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Inspired by the breakfast favorite, these shortbread cinnamon roll cookies have minimal ingredients but lots of buttery spiced flavor.ย
It’s cookie sharing season!
Of course, I love sharing cookies all year long, but during the holidays it feels even more special to gift a box of cookies. Plus if you’re doing a cookie swap, it’s like cookie heaven.
These cinnamon roll cookies are inspired by the ones sold in the Ottolenghi delis. Last November my best friend and I did a pastry tour of London, and I picked up theย best lemon amaretti cookies at Ottolenghi. This year I was looking for a recipe to make them at home, and instead I found out about their cinnamon bun biscuits.
Obviously Iย had to try to make my own version, and now I have my new favorite shortbread cookie.
These cookies are made with a cardamom shortbread, and swirled with a brown sugar cinnamon paste. Roll the dough in pearl sugar and you’ve got crunchy, buttery cinnamon roll cookies!
Ingredients for cinnamon roll cookies
Full list of ingredients including quantities is located in the recipe card.
You’ll need:
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- All-purpose flour
- Brown sugar
- Pearl sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground cardamom
- Salt
Make sure your butter is softened to room temperature. This recipe was developed using Kirkland unsalted butter, which has a slightly higher water content than some other brands. If you are using a different butter with less water, the cookies should spread less and have an even better texture.
Pearl sugar is commonly used for cardamom buns and liรจge waffles. It does not melt when baked, so it’s perfect for giving these cookies a bit of sweet crunch. If you don’t want to buy pearl sugar, you can smash up some sugar cubes and use those pieces instead.
key ingredients
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using a mixing bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar, mixing for 3-4 minutes.
Scrape down the bowl, then add the flour, cardamom, and salt. Mix on low to combine, then increase speed to medium-low. The dough will look rather dry and sandy at first. Continue mixing until the dough really comes together and cleans the sides of the bowl. It will look more like regular cookie dough now!
In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into small pieces and add it to the bowl. Mix well until you have a paste. This works best if your butter is a little softer, otherwise it’s a good arm workout.
Pinch the brown sugar paste into little balls about the size of a pea and scatter them among the shortbread dough. Break up any larger pieces of dough and gently turn over from the bottom to ensure the brown sugar bits are evenly disbursed through the dough.
Once you’ve added all of the paste, use your hands to gather the dough firmly together, shaping into a log about 12 inches long and 2 inches in diameter.
Place on a piece of plastic wrap that is large enough to cover the dough. Take 1 tablespoon of the pearl sugar and arrange it on the plastic along one side of the dough. Use the plastic wrap on the non-sugared side to roll the dough onto the sugar, pressing down to adhere. Unwrap and continue with this method until all the sides are coated. Not all of the sugar will stick, but that’s OK!
Wrap the dough and place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350ยฐF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cut the dough in half, returning one half to the refrigerator. Cut the other half into half-inch slices and arrange on one baking sheet. The cookies can be close together since they will not spread much.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edges and bottoms are lightly browned. Shortbread should stay fairly pale for the best texture, so don’t overbake!
Tip: Some of the brown sugar paste may melt out of the edges of the cookies. While still hot, use the edge of a spatula to gently push it back into the cookie and it will cool in place.
Let the cookies cool for a minute or two on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Remove the other half of the dough from the fridge and cut into cookies, placing on the second (not hot) baking sheet. Bake and cool as directed.
Storage tips
Shortbread cookies keep well, which is one of the reasons I love to make them!
Store them in a cookie jar or airtight container like a holiday tin or lidded soup container.
If you are gifting the cookies, tins or festive boxes are great. Line the bottoms with parchment paper, crumpling around the edges to help prevent the cookies from sliding around. Mason jars also work great if you’re giving just a few cookies out; use a reusable plastic or wooden lid.
The Sweetest Season 2025
This recipe is part of The Sweetest Season, an annual virtual cookie swap co-hosted by Erin of The Speckled Palate and Susannah of Feast + West. Every year, food bloggers get together to share new holiday cookie recipes to make and give.
This year we are raising money for Cookies 4 Kids’ Cancer, which is a recognized 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to funding research for new, innovative and less-toxic treatments for childhood cancer.
Since 2008, Cookies for Kidsโ Cancer has granted nearly $18 million to pediatric cancer research in the form of 100+ research grants to leading pediatric cancer centers across the country. From these grants have stemmed 35+ treatments available to kids battling cancer today.
Help us raise money for this important cause! Donate through our fundraising page. Cookies for Kidsโ Cancer is in a matching window with their friends at OXO, meaning OXO will be matching every dollar raised through the end of 2025, up to $100,000. Whatever money we raise will automatically double on our fundraising page!
more shortbread recipes
These shortbread cinnamon roll cookies are a special addition to the cookie jar. Give them a try!
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Cinnamon Roll Cookies
Ingredients
Shortbread dough
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Brown sugar paste
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
For rolling (optional)
- 1/4 cup pearl sugar, or sugar cubes crushed into chunks
Directions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle or using a mixing bowl and hand mixer, cream together butter and sugar for 3-4 minutes.14 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- Add flour, cardamom, and salt, and mix on low to incorporate, then increase to medium-low and continue beating until the dough comes together. It will look very dry at first, but continue to mix until it clumps and cleans the sides of the bowl. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut the 2 tablespoons butter into small pieces and mix it into the brown sugar until you have a paste.
- Using your fingers, pinch small pieces of the paste into balls (about the size of a pea) and scatter into the shortbread dough. Make sure to move the dough around so the paste is evenly distributed.
- Once all of the paste is in the bowl, gather the dough together and firmly shape into a log about 12 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Place on a large piece of plastic wrap.
- Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the pearl sugar down the length of the dough. Using the plastic wrap to help you, roll the dough onto the sugar, gently pressing to adhere. Unwrap and turn dough, then repeat the process until all the sides are covered. Don't worry if some of the sugar falls off; we're not aiming for perfection.1/4 cup pearl sugar
- Wrap the dough in the plastic and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- When ready to bake, preheat then oven to 350ยฐF and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and cut it in half. Place one half on a cutting board and return the rest to the fridge. Cut the dough into 1/2-inch slices and arrange on 1 baking sheet. They can be close together as shortbread doesn't spread much.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, until edges and bottoms are pale brown. Do not overbake. Let rest on the baking sheet 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough on the second baking sheet.
Notes
- Using a scale to measure the flour and sugar will give you the best results (hit Metric next to Ingredients). If you don’t have a scale, be sure to spoon and level the flour, do not scoop directly into the flour, or your cookies will be too dry.
- Baking the cookies on cold sheets one sheet at a time so they brown evenly and don’t spread too much.
- This recipe makes approximately 36 cookies when shaping into a 2-inch-diameter log.ย
Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate based on online calculators. Any nutritional information found on Stetted should be used as a general guideline only.
About Megan
I learned how to cook by exploring seasonal ingredients, and you can too! Meal time shouldn’t be stressful or complicated, and with fresh ingredients and easy methods, Iโm here to help you enjoy the time spent in the kitchen.ย Read moreโฆ
