Cinnamon Roll Cookies

Cinnamon roll cookies are  the cookie version of classic cinnamon buns. The same irresistible butter, sugar and cinnamon filling is rolled inside a crunchy shortcrust pastry. These cookies will please cinnamon and butter shortcrust lovers alike! And they are perfect for some festive baking.

There is something about cinnamon and butter that makes my heart happy. That very combination is what reminds me most of Scandinavia – be it my time in Oslo or the first times in Sweden. Baking cinnamon buns has been a favourite activity since I moved here, but it wasn’t until recently that I started making cinnamon rolls as cookies.

Cinnamon roll cookies on a brown plate with pine decorations.

The procedure is pretty similar to that of cinnamon buns, but with a different dough. A delicious butter, sugar and cinnamon paste is spread onto rolled-out dough that gets then rolled up and sliced into… cookies.

The ingredients

For detailed quantities please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

The ingredients needed for the recipe.

Step by step instructions

  • Add flour, butter, sugar and egg to a food processor and blitz until the mixture has the texture of coarse crumbs. Add water and keep processing until the dough forms a ball. Wrap the dough ball in cling film and chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.
  • In a small bowl combine the softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon powder and stir until homogeneous.
  • Take the dough out of the fridge and place it on a floured surface. Roll out to a thickness of 2-3 mm, aiming for a rectangular shape. Thinly spread the cinnamon filling all over the dough using a spatula.
  • Roll up the dough the long side pressing it gently to keep it tight. Using a thread cut out the cookies every 5 mm. Gently flatten each cookie with a rolling pin aiming for a circular shape. Place cookies on an oven tray lined with baking paper and chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.
  • Bake at 175°C for 20 minutes. When baked, transfer cookies to a cooling rack. They may harden and get slightly crispier as they cool.

Cinnamon roll cookies cooling on a rack.

Cinnamon roll cookies tips

The softened butter for the cinnamon filling needs to be really soft but not melted. If the butter at room temperature is still somewhat hard, microwave it for a few seconds to make it soft enough to easily stir with the brown sugar and cinnamon. A softer texture helps for easier spreading on the dough.

For easiest handling the dough needs to be well chilled. It is important to chill it in the fridge for 10 minutes before rolling it out, and then chill it again before slicing it up. If you notice that your dough is very soft at any time, place it back in the fridge and chill it some more. Once cut out and flattened, the cookies need also to be chilled again before baking.

I find that cutting the cookies with a thread helps to keep their round shape, as opposed to a knife which could flatten them as you cut through. You can of course use a knife if you prefer. Make sure it’s sharp and the dough is properly chilled and hard.

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Cinnamon Roll Shortcrust Cookies

Shortcrust cinnamon roll cookies filled with cinnamon butter filling and a pretty pinwheel shape.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Swedish
Keyword cinnamon bun cookies, cinnamon roll cookies, cinnamon shortcrust cookies
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8 people
Calories 331kcal
Author Eva | Electric Blue Food

Ingredients

For the dough

  • 125 g butter chilled
  • 100 g granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 230 g flour
  • 1 tbsp water

For the filling

  • 50 g butter softened
  • 25 g brown sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  • Add all the dough ingredients minus the water to a food processor and blitz until it has the texture of coarse crumbs. Add the water and keep processing until the dough forms a ball. Wrap the dough ball in cling film and chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.
  • In a small bowl combine the filling ingredients and stir until homogeneous. The butter needs to be really soft but not melted. If the butter at room temperature is still somewhat hard, microwave it for a few seconds to make it soft enough to stir easily.
  • Take the dough out of the fridge and place it on a floured surface. Roll out to a thickness of 2-3 mm, aiming for a rectangular shape.
  • Thinly spread the cinnamon filling all over the dough using a spatula. Roll up the dough the long side pressing it gently to keep it tight. Place the rolled-up dough in the fridge to chill 10 minutes.
  • Using a thread cut out the cookies every 5 mm. Gently flatten each cookie with a rolling pin to about 2 mm thick, aiming for a circular shape. Place cookies on an oven tray lined with baking paper and chill in the fridge for 10 minutes. Bake at 175°C for 20 minutes.

Notes

Please notice that the nutritional information is made by an online calculator and meant to be used only as a guideline.
Nutrition Facts
Cinnamon Roll Shortcrust Cookies
Amount Per Serving
Calories 331 Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Fat 19g29%
Saturated Fat 11g69%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 67mg22%
Sodium 166mg7%
Potassium 51mg1%
Carbohydrates 38g13%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 16g18%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 578IU12%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 22mg2%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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4 Comments

  1. wonderfulcook December 20, 2022 at 04:58

    These cinnamon roll cookies were super yummy! I shared them at work and everyone wanted the recipe! Thanks.

    Reply
    1. Eva October 20, 2023 at 09:29

      Thank you so much for your comment, I’m glad you enjoyed them!

      Reply
  2. Sherrilou June 11, 2023 at 12:26

    I don’t have an oven, so I am excited to find a stovetop puff pastry recipe, thank you so much. Question: do you think the recipe for cinnamon roll shortcrust cookies would also work in a frying pan?

    Reply
    1. Eva October 23, 2023 at 09:39

      Hi Sherrilou, I haven’t personally tested cooking these cookies on a frying pan, but you can try and I hope it will work out! 🙂

      Reply

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