🍪🍩 Oreo Cinnamon Rolls – Phil’s Birthday Treat
Ultra-soft rolls with cookies & cream magic
Oreo Cinnamon Rolls are what happen when a classic cinnamon roll meets the unmistakable crunch and creaminess of Oreos. This is not an everyday breakfast roll — this is a birthday-level treat, rich, dramatic, gooey, and unforgettable. Perfect for Phil’s birthday, these rolls are designed to impress from the moment they come out of the oven, filling the kitchen with the aroma of butter, cinnamon, sugar, and chocolate cookies.
What makes these rolls special is the balance: fluffy yeast dough, a buttery cinnamon filling loaded with crushed Oreos, and a luxurious cream cheese icing speckled with cookie crumbs. Every bite is soft, sweet, slightly tangy, and intensely comforting.
This recipe takes time, but every step is worth it. Think of it as baking love into layers.
🧾 Ingredients (makes 10–12 large rolls)
For the dough
- 240 ml (1 cup) warm milk (about 38–40°C / 100–105°F)
- 7 g (2 ¼ tsp) active dry yeast
- 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 80 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp salt
- 500–550 g (4–4½ cups) all-purpose flour
For the Oreo cinnamon filling
- 120 g unsalted butter, very soft
- 150 g brown sugar
- 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 16–18 Oreo cookies, crushed (cream included)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the cream cheese Oreo icing
- 120 g cream cheese, softened
- 60 g unsalted butter, softened
- 150 g powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4–5 Oreo cookies, finely crushed
- 2–3 tbsp milk or cream (as needed)
🍞 Understanding the dough
This dough is enriched with milk, butter, eggs, and sugar, which makes it soft, tender, and slightly brioche-like. It’s designed to stay fluffy even after baking and soaking up the filling. Don’t rush it — yeast dough rewards patience.
👩🍳 Step-by-Step Preparation
1. Activate the yeast
In a large bowl, combine the warm milk and a tablespoon of the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the surface and let it sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy. This step ensures your yeast is alive and ready to work.
2. Mix the dough
Add the remaining sugar, melted butter, eggs, and salt to the yeast mixture. Stir until well combined.
Begin adding the flour, one cup at a time, mixing with a spoon or dough hook. Once the dough comes together, knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky.
If the dough sticks excessively, add flour one tablespoon at a time.
3. First rise
Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a clean towel and let rise in a warm place for 1½ to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
This slow rise develops flavor and texture.
🍪 Preparing the Oreo cinnamon filling
While the dough rises, mix the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla until creamy and spreadable.
Crush the Oreos by placing them in a zip-top bag and rolling over them with a rolling pin. You want small chunks, not dust — texture matters here.
Fold the crushed Oreos into the cinnamon butter mixture. The filling should be thick, dark, and generously speckled.
🌀 Shaping the rolls
4. Roll out the dough
Once risen, punch down the dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle approximately 40 x 30 cm (16 x 12 inches).
5. Spread the filling
Using an offset spatula or spoon, spread the Oreo cinnamon filling evenly over the dough, reaching all edges. Don’t be shy — this is a birthday roll.
6. Roll and cut
Starting from the long side, roll the dough tightly into a log. Use unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife to cut into 10–12 equal rolls.
Arrange them in a buttered baking dish, leaving a little space between each roll.
⏳ Second rise
Cover the dish and let the rolls rise again for 30–45 minutes, until puffy and touching. This step ensures maximum softness.
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F.
🔥 Baking
Bake the rolls for 22–28 minutes, until lightly golden on top but still soft in the center. Do not overbake — gooey is the goal.
If the tops brown too quickly, loosely cover with foil for the last few minutes.
🧁 Oreo cream cheese icing
While the rolls bake, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth and fluffy. Add powdered sugar gradually, then vanilla.
Stir in crushed Oreos and enough milk or cream to reach a thick but pourable consistency.
✨ Finishing touch
Spread the icing generously over the warm rolls. Let it melt into the spirals, dripping into every crack and crevice.
For extra drama, sprinkle additional Oreo crumbs on top.
🎉 Serving & celebration tips
Serve these rolls warm, preferably fresh from the oven, with:
- hot coffee or espresso
- cold milk
- vanilla ice cream for an over-the-top dessert
They are perfect for:
- birthday breakfasts
- late-night celebrations
- “just because” moments
❤️ Why these rolls are unforgettable
Oreo Cinnamon Rolls are comfort food turned celebration food. They combine nostalgia with indulgence, softness with crunch, sweetness with richness. They’re messy, decadent, and unapologetically joyful — exactly what a birthday treat should be.