Cinnamon Roll Soft Sugar Cookies
These Cinnamon Roll Soft Sugar Cookies combine the best of classic sugar cookies with warm cinnamon-sugar flavor for an irresistible holiday cookie recipe. Soft, bakery-style, and easy to make, these cinnamon sugar cookies are perfect for Christmas baking, cookie exchanges, and festive dessert trays that are kid-friendly.
Ingredients you’ll need:
- flour
- baking powder
- salt
- unsalted butter
- eggs
- granulated cane sugar
- vanilla bean paste
- ground cinnamon
- cream cheese
- powdered sugar
Tips for making Soft Sugar Cookies:
- Use room-temperature butter so it creams properly with sugar, creating a light, tender texture.
- Don’t overmix the dough once the flour is added—overmixing develops gluten and leads to tough cookies.
- Use more brown sugar or add cream cheese for extra moisture and softness.
- Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes to control spreading and keep cookies thick and soft.
- Measure flour correctly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off—too much flour makes cookies dry.
- Bake just until set; the centers should look slightly underbaked when you remove them from the oven.
- Avoid overbaking—cookies continue to firm up as they cool.
How to Prep Sugar Cookies in Advance:
- Make the dough ahead: Sugar cookie dough can be prepared and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap to prevent drying.
- Freeze the dough: For longer prep, freeze dough (plain or shaped) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
- Bake ahead: Baked, undecorated sugar cookies can be made 1–2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container until decorating.
How to Store Leftover Sugar Cookies:
- Room temperature: Store baked sugar cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Place parchment paper between layers.
- Refrigerator: Not usually necessary, but frosted cookies with perishable toppings can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze baked cookies (frosted or unfrosted) in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Tip: Keep soft sugar cookies extra tender by adding a slice of bread to the container—it helps maintain moisture.
Bake with me!
Cinnamon Roll Soft Sugar Cookies
Servings: 12
Ingredients
For the Sugar Cookie Dough:
- 2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 tsp. Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp. Fine Baking Salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) Softened Unsalted Butter
- 1 cup Granulated Cane Sugar
- 2 oz. Softened Cream Cheese
- 1 large Egg
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Bean Paste
- 1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
For the Glaze:
- 4 oz. Softened Cream Cheese
- 1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1/4 cup Whole Milk or heavy cream
- 1 tsp. Vanilla Bean Paste
- 1/2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon + more for garnishing
Instructions
To Make the Sugar Cookie Dough:
- In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until well-combined. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter to beat 1 minute, until smooth. Scrap down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the sugar and cream cheese to beat 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla bean paste to beat 1 more minute.
- Add the flour mixture to mix JUST until combined. Be careful not to over mix the batter.
- Cover the bowl to chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a large baking pan with parchment paper.
- Use a large cookie scooper, about 4 tablespoons dough per cookie, to place on a lightly floured surface. Roll out to a 1/2" thick log, then roll together to form the shape of a cinnamon roll swirl. Use a spatula to transfer to the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, just until puffed up a little and set in the centers. The cookie should not turn golden. If you prefer a cookie crisper on the outside, bake an extra 1-2 minutes, until lightly golden on the very edges.
- Let rest on the baking pan for 5 minutes before transferring with a spatula to a baking rack to cool completely.
To Make the Glaze:
- Place the cream cheese in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Beat for 1 minutes, until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar and milk. Beat on LOW speed until combined, then increase to Medium speed to beat until very smooth. Stir in the vanilla bean paste and cinnamon. The glaze should be thick but runny.
- Drizzle a spoonful of the glaze over each cooled cookie, then use the back of the spoon to evenly spread it over the cookie.
- Let the glaze set for at least 15 minutes. Sprinkle with extra ground cinnamon, if desired.
I truly hope you all enjoy this treasured recipe that has nestled its way into our hearts here in the ABM kitchen! ’till next time… xxL
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
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are you able to use this recipe without the vanilla bean additive?
Thanks!
Absolutely! You could replace with vanilla bean extract!
Hello!
What about cream cheese any substitute?
You could substitute with more softened butter in the dough and leave out of the frosting entirely!
Honestly the best cookies I’ve ever made!
These were so good! My entire family loved them. Making again!
do you put the glaze on right out of the oven or wait for them to cool?
Hi Audrey! I would let them cool before adding the glaze so they glaze will harden faster!
never mind! I see it says drizzle cooled cookies oops!
Approximately how many cookies will this make?
Hi Ashley! It makes about 10-12!
These turned out so good! My only issue was the frosting never “dried” I’ve made a glazed sugar cookies where the top hardens a little and this never did. Still yummy, but hard to transport and make cookie trays. Any tips?
Hi Katy! I’m so sorry about the glaze not setting! It may just need a little more powdered sugar to help it get there
These cookies are amazing but I feel like the glaze didn’t come out quite right, I didn’t much on each one but you still couldn’t see the swirl of the cookie afterwards and then the glaze never dried. Still delicious, but messy!
these were so amazing
These were so yummy!
So it says to add more brown sugar if you want the cookie to be more moist and soft but how much should you add?
I would add up to 1/3 cup more brown sugar!
How many days will they stay fresh?
Hi Heather! They should last up to 1 week!
Wow these turned out sooooo good. Highly recommend trying these. They really taste like cinnamon rolls.
Any tips to making these with a hand mixer?
As long as the butter and cream cheese soften to room temperature, mixing by hand or with a hand held mixer is totally doable!
Easy to follow and cookies turned out great! Family loved them
My family loved this thank you ❤️
hello!
could I use all coconut sugar instead or the white or could I do both?
Hi! Trying to make this lactose free as much as possible. Could I substitute tub margarine for unsalted butter or would that make a big difference? Thanks!
hi Lydia! I’ve never worked with margarine before but I’m sure its worth they try 🙂