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Cinnamon Swirl Sugar Cookies are soft and chewy sugar cookies with cinnamon swirls throughout.
Easy and Delicious Cinnamon Swirl Sugar Cookies
We’ve been baking a lot of cookies lately for school bake sales as well as the upcoming holidays. These Cinnamon Swirl Sugar Cookies have been on my must-try list for a while now – and they are fantastic!
These simple sugar cookies remind me a little of snickerdoodles – both in flavor and texture. The cookies have a cinnamon flavor throughout and, thanks to cream of tartar in the cookie dough, a distinctively soft but chewy texture in every bite.
A ribbon of cinnamon and brown sugar is stirred into the cookie dough to create the swirl effect as these cookies bake.
Original credit for these delicious cookies goes to Sam over at Sugar Spun Run. We gently adapted her Cinnamon Cookies recipe today.
Why you’ll love Cinnamon Swirl Cookies
- These cookies are quite simply – delicious – especially if you love the taste of cinnamon.
- This recipe is super easy, no chilling required, and the cookies bake up soft with a wonderful chewy, pillowy texture.
- They make a great addition to any holiday cookie tray or dessert table.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- All-Purpose Flour
- Cream of Tartar
- Baking Soda
- Table Salt
- Unsalted Butter
- Granulated Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Light Brown Sugar
- Ground Cinnamon
Special Tools Needed
-
- Various Measuring Cups & Spoons
- Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment or Mixing Bowl and Hand Mixer
- Medium Bowls (2)
- Whisk
- Scoop – We used a 1 ½ tablespoon/#50 size scoop
- Baking Sheets
- Parchment Paper Sheets
- Cooling Rack
- Sturdy Spatula – This is our favorite brand.
- Cookie Spatula
How do I make Cinnamon Swirl Cookies?
- Whisk together dry ingredients for base cookie dough. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla to the butter mixture and mix again.
- Slowly add the dry mixture to the butter mixture, mixing until completely combined.
- Mix the cinnamon swirl ingredients together to form a paste.
- Drop a few spoonfuls of the cinnamon swirl paste onto the top of the cookie dough in the mixing bowl.
- Fold the cinnamon swirl into the base dough leaving distinctive swirls throughout the dough. Add more spoonfuls of the cinnamon swirl as you go.
- Scoop out portions of the cookie dough and roll into balls.
- Place balls on parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving 2” or more between each portion.
- Bake until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden.
- Cool cookies on a cooling rack.
Tips & Tricks
Be careful not to over mix the cinnamon swirl into the cookie dough – you want to see distinctive swirls throughout.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make Cinnamon Swirl Sugar Cookies ahead of time? Yes – these cookies stay fresh for several days after baking.
- How do I store leftovers? Store in an airtight container or zipper seal bag with as much air squeezed out as possible.
- Can I freeze these cookies? Yes, these cookies freeze very well.
You might like these other Cinnamon Recipes:
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Cinnamon Swirl Cookies
Cinnamon Swirl Sugar Cookies are soft and chewy sugar cookies with cinnamon swirls throughout.
Ingredients
For the Cookie Base
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Cinnamon Swirl
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon table salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, very soft/barely melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper sheets, then set aside.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy – about three minutes on high.
- Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla to the mixing bowl and mix again until combined.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing until completely combined.
- Make the cinnamon swirl by whisking together brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a separate bowl. Add the very soft butter and combine until the mixture resembles a paste.
- Intersperse a few spoonfuls of the cinnamon swirl paste onto the top of the cookie dough in the mixing bowl. Use a firm spatula and start folding the cinnamon swirl paste into the base dough, adding more spoonfuls of the cinnamon swirl paste as you go. Be careful not to overwork the paste into the cookie dough – you want to see distinctive swirls throughout.
- Use a size #50 size scoop (1 1/2 tablespoons) to portion the cookie dough, rolling into balls.
- Place balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2” or more between each portion. (We baked just 8 cookies per baking sheet to make sure we allowed enough room for spreading in the oven.)
- Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden.
- Cool cookies on a cooling rack.
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