Description
This BEST Cinnamon Cookie Recipe features soft, chewy cookies with a delicious cinnamon sugar filling inside. The dough is rolled in a cinnamon-sugar coating, then baked and shaped for a perfectly thick and flavorful treat that captures the bliss of cinnamon rolls in cookie form.
Ingredients
Scale
For the filling
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
For the dough
- 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks), softened
- 1 and 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
For rolling
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Make the filling: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat 6 tablespoons softened butter until creamy and smooth. Add 3/4 cup packed brown sugar and 1 and 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon. Beat well, scraping sides down, until completely smooth.
- Freeze filling balls: Line a baking sheet or platter with parchment paper or silicone mat. Use a spoon to form small marble-sized balls of filling and place them on the prepared pan. Freeze for 20 minutes until hardened. If freezer space is unavailable, refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours until firm.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheets: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two or more baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Make the dough: Using the same mixer bowl, beat 1 cup softened butter for a couple minutes until smooth, scraping sides and bottom. Add 1 and 2/3 cup granulated sugar and beat for 2 minutes until light and fluffy without chunks. Add 2 eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; beat until smooth and homogenous, scraping bowl as needed.
- Add dry ingredients: Spoon and level 3 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour into a bowl. Stir in 1 teaspoon baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar. Gently beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture with the mixer, stopping when no large flour streaks remain. Avoid overmixing to prevent tough cookies.
- Fold in frozen filling balls: Once filling balls are firm, fold them gently into the dough using a wooden spoon or spatula. Do not use a mixer for this step.
- Shape cookie dough balls: Use a large cookie scoop or spoon to form dough balls about 2 inches across. Slightly overfill the scoop for generous-sized cookies.
- Roll cookies in cinnamon sugar: In a small bowl, mix 1/3 cup granulated sugar with 1 and 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon. Roll each dough ball in the cinnamon sugar to fully coat.
- Arrange cookies on baking sheets: Place dough balls on prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. To avoid cookies spreading into each other, limit to 8 cookies per standard pan for best results or 12 if edges touching is acceptable.
- Bake: Bake cookies at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes. Cookies may not appear fully baked when removed due to shiny cinnamon filling. Outer edges of cookies without filling should be firm; tops should look matte on edges.
- Shape cookies after baking: Within 30 to 60 seconds of removing from oven, use two spoons to push edges of each cookie toward the center to reshape the cookie and pack in any oozing cinnamon filling. This thickens and chews the cookies while controlling filling spread.
- Cool and serve: Let cookies set on the pan for at least 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy fresh with a glass of milk for ultimate cinnamon roll cookie bliss.
- Freezing instructions: Dough balls can be formed, rolled in cinnamon sugar, and frozen in a ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Bake cookies directly from frozen, adding a couple of minutes to the baking time. No thawing needed.
Notes
- Ensure flour is spooned and leveled for accurate measurement to avoid dry or dense dough.
- Do not overmix dough once flour is added to keep cookies tender.
- Shaping cookies immediately after baking prevents them from flattening and enhances chewy texture.
- If unable to freeze filling balls, refrigerate longer but expect a longer wait time.
- Cinnamon sugar rolling enhances the crisp exterior and adds extra cinnamon flavor.
- Use parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent sticking and ease cookie transfer.
- Cookie dough can be frozen for convenience; bake directly from frozen for best results.
- Cookies may appear underbaked due to cinnamon filling but will set after shaping and cooling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
