Cinnamon Jumbles with Browned Butter Icing
Sneak Preview: Cinnamon Jumbles (aka Jubilee Jumbles) with Browned Butter Icing is a modern rendition of an old-fashioned soft cinnamon cookie with a cake-light texture. You’ll love the frosting.
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If you could step into your grandmother’s kitchen right now and peek inside her cookie jar, what would you hope to find?
For me, it would always be Cinnamon Jumbles. Oh, how I wish I could grab a couple from Grandma’s kitchen today! These cookies taste just like hers, but they don’t quite look the same.
Grandma’s version was rustic—big blobs of dough that spread together on the pan. She cut them into squares, and while they weren’t pretty, they were always delicious.
I discovered her handwritten recipe on the inside cover of an old cookbook, where she called them “Jubilee Jumbles.” Later, I found a similar recipe in the Betty Crocker Cookie Book (paid link) as “Cinnamon Jumbles.”
These cookies are a delicious nod to nostalgia, and I can’t wait for you to try them!
Five Reasons to Treasure These Cookies
- Soft, teacake-like texture
- A hint of cinnamon for extra warmth
- Frosting elevates the flavor and appearance
- Brown butter frosting adds indulgence
- My updated recipe tastes even better than the original (seen above)
Try them for yourself. Frosted Cinnamon Jubilee Jumbles go down r-e-a-l easy.
Happy Bakers Speak Up
“I actually made these cookies… and they turned out GREAT!!!!!! I was scared about browning the butter, but it was so simple! My kids love them, and their friends at school love them…apparently they share homemade cookies from their lunchboxes.” — DER
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Snickerdoodles vs. Cinnamon Jumbles
Cinnamon is the star ingredient in both Snickerdoodles and Cinnamon Jumbles. However, the differences are significant.
- Snickerdoodles: Chewy and crispy when warm but flatten as they cool. No frosting needed—they’re rolled in cinnamon-sugar for plenty of flavor.
- Cinnamon Jumbles: Soft, cake-like, and hold their teacake shape. My version always gets dressed up with browned butter icing for extra sweetness (highly recommended!).
Which team are you—classic or frosted? 😊
Ingredients and Substitutions
- FLOUR
Substitute bleached all-purpose flour for unbleached flour in a 1:1 ratio - BUTTER
Use real butter instead of shortening (e.g., Crisco) for better flavor
Avoid butter substitutes - BUTTERMILK
- Substitute with plain yogurt (2% or whole milk), thinned with milk to buttermilk consistency
- Combine 1 tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice with milk to measure 1 cup; let stand before using
- Mix equal parts sour cream and water, whisk until smooth– Foodess.com
- SUGAR
- Use 100% granulated sugar for a lighter cookie
- Substitute part brown sugar for a darker, moister cookie
Variations:
Tips for Customizing Your Cookies
- Decorate with Colored Sugar:
- Red or pink: Valentine’s Day or Christmas
- Green: St. Patrick’s Day
- Orange and black: Halloween
- Experiment with Icing Flavors:
- Try chocolate or plain white powdered sugar icing
- Add food coloring to white icing for a themed touch
- Eggnog Cookies Variation:
- Replace yogurt or buttermilk with eggnog
- Use 1 tsp baking powder instead of baking soda
- Substitute eggnog for cream in the icing
- Add 1/8-1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg.
Other variations
Variations abound on the internet. Take a look: Applesauce Jumbles, Coconut, Butterscotch, Orange Cream, and Chocolate Cream Jumbles. Some people add chocolate chips, dried fruit, or nuts.
How To Make Cinnamon Jubilee Jumbles
How To Make Brown Butter Icing
Parting thoughts: Did your grandmother make these cookies in some form or another? Have you ever tried them? If so, please tell me what you think in the comments below.
More Recipes for Frosted Cookie Lovers
Need help troubleshooting? Email me: Paula at saladinajar.com—photos welcome!
Cinnamon Jumbles with Brown Butter Icing
Video
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- ½ cup (114 g) unsalted butter
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large (50 g) egg
- ¾ cup (170 g) buttermilk or unflavored yogurt thinned with milk to the consistency of buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose unbleached flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Browned Butter Icing
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Cream 1/2 cup (114 g) unsalted butter, 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar, and 1 large (50 g) egg.
- Stir in 3/4 cup (170 g) buttermilk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Blend in 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose unbleached flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Combine until you can’t see any flour.
- Chill the dough in the freezer for about 30 minutes or 1-2 hours in the refrigerator.
- Preheat oven to 400˚F (200˚C).
- Use an ice cream scoop or two spoons to drop 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie onto a baking sheet. For larger cookies, use 2-3 tablespoons of dough. Cover the baking sheet with parchment paper, a silicone baking mat, or lightly grease it.
- Bake at 400˚F (200˚C) for 8-10 minutes. When barely cool, ice with Browned Butter icing.
Brown Butter Icing:
- Melt 1/2 cup (114 g) unsalted butter (do not substitute margarine) in a small skillet using low heat on the stove till golden brown. Be careful not to burn. (If any solids turn black, start over.) Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Start out by adding about 1 tablespoon of milk into the butter. Stir in 1½ cups powdered sugar and beat till smooth. Add milk as you go in very small increments until it will spread easily but not so thin that it drips. Because icing becomes thick as it cools, stir in a small amount of extra milk if necessary to make icing spreadable. If you get it too thin, let it sit for a while or add more powdered sugar.
- Leftover icing is good on graham crackers or animal cookies.
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
Paula Rhodes, owner
As a retired home economist, I created Saladinajar.com to share my belief that you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Bread machines (used in an unconventional way), homemade yogurt, and quick microwave recipes are my specialty.