Cinnamon sugar cookies look beautiful, taste amazing, and come together easily. They hold their shape and stay soft and chewy. Simple dough, common ingredients, a quick 30-minute chill, and about 8 minutes to bake. The spiced buttercream on top adds an extra layer of fall flavor, but they taste incredible undecorated as well.
This post was originally published in September of 2019 and has been updated with new photos, a decorating tutorial, helpful information and more detail in the recipe card. The recipe remains the same.
Disclosure | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Reader Pam commented: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Made these tonight and they turned out perfect! I put them in the freezer for about 5 minutes after we cut them out and they held their shape perfectly and taste good. Thank you for the recipe.
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I’ve been making cut out sugar cookies for more decades than I care to admit. These cinnamon sugar cookies are one of my favorites to bake every fall and winter. A little cinnamon and nutmeg in the dough changes everything. It’s that cozy, warm flavor that makes your kitchen smell incredible and makes people reach for a second cookie before the first one is gone!
You already know I have a serious thing for sugar cookies. My buttercream sugar cookies are the ones I keep coming back to year after year. But when the weather shifts and the cinnamon and spice cravings kick in, these cinnamon cut out cookies are the ones I want to make.
I created this recipe because I wanted all the things I love about a classic cut out sugar cookie, but with a warm spiced twist that feels right for fall and winter baking. The spiced American buttercream on ties it all together. If you love these, my chocolate cut out sugar cookies and chocolate chip sugar cookies are worth adding to your baking list too!
💗why you will love these cinnamon cut out cookies
- Soft and thick with a nice clean edge, they actually look like your cookie cutters!
- Warm cinnamon and nutmeg flavor in the dough makes these taste extra special. Perfect for thanksgiving and Christmas!
- The spiced American buttercream is made without shortening and comes together in minutes.
- Great for decorating, but delicious on their own too.
🛒 ingredient notes
Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.
Baking powder ~ this recipe calls for aluminum free baking powder. I really do recommend it for the best tasting cookies. Rumford is a popular brand and Trader Joe's carries a great version too.
Cinnamon and nutmeg ~ these two spices are what make these cookies so special. Use ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg. Fresh spices will give you the most flavor, so check those expiration dates!
Unsalted butter ~ for both the cookie dough and the buttercream. Room temperature butter is key here. Your finger should make an indent without sinking in or sliding, and it should not feel warm or look shiny.
Pumpkin pie spice ~ this goes into the buttercream and gives it that cozy fall flavor that pairs so well with the cinnamon cookie.
Heavy whipping cream ~ makes the buttercream light and fluffy. You can substitute with milk, but the cream gives you a better texture.
🥣 how to make in photos
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg with a whisk. Set aside.
Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and salt on medium speed until combined.
Add in sugar and beat until smooth.
Beat in egg and vanilla and mix until well combined. Scrape up and down the sides of the bowl.
With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture a little at a time, occasionally stopping to scrape your bowl. The dough should form a ball around the paddle when the mixing is finished. The cookie dough should be soft, but not sticky.
Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and press into a 1 inch thick disc. Chill for a minimum of 30 minutes before rolling and up to three days.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about a ¼ inch thickness, use additional flour as needed to prevent sticking. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters.
Arrange cookies on baking sheets about 1 inch apart.
Bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven, about 7-8 minutes, until puffy. Allow the cookies to rest for 2 minutes on the pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
how to make the spiced buttercream
Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or a hand held mixer) beat the butter on medium-high until smooth and creamy.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the confectioners' sugar, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon. Mix on low until the dry ingredients are incorporated, it will not look like buttercream at this point.
Add the vanilla and heavy cream.
Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whip until light and fluffy.
💬 frequently asked questions
does buttercream frosting harden on cookies?
Buttercream will harden if the cookies are stored in the refrigerator. At room temperature, the top layer gets a slight crust, meaning it is not sticky, but the frosting underneath stays soft. Buttercream decorated cookies will not harden enough to stack unless they are frozen first.
do cookies with buttercream need to be refrigerated?
Not necessarily. American buttercream can sit at room temperature for up to two days. Store the cookies in an airtight container in a cool and dry spot. If you need to keep them longer, the refrigerator works great for up to one week. And the freezer works fantastic too!
can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes! The dough can chill in the refrigerator for up to three days. If the dough has chilled for more than an hour or two, let it sit on the counter for 15 to 20 minutes before rolling to make it easier to work with. You can also bake the cookies and keep them frozen for up to 3 months before you decorate or serve them.
what if my dough is crumbly when I try to roll it out?
This usually means the dough is too cold. Let it warm up on the counter for 10 to 20 minutes and try again. If the dough seems crumbly before chilling, you may have added too much flour. Add a tablespoon of egg white and gently work it in until the dough is soft but not sticky.
👩🏻🍳 tips for the best cinnamon sugar cookies
Start with room temperature butter. For both the dough and the buttercream, this makes a big difference. Aim for 65°F. Your finger should leave an indent without sinking in, and the butter should not look shiny or greasy.
Chill the dough. A minimum of 30 minutes is needed. The dough can chill for up to seven days, which makes this recipe great for getting ahead. If chilling longer than 1 to 2 hours, let it warm on the counter for 15 to 20 minutes before rolling.
Roll to ¼ inch thickness. Thinner cookies will be less soft and chewy. When rolling, treat the dough like pie crust, roll gently and turn the dough after every pass to prevent sticking.
Do not overwork the dough. Overworked dough = tough cookies. Mix just until the flour comes together.
Do not over bake. 7 to 8 minutes is all these cinnamon sugar cookies need. Pull them when they look slightly puffy, not browned. They will firm up as they cool on the pan.
Pop the cut cookies in the freezer if needed. If the dough feels warm after rolling and cutting, a quick 10-minute chill in the freezer before baking helps them hold their shape.
If you love warm spiced cookies, my gingerbread sugar cookies are made for this season too!
🫙 how to store
Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to two days or in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Cinnamon sugar cookies freeze beautifully for up to 3 months, even when decorated with buttercream. To freeze decorated cookies, chill them in a single layer first. Then stack in an airtight container. When taking them out of the freezer, unstack before thawing so the buttercream does not stick the cookies together. They will thaw at room temperature in about 20-30 minutes.
Remember to snap a picture and tag me @twosugarbugs on Instagram if you make these Cinnamon Sugar Cookies. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!
If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating. I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!
📖 recipe
Soft Cut Out Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
recipe created and tested by:
I highly recommend using weight (metric) measurements when available for more accuracy and the best results.
Equipment
Please note
When using 2x or 3x ingredients, the grams DO NOT adjust, you will have to manually do that.
Ingredients
cinnamon sugar cookies
- 3 cups all-purpose flour 375g
- 2 teaspoons aluminum free baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature 226g
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
spiced American buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature 226g
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar 480g
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
cinnamon sugar cookies
- In a medium bowl, combine flour (3 cups/375g), baking powder (2 teaspoons), cinnamon (1 ½ teaspoons),and nutmeg (¼ teaspoon) with a whisk. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter (1 cup/226g) and salt (½ teaspoon) on medium speed (speed 4-6 on KitchenAid) until combined, about 1 minute. Add in sugar (1 cup/200g) and beat on medium until smooth, about 1-½ minutes. Beat in the egg (1 large) and vanilla (2 teaspoons) and mix until well combined, about 1 minute. Scrape up and down the sides of the bowl.
- With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture a little at a time, occasionally stopping to scrape your bowl. The dough should form a ball around the paddle when the mixing is finished. The dough should be soft, but not sticky.
- Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and press into a 1 inch thick disc. Chill for a minimum of 30 minutes before rolling and for up to three days.
- Preheat the oven to 375°. Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- On lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about a ¼ inch thickness, use additional flour as needed to prevent sticking. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Re-roll the remaining dough and continue cutting until all is used.
- Arrange cookies on baking sheets about 1 inch apart.
- Bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven, about 7-8 minutes, until puffy. Allow the cookies to rest for 2 minutes on the pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate as desired.
spiced American buttercream
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or a hand held mixer) beat the butter (1 cup/226g) on medium-high until smooth and creamy.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the confectioners' sugar (4 cups/480g), pumpkin pie spice (2 teaspoons) and cinnamon (1 teaspoon). Mix on low until the dry ingredients are incorporated. The mixture will look dry and not like buttercream at all at this point. Add the vanilla (1 teaspoon) and heavy cream (¼ cup).
- Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whip until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes, scaping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add a pinch of salt if the frosting is too sweet.
- Color as desired, then decorate the cookies.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition information is based on third-party calculations, is an estimate only and may not be entirely accurate. Actual nutritional values will vary based on brands used and portion sizes.
Recipe shared with Full Plate Thursday, Meal Plan Monday and Weekend Potluck
Katherine | Love In My Oven says
You did an amazing job with these Tasia!!! Your decorating skills are marvelous. My kids would be THRILLED if I made a batch of these. Cinnamon is also one of our favourite flavours!! XO
Tasia says
Thank you so much Katherine! If your kids are anything like mine, they will love making and eating these cookies.
Kat says
Came out terrible flat and spread out
Tasia says
I'm sorry to hear you had trouble with the recipe. It sounds like the dough may have been too warm going in the oven.
Leanne says
These are appropriately named Tasia because they really do look perfect! You have some serious decorating skills, my friend! And these would be a lovely centrepiece for any dessert table!
Tasia says
You are far too kind! Thank you Leanne and yes, these cookies would be perfect for a dessert table!
Katerina says
Ooh, these look amazing, Tasia! I love the piping too - just gorgeous.
Tasia says
Thank you so much Katerina ~ we are loving them!
Miz Helen says
Your Cinnamon Cut Out Sugar Cookies are just beautiful! Thanks so much for sharing your talent with us at Full Plate Thursday. Hope you are having a great week and come back to see us soon!
Miz Helen
Tasia says
Thank you Miz Helen and thank you for having me!
Sally says
My kitchen smelled heavenly while these cookies baked! Followed the directions and they came out just perfect. Thank you.
Emily says
I made these to go in my cookie boxes this year. The taste is incredible!! Thank you.
Tasia says
Hi Emily, thank you so much for coming back to leave a comment. I'm happy to hear you enjoyed them!
sam says
I made a few adjustments by subbing 1/4 cup of the butter with a 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree and made a maple syrup powdered sugar icing and my family absolutely loved them! thank you so much.
Tasia says
Hi Sam, I'm so glad to hear you and your family loved them!
Jasmine says
They taste absolutely amazing and that would be great… if they weren’t super dry
Tasia Harper says
Hi Jasmine, I am happy to hear that the taste on these cinnamon sugar cookies is amazing! Super dry sugar cookies typically happen for one of two reasons. The first is that too much flour was added. The second is that they were over baked.
C Lees says
I've tried this recipe 6x using 2 different ovens. I tried cooking batches with and without convection. I've varied the temperature. I've cooked them as long as 20 minutes to get them to not be just compressed dough. They do not rise. I have to flip them over and cook the other side to get them to not be dough. I tried adding more baking powder and more salt. What else can I try to make this recipe work? The only thing I have not varied is the baking tray. I'll try switching to a metal pan and see but I'm not holding out hope.
Tasia says
Hi C, I'm sorry to hear you are having trouble. These are sugar cookies, so they should not "rise", but will have the slightest bit of puffiness once done. This classic sugar cookie recipe has side by side photos of the dough before it's baked and when they are done. I would also check the temperature of your oven; I bake these cookies many, many times each year and at 375°F they should not take longer than 10 minutes. You also mention that you haven't use a metal baking pan, what are you using? These metal baking pans are what I use. Parchment paper or a silicone baking mat is recommended as well.
C Lees says
Thank you so much for your response Tasia. I've been using stoneware with parchment paper. I will try one of those metal pans. The cookies taste really good but they take a long time with my set up. I am wondering, do you bake cookies with or without convection? I get mixed advice on that when I google it. Thanks for your help.
Tasia says
Hi C, all my ovens have a convection option, but I do not use it. It's not something everyone has in their kitchen, so I prefer to develop recipes without. I would love to hear if a metal baking pan changes the bake time for you.
Pam says
Made these tonight and they turned out perfect! I put them in the freezer for about 5 minutes after we cut them out and they held their shape perfectly and taste good. Thank you for the recipe.
Sarah Thimas says
Hi. When reading the general info on the cookie, it says the dry ingredients should be sifted. However, it says to whisk them in the instructions.
If I sift them, is it 3 cups of flour sifted or unsifted before sifting with the other dry ingredients?
Tasia says
Hi Sarah, thank you for catching that! The dry ingredients just need to be whisked together, not sifted; so 3 cups of unsifted flour.
Becky Vasques (MiMi) says
I just made two batches of these cookies with my granddaughters (6 & 7). They turned out so good. We are making different icing though, royal icing. Thank you for the recipe, cinnamon is our favorite!!!
Tasia says
Hi Becky, I'm so happy to hear you and your granddaughters had fun making and eating these cookies! Cinnamon is one of my favorites too!
Marie says
Yes!! Would love a tutorial on decorating these!!!
Tasia says
I love that Marie! Currently knee deep in coaching the girls' sports, but I plan to have some decorating tutorials coming later this year.