Have one of your favorite breakfast cereals as a cookie with these Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cookies! A soft chewy snickerdoodle style cookie rolled in cinnamon maple sugar, topped with cream cheese frosting and Cinnamon Toast Crunch pieces.
Every kid I know loves a Snickerdoodle cookie. Combine that with breakfast cereal and fun and delicious for kids and adults alike.
For other cereal inspired recipes, try my Fruity Pebbles Treats! They are seriously addicting.
These Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cookies have maple syrup and cinnamon in the dough as well as being rolled in cinnamon maple sugar from The Spice House then topped with Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal pieces.
The texture of the soft and chewy cookie with the fluffy frosting and crunchy cereal is a great combo! My husband basically ate the entire batch to himself.
Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter – I like using unsalted butter than way I can control the salt level myself.
- Granulated Sugar – To sweeten the cookie.
- Dark Brown Sugar – Brown sugar adds a hint of a molasses flavor as well as helping keep the cookie chewy.
- Egg- I use 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk.
- Vanilla Extract – Using pure vanilla extract will give you the best flavor.
- All Purpose Flour – I have not tested this recipe with any other flour.
- Cream of Tartar – Cream of tartar helps your cookie to stay soft and chewy and gives it a little twang.
- Baking Soda – This is the leavener for your cookies.
- Kosher Salt – I use Diamond Crystal Salt for this recipe. If using Morton’s Kosher salt then use about 3/4 of the amount called for.
- Cinnamon – Use your favorite cinnamon.
- Cinnamon Maple Sugar – I use a cinnamon maple sugar blend from The Spice House to roll the cookies in before baking. I’ve never seen a cinnamon maple sugar mix at the grocery store before so I recommend using this but if not then you can use a cinnamon sugar mix.
- Cream Cheese – This is the base for the cream cheese frosting.
- Sour Cream – I add a little sour cream into the frosting for taste and consistency.
- Powdered Sugar – Make sure to sift your powdered sugar before adding it to the frosting mix.
- Cinnamon Toast Crunch – This cereal tops the cookies for flavor and texture.
Equipment
- Stand Mixer – Use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer for the cookie dough.
- Set of Mixing Bowls – You’ll need two medium bowls for the dry ingredients and the frosting. You’ll also need a small bowl to roll the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cookies in the cinnamon maple sugar.
- Electric Hand Mixer – I like to use my electric hand mixer to make the cream cheese frosting.
- Cookie Scoop – Use a 2oz. scoop for your cookies or you can weigh them on a kitchen scale.
- Kitchen Scale – Using a kitchen scale to weigh the flour is your best option, however if you do not have one you can still measure it in cups.
- Sheet Pan – I like using half sheet pans for my cookie sheets.
- Cooling Rack – Let the cookies cool on a wire rack before frosting the tops.
- Offset Spatula – I use a small offset spatula to swirl the cream cheese frosting on the cookies.
Expert Tips
- Let the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cookies fully cool before topping with cream cheese frosting.
- Sift the powdered sugar before adding it to the frosting mix so that it doesn’t have lumps.
- Cookies will crack slightly on the top and may look underdone in the cracks but they will continue cooking once they come out of the oven. Do not overbake them.
- Do not overmix the dough. Only mix the dry ingredients just until incorporated.
- You can make the dough ahead of time! Make the Cinnamon Crunch Toast Cookie dough, scoop it onto a parchment lined cookie sheet then freeze for 30 minutes. Remove the dough balls and place them in resealable plastic bags then back into the freezer. Now you have a cookie stash for whenever you want! Remove them from the freezer, let stand on the counter 10 minutes then bake according to directions.
- Cream cheese frosting can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
How to make Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cookies
Making the cookies
Preheat the oven to 350°F then line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Whisk the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl then set aside until needed.
Cream the butter and both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add the egg and yolks one at a time while mixer is on low speed, scraping down the sides between each addition.
Mix in the maple and vanilla until fully incorporated.
Turn the mixer off, add the dry ingredients then mix on lowest speed just until combined. Scoop the cookies into 2oz. balls then roll them in the cinnamon maple sugar.
Place them on the prepared sheet pan at least 2 inches apart. They will spread quite a bit. Bake for 8-10 minutes then allow to cool on the pan 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Allow Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cookies to fully cool while making the cream cheese frosting.
Making cream cheese frosting
Blend the cream cheese, butter and sour cream in a medium bowl with an electric hand mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, salt and vanilla then mix slowly until combined.
Turn the mixer back up to medium speed and beat an additional 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Frost the top of the cookies then top with Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal pieces.
Storage
Once the cookies are topped with frosting and cereal then they are best stored in an airtight container on the counter for up to 24 hours. You can store them in the fridge covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container but the cereal pieces tend to get a bit soft/stale.
If the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cookies have not been topped with frosting or cereal yet then they will last on the counter or fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
You can also freeze the cookies for up to 2 months before they have been topped with frosting or cereal. Place them in a plastic freezer bag, I usually use 2, and into the freezer.
Substitutions
- Salted Butter – Salted butter can be used in place of unsalted then just omit the salt in the dough.
- Cinnamon Sugar Mix – If you’re unable to get the Cinnamon Maple Sugar then just use a 3:1 ration of sugar to cinnamon to roll the cookies in.
- Off Brand Cinnamon Toast Crunch – You can substitute off brand Cinnamon Toast Crunch instead of using name brand.
FAQs
Can I make Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cookies ahead of time?
Yes, you can! You can fully make these cookies up to 1 day in advance of serving them.
You can also bake the cookies off and store them separately from the frosting and cereal topping until you’re ready to serve. They can be kept in the fridge or on the counter in an airtight container for up to 3 days before topping and serving.
Can I freeze these cookies?
Absolutely! They freeze very well in raw dough balls or as baked cookies before being topped with cream cheese frosting and cereal.
If freezing raw dough balls, simply scoop the dough into 2oz. balls onto a parchment lined sheet tray then throw it in the freezer for 30 minutes. Remove the dough balls from the tray, place them in Ziploc bags then back into the freezer for up to 2 months!
If you’re freezing the already baked cookies, make sure they’ve fully cooled then place them in a freezer safe plastic bag into the freezer for up to 2 months.
Do I have to chill the cookies before baking?
Yes, it is recommended! It’s a short chilling time but it will help the dough to not spread as much and have a better consistency. Not chilling the dough may result in a flatter less desirable cookie.
Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cookies
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer https://amzn.to/3qQozlR
- 1 electric hand mixer https://amzn.to/39lYrud
- 1 set of mixing bowls https://amzn.to/3RKTJqI
- 1 2oz cookie scoop https://amzn.to/3AvUbCp
- 1 sheet pan https://amzn.to/3Qxa5TI
- 1 cooling rack https://amzn.to/3O59SVS
- 1 offset spatula https://amzn.to/3EvUFdg
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour 240 grams weighed out
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temp
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 egg room temp
- 1 egg yolk room temp
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup cinnamon maple sugar for rolling cookies
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese room temp
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter room temp
- 1 tbsp sour cream
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp kosher salt
Topping
- 1 cup cinnamon toast crunch
Instructions
Making the Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F then line a sheet tray with parchment paper
- Whisk the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl then set aside
- Cream the butter and both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy
- Add the egg and egg yolks, one at a time, with the mixer on low speed
- Mix in the maple syrup and vanilla extract just until combined
- Add the dry ingredients with the mixer off then stir together on low speed just until combined
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes
- Scoop the dough into 2oz cookie balls, roll them in the cinnamon maple sugar and place them at least 2 inches apart on the prepared sheet tray. Bake for 8-10 minutes
- Remove the cookies from the oven then let them sit on the tray 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to fully cool
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Blend the cream cheese, butter and sour cream in a medium bowl with an electric hand mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes
- Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and salt on low until combined then turn to medium speed and beat another 2-3 minutes
- Spread frosting over the top of the cooled cookies then top with cinnamon toast crunch pieces
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