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The Cinnamon Swirl Cookie tastes just like a cinnamon roll! A warm sugar cookie base topped with a brown sugar and cinnamon topping with a swirl of cream cheese frosting.
Cinnamon Swirl Cookie Recipe
I’ve become quite the fan of cinnamon cookies lately- Snickerdoodle Cupcake, Churro, Maple Cinnamon Roll.. They all taste a little bit different, but they are all AMAZING.
This Cinnamon Swirl Cookie is no different. You get that soft, melt in your mouth, vanilla sugar cookie but then it’s topped with a cinnamon and sugar topping that is BAKED onto the cookie. It gets this nice crust on it which gives this cookie a lovely texture contrast that the other cookies don’t have.
And you can’t go wrong with the cream cheese frosting on top- I mean unless you don’t like cream cheese frosting, in that case, make buttercream (I’ll leave the recipe for this in the notes below)! I think the cream cheese frosting pairs perfectly here though.
Ingredients in Crumbl’s Cinnamon Swirl Cookie
Cookie Base Ingredients
- Butter– I always use salted butter in my cookie recipes, so feel free to do the same. If you are using unsalted, just add an extra pinch of salt to the recipe. We will need butter in the cookie dough and a tiny bit in that brown sugar cinnamon topping.
- Granulated Sugar– This will be the only sugar to go into the actual cookie dough since it is a sugar cookie base.
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Canola Oil– The oil gives this cookie a nice buttery crispy outside and a nice soft inside.
- Flour– All purpose is what we will be using.
- Baking Powder
- Brown Sugar– This is for the topping that will be baked onto the cookie.
- Cinnamon– same here- for the topping!
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream Cheese– This should be close to room temperature. Just pull it out of the fridge when you start making your cookie base and you’ll be all set when it’s time to make the frosting.
- Butter– again, I use salted.
- Powdered Sugar
- Vanilla
- Milk– This one is on an as needed basis. If your frosting is super thick, you can add the tiniest splash of milk to the frosting, but I don’t usually need it.
How to Make Cinnamon Swirl Cookies At Home
To make the cookies, the first thing you’ll want to do is preheat that oven to 350°.
Make the cookie dough while the oven is preheating. Make the cookie dough by first creaming together the butter and sugar. Once that is completely combined, add in the eggs, vanilla and canola oil. Mixing until combined. Lastly, the flour and baking powder are added.
The dough will be quite soft but shouldn’t be sticky and stick to your hands. Scoop the dough out into a generous 1/3 cup portion, roll into a ball and then flatten slightly before arranging on a parchment paper or silicone baking mat lined pan.
The cookies will spread slightly while baking, but not a whole lot. Set the cookies aside and combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and a little melted butter. Portion out the cinnamon and sugar mixture among the tops of each of the flattened cookies, patting the mixture flat and smooth.
Bake at 350° for 11-13 minutes. The cookies will spread and the edges will start to crack, that’s when you’ll know its time to take them out of the oven.
Allow the cookies to cool on the pan while you make the frosting. To make the frosting, first combine the butter and cream cheese until smooth, then slowly add in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Mix slowly and be patient. Wait until all of the powdered sugar has been incorporated into the cream cheese mixture before adding more powdered sugar in.
Once all of the powdered sugar has been added, mix in the vanilla and a splash of milk to adjust consistency, if needed.
Transfer the frosting to a piping bag with a large round open tip (1D) or to a large zip top bag with the corner cut. Pipe the frosting onto the top of the cookie with a spiral, allowing some space to remain to see that brown sugar topping.
Serve warm + enjoy!
How to store leftover cookies
Because the cream cheese icing has so much sugar in it, the sugar will stabilize the cream cheese for a few days at room temperature, not letting it spoil. If you plan on storing them for longer than 3 days, I suggest storing them in the fridge. You can do this for up to 1 week or you can freeze for up to 3 months. Always store in an air tight container!
Can I reheat leftover cookies?
If you are not planning on eating all of the cookies right away, I would suggest only frosting the cookies you are going to be serving. That way you can quickly warm up the leftover cookie in the microwave and then add some leftover frosting on top right before eating.
Can I make these smaller?
Yes!! You’ll just need to bake them for a few minutes less than the larger ones and then use a smaller round piping tip when you put on the frosting!
More Crumbl Copycat Recipes
Crumbl Cinnamon Swirl Cookies
Ingredients
Vanilla Sugar Cookie Base
- 1 1/2 cups salted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
Cinnamon Brown Sugar Topping
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp butter, melted
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 tbsp butter, softened
- 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- milk, as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the eggs, vanilla and oil. Mix until combined.
- Lastly, add in the flour and baking powder. Mix until the dough forms. The dough will be soft.
- Scoop your dough out into generous 1/3 cup portions. Roll the cookie dough into a ball and then flatten the cookie dough slightly. Repeat with the remaining dough, arrange on pan and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter with a fork.
- Once the mixture is combined, press about 1/2 tbsp of the mixture onto the top of each cookie.
- Bake at 350° for 9-11 minutes. The cookies will spread and just start to crackle when you take them out of the oven. They should not turn brown. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan.
- While the cookies are cooling, make the cream cheese frosting.
- Make the frosting by combining the butter and cream cheese, mixing until completely smooth.
- Add in the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, allowing the powdered sugar to mix into the cream cheese mixture before adding more powdered sugar.
- Once all of the powdered sugar has been added, add the vanilla.
- Add a splash of milk or heavy cream if needed to achieve your desired thickness.
- Transfer the frosting into a piping bag fit with a large round piping tip (1D) or into a large zip top bag with the corner clipped.
- Pipe a swirl on the top of the warm cookies, allowing space in between the swirl to see the brown sugar layer.
- Serve warm.
Hi I haven’t made this yet but thank you so much in advance for the recipe. I was just reading the yield. So I’m guessing 24 1/2 size Cookies is 12 full-size cookies. Correct?
My husband and I are your newest and biggest fans! This recipe is absolute perfection! We can’t wait to try more.
Correct!
Great cookie
These cinnimon swirl cookies are amazing! I sent some to work with my husband and the guys always ask when I’m sending more cookies!