Dolly Parton Cinnamon-Sugar Pinwheel Cookies

These easy Dolly Parton Cinnamon-Sugar Pinwheel Cookies start with sugar cookie mix and feature a sweet cinnamon swirl. Fun to make and delicious!

Sometimes the simplest ideas turn out to be the most fun. I had a box of Dolly Parton Sugar Cookie Mix on hand and decided to see what would happen if I turned that basic cookie dough into something resembling a cinnamon roll.

Well...“resembling” might be doing a little work here.

These cookies started out as pretty little cinnamon-sugar pinwheels, but once they hit the oven, they spread and twisted into all sorts of shapes. Some kept their spirals beautifully. Others seemed to have ideas of their own. I decided not to fight it.

After all, they’re cinnamon-sugar cookies—not contestants in the county fair.

And the important part? They taste really good.

Easy Cinnamon-Sugar Cookies from a Mix

What I especially love about this recipe is how much fun it would be to make with kids. You get some of the same hands-on steps you would use to make homemade cinnamon rolls—rolling out the dough, sprinkling on cinnamon sugar, rolling everything into a log, and slicing it into spirals—but without yeast, kneading, rising, or any of the other work.

Think of these as the cookie version of a cinnamon roll crossed with a snickerdoodle. They’re buttery and sweet with plenty of cinnamon-sugar flavor running throughout.

And because we're starting with Dolly Parton's Sugar Cookie Mix, they're incredibly easy to put together.

Ingredients for Dolly Parton Cinnamon-Sugar Pinwheel Cookies

You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here’s a quick look at what you’ll need:

For the cookie dough:

• 1 box Dolly Parton Sugar Cookie Mix
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup butter, melted and cooled
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cinnamon-sugar filling:

• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

A Note About the Butter

Make sure that melted butter has cooled before you add it to the cookie mix. This is important! Warm butter can make your dough much too soft and difficult to roll.

How to Make Cinnamon-Sugar Pinwheel Cookies

Start by combining the Dolly Parton Sugar Cookie Mix with the egg, cooled melted butter, flour, and vanilla. Mix until a soft cookie dough comes together.

Cover the dough and refrigerate it for about 30 minutes. This makes it much easier to roll and shape.

Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Place the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface or sheet of parchment paper. Shape it into a rectangle, then use a rolling pin to roll it out into a larger, fairly even rectangle.

Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture generously over the surface of the dough.

Starting at one of the long sides, carefully roll the dough into a log, just as you would if you were making cinnamon rolls.

Slice the log into individual pinwheels and place them several inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

And here's where I need to tell you something important: Don't worry if they aren't perfect.

Mine certainly weren't! Some slices were rounder than others, and a few got a little squished during the slicing process. Once they baked, they spread considerably and developed their own quirky little shapes.

Bake until set and lightly golden, about 14 minutes.

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for several minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.

What to Expect from These Cookies

These aren't miniature cinnamon rolls, even though that's where the inspiration started. They're definitely cookies—soft, buttery sugar cookies with cinnamon and sugar running through every bite.

They spread as they bake, which creates that fun spiral on top and a thinner cookie around the outside. Some will be prettier than others, but that's part of their homemade charm.

Best of all, you get plenty of that classic cinnamon-sugar flavor without having to make a complicated dough.

And that texture! Y'all, it's perfection!

Variations on These Cinnamon Pinwheel Cookies

You could have some fun changing these up. Add a tiny pinch of nutmeg to the cinnamon sugar for a warmer spice flavor, or drizzle the cooled cookies with a simple powdered-sugar glaze if you'd like to push them a little closer to cinnamon-roll territory.

You could also add finely chopped pecans to the filling, though I would keep them very fine so the dough remains easy to roll.

Personally, I like these just as they are. There's something fun about seeing that cinnamon spiral right on top.

Love Cinnamon-Sugar Desserts?

If cinnamon sugar is your love language, you're in the right place! Be sure to check out my Snickerdoodle Cookies, my Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars, my Snickerdoodle Cookie Cups and my Dolly Parton Snickerdoodle Cake. You'll also love my copycat Dollywood Cinnamon Bread recipes. (It's amazing!)

And if you've been following along with my Dolly baking adventure, you'll find all of the cakes, cookies, breads, and Southern sweets I've made so far in my Dolly Parton Inspired Recipes collection. Here are some of my favorites:

• Dolly Parton Banana Bread
• Dolly Parton Banana Bread Cookies
• Dolly Parton Pineapple Coconut Cake
• Dolly Parton Coconut Cookies with Lemon Glaze
• Dolly Parton Apples & Bananas Dump Cake
• Dolly Parton Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies with Nutella
• Dolly Parton Gooey Butter Bars
• Dolly Parton Mississippi Mud Cake
• Strawberry Pound Cake
• Dolly Parton Sock It to Me Cake
• Dolly Parton Strawberry Lemonade Cheesecake Bars
• Dolly Parton Pecan Pie Brownies

Thanks for Stopping By!

If you make these yummy and simple pinwheel cookies and love them let me know in the comments. Before you go, why not pin some photos to your Pinterest boards?

Janice Thompson is a professional baker, cake designer, and author with over 20 years of experience creating unique cakes and desserts. She’s the creator of Out of the Box Baking, where she shares her favorite doctored cake mix recipes, tutorials, and baking tips. Learn more →