Giant Cinnamon Roll Cookie Cake

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This Cinnamon Roll Cookie Cake a fun twist on a classic cinnamon roll! It’s made by rolling strips of cookie dough covered in cinnamon sugar into a cinnamon roll shape. With a cinnamon buttercream topping, every bite is filled with warm flavor.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Giant cinnamon roll cookie. Oh this recipe is so fun! The cookie dough is rolled out, topped with cinnamon sugar, and then rolled up like an actual cinnamon roll.
• Warm cinnamon flavor throughout. Cinnamon is found in every part of this recipe – the cookie dough itself, the cinnamon sugar filling, and the buttercream. It’s not overpowering but you definitely get that flavor in every bite!
• Cinnamon buttercream. Instead of a sweet glaze like a traditional cinnamon roll, this cookie cake is topped with dollops of homemade cinnamon buttercream. It is SO good! Seriously, you’ll want to put this buttercream on EVERYTHING.

If you LOVE cookie cakes, be sure to check out this classic Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake as well as this incredible Reeses Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake and my Oreo Cookie Cake too!

What You’ll Need

This cinnamon roll cookie cake is made with lots of cinnamon and some pantry staples. Scroll down to the recipe card below for measurements.

Cookie Cake

• All-purpose flour – Be sure to measure it correctly to avoid a dry or dense cookie. I recommend a food scale. You’ll want regular all-purpose flour.
• Cinnamon – Adds a hint of the warm cinnamon flavor to the cookie itself.
• Baking soda – Do not use baking powder.
• Salt – Without a little salt, your cookie will be bland.
• Unsalted butter – Bring it to room temperature before starting the recipe.
• Sugar – A combination of brown sugar and white sugar gives the best flavor.
• Egg – Be sure to use large eggs, not medium or extra large.
• Vanilla extract

Cinnamon Roll Filling

• Light brown sugar – The molasses in the brown sugar adds a bit more warmth to the filling.
• Ground cinnamon
• Unsalted butter – Helps the cinnamon sugar stick to the dough.

Cinnamon Buttercream

• Unsalted butter – Room temperature so it’s easier to mix.
• Powdered sugar – Sweetens and the buttercream and adds volume and stability.
• Vanilla extract
• Cinnamon
• Heavy whipping cream – You could also use milk, you just won’t need as much of it.

How To Make a Cinnamon Roll Cookie Cake

This cookie cake recipe does require a bit of hands-on time as you shape strips of cookie dough into a giant roll but it’s worth every second, I promise! You can find the printable version of the instructions in the recipe card below.

Make cookie cake

• Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line the cake pan with parchment paper and spray the sides with nonstick baking spray.
• Make the dough. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg and vanilla then add in the dry ingredients. Mix until the dough is just combined then use a rubber spatula to help it form a more cohesive ball of dough.
• Chill. Wrap the cookie dough ball in plastic. Chill for 1-2 hours, until firm but pliable.

• Prep the cinnamon filling. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in one small bowl then melt the butter in another bowl.
• Roll out the dough. Cut the dough ball in half. Roll out to 1/4 to 1/3 inch in thickness in a rectangular shape. I use a pastry cutter to trim the rounded sides off.

• Form cookie dough roll. Brush the cookie dough with melted butter then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Cut the dough into inch-wide strips. Roll the first one and place it in the center of the pan. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough strips, placing each one at the end of the previous strip working outwards. There will be some space on the edge of the pan.

• Bake. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until the edges are golden and the center looks set.
• Cool. Cool completely in the pan then transfer to a serving plate. I like to flip it upside down onto a cooling rack, place another cooling rack on top, and flip it back over.

Make buttercream and finish

• Make the frosting. Beat the butter until smooth then slowly mix in a cup of powdered sugar. Add in the vanilla, cinnamon, and a tablespoon of heavy cream then mix in the rest of the powdered sugar. Add more heavy cream if needed for the right consistency.
• Decorate the cake. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag and pipe the frosting onto the edges of the cookie cake. I used Ateco tip 844.

Tips for Success

• Fully cream the butter. When mixing the butter and sugars, you should be able to see the change in color and texture. It should take 2-3 minutes to achieve the light color and fluffy consistency.
• Don’t over mix the cookie dough. After adding the dry ingredients to the dough, mix just until well combined. Over mixing can result in a tough cookie.
• Don’t make the rectangles too long or thin. When rolling out the dough, don’t make the rectangle shape too big as you don’t want the strips to be too long or thin and tear easily. I roll it out to about 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick.
• Chill the dough again if needed. When you’re rolling the strips of cookie dough, if you find the dough too soft and difficult to work with, try popping it back in the fridge for 10 minutes or so.
• Know the dough spreads. There will also be some space on the edge of the pan once you’ve added all the dough. That’s okay as the dough will spread a bit as it bakes and fill the pan.

Proper Storage

Because of the frosting, this cinnamon roll cookie cake should be refrigerated after 24 hours. However, it is best served at room temperature so just remember to pull it from the fridge 30 or so minutes before serving. It is best when enjoyed within 4-5 days.

More Cinnamon Roll Desserts To Try

• Cinnamon Roll Cookies
• Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake
• Cinnamon Roll Snack Cake
• Cinnamon Roll Blondies
• Mini Cinnamon Roll Cheesecakes
• Cinnamon Roll Layer Cake

This recipe was originally published in 2014. For the original version, you can download the recipe PDF.

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Enjoy!