Cookies and Cream Cinnamon Rolls

By
Kristina Vanni
Kristina Vanni
Kristina Vanni
An internationally recognized culinary authority, Kristina Vanni is well-known for her recipe development, food photography, and experience as a TV show host.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/15/22
Tested by
Noah Velush-Rogers
Noah Velush-Rogers
Tested by Noah Velush-Rogers
Noah Velush-Rogers works on food prep for several area caterers. He has worked with a team of prep chefs for a private school group. He was an assistant cooking teacher for children and teen group cooking classes. Noah was hired as an intern and was then trained as a recipe tester for Fine Cooking Magazine. 
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Cookies and cream cinnamon rolls

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Rise: 45 mins
Total: 95 mins
Servings: 8 roll
Yield: 8 rolls

When the line between breakfast treat and dessert are blurred, you know it's going to be a delicious dish. Imagine your favorite batch of cinnamon rolls, but filled with a cookies and cream swirl, topped with a vanilla creme icing and then sprinkled with more crushed cream filled sandwich cookies on top. Pure brunch heaven.

The best part is, this fun family recipe doesn't involve making a yeast dough from scratch. In fact, the dough for the cinnamon rolls is made from a loaf of frozen bread dough or pizza dough. All you have to do is thaw it out and then roll out the dough into a square.

This is a recipe where kids love to get involved in the cooking process. Younger kids can be in charge of crushing the cookies, while older kids love rolling up the rolls and watching them rise. It's fun for the whole family.

“When the average cinnamon roll just isn’t up to snuff, you can spice them up with a recipe like this! Just make sure not to over-bake, or the rolls might yet too hard.” —Noah Velush-Rogers

Cookies and Cream Cinnamon Rolls/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

Cookies and Cream Rolls:

  • All-purpose flour, for rolling

  • 1 (1 pound) frozen bread or pizza dough, thawed to room temperature)

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/4 cup crushed oreo cookies

  • Cooking spray, as needed

Vanilla Cream Icing and Cookie Topping:

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 2 tablespoons milk, more as needed

  • 2 tablespoons crushed oreo cookies

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients to make cookies and cream cinnamon rolls

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12×16 inch rectangle.

    A rectangle of thinly rolled out dough

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Brush with the melted butter.

    Butter brushed onto the rolled out dough

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. In a small bowl combine the sugar, cocoa powder, and cinnamon.

    A bowl of sugar, cocoa powder, and cinnamon

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Sprinkle over the butter, covering the surface evenly. Leave a 1/2-inch border all around.

    Sugar mixture evenly spread over the rolled out dough

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Evenly distribute the crushed cookies over the dough.

    Crushed cookies added to the top of the sugar mixture

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Starting on long side, roll up the dough jelly roll style.

    A long thin log of rolled up dough

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  8. Cut into 8 equal pieces.

    The dough log cut into 8 slices

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  9. Place the rolls, cut side up in an 8- or 9-inch round baking pan that has been coated with non-stick cooking spray.

    Slices of the dough log arranged cut side up in a round baking dish

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  10. Cover rolls lightly with plastic wrap that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and let proof or rise until double in size. While the rolls are rising, position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 F.

    Risen slices of dough in a round baking dish

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  11. Bake until the rolls are light golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

    Baked rolls in a round baking dish

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  12. While the rolls are baking, make the glaze. In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese and butter. Mix until light and fluffy.

    Cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  13. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract. Stir to combine. Add the milk and mix to combine. Add more milk 1 tablespoon at a time if necessary, until the glaze reaches desired consistency.

    A mixing bowl of glaze icing

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  14. Remove the baked rolls from the oven and place on a wire rack. Let cool slightly.

    Round baking dish on a cooling rack

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  15. Spread the icing over the top while still warm.

    Iced cookies and cream rolls in a baking dish

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  16. Sprinkle with remaining crushed cookies. Serve warm and enjoy!

    Cookies and cream cinnamon rolls topped with icing and crushed cookies

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Storage

Any leftover cinnamon rolls should be cooled then wrapped in plastic wrap or kept in an airtight container to keep them fresh and soft. You can also freeze the plain un-iced rolls.

How do you keep cinnamon rolls from getting hard?

There are two reasons cinnamon rolls become hard: a certain ratio of yeast to flour and over-baking. Since this recipe uses a pre-made bread dough, you don't have to worry about the ratios of flour to yeast. When baking the cinnamon rolls, setting a timer and removing them immediately after cooking helps prevent over-baking and getting to too hard.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
435 Calories
21g Fat
56g Carbs
6g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 435
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 21g 27%
Saturated Fat 11g 55%
Cholesterol 45mg 15%
Sodium 293mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 56g 21%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 26g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 33mg 3%
Iron 3mg 18%
Potassium 96mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags: