Cookie Butter Cinnamon Rolls

Soft, fluffy cinnamon rolls with a rich cookie butter swirl

I’ve been making homemade cinnamon rolls for over 40 years. They’ve been part of our holidays, our weekends, and many moments in between. I even made my daughter a cinnamon roll wedding cake (that’s a story and a recipe for another day).

So when I say this one is a keeper, I truly mean it.

These Cookie Butter Cinnamon Rolls are soft, fluffy, rich and indulgent in the very best way. The cookie butter adds a cozy, unexpected twist to a classic cinnamon roll. Familiar, but just special enough to make people stop mid-bite and ask, “What’s in these?”

And while they’ve become a Christmas morning tradition in our home, they’re absolutely perfect anytime of year when you want a treat that feels comforting and a little extra.

Two Frosting Options

You get to choose your own adventure here. A classic white cream cheese frosting or a cookie butter frosting for full-on indulgence (always Dave’s choice!). Both are delicious. Both disappear quickly.

A Make-Ahead Favorite

One of my favorite things about these rolls is how well they freeze.

After slicing, I freeze the rolls on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper so they don’t stick. Once frozen, they go straight into a zip-top bag with the baking instructions written right on the bag.

This makes them:

• Easy to bake fresh anytime
• Perfect for gifting
• Ideal for making multiple batches at once

Pop them into a pretty baking dish or container and you have the sweetest homemade gift; something thoughtful, practical and made with love.

Don’t Let The Length Fool You

The instructions may look long at first glance, but I promise; these rolls are very doable. They’re forgiving, reliable and great for:

• Feeding a crowd
• Donating to a bake sale or potluck
• Stocking your freezer
• Sharing with friends, neighbors or family

If you’ve ever thought, “I wish I had a go-to cinnamon roll recipe” … this just might be it.

Save This For Later!

If this recipe makes your life a little easier (or a little tastier!), tap and hold to pin it so you can come back to it anytime. And if you love simple, healthy recipes, you can follow me on Pinterest for more ideas that make midlife cooking feel fun and doable. 💛

Cookie Butter Cinnamon Rolls

Soft, fluffy cinnamon rolls with a rich cookie butter swirl

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 18

Calories 540 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

DOUGH

• 2 cups warm water about 105F
• 1/4 cup nonfat powdered milk
• 1/2 cup instant boxed potato flakes
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 4 tsp instant yeast
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1/2 cup butter flavored vegetable shortening
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 5-6 cups bread flour

FILLING

• 2/3 cup Biscoff cookie butter
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter softened
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar packed
• 1 TBSP ground cinnamon I always double it. Dave loves cinnamon!

FROSTING

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter cubed
• 4 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1/3 cup Biscoff cookie butter (optional)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 pinch fine sea salt
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 TBSP milk as needed

Instructions

 

DOUGH

• In a large bowl, combine warm water, powdered milk, potato flakes, sugar, yeast and salt. Mix well with a wire whisk.
• Pour into mixer bowl. Secure dough hook attachment to mixer.
• Add the butter, shortening and eggs to mixer bowl. Add 3 cups of the flour. Mix on low speed until ingredients are incorporated; about one minute. Scrape bowl sides if needed.
• On low speed, add the remaining 2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Fully incorporate each addition. After adding the 2 cups of flour continue to mix on low for 1 minute. Scrape sides of bowl if needed. If dough is not cleaning sides of the bowl, add 1/4 cup of flour and mix until fully combined. Stop mixer and lightly tap on dough with fingertip. If the dough feels excessively wet and sticky, add another 1/4 cup of flour and fully combine. If the dough feels soft and tacky, but not wet, knead on low for 6-8 minutes until smooth.
• Grease inside of large bowl with a little butter or shortening. Add dough, turning to coat all sides. Cover with clean kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 60-90 minutes.

FROSTING

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and cream cheese until smooth, about 2 minutes.
• Add the vanilla and salt. Add half of powdered sugar and mix on low until combined and smooth. Add 1-2 Tablespoons of milk to thin. Continue to add the remainder of the powdered sugar, alternating with just enough milk to yield a creamy frosting. Add cookie butter if desired. Refrigerate.

FILLING

• In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the filling with a spoon. Stir until fully combined and creamy.

MAKING THE CINNAMON ROLLS

• Divide dough into two equal portions. Round each portion to an oval shaped piece of dough by pulling the dough and tucking it underneath itself. This will make it easier to roll out into a rectangle.
• Flour work surface and roll dough out to a rectangle, about 10×18-inches.
• Spread half of the filling on the dough, leaving a 1-inch border on the top edge of the rectangle. Leaving this border will help in sealing the dough shut when rolled up.
• Start with the long side and working from left to right, begin to roll dough up. Tug and pull as you go, which will tighten the roll and make more swirls.
• Once it’s all rolled up, pinch the seam shut by pinching the edge of the dough to the roll.
• Cut the roll into 9, 2-inch cinnamon rolls.
• *Place cinnamon rolls on a 13×18-inch baking sheet, either sprayed with nonstick spray or lined with parchment paper. Space cinnamon rolls about 2 inches apart. Repeat steps 2-7 with the second piece of dough. All 18 cinnamon rolls on one half size sheet pan.
• Cover and let rise until puffy about 45-60 minutes. Towards the end of the rise time, preheat oven to 350°F/177°C.
• Bake for 18-22 minutes or until edges are medium golden brown. Place pan on a wire cooling rack and let cool for 5 minutes.
• Spread the frosting over the warm rolls. Allow them to sit 5-10 more minutes, letting the frosting set up. Serve and enjoy!
• *See notes for freezing unbaked rolls for later.

Nutrition

Calories: 540kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 9gFat: 27g

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