These easy cinnamon sugar pinwheels are literally the easiest dessert ever! They taste similar to a cinnamon roll, just a little less fluffy, and just absolutely delicious. My best friend’s mom & my mom would make them every year for Thanksgiving using leftover pie dough scraps. That’s where the recipe originated from and we’d all devour them! I’ve also included an option to make the dough if you aren’t using leftover pie dough scraps!
What you need to make easy cinnamon sugar pinwheels + substitutions:
- Pie dough- You can use the pie dough measurements in the recipe below or use leftover pie dough from your pie! My mom would make these every year using pie dough scraps, but I also included a dough recipe if you want to just make them without leftover pie dough!
- Butter- I use unsalted butter for the actual dough part, but I love using kerrygold for the filling. It really brings out the sugar flavors!
- Brown sugar- You can use light or dark brown sugar for these easy cinnamon sugar pinwheels.
- Granulated sugar- I love using a mix of granulated sugar and brown sugar to add both pieces of the puzzle! Sweet and delicious.
Other recipes you may love:
- Flourless Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
- Grandma Kitty’s Sour Cream Coffee Cake
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet
Alright, let’s get to making the recipe! Enjoy friends!
Easy Cinnamon Sugar Pinwheels
Ingredients
For the dough: (If not using leftover)
- 1¼ cups -1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup unsalted butter cold and cut into cubes
- ¾ tsp sea salt
- ¼ cup ice cold water
For the filling:
- butter
- brown sugar
- raw cane sugar
- cinnamon
For the topping:
- butter
- brown sugar
Instructions
- In a food processor, process the flour, butter & sea salt. Then add in the water & process until it turns into a ball. Form it into a ball on a floured counter. Then push the dough down into a disc & cover with plastic. Store it in the fridge about 30 minutes. (You don’t have to chill it, but it just makes the dough easier to work with, either way!)
- Once the dough has chilled, roll it with a rolling pin (or a wine bottle if you don't have one) into the best rectangle shape you can get.
- This is where it gets crazy haha because I'm not going to give you measurements. It depends on what dough you're using and how much so just use your eye. You want a nice thick layer of each filling.
- Spread the inside with a layer of softened butter. Then sprinkle it with as much brown sugar, granulated sugar, & cinnamon as you’d like.
- Roll it like you would a cinnamon roll into one long log. Cut into about 2in slices.
- Grease a dish (i used 9×5 loaf pan). Place the pinwheels in there. Spread with dollops of butter & sprinkle of brown sugar! Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes until golden brown on top! Enjoy!