Cinnamon Roll Cookies have a cream cheese & cinnamon swirl and are topped with a thick, sweet cinnamon sugar icing. These are perfect for Christmas baking!
In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
In another large bowl, cream together butter, sugar, egg/yolk, and vanilla extract. Slowly (½ cup at a time) pour in dry ingredients and mix well. Knead into a firm dough.
Roll dough to a ¼" thickness on a large floured surface. Mix together cream cheese and 1 tablespoon cinnamon and spread on cookie dough. Roll dough (like a cinnamon roll).
Wrap this cookie dough log tightly with plastic wrap. Pop it in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour.
Take the cookie dough log out of the freezer, unwrap, and cut into pieces that are about ¾-1" thick. Place cut cookies on a silicone mat-lined (or parchment paper-lined) baking sheet.
Bake at 375 degrees for 13-15 minutes, until tops start to brown. Remove cookies from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
Whisk together powdered sugar, cinnamon, and milk in a small bowl. Drizzle cookies with the icing and allow to dry on a cookie rack or piece of parchment paper.
Notes
The sugar cookie dough should be firm when rolling. If it isn't, pop it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
If the cream cheese filling isn't very spreadable, you can microwave it for 15-20 seconds. Don't microwave too long though - it needs to be spreadable, but still firm.
Shape the cookie dough log before cutting. If you want really round cookies, make sure the cookie dough log is round.
These cookies freeze well and can be stored in a freezer bag for up to 6 months. Just leave the icing off until you're ready to serve.
This dough is sticky! I recommend that, before rolling out the sugar cookie dough, you flour your surface or roll cookies out on a silicone mat (or do both). The mat will help you pick up the dough as you roll.