If you can’t get enough cinnamon rolls in your life, try our Cinnamon Roll Waffles next! Can we talk about the Crumbl Cookies craze for just a sec? They are taking the country by storm with their oversized cookies and weekly lineup change so there is always something different or new to try there. If you don’t have one near you already, chances are you will get one soon at the rate they have been growing. It used to be that I could only get Crumbl cookies when we were visiting family in Utah, but then one opened in a neighboring town and now I find myself lured over there more often than I would like to admit by the allure of their delicious cookies that are typically served either chilled or warm (depending on the flavor). In all honesty, I don’t always love the lineup! But most of the time there is one or two that stand out and are good enough that I find myself craving them long after they are removed from rotation in the stores. Which is why sometimes I just have to make them at home for myself! These copycat Crumbl cinnamon swirl cookies are one of the flavors that I just couldn’t get out of my head. I love it so much that it is easily in one of my top 5 flavors of all time, right up with there with their caramel popcorn, churro, and raspberry cheesecake cookies.
Why this Recipe Works
You can make an entire BATCH of cookies for the cost of one or two of the Crumbl cookies at the store. The cooked cinnamon topping hardens for a really interesting textural element that is pretty unique in this kind of a cookie. The soft cream cheese frosting really sends home that cinnamon roll vibe, both in terms of flavor and appearance. This approach is much easier than other cinnamon roll cookie recipes I have tried where you roll them up and slice like actual cinnamon rolls.
Ingredient Notes
Butter: I almost always use salted butter in my recipes because that’s what I keep on hand. Brown sugar: We love the extra depth of flavor this gives the cinnamon sugar topping. Cream cheese: You’ll want full-fat cream cheese here for best results. Try to remember to pull it out of the fridge to soften so it mixes in smoothly for the frosting. Cinnamon: You just can’t make cinnamon swirl cookies without plenty of ground cinnamon! A little goes into the cookie base for dimension and flavor, but most of it is in the topping.
How to Make Crumbl Cinnamon Swirl Cookies
Start by beating the butter and sugar together until creamy and light, about 2-3 minutes. You don’t need to soften the butter first since that much mixing will soften it for you if you cut it into cubes before adding it to the bowl. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, then mix again, making sure to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl for even mixing. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the creamed mixture and mix again just until combined. The dough will be thick and should clear the sides of the bowl, but be careful not to overwork it. Use a large cookie scoop to portion out generous sized mounds of dough, spacing them a couple inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Press them flat-ish either with your hands or the bottom of a glass or measuring cup. They should be about 3/4-inch thick. Bake for 10-12 minutes just until the cookies are set. These cookies won’t really brown around the edges and you don’t want to overbake them or they won’t stay soft, so look for them to lose their shiny appearance and for the edges to be set up. Make the cinnamon sugar topping by heating butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon either on the stove or in the microwave until it comes to a boil, then spoon the mixture over the top of each cookie. It will harden as it cools to form a delightful sort of crust. In another large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth, then add vanilla extract, salt, and milk and beat again. Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth, then transfer this to a piping bag fitted with a round open tip or a Ziploc bag with one corner snipped off. Pipe swirls of frosting starting from the center of each cookie and working outwards, leaving space between the lines. This not only allows the cinnamon topping to peep through but it also keeps the cream cheese frosting from overwhelming the cookies. I think these cookies are best served warm (like I prefer most cookies), but you can store them in the fridge and serve them chilled as well.
Recipe Tips
Freezing: You can freeze these cookies for 2-3 months whether they are frosted or unfrosted. Just thaw at room temperature for a couple of hours before serving. Making the topping: You can make the cinnamon sugar topping either on the stovetop or in the microwave. I have included both methods in the recipe card below, although my preferred approach is on the stovetop. Either way, it needs to come to a bubbling boil so it hardens into a sort of crumbly shell on top of the cookies. Making smaller sized cookies: As written, this makes intentionally large cookies, just like the ones served at Crumbl Cookies stores. You can make smaller versions, if you prefer, and bake them for only 8-10 minutes.
More Cookie Recipes
Dark Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies Big Blue Monster Stuffed Cookies Copycat Levain Bakery Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies The Best Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe
Big, Soft Baked Peanut Butter M&M Cookies
Big Blue Monster Stuffed Cookies
Soft Banana Pudding Cookies
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