but whew, are they a lot of work!
These cinnamon bun cookies incorporate our favorite cinnamon bun flavors and that cute cinnamon-sugar swirl, but come together in a fraction of the time, don’t involve any messing with yeast or waiting for two separate rise times.
All you have to do for this recipe is:
- quickly whip together the dough
- roll it out and spread with butter and cinnamon-sugar
- roll into a log shape and refrigerate
- then, cut and bake
The result is a fun twist on a classic sugar cookie that can be enjoyed plain, or you can dress it up by turning these cinnamon bun cookies into sandwich cookies or drizzle them with frosting. We just melted some white candy melts and drizzled them overtop, but you could instead slather these with cream cheese frosting or make a quick royal icing.
The cookies are soft and tender with crunchy (not crispy) edges and have that same combination of warming flavors we love in cinnamon rolls, with a vanilla sugar cookie base and a cinnamon-brown sugar swirl.
More Cinnamon Bun Inspired Recipes
Of course, you can make our Homemade Cinnabuns recipe (or any of the delicious variations we’ve made on it – Gingerbread Cinnamon Buns, Strawberry Cinnamon Buns, Swedish Cinnamon Buns, etc), or check out these cinnamon bun inspired recipes:
- Cinnamon Bun Pancakes
- Cinnamon Bun Popcorn
- Cinnamon Roll Milkshake from Cookies and Cups
- Cinnamon Bun Latte
- Cinnamon Bun Crackers
- Cake Mix Cinnamon Roll Waffles from Glitter Inc.
- Cinnamon Bun Sheet Cake
Cinnamon Bun Cookie Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter, room temperature
- White Sugar
- Large Egg, room temperature
- Vanilla Extract
- All-Purpose Flour, plus more for rolling
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Brown Sugar
- Cinnamon
- White Candy Melts, optional for drizzling
Tip: ensure your eggs and butter are room temperature before preparing your cookie dough. Set them out at least one hour before you plan to start.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowl
- Electric mixer <– this is a great hand mixer if you don’t want to make the investment into a stand mixer
- Rolling Pin
- Sharp Kitchen Knife
- Cutting Board
- Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper
- Cookie Sheets
- Cooling racks <– I have and love these tiered cooling racks, they save so much counter space and are also oven-safe
- Microwave-safe Bowl
How to Make Cinnamon Bun Cookies
Place 3/4 cup butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat about 2 minutes.
Add the egg and vanilla extract, and beat for 2 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Add half of the flour mixture to the sugar-butter mixture, combine, and then add the remaining half.
Flour a clean surface and roll out the dough to 1/2″ thickness, in the shape of a large rectangle. (You can do this in two batches, if desired.)
Brush the remaining 1/4 cup of butter on the dough (you may use slightly less, but make sure all of the dough is buttered).
In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle all over the cookie dough.
Roll the cookie dough into a log, long end to long end.
Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350ºF and remove the cookie dough log from the fridge.
Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
Trim off the edges (about 2-3″) and discard. Slice the remaining dough into 1/4″ thick slices.
Place the slices on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet (or silicone mat-lined) at least 1″ apart.
Bake for 8-12 minutes, until just slightly golden on the edges.
If desired, you can add a melted candy coating drizzle.
Place the white candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds. Stir well and reheat as needed.
Use a spoon to drizzle the melted candy coating over the cookies and allow to set completely before storing or serving.
Pin this Unique Sugar Cookie recipe for a fun baking activity with the kids:
Grab your free printable recipe card for our easy cinnamon roll cookies recipe:
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Sugar, Spice and Glitter.
Cinnamon Bun Cookies
How to make cinnamon bun sugar cookies, a melt-in-your-mouth vanilla cookie with a brown sugar-cinnamon swirl and optional frosting or candy melt drizzle. These cookies are the perfect baking project to make with the kids
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons cinnamon
- 1/2 cup White Candy Melts, optional for drizzling
Instructions
- Place 3/4 cup butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat about 2 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract, and beat for 2 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the sugar-butter mixture, combine, and then add the remaining half.
- Flour a clean surface and roll out the dough to 1/2" thickness, in the shape of a large rectangle. (You can do this in two batches, if desired.)
- Brush the remaining 1/4 cup of butter on the dough (you may use slightly less, but make sure all of the dough is buttered).
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle all over the cookie dough.
- Roll the cookie dough into a log, long end to long end.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350F and remove the cookie dough log from the fridge.
- Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
- Trim off the edges (about 2-3") and discard. Slice the remaining dough into 1/4" thick slices.
- Place the slices on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet (or silicone mat-lined) at least 1" apart.
- Bake for 8-12 minutes, until just slightly golden on the edges.
- If desired, you can add a melted candy coating drizzle.
- Place the white candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds. Stir well and reheat as needed.
- Use a spoon to drizzle the melted candy coating over the cookies and allow to set completely before storing or serving.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
36Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 93Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 41mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 0gSugar: 9gProtein: 0g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
I hope your kids love getting to help make these easy cinnamon bun cookies as much as mine did! And hopefully your batch sticks around longer than 2 days!
For more scrumptious cookies, check out our full cookie recipe collection here:
For more decadent desserts, check out our full dessert recipe collection here:
