These mini Cinnamon Roll Cookies feature a simple pie crust base, a swirl of cinnamon-y sugar filling, and a perfect vanilla drizzle. This unique cookie has a buttery, flaky crunch on the edges and a soft, gooey cinnamon roll center that everyone will love.
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Craving cinnamon rolls but don't want to wait for hours? These Pie Crust Mini Cinnamon Rolls deliver the best cinnamon roll flavors in a buttery, flaky cookie in minutes. Inspired by my Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie and my leftover Pie Crust Cookies, these mini bites of goodness are perfectly snackable.
I'm always looking for ways to use up leftover pie crust, and with cookie season upon us, using extra pie pastry leftover from Thanksgiving for Christmas cookie swaps just makes sense!
These pie crust cookies are easy to make, with a flaky exterior crunch, a soft middle with a sweet brown sugar cinnamon swirl, and a simple drizzle of icing that sets up perfectly.
So, let's get to making it, shall we? The article below is jam-packed full of useful information. You can jump around using the menu below, or skip to the end of the article for the full recipe.
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Ingredients Needed and Substitutions
Here is a brief overview of the ingredients needed for this recipe. The full recipe with quantities is listed below this text in the recipe card.
- pie crust (any butter pie crust will do here--this recipe was developed with the assumption that leftover homemade pie dough would be used--if you want to use store-bought pie dough, there are notes on this in the recipe)
- heavy cream
- an egg (this is for an egg wash, see more about this in the section about assembling the dough)
- brown sugar + granulated sugar (a mix of sugars adds flavor and texture, but you can use just one if desired)
- ground cinnamon + salt
- powdered sugar
- flour (for rolling out the dough!)
Assembling the Dough
These cookies are prepared similarly to cinnamon rolls but without a yeasted dough. One step that might look different is using an egg wash on the dough. Even though this is a simple recipe, it required significant testing to get all the details just right. This included replacing butter with an egg wash. Just like this recipe for Cinnamon Twists, when a pastry already contains a lot of butter and is rolled thin, brushing an egg wash on the dough before adding the cinnamon-sugar mixture helps it stick better and prevents it from melting out during baking.
You'll need a standard amount of pie dough (about 12 ounces), and any butter pie dough will work (here is a whole category of pie crusts to choose from if you need it!). I'll be honest: I haven't tested this with store-bought pie dough, but it will likely work just fine. If you do make it using store-bought, roll out the circle of dough in 4 quadrants to get it into a rough rectangular shape if possible, then proceed with the recipe as directed.
Step 1: Roll out the pie dough into a rectangle.
Step 2: Brush on an egg wash except for a small strip on the edge of a long side.
Step 3: Sprinkle on the cinnamon- sugar.
Step 4: Tightly roll up the dough, using the parchment as a guide.
Step 5: Once rolled up, pinch together the seam of the dough without the egg wash.
Step 6: Wrap in the parchment and chill for 10-15 minutes in the freezer until firm.
The rolled-up dough only needs to chill long enough to make sure it doesn't squish while you cut it. Technically, it could be cut right away, but the cinnamon roll cookies might not stay in a round shape.
How to Bake Them
Once the dough is chilled, use a sharp knife to cut the dough into ½-inch-thick slices. A sharp knife and proper slicing motion will help keep the cookies circular and not flattened.
Place the cookies spaced evenly apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake. It's a little tricky to tell when these cookies are done, since they are baked at a lower temperature than pie crust is typically baked. We're also going for a somewhat softer center in the middle of the cookie. The cookies will just barely be turning golden on the edges, but the bottom of the cookie will be an even golden color.
Making the Glaze
Adding a vanilla glaze to the cookies is the final step that makes them truly taste like and look like a cinnamon roll. The glaze can be as thick or as thin as you'd like. The recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of heavy cream, but it can be adjusted based on preference. If it's too thin, add more powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time. If it’s too thick, add more cream or water. Drizzle the glaze over the cookies when they are mostly cool.
Serving + Storing the Cookies
These cookies are best enjoyed on the day they are made (when they're still a bit crisp on the edges and gooey in the middle), but they'll keep in a covered container for 2-3 days.
If you want to make these a day or two ahead of time, hold off on adding the glaze. When ready to serve, briefly reheat them in a 350ºF oven until warmed through, then glaze them just before serving.
More Cookie Recipes
More Cinnamon Recipes
I am so honored when you make a recipe from my site! If you make these Cinnamon Roll Cookies, please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating with your experience! If you have any questions about this recipe, feel free to comment here, and tag me on Instagram!
PrintFull Recipe
Pie Crust Mini Cinnamon Roll Cookies
- Prep Time: 00:10
- Chill Time: 00:10
- Cook Time: 00:15
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: About 2 dozen cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For Cookies:
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ยพ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons heavy cream
- all-purpose flour (for work surface)
- 1 (12-ounce) pie crust
For Glaze:
- ½ cup (60 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
Instructions
Make the Cookies:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
- In a second small bowl, whisk together the egg and cream.
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pie dough to a 10-by-14-inch rectangle with the long side facing you.
- Brush the entire pastry with the egg wash, except for a ½-inch strip at the top. Spread the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the top of the egg-washed pastry, leaving the top strip bare.
- Starting from the bottom, tightly and evenly roll up the dough. Pinch together the seam. Wrap tightly in parchment paper and place on a baking sheet. Place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes, until semi-firm.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375ºF and place a rack in the lower part of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the log of dough into ½-inch-thick slices. Place them spaced evenly apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake on the lower rack for 15-18 minutes, until the dough is barely light golden. Overbaking will result in crunchier cookies.
- Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack.
Glaze the Cookies:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and heavy cream until smooth. Drizzle over the top of the slightly cooled cookies.
Notes
I haven’t tested this with store-bought pie crust. If you do make it using store-bought, roll out the circle of dough in 4 quadrants to get it into a rough rectangular shape if possible, then proceed with the recipe as directed. The bake time might decrease, so start checking at about 14 minutes.
These cinnamon roll cookies are best enjoyed on the day they are made, but they'll keep in a covered container for 2-3 days. If you want to make these a day or two ahead of time, hold off on putting on the glaze. When ready to serve, briefly reheat the cookies in a 350ºF oven until warmed through, then put the glaze on before serving.
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Unni
Thank you for this great recipe, Kelly! My daughter and grandkids came for the holidays las night, and I left the rolled dough in the fridge overnight. So this morning I just cut the dough and baked the cookies, and they were soooo good! Together with no knead chiabattas we had the perfect pre Christmas brunch! Happy holidays and thank you for sharing all these wonderful recipes <3
Kelli Avila
What a lovely day! I'm so happy these cookies were part of your special brunch.