These Copycat Crumbl Cinnamon Swirl Cookies are made with a thick buttery cookie base topped with a cinnamon sugar topping and hypnotic swirls of cream cheese frosting. They taste just like cinnamon rolls in cookie form!
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.
If you can’t get enough cinnamon rolls in your life, try our Cinnamon Roll Waffles next!
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.
No, you don’t need to worry about chilling the dough when making these cookies. They have enough flour and ratio of other ingredients to control the spread that sometimes happens with other cookie recipes.
If you are frosting them and serving right away, you don’t need to refrigerate them. They could even sit out overnight since the sugar in the frosting acts as a preservative. But if it’s longer than that, then yes, I would recommend refrigerating these cookies. You could also always just make and refrigerate the frosting while storing the unfrosted cookies are room temperature until you are ready to frost and serve.
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
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Big, Soft Baked Peanut Butter M&M Cookies
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Big Blue Monster Stuffed Cookies
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Soft Banana Pudding Cookies
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Copycat Crumbl Cinnamon Swirl Cookies
Ingredients123
Cookie Base
- ▢ 1 cup salted butter (227g)
- ▢ 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (250g)
- ▢ 3 large eggs
- ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ▢ 4 cups all-purpose flour scooped & leveled (564g)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
- ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- ▢ 1/2 cup salted butter
- ▢ 1 cup brown sugar
- ▢ 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
Frosting
- ▢ 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- ▢ 1/4 cup salted butter softened
- ▢ 2 Tablespoons milk
- ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ▢ Pinch of salt
- ▢ 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Cookie Base
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar by beating for 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla, then beat again, stopping to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. 1 cup salted butter, 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar, 3 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix until combined, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl. 4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Scoop large scoops of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them a couple inches apart. Flatten them slightly by pressing down on the top of each bowl with your hand or a flat-bottomed cup until they are approximately 3/4-inch thick.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until set, but do not overbake. Cool completely.
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- Combine the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until the butter is melted and the mixture comes to a boil, then remove from the heat and spoon 2-3 teaspoons of the mixture over each cookie. Let cool. (See notes for microwave approach.) ½ cup salted butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until creamy and smooth. Add the milk, vanilla, and salt, then beat again. Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing between each addition until smooth, about 1 minute. 4 ounces cream cheese, ¼ cup salted butter, 2 Tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, Pinch of salt, 4 cups powdered sugar
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a round open tip or a Ziploc bag with one corner cut off. Pipe thick spiral ropes of frosting on top of each cookie once the cinnamon sugar topping has cooled.
Notes
- Storage: You can leave these cookies out overnight even though they have cream cheese frosting because the sugar in the frosting acts as a preservative. But if it is longer than that or your house is warm, then you will want to stick them in the fridge until shortly before you are ready to serve them.
- 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.
- Microwave: If you want to make the cinnamon sugar topping in the microwave, combine the butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a medium microwave-safe bowl and heat for 3 minutes, stopping each minute to stir well, until it bubbles.
- Smaller 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.
Nutrition
Copycat Crumbl Cinnamon Swirl Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Base
- 1 cup salted butter (227g)
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (250g)
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups all-purpose flour scooped & leveled (564g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup salted butter softened
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Cookie Base
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar by beating for 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla, then beat again, stopping to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. 1 cup salted butter, 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, 3 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix until combined, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl. 4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Scoop large scoops of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them a couple inches apart. Flatten them slightly by pressing down on the top of each bowl with your hand or a flat-bottomed cup until they are approximately 3/4-inch thick.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until set, but do not overbake. Cool completely.
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- Combine the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until the butter is melted and the mixture comes to a boil, then remove from the heat and spoon 2-3 teaspoons of the mixture over each cookie. Let cool. (See notes for microwave approach.) 1/2 cup salted butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until creamy and smooth. Add the milk, vanilla, and salt, then beat again. Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing between each addition until smooth, about 1 minute. 4 ounces cream cheese, 1/4 cup salted butter, 2 Tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, Pinch of salt, 4 cups powdered sugar
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a round open tip or a Ziploc bag with one corner cut off. Pipe thick spiral ropes of frosting on top of each cookie once the cinnamon sugar topping has cooled.
Notes
- Storage: You can leave these cookies out overnight even though they have cream cheese frosting because the sugar in the frosting acts as a preservative. But if it is longer than that or your house is warm, then you will want to stick them in the fridge until shortly before you are ready to serve them.
- 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.
- Microwave: If you want to make the cinnamon sugar topping in the microwave, combine the butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a medium microwave-safe bowl and heat for 3 minutes, stopping each minute to stir well, until it bubbles.
- Smaller 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.
Nutrition
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