I love cinnamon! A cinnamon dolce latte is my go-to at Starbucks (as long as it's not gingerbread latte season), and sometimes I'll even order it with cinnamon coffee cake. To me, cinnamon is the sweet form of a comfort food. I usually don't eat sweet foods at breakfast, but I'll never pass up a cinnamon roll!
This recipe is different from most other recipes in my Cookie Collection, which are mostly drop cookies. I have to admit, though, that these are my favorite to eat. I've already started to think of more variations of these cookies.
Cinnamon Roll Cookie Recipe FAQs
How do I brown the butter? I recommend following How to Brown Butter from Sally's Baking Addiction. Definitely watch the butter when you're browning it. Walking away is a recipe for burned butter!
Can I skip browning the butter? You can use regular melted butter, but browning it adds a rich, nutty flavor that really takes the cookies to the next level. It only takes a few extra minutes and is totally worth it for the depth it brings.
Do I really have to chill the dough? How far in advance can I make it? Chilling the dough is important. It firms everything up, making it easier to roll and slice while also preventing the cookies from spreading too much in the oven. If you're short on time, you can freeze the dough log for 30 to 40 minutes instead of refrigerating it for 2 hours. I usually pop it in the freezer!
The dough can also be made ahead and kept in the fridge for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months. If frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge before baking. To help keep the filling from leaking out, roll the dough tightly and chill thoroughly. A little leakage is totally normal and still delicious!
What if I don’t have orange zest? Orange zest adds a subtle citrusy brightness to the cookies, but you can leave it out. You can use a pinch of cardamom for a different flavor profile. I've used blood orange zest in these, too, instead of regular orange.
Can I make these without a stand mixer? Yes! A hand mixer works well, or you can even mix by hand. Just be sure to cream the butter and sugar thoroughly to get the right texture in your cookies.
Can I use store-bought icing instead? As Ina Garten says, store-bought is fine! The icing in the recipe is super easy to make, but using store-bought will definitely save some time.
What if I'm not a fan of cream cheese icing? So, I'm not a huge fan of cream cheese icing and I still love these with the icing. These cookies are delicious without the icing, or you can just make a simple buttercream-style icing or glaze.
How should I store these? These will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 7 days. I've stored them for up to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
Brown Butter Cinnamon Roll Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter browned and cooled (see notes)
- 2½ cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt if substituting table salt, use just a pinch
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoon orange zest for fresh zest. For dried zest, use ½ to ¾ tsp.
- 1 egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
Filling
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt if substituting table salt, use just a pinch
Cream Cheese Icing
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon milk 2% or whole. Also fine to use heavy cream.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl and set aside.2½ cups all purpose flour, ½ tsp baking soda, ¼ tsp kosher salt
- Beat together the browned butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and orange zest on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes.1 cup unsalted butter, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, 1½ tsp orange zest
- Reduce mixer to low. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated.1 egg, 2 tsp vanilla
- Add the flour mixture ¼ to ½ cup at a time and mix until all of the flour is fully incorporated.
- Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap. Transfer to the freezer for 10 minutes or refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Roll and Fill the Dough
- Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll into a 12-inch square or rectangle about ¼ inch thick. Note: If the top layer of parchment makes it difficult to roll the dough evenly, remove it and roll without it, but dust the rolling pin with some flour to prevent sticking.
- Transfer the dough to the refrigerator for about 15 minute while making the filling.
- Make filling. Combine the melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Tip: Make the filling after the dough has chilled for about 10 minutes.¼ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup brown sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp kosher salt
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and remove the top layer of parchment paper.
- Spread she filling evenly on top of the cookie dough square, leaving about about ¼ inch border around the edges.
Roll the Dough Log
- Use the parchment paper as a guide to tightly roll the dough into a log.
- Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and transfer to the freezer for 35 minutes or refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Bake the Cookies
- Preheat oven to 375℉.
- Remove the dough log from the freezer or fridge. Slice the dough into ¼ inch cookies (use a sharp knife).
- Place cookies about 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are light golden brown.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack. Allow cookies to cool completely before icing.
Make the Icing and Ice the Cookies
- Beat the cream cheese until smooth.4 oz cream cheese
- Gradually add powdered sugar.1 cup powdered sugar
- Add milk and vanilla and mix until well-incorporated.2 tbsp milk, 1 tsp vanilla
- Use a piping bag or a spoon to drizzle the icing over the cookies.
Notes
Nutrition
