Cookies and Cream Cinnamon Rolls are dessert and breakfast rolled into one. The chocolate batter is made with chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs and the rolls are filled with more crushed chocolate sandwich cookies! Topped with a vanilla glaze, these Cookies and Cream Cinnamon Rolls are sweet and delicious. The best part is, they’re gluten free, nut free, egg free and easily dairy free (vegan)!
Cinnamon rolls are amazing as they are but adding chocolate sandwich cookies and making the dough chocolate, makes them beyond amazing like in my Cookies and Cream Cupcakes.
For more cinnamon rolls, check out my Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls, Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls and Blueberry Cinnamon Rolls.
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Reasons to Love These Rolls
- Allergy Friendly- These cinnamon rolls are gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan).
- Light- These rolls are not overly dense.
- Cinnamon- They are full of cinnamon flavor!
- Chocolate- The dough is chocolate and filled with chocolate sandwich cookies.
- Glaze- They're covered in a delicious vanilla glaze!
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten Free Flour- If you also have nut allergies, make sure to use a brand that’s made in a nut free facility. I really love to use this one because it’s nut safe but it does contain dairy.
- Butter/Vegan Baking Stick- Make sure to use softened and not melted.
- Milk- Make sure to use a non dairy milk to make these dairy free/vegan!
- Cocoa Powder- I use two types to create that deep rich flavor like in my Oreo Muffins!
- Chocolate Sandwich Cookies- I love these because they're allergy friendly. I use them all the time like in my Cookies and Cream Pie!
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make These Vegan
- Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
- Only use a non dairy milk.
- Make sure to use vegan baking sticks instead of butter.
- Read the label to make sure your chocolate sandwich cookies are gluten free/nut free and vegan. I use these.
This recipe has not been tested with these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!
How to Make Cookies and Cream Cinnamon Rolls
Here are the step by step instructions to make these cinnamon rolls!
Step 1: Make the Filling
Chop up 7 gluten free chocolate sandwich cookies into small pieces. You don’t want them like sand, but you want them small enough to stay put inside the rolls. You can use gluten free Oreos, but I love these.
Add the chopped chocolate sandwich cookies, the light brown sugar, the ground cinnamon and cocoa powder to the bowl with the softened butter and using your hands, work all the ingredients together.
This takes a few minutes because you want the texture to be nice and crumbly and well combined. You really cannot over mix the filling so don’t be concerned about that.
Add the light brown sugar an cinnamon into a medium bowl. Whisk to combine.
Don't worry about over mixing.
Step 2: Sprinkle ⅓ of the Filling
Sprinkle about ⅓ of the filling mixture into the bottom of a greased 9 inch pie dish or cake pan.
You will still see the baking dish underneath, it isn’t meant to be a thick layer. Just sprinkle it all over. You can use less than ⅓ if you prefer.
Step 3: Whisk Together the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, granulated sugar, chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
Step 4: Add The Butter or Vegan Baking Stick
Once again, use clean hands to rip tiny pieces of softened butter into the dry ingredients.
I usually make my pieces the size of a pea and scatter them all over. Use clean hands to work all the ingredients together.
You are kind of going to be using a squeezing motion with your hands until all those little butter pieces are well incorporated throughout.
Step 5: Add In the Milk
Once it’s all combined nicely, add your 1 cup milk of choice.
Use a spatula to mix the milk in. It might be super sticky so if it is, use your hands to mix it completely.
Step 6: Roll Out the Dough
Lightly flour a clean work surface, your hands and your rolling spatula. Take the dough and knead it a few times just so it comes together, on your clean work surface.
If it seems super sticky add some more gluten free flour so it is easier to work with.
Then roll it out into a rectangular shape. If you notice it sticking as you roll, sprinkle some more gluten free flour on it. You want to roll it out to about ¼ inch in thickness.
Step 7: Sprinkle the Filling
Once it is rolled out. Start sprinkling your filling all over. You want to cover the entire area.
Once it is sprinkled everywhere, I like to use my hands to very gently pat the filling down into the dough. Once that’s done, it’s time to roll.
Step 8: Roll the Dough Into a Log
Roll the dough away from you into a tight log. Once it’s in a log shape, I like to take a sharp knife and cut off the two end pieces.
Now you can cut your log into your 12-18 pieces. Sometimes I cut 18 but usually I cut about 15 slices.
Step 9: Place the Rolls in the Baking Dish
Take your beautiful cut slices and place them into the baking dish. You want the swirl to be face up and all the pieces will be touching one another tightly.
Step 10: Bake
Place the baking dish in the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.
Step 11: Cool
When you take the dish out of the oven, leave the rolls alone. Don’t try to take them out. Now you’re going to make your glaze.
Step 12: Make the Glaze
Whisk all your glaze ingredients in a medium bowl.
Drizzle the glaze over the warm buns...as much as you like. There is no correct amount here.
Wait a few minutes for the glaze to begin to harden and then serve!
Step 13: Sprinkle More Cookies
Before the glaze hardens, sprinkle your broken chocolate sandwich cookies all over the top.
I say 3-4 cookies but you can do whatever you’d like.
Drizzle some more glaze on top and wait a few minutes for the glaze to begin to harden before serving.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use 2 Types of Cocoa Powder- The 2 types of cocoa powders give the cookies their dark hue. If you only have one type on hand, use natural unsweetened or dutch...just know their color will not be as dark as mine. DO NOT use dark alone; it will make your cookies too chalky dry and bitter.
- Make the Filling First- You will need to sprinkle some of the filling in the bottom of the baking dish, so do this step first.
- Make the Glaze While the Cinnamon Rolls are Baking- While the rolls are baking, you can make the glaze.
- Glaze Tips- If the glaze seems too watery, add more confectioners' sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. If the glaze seems too thick, add more water ¼ teaspoon at a time. It isn't like a frosting. It should be thin enough to pour and spread around with an icing spatula.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe can make 12-18 rolls, depending on how large you cut them.
I usually make 15.
Since these have no yeast, are gluten free and eggless, they taste best served the same day.
No. This recipe is strictly for no yeast.
Storing and Freezing
Storing
Keep the cookies and cream cinnamon rolls in an airtight container at room temperature. If you don’t have an airtight container that fits them all, wrap any extras in aluminum foil.
They usually stay soft for up to 1 day.
For best results, warm each cinnamon roll in the microwave for 5-10 seconds prior to eating.
Freezing
I don't recommend freezing the extra rolls. Due to being eggless, they have a tendency to dry out quickly. They are best served the same day.
Other Cookies & Cream Recipes to Try
Did you try this recipe? Please leave me a ⭐ review below!
Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @laneandgreyfare and follow along on Pinterest, Facebook and YouTube! Enjoy!!!
📖 Recipe
Cookies and Cream Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 ⅔ cups Gluten free flour
- ¾ cup gluten free chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs sand like consistency
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder I like to fill the ⅓ cup with half Dutch and half dark cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan baking stick softened
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk of choice
For the filling:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan baking stick softened
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 7 gluten free chocolate sandwich cookies chopped into small pieces
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons cocoa powder I like to use 1 teaspoon Dutch and 1 teaspoon Dark cocoa powder
For the glaze:
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- ¼ cup water plus 1 tablespoon of water
- 3-4 chopped gluten free chocolate sandwich cookies for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. With vegetable oil, grease a 9 inch round or square baking dish.
- For the filling: In a small bowl combine the filling ingredients and work them together with clean hands to form a crumbly mixture.
- Sprinkle ⅓ of the filling mixture into the 9 inch pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, cocoa powder, gluten free chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs, the granulated sugar, the baking powder and the salt. Cut or rip in the softened butter. Once again, using clean hands, work the butter into the mixture. Once combined, pour in the milk of choice and combine using a spatula to form a soft dough.
- Lightly flour a clean surface, your hands and a rolling pin. Roll out the dough into a large rectangle about ¼ inch thick. If you notice it sticking, dust with more gluten free flour.
- Spread the remaining filling onto the rolled out dough. Tightly but gently roll the rectangle into a log and using a sharp knife, cut into the two ends off and then cut the log into 10 pieces.
- Place the rolls into the baking dish with the swirl facing up.
- Bake for 20 min.
- When done, remove from the oven and start to make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and the water. If the glaze is too thin add more confectioners’ sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. If it’s too thick, add more water, ¼ teaspoon at a time.
- Once the glaze ingredients are combined, pour the glaze over the warm rolls that are still in the dish. Use a little spatula to spread the glaze around if needed.
- Sprinkle the 3-4 chopped cookies on top and drizzle with a little more glaze.
- Let the glaze harden for a few moments and then you can serve warm. Enjoy!
- NOTES: If you don't have dutch cocoa powder, natural unsweetened works just as well. If you only want to use one cocoa powder, use only dutch or natural unsweetened. I love to add in dark cocoa powder but don't use all dark. It will dry out the rolls.
John
Can't wait to try these Cinnamon Rolls with my morning coffee!
Lee
Thanks!
John
Love these Cookies and Cream Cinnamon Rolls! Absolutely the best!