There’s nothing quite like a batch of cinnamon sugar cookies fresh from the oven. Soft and buttery, with lightly crisp edges and crinkle tops coated in sweet cinnamon sugar, these cookies are packed with warm, cozy flavor. Made with simple ingredients, this easy to make cookie recipe is perfect for holidays, cookie exchanges, or whenever you’re craving a homemade treat. If you love classic sugar cookies and cozy cinnamon flavor, these cinnamon cookies are sure to become a favorite.
Jump to:
Why Make This Recipe
Rarely does cinnamon get to enjoy being the star flavor of any baked treat. My love of cinnamon is the reason I created more recipes filled with sweet and spicy cinnamon flavor. My Cinnamon Scones, Cinnamon Muffins, Cinnamon Pie, Cinnamon Sugar Donuts and Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting are all delicious cinnamon recipes I know you will love. Now I can add soft and chewy sugar cookies filled with warm cinnamon flavor to the list.
- Layers of flavors and textures. From the soft, chewy and buttery sugar cookie filled with warm and spicy ground cinnamon to the sweet and warmly spiced cinnamon sugar coating, these cookies will delight your senses.
- Easy to make, bake and eat. These cinnamon cookies are super quick and easy to make. Simply mix up the cookie dough, scoop, roll the dough in the cinnamon sugar, bake, and enjoy.
- You love a classic cookie with a flavorful twist. Classic sugar cookies are classic for a reason. They’re soft, butter and are filled with nostalgic flavor. Add a pinch or two of ground cinnamon and somehow these classic cookies become even better.
Ingredients and Substitutions
This cinnamon sugar cookie recipe requires only a handful of simple ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your pantry and fridge. If you are missing any ingredients, here are my recommended substitutions.
- All Purpose Flour: Make these soft and buttery cookies, gluten free, by using a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Make sure both are in date and relatively fresh.
- Cornstarch: This helps to prevent the cookies from spread and also adds to the soft and tender texture of the final cookie. If needed omit and chill the dough for about 1 hour.
- Ground Cinnamon: Make sure to use fresh ground cinnamon. This is not the recipe to use the cinnamon you bought years ago.
- Unsalted Butter: Vegan butter or plant based can also be used in place of regular unsalted butter.
- Granulated Sugar and Light Brown Sugars: Maple sugar would also work well to make this refined sugar free.
- Egg and Yolk: This recipe has not been tested without eggs.
- Vanilla Extract: This is more for background flavor and nicely enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
Variation
If you love your cookies topped with frosting, I highly recommend topping these cinnamon filled sugar cookies with my Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting for the ultimate cinnamon cookie.
How To Make
Learn how to make cinnamon sugar cookies in a few easy steps.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C) for about 20-30 minutes before baking the cookies. Line 1 or 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch, ground cinnamon, and salt until well combined. Set aside for now.
- Heat the slices of cold butter in the microwave for 25 seconds. The butter should have slightly melted edges, but should still remain largely in a sliced form. Add the butter to a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment (or mixing bowl to be mixed with a handheld mixer). Cream the butter with the light brown and granulated sugars on medium high speed for 3 - 4 minutes. Cream in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet a little at a time until just combined. I like to do this about ¼ of the dry ingredients at a time.
- In another, smaller bowl, whisk the granulated sugar with ground cinnamon until well combined. Using a medium cookie scoop (2 tablespoons, 30 ml), scoop the cinnamon cookie dough, roll the dough into the cinnamon sugar and place the cookie dough balls onto the lined baking sheet about 3 inches ( 8 cm) apart.
- Bake at 350 F (177 C) for 10 - 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are set and the centers are slightly puffed. Cool the cinnamon sugar cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature and enjoy.
How To Make Ahead: Store, Freeze and Thaw
- Make Ahead: Prepare the cookie dough recipe as written. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge up for 1 - 2 days. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes while the oven pre-heats. Alternatively, chill the cookie dough for the recommended chilling time, scoop the cookie dough into balls, chill or freeze the cookie dough balls until you are ready to bake. If you plan on chilling the cookie dough, wait to roll the dough in the cinnamon sugar until right before baking.
- Store: Place the cinnamon sugar cookies in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to 5 days. Keep in mind that these cookies taste best when enjoyed within 2 - 3 days of baking. If you would like to store the iced oatmeal cookies for longer, I recommend freezing them.
- Freeze: Make sure the baked cinnamon cookies are completely cooled to room temperature. Place the cookies in a ziplock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. For unbaked cookie dough, I recommend scooping the cookie dough into balls, flash freezing the dough for 20 minutes and then transferring the cookie dough balls into a freezer safe and airtight container.
- Thaw: The easiest and tastiest way to thaw the baked cookies to let them sit out at room temperature until thawed or overnight in the fridge. Then warm them in the microwave to your preferred temperature. For unbaked cookie dough, transfer the dough to thaw overnight in the fridge.
M’s Expert Tips
- Don’t be shy with the cinnamon. Use up to 2 - 3 teaspoons of cinnamon for the best flavor. Make sure the ground cinnamon is fresh for the best cinnamon sugar cookies.
- Use a good quality butter. Butter really shines through as a stand alone flavor. I personally love using KerryGold.
- Measure the flour properly. I highly recommend using a food scale to get perfectly measured ingredients every time.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Always use the lowest speed on your electric mixer or mix in the dry ingredients by hand. Make sure to mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
- Use a cookie scoop. The best way to ensure all the oatmeal cookies look the same is to use a cookie scoop. The ideal scoop should hold about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough.
- Give your cookies a “cookie scoot.” Within the first few seconds of removing the cookies from the oven, use a large biscuit or cookie cutter (wider than the cookies) to help shape any cookies back into a more round shape. Place the cutter over the cookies so the edges of the cookie are inside the cookie/ biscuit cutter. In a circular motion, gently nudge the edges back into a round shape.
FAQs
Why are my cinnamon sugar cookies spreading too much?
Cookies can spread when the butter is too warm, the dough is too soft, or the flour has been under-measured. If the dough seems unusually soft, chilling it for about 30 - 60 minutes before baking can help.
Why are my cinnamon cookies dry?
Dry cookies are often caused by adding too much flour, overmixing or overbaking. Be sure to measure carefully and remove the cookies from the oven when the centers are still slightly soft.
Can I make these cookies smaller or larger?
I find that a medium cookie scoop, with about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough makes the perfect chewy sugar cookie. However, you can make a small (1 tablespoon) cookie if you like. Bake this size cookie for 8 - 10 minutes. For a larger cookie, bake for about 12 - 14 minutes.
Other Sugar Cookie Recipes to Try
If you try this Cinnamon Sugar Cookies recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! - M
Cinnamon Sugar Cookies Recipe
These Cinnamon Sugar Cookies are soft, buttery, and filled with warm cinnamon flavor, with a cinnamon sugar coating that adds the perfect touch of sweet and spicy crunch. Made with simple pantry ingredients, they’re easy to make, bake, and enjoy anytime you’re craving a cozy homemade cookie.
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer with beaters
- 1 - 2 large aluminum baking sheets
- 2 sheets parchment paper
- 1 medium (2 tablespoon, 30 ml) cookie scoop optional
Ingredients
Cinnamon Sugar Cookie
- 2¾ cup (330 g) all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, cold and sliced
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
Cinnamon Sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C) for about 20-30 minutes before baking the cookies. Line 1 or 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch, ground cinnamon, and salt until well combined. Set aside for now.2¾ cup (330 g) all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon , 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- Heat the slices of cold butter in the microwave for 25 seconds. The butter should have slightly melted edges, but should still remain largely in a sliced form. Add the butter to a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment (or mixing bowl to be mixed with a handheld mixer).1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, cold and sliced
- Cream the butter with the light brown and granulated sugars on medium high speed for 3 - 4 minutes. Cream in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet a little at a time until just combined. I like to do this about ¼ of the dry ingredients at a time.1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk , 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- In another, smaller bowl, whisk the granulated sugar with ground cinnamon until well combined. Using a medium cookie scoop (2 tablespoons, 30 ml), scoop the cinnamon cookie dough, roll the dough into the cinnamon sugar and place the cookie dough balls onto the lined baking sheet about 3 inches (8 cm) apart.¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Bake at 350 F (177 C) for 10 - 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are set and the centers are slightly puffed. Cool the cinnamon sugar cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature and enjoy.
Notes
Store: Place the cinnamon sugar cookies in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to 5 days. Keep in mind that these cookies taste best when enjoyed within 2 - 3 days of baking. If you would like to store the iced oatmeal cookies for longer, I recommend freezing them.
Tip: Give your cookies a “cookie scoot.” Within the first few seconds of removing the cookies from the oven, use a large biscuit or cookie cutter (wider than the cookies) to help shape any cookies back into a more round shape. Place the cutter over the cookies so the edges of the cookie are inside the cookie/ biscuit cutter. In a circular motion, gently nudge the edges back into a round shape.
did you make this recipe?tag @olivesnthyme on Instagram
Leave a Reply