Cookies and Cream Cinnamon Rolls
Cookies & Cream Cinnamon Rolls
Servings
12 rolls
Bake Time
18 minutes
These Cookies and Cream Cinnamon Rolls are soft, pillowy, and filled with rich black cocoa and crushed Oreo cookie pieces. They’re topped with fluffy vanilla cream cheese icing and more cookies for a fun weekend morning treat. We hope you have as much fun making these as we do!
Ingredients
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500 g (4 cups) all-purpose flour, divided into 3 cups & 1 cup
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50 g (about ½ cup) Oreos or Trader Joe's Chocolate Vanilla Cream Joe Joe's, crushed
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¼ tsp salt
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240 ml (1 cup) whole milk, warmed to 110°F
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2¼ tsp (1 packet) Rapid Rise Instant Yeast
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1 large egg (about 56 g), room temperature
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85 g (6 Tbsp) salted butter, melted & cooled
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67 g (⅓ cup) granulated sugar
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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110 g (about ½ cup) light brown sugar, packed
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1½ tsp ground cinnamon
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12 g (2 Tbsp) black cocoa powder
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57 g (4 Tbsp) salted butter, softened to room temperature (65°F to 68°F)
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80 g (about ⅔ cup) Oreos or Trader Joe's Chocolate Vanilla Cream Joe Joe's, finely crushed
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85 g (3 oz) full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature (65°F to 68°F)
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128 g (9 Tbsp) salted butter, softened to room temperature (65°F to 68°F)
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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⅛ tsp salt
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120 g (1 cup) powdered sugar, sifted
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50 g (about ½ cup) Oreos or Trader Joe's Chocolate Vanilla Cream Joe Joe's, blend of chopped & crushed, for topping
Dough
Cookie Filling
Vanilla Bean Icing
Instructions
Dough & Cookie Filling
In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups of flour, crushed cookies, and salt. Set aside.
Pour warmed milk into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
Sprinkle the yeast on top and stir gently. Let sit for 3-4 minutes until frothy bubbles form.
Add egg, butter, sugar, and vanilla.
Mix on medium-low speed until just combined, less than 1 minute.
Add 3 cups of the flour mixture and mix on low, then increase to medium-high until combined, about 1 minute.
Switch to the dough hook attachment and scrape down the bowl.
Add remaining flour, 1 Tbsp at a time, until the dough pulls away from the bowl and forms a ball. The dough should be slightly sticky but not leave residue when poked.
Knead the dough on the lowest setting for 5-8 minutes until elastic and smooth. The dough shouldn’t break if you stretch a piece between your fingers.
Transfer the dough to a large greased bowl, cover with a dish towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 10-30 minutes or up to an hour. Don’t let the dough rise too much or your rolls will be airy.
For the filling, mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and black cocoa in a small bowl. Set aside.
Once the dough has doubled in size, roll it on a lightly floured surface into a ¼” thick rectangle, about 12”x18”.
Spread softened butter over the dough, sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture and crushed cookies, and press gently.
Roll the dough into a tight 18” log, starting from the long end. Seal the roll by pinching the edges.
Cut into 12 equal slices using floss and place in a greased 9"x13" baking pan lined with parchment paper.
Cover and let rise in a warm environment until doubled in size, about 30-40 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Bake rolls for 20-30 minutes, rotating halfway through. They are done when edges are golden brown and the center reaches 195-200°F. Tent with foil if tops brown too quickly.
Cool rolls in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes while you make the icing.
Vanilla Bean Icing
While rolls cool, whip cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and salt together in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until creamy and lump-free, about 2 minutes.
Add powdered sugar and whip on low for 20 seconds, then increase to high until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
Spread icing over the rolls and garnish with chopped cookies. To keep the icing fluffy, wait until rolls are completely cooled. For icing that melts into the rolls, spread on rolls while slightly warm.
Notes
Servings: Makes 12 rolls.
Storage: Cover and keep at room temperature for 1-2 days. Microwave for 15 seconds before eating to serve warm. Refrigeration dries out dough faster.
Roll Texture: For a bakery-style soft roll, pour about ¼-⅓ cup of warm heavy cream or half-and-half over the shaped rolls right before the final rise (letting it absorb) or right before baking.
Make-Ahead / Overnight Option: After slicing and placing rolls in the pan, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight instead of doing the second rise right away. Pull them out in the morning and let sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes (until puffy) before baking.
Freezing Baked Rolls: Fully baked, un-iced rolls freeze well for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and warm before icing.
Freezing Unbaked Rolls: Sliced, unbaked rolls can also be frozen — thaw in the fridge overnight, then let come to room temperature for the second rise before baking.
Cutting Clean Slices: Using unflavored dental floss (rather than a knife) keeps the log from getting squished, giving you neater spirals.
Butter Temp: Room-temperature butter for the filling should be soft enough to spread without tearing the dough, but not melted, or it'll pool at the bottom instead of coating the layers.
Cookie Crush Consistency: Crush cookies to different textures for different purposes — finer for the filling so it distributes evenly, and a coarser chop for the topping so it has visual texture and crunch.
Black Cocoa Substitution: If you can't find black cocoa powder, natural or Dutch-process cocoa can work in a pinch, though the filling won't be as dark or have that distinct Oreo flavor.
Flour Variance: Depending on humidity, you may not need the full amount of reserved flour (or may need a touch more) — go by the dough's texture and appearance rather than the exact measurement.
Rise Times: Rise times will vary depending on the warmth of your kitchen — the first rise may take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, so watch the dough rather than the clock.
Happy Baking! ❤️
Emma & Eric
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