The BEST Classic Cinnamon Rolls
Stop searching because you have found the Best Cinnamon Rolls recipe right here with a soft, pillowy dough, gooey cinnamon filling and vanilla cream cheese icing. These are perfect classic homemade cinnamon rolls and I promise it is the only cinnamon roll recipe you'll ever need. I have developed this recipe in partner with my husband who is also a Food Scientist that specializes in bread, so you can be assured that this is a recipe that works and they are so much better than Cinnabon. There are no fancy tricks, just good technique and I break down all the science for you in this article so you can make cinnamon buns from scratch at home any time and enjoy the pleasure of eating them fresh and warm from the oven. If you love cinnamon baked goods, check out my Cinnamon Apple Fritter Cake, Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake, Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Scones and Chewy Brown Butter Snickerdoodles.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Easy to make - this is a very simple recipe with thoughtful proportions. You combine all of the dough ingredients and knead until it becomes very smooth and gluten is well developed. This dough rises only once (single bulk fermentation) and then a short rise in the pan after they are formed.
- Simple ingredients - you just need basic pantry ingredients to make great cinnamon rolls. Flour, yeast, egg, butter, milk, oil and salt are the main ingredients.
- Soft and fluffy texture - you will love how soft and fluffy these rolls are! They are not dense, gummy and pasty like I find some cinnamon rolls can be if the dough is too weak and not strong enough to hold the air.
- Big puffy rolls - this recipe makes 12 nice puffy rolls from a modest amount of dough and that's because it is designed with the right baker's proportions and kneaded thoroughly to have proper structure to hold in lots of air bubbles.
- Feathery dough - you'll see how the soft, fluffy buns just peel away so delicately which is a testament to their softness and structure. In the baking industry, this effect is called "feathering".
- Gooey cinnamon swirl - the cinnamon filling does not ooze out! I make a unique wet paste that you can easily spread onto the dough without tearing. It keeps the dough moist and also bakes into the dough rather than leaking out through the bottom.
- No cream bath - a lot of viral cinnamon roll recipes bathe the dough in cream by pouring cream over the raw rolls in the pan before baking. This is not necessary to make good cinnamon rolls and I think it is a way to cheat so you don't over-bake them, but it can lead to dense gummy rolls.
INGREDIENTS FOR THE BEST CINNAMON ROLLS
- Bread flour - I love to use bread flour for this recipe. Bread flour contains a higher protein content and also higher protein quality which means that has a greater ability to build strength in the dough to hold in air. Bread proteins, glutenin and gliadin, provide elasticity and extensibility to dough so it can expand and then hold in the gas bubbles created by yeast to make a fluffy and tender dough. All-purpose flour also works in this recipe, and the rolls will have slightly less volume.
- Butter - this sweet dough has a total of about 10% fat between the butter and oil. The flavor of butter is delicious in cinnamon rolls, both in the dough and for the filling, however its harder fat composition is not ideal for optimum softness in a classic cinnamon roll recipe. Much more than 10% fat has a negative effect on typical dough volume as it dilutes the gluten content, compromises the structure and prevents the dough from holding in gas.
- Oil - liquid oil helps lubricate gluten proteins so that they can expand and trap air for fluffier dough. Butter tastes great, however it will lend a firmer texture to the final rolls once cooled, and since there is plenty of butter in the filling, you won't miss the flavor.
- Granulated sugar - This recipe has 11% sugar on a baker's percentage. (A baker's percentage means it is based on the flour being 100% and not the total amount of dough with the water included). This amount suits this recipe because it is high enough to provide the right amount of sweetness and tenderness, but not so high that it will slow the yeast fermentation process. Too much sugar can hinder yeast.
- Eggs - you just need one large egg to add nice structure and spongy texture. These are classic cinnamon rolls and not brioche, so more egg isn't necessary to make these great.
- Pure vanilla extract - vanilla adds delicious flavor to the cream cheese frosting. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
- Milk - I recommend using whole milk or 2% milk for this recipe. It is the main source of moisture to hydrate the dough. In combination with egg, this dough has about 62% hydration. Most recipes suggest heating milk to 105 degrees F to help activate the yeast, however the friction of your stand mixer is usually enough to warm up the dough. If you are making these in the winter in a cold climate, then warming the milk may be beneficial.
- Yeast - I use instant yeast which is so convenient because you do not need to proof it. You can add instant yeast directly to the dry ingredients as long as it is not in direct contact with the salt. Direct content with salt will inactivate the yeast. Red Star instant quick-rise yeast is great, and I also like Fleischmann's rapid rise yeast.
- Salt - this recipe has 1.5% salt and it is an important ingredient! Salt is not just for flavor in bread. Salt creates a more stable gluten network to hold more gas and provides greater volume. Typical breads have 2% salt, but I use slightly less for rich sweet breads like cinnamon rolls and brioche.
- Cinnamon filling - my filling is unique because it is a wet paste with a bit of flour and water. Water helps make a smoother paste that is easier to spread so it doesn't tear the soft dough while flour helps hold the filling in place as it bakes so it doesn't leak out through the bottom.
ACTIVE DRY YEAST VS. INSTANT YEAST
Active dry yeast looks like little spheres and is larger than instant yeast which has smaller granules the size of white granulated sugar meant to dissolve easily. It requires rehydration or "blooming" because of the way it is processed, there is more dead yeast on the surface. Hydrating penetrates this layer so the active yeast, which is only about 30%, can thrive. Instant yeast does not require rehydration and you can add it directly to the dry ingredients when making breads. Since it is smaller, there is more surface area so it dissolves readily. Instant yeast is processed in a way that makes it more viable.
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF SALT IN BREAD
Salt provides flavor and strength to bread dough. In low concentrations (typically 2% on flour), salt helps to improve the volume of breads. Salt is composed of sodium and chloride minerals. The negatively charged chloride ions shield the polar charges of the gluten molecules so that there is less electrostatic repulsion and therefore they are more attracted to each other. This helps gluten molecules come together or associate and build a stronger network.
IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH YEAST YOU ADD
It's true… to a reasonable extent. You can add less or more yeast and it will just take longer or faster for the dough to rise. Adding more yeast will make the dough rise faster if you're in a rush, but it will also have an impact on flavor. Bakers will tell you that using less yeast with a longer fermentation time makes the best bread and that is because yeast have more time to thrive and produce delicious flavor compounds. Fast fermentation typically causes yeast to produce undesirable flavors. Of course if you use so little yeast then it will not be effective as it will take way too long for the dough to ferment.
WHY DOES DOUGH TEMPERATURE MATTER?
The dough temperature controls how yeast behaves in dough. If you're making bread at room temperature around 23 degrees C using a mixer, then you can use cool water/milk around 16 degrees C or 60 degrees F. Surprised? Many recipes on the internet might instruct you to use warm water or heat your water/milk to 44 degrees C or 112 degrees F. That may be necessary to activate dry yeast, however if the liquid is still that warm when you make the dough, then you might end up with a very sticky dough that requires more flour to handle easily. More flour creates a drier dough and drier rolls. The mixer and your hands create enough friction/heat to warm up the dough without having to use hot water.
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST CINNAMON ROLLS
- STEP 1). Make the dough. Combine dry ingredients. Place flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add in sugar, yeast and salt in little piles in separate places over the flour in the bowl so that they are not touching. See my video above the recipe card. The point is that you do not want the salt in direct contact with the yeast for a prolonged period of time without mixing or it can inhibit its activity.
- STEP 2). Add wet ingredients. Add in the egg, oil, milk and soft butter.
- STEP 3). Mix the dough. Attach the dough hook and mix on medium-low for 10-15 minutes. Stop after a 2 minutes to scrape down the sides of the bowl and ensure all of the flour is incorporated and the dough is a uniform mixture. It will still be wet and rather loose at this point. Continue mixing for another 2-3 minutes. The dough should start to climb up the dough hook and will still be webbing around the bottom of the bowl. (Note: if the dough seems rather dry and stiff at this point, add water at 10ml increments until you reach a softer consistency as described). Stop the mixer and scrape around the inside of the bowl to release the dough. Continue mixing for another 3 minutes. Stop again, pull the dough off of the hook and scrape around the inside of the bowl to release the dough again. Continue mixing for another 3-5 minutes. At this point the dough should start forming a mass and come away from the bowl as it is mixing. You can check the temperature of the dough now if you have a digital thermometer - it should be between 24-26 degrees C (75-80 degrees F) for optimal activity.
- STEP 4). Knead the dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Now you will stretch and fold the dough to help develop the gluten structure so the rolls will be soft and fluffy. Using both hands, grab both sides of the dough, pull it outwards (this is the "stretch"), then fold it inwards over itself. Rotate the dough and continue to stretch and fold until the dough feels very smooth. Watch my video for a full tutorial. Shape the dough into a ball by tucking the sides underneath and rolling it around the counter The surface of the dough ball should pull smoothly without tearing.
- STEP 5). Bulk Fermentation (first rise). Place the ball into a bowl and then rub a little bit of oil lightly over the surface with your hands to prevent it from drying out. Cover the bowl with plastic and then cover with a kitchen towel. Set it aside in a warm dark place and let it rise for 1-2 hours until nearly tripled in size. Note that the amount of time required will depend on the temperature of your kitchen. After it has risen, place it in the fridge for 15 minutes to let it firm up slightly so it is easier to roll. Note, if you are making these in a very cool climate, then this step isn't necessary.
- STEP 6). Make the filling. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon and flour in a small bowl and mix well so it is evenly blended. Add melted butter and water and stir until it forms a smooth sludge like wet sand.
- STEP 7). Roll out the dough. Lightly flour a work surface to cover a large area. Carefully invert the bowl and tip the dough out onto the surface. Let the dough gently release from the bowl and plop onto the counter. Do not knead it any more at this point. Gently pull on the dough and stretch it out into a rectangle shape, then use a rolling pin to roll it out to a 15x16 inch rectangle. Gently apply the filling, spreading it out evenly right to the edges using a large offset spatula. Now you can either roll it up into a log and slice the log into 12 portions, or slice the rolled dough into 12 long strips (just over an inch thick) and then roll up each individual strip into a scroll.
- STEP 8). Second rise. Place each roll spiral-side-up into the prepared pan so they fit nicely next to each other. Cover the pan loosely with plastic and proof for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Note: this highly depends on the temperature of your dough and temperature of your room. The rolls are ready for baking when you press the side of one scroll gently with your finger tip and it slowly springs back.
- STEP 9). Bake for 20-25 minutes until evenly golden and the center roll is cooked through. The internal temperature should be between 90 and 94 degrees C (194-201 degrees F). Transfer pan to a wire rack and let rolls cool for at least 20 minutes.
- STEP 10). Make the icing. Combine cream cheese, soft butter, powdered sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon, whisk, spatula or electric hand mixer until very smooth. Spread a big dollop of icing over each roll and dig in!
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS (watch the recipe video at the bottom of the page for a full tutorial)
Combine all cinnamon roll dough ingredients in a stand mixer bowl.
Mix with dough hook until ingredients are blended and dough forms.
Scrape around the bottom of the bowl to pull the dough away from the sides.
Continue mixing until dough is smooth, pulls away from the sides and stops "webbing" around the bottom of the bowl.
Knead the dough by hand. Stretch it out by pulling the sides outwards.
Knead the dough by hand. Fold the stretched dough back onto itself.
Roll the dough into a smooth ball.
Place the dough into a bowl to rise in a warm place. Lightly oil the surface and cover it.
Invert the risen dough onto a lightly floured work surface
Invert the risen dough onto a lightly floured work surface
Roll the dough out into a rectangle.
Spread on the cinnamon filling.
Slice the dough into strips.
Roll up the strips into spirals.
Arrange cinnamon scrolls in greased baking pan.
Spread cream cheese icing over baked cinnamon rolls.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR THE BEST CINNAMON ROLLS
- Use fresh oil. Oil that is old can become rancid so be sure to use fresh oil that has a clean taste. Store oil in a cool, dark place away from the stove.
- Oil vs. butter: although butter tastes great, oil is a great ingredient for breads because it helps keep the crumb soft and it helps lubricate the gluten so that the dough has more volume during baking. This makes fluffier rolls.
- Have a well hydrated dough. This dough has 62% hydration which is a well hydrated dough for an enriched sweet dough such as cinnamon rolls. You may be tempted to add more flour as you may feel it is a bit tacky, but this is correct. Conversely, different flours can absorb different amounts of water, so depending on the quality of your flour, you may need to increase hydration. A well developed hydrated dough will feel tacky, not sticky and it is the best way to ensure you have moist cinnamon rolls.
- Don't over-heat the dough. Yeast thrives at 24-26 degrees C (75-79 degrees F) so don't let the dough get much hotter than this or it will suppress the yeast. The friction of the mixer often heats the dough alone, so I often even use room temperature water and don't even need warm water to make cinnamon roll dough in my stand mixer. If the temperature is too high, the dough will be sticky and it will proof too fast. A controlled temperature creates controlled fermentation for optimum flavor.
- Knead thoroughly. The dough should be smooth like a baby's bottom and will not tare when it is ready. A dough that is well developed will hold in the gas bubbles produced by yeast to yield fluffy rolls. This usually takes at least 10 minutes in a stand mixer on medium-low speed.
- Make sure you use all of the cinnamon sugar filling. It's the perfect amount. Too much will just ooze out of the dough and be lost to the pan, while not enough will not give you the right flavor.
- Cut the dough into even strips. Try to make them even the best you can and use a ruler to guide you as you slice them. If the strips are of varying sizes, then the scrolls will have various heights in the pan and the taller ones (the larger rolls) will overtake the smaller ones as they bake. This can mean that some rolls will take longer to bake, so you'll have to sacrifice the smaller ones that will be a bit over-baked. They will also not look as uniform, but that won't affect the taste.
- Tuck the scrolls into the pan so that they are side by side and not overlapping. If you find that your rolls are a little wide in your pan, try to tuck them in so they are shoulder to shoulder. If any of the rolls are overlapping, then they may coil up during baking.
- Do not over-bake. Over baking will dry out any type of bread so watch the baking time after the 20 minute mark.
- Do not under-bake. Raw bread is not good. As important as it is to avoid over-baking, it is equally important to avoid under-baking as this will cause your rolls to collapse and sink in the middle. The dough will also be dense and pasty if it is under-cooked.
- Cover the top of the rolls with foil if it browns too quickly. You can place a sheet of foil loosely over the rolls (like a tent) after the first 20 minutes of baking if they are getting too dark on top. This all depends on your oven since some ovens can be quite top heavy.
RECIPE FAQ
Any neutral tasting oil will work. I prefer sunflower oil for it's clean flavor profile.
You can use all butter in the dough in place of the oil, but note that the rolls will have slightly less volume. A bit of oil really makes a difference here and it is commonly used in the bakery industry to achieve better dough volume for fluffier bread.
Cinnamon rolls store well at room temperature for up to 3 days as long as they do not have icing. If you apply the cream cheese icing, then keep them refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days and let them come to room temperature before eating. Or, better yet, warm them up just slightly.
No, I do not recommend pouring cream over the unbaked cinnamon rolls. In fact, I think it is a waste of money. This has become trendy, but it is an unnecessary step that can make the rolls mushy and also slow their baking rate.
I always prefer metal pans for baking as they conduct heat faster and cook food more evenly. If you use a glass baking dish or a ceramic dish, then the rolls will need 5-10 minutes longer.
It is possible to leave the dough to "bulk" ferment slowly over night in the fridge. In this case, place the dough in a large bowl and cover it tightly with plastic. The next day, roll and shape it as directed.
Yes, you can perform an "overnight" process. Make the dough, roll it out, fill it and shape it as directed below in Steps 1-7 below in the late afternoon or evening. Place the rolls into the pan, cover tightly with plastic so they don't dry out and refrigerate. The next morning, bring them out and let them come to room temperature. If they have not fully risen, let them proof as required before baking as directed in the recipe card below. *Additional tip: if you live in a warm climate, work quickly to get the shaped rolls into the fridge because if they proof a lot during forming, they could end up over-proofing in the fridge overnight. In contrast, if the rolled dough pieces are really cold going into a cold fridge, they might not rise much overnight and will require further proofing time in the morning.
Yes you can, but you will need to proof or "bloom" the yeast before adding to the dough. You can do this by adding the active yeast to a portion of the milk that is warmed with a pinch of sugar. When it is frothy, then add it to the remaining ingredients in the bowl just before mixing.
The final proof when the dough is in the pan and already rolled up is important. To know that they are proofed sufficiently, press on the dough gently with your fingertip. If it leave and indent that fills back out slowly, then they are ready. If the indent springs back right away then they are not ready and still need more time. If the indent holds and doesn't spring back, then the dough is over-proofed.
TROUBLESHOOTING CINNAMON ROLLS
If your rolls collapsed when you took them out then it is likely that the dough was over-proofed or under-baked.
Most likely the rolls would be dry if they are over-baked, not enough moisture in the dough (low hydration) or you have used too much flour for rolling and shaping.
If your dough is not rising, you may have used active yeast instead of instant active yeast, the yeast was too old, or the dough and/or surrounding environment is too cold. Yeast that is too old will lose the ability to leaven the dough and can even cause the dough to become more sticky. Its activity is highly dependent on temperature, so it is important to have a final dough temperature between 24-26 degrees (75-79 degrees F). If the dough is too cold, or kept in a very cool place, the yeast will ferment very slowly and proof times may be very long.
If your cinnamon rolls popped up in the middle, it is likely that the dough was under-proofed or that the rolls were too wide and there was not enough space between the rolls to grow as they bake. Dough that is under-proofed will be very tot and strong with a lot of tension so it will expand more rapidly. You'll know that dough is proofed enough when you press your finger into it gently and it springs back slowly. If it springs back right away, it is not relaxed enough. Also, if the strips are too long and the rolls are too wide, then they will not have enough room to expand in the pan, and they will rise up instead of out.
To fix this, you can push them down with a wooden spoon or spatula while they are in the oven once they turn golden after about 15 minutes. Just reach into the oven and push them down on the tops. As long as they are browning on top, they shouldn't smoosh the dough because they are already set on top.
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Video
The BEST Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
NOTE: To make ahead, you can prepare the dough the night before you plan to bake them. See the FAQ section in the article above for instructions.
Cinnamon Roll Dough:
- 4 cups (568g) unbleached bread flour, plus more as needed for rolling and shaping
- ⅓ cup (65g) granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoon (11g) instant quick-rise dry yeast
- 1 ¼ teaspoon (10g) fine table salt*
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoon (24g) liquid oil such as vegetable, canola, sunflower or olive oil
- 1 ¼ cups (300ml) milk (whole milk or 2% preferred)
- 2 tablespoon (28g) salted butter, softened
Cinnamon Filling:
- 1 cup (200g) packed dark brown sugar
- 4 teaspoon (10g) ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon (8g) all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons (57g) salted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) water
Cream Cheese Icing:
- 3 oz (85g) cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoon (28g) salted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (90g) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
*you can also use Kosher salt, but then be sure to measure 10g by weight as it is lighter (has a lower density) than table salt. You will need around 2 teaspoons of Kosher salt.
Instructions
- Make the dough. Place flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add in sugar, yeast and salt in little piles in separate places over the flour in the bowl so that they are not touching. See my video above the recipe card. The point is that you do not want the salt in direct contact with the yeast for a prolonged period of time without mixing or it can inhibit its activity.
- Add in the egg, oil, milk and soft butter. Attach the dough hook and mix on medium-low for 10-15 minutes. Stop after a 2 minutes to scrape down the sides of the bowl and ensure all of the flour is incorporated and the dough is a uniform mixture. It will still be wet and rather loose at this point. Continue mixing for another 2-3 minutes. The dough should start to climb up the dough hook and will still be webbing around the bottom of the bowl. (Note: if the dough seems rather dry and stiff at this point, add water at 10ml increments until you reach a softer consistency as described). Stop the mixer and scrape around the inside of the bowl to release the dough. Continue mixing for another 3 minutes. Stop again, pull the dough off of the hook and scrape around the inside of the bowl to release the dough again. Continue mixing for another 3-5 minutes. At this point the dough should start forming a mass and come away from the bowl as it is mixing. You can check the temperature of the dough now if you have a digital thermometer - it should be between 24-26 degrees (75-79 degrees F) for optimal activity.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Now you will stretch and fold the dough to help develop the gluten structure so the rolls will be soft and fluffy. Using both hands, grab both sides of the dough, pull it outwards (this is the "stretch"), then fold it inwards over itself. Rotate the dough and continue to stretch and fold until the dough feels very smooth. Watch my video for a full tutorial. Shape the dough into a ball by tucking the sides underneath and rolling it around the counter The surface of the dough ball should pull smoothly without tearing.
- Place the ball into a bowl and then rub a little bit of oil lightly over the surface with your hands to prevent it from drying out. Cover the bowl with plastic and then cover with a kitchen towel. Set it aside in a warm dark place and let it rise for 1-2 hours until nearly tripled in size. Note that the amount of time required will depend on the temperature of your kitchen. After it has risen, place it in the fridge for 15 minutes to let it firm up slightly so it is easier to roll. Note, if you are making these in a very cool climate, then this step isn't necessary.
- While the dough is rising, prepare the pan and make the filling. Lightly grease a 13x9-inch metal baking pan with cooking spray or soft butter.
- Make the filling. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon and flour in a small bowl and mix well so it is evenly blended. Add melted butter and water and stir until it forms a smooth sludge like wet sand.
- Lightly flour a work surface to cover a large area. Carefully invert the bowl and tip the dough out onto the surface. Let the dough gently release from the bowl and plop onto the counter. Do not knead it any more at this point. Gently pull on the dough and stretch it out into a rectangle shape, then use a rolling pin to roll it out to a 15x16 inch rectangle. Gently apply the filling, spreading it out evenly right to the edges using a large offset spatula.
- Now you can either roll it up into a log and slice the log into 12 portions, or slice the rolled dough into 12 long strips (just over an inch thick) and then roll up each individual strip into a scroll. I like to roll up the strips (watch my video above for reference) since this is a soft dough and it tends to get squished when slicing with a knife. To do this, slice the dough into 12 even strips along the length so that you are slicing it into 16-inch long strips that are about 1 ¼ inches wide. Then, roll up each strip into a spiral from one short end to another so that you get lots of spiraling for pretty rolls. They will be quite short, but believe me - they will fill out and be full and beautiful!
- Place each roll spiral-side-up into the prepared pan so they fit nicely next to each other. Cover the pan loosely with plastic and proof for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Note: this proof time highly depends on the temperature of your dough and temperature of your room. The rolls are ready for baking when you press on the side gently with your finger tip and it slowly springs back, leaving just the slightest imprint. If your fingerprint remains and leaves a deep imprint, then the dough is over-proofed.
- While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until evenly golden and the center roll is cooked through. The internal temperature should be between 92 and 94°C (198-201 degrees F).
- Transfer pan to a wire rack and let rolls cool for at least 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile make the icing. Combine cream cheese, soft butter, powdered sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon, whisk, spatula or electric hand mixer until very smooth. Spoon a dollop of icing over each roll, spread it out to cover them in a thin layer and dig in!
These are perfection!!!! Made these for Xmas day brunch - started them the night before and refrigerated them for overnight proofing which I finished when I awoke and took them out to warm up before baking. The only change I made was to substitute a non-cream cheese frosting.
Thank you Arcy! Glad the overnight process was a success 🙂
Wonderful recipe! Whole family loved the fluffy and perfectly sweet cinnamon rolls! I've shied away from yeast doughs before, but I just followed the steps and it was easy! I cut and shaped them, then wrapped and refrigerated overnight, and baked in the morning after letting them warm. Great results!
Thank you Kate! I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Welp! Found my new cinnamon roll recipe! I had one from someone else and as soon as this one posted, made it and my picky husband and son said this is better than the other recipe. Its a keeper.
Thank you Laura! I'm so glad you and your family enjoyed the cinnamon rolls 🙂
This recipe is amazing and I think one of the main reasons is mixing the dough for so long which I’m sure produces a superior dough. Also I prepared the dough the night before and placed in the fridge overnight. Just had to roll out and prep for baking in the morning and they came out perfect.
Thank you Melissa! I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Amazing! Came out perfectly even though I used AP flour. Excited to see how much better they could be if I used bread flour. I put the rolls in the fridge overnight to rise and they didn't grow at all but I suspect my fridge might be too cold. No problem though, I just let them rise on the counter for a hour before baking. Highly recommended!
Thank you Vixidust! I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂 You did the right thing. Yeast is a living microorganism and its activity is highly depended on temperature. In the summer it moves a lot faster.
Delicious and I loved how detailed the instructions were
Thank you Suzy! I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
The dough recipe is great and it turned out really good, nice and fluffy. The filling was too sweet for my liking, next time will use half the sugar maybe even less as it was very sweet. For the icing luckily I cut the icing sugar down and added more cream cheese so it was good. Overall a good roll but it would be even better with less sugar for the filling.
Thank you Gail. I'm so glad you enjoyed the dough. Feel free to adjust the filling to your taste. 🙂
There is no better cinnamon roll recipe, and I have tried them all. They are almost unbelievable. My family did not initially believe that I had baked them. Be patient with the first rise. I have not made one recipe of hers that has not come out flawless. She is my new go to for everything baking. Seriously though, the cinnamon rolls are mind-boggling delicious.
Thank you so much for the kind feedback Tracy! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe 😀
These are IT! I have tried a couple times to make cinnamon buns and each time has been a fail... Hard dough, not enough filling, didn't roll well... Well, these are worth the time and effort. I will always refer back to this recipe for cinnamon buns! They're perfect and all the tips she gives are helpful.
Thank you Karen! I'm so glad the recipe was a success!
Amazing recipe! This was my first time to make cinnamon rolls and i’m hyped by how well it turned out! Looking forward to following this everytime my family wants cinnamon rolls 🥰 But do you have suggestions on the best way to make the filling less sweet without compromising the texture, as requested by the senior citizens in our squad 🤣🙏
Thank you Mike! Glad the recipe was a success! You can reduce the brown sugar in the filling by a 1/4 cup, but just note that you will have less filling and you will need to spread it quite thin.
My dough is really dry, even with adding water 5x. It’s very sticky & when I stretch it breaks. I only had active dry yeast but did what you said in a previous comment- mixed with warm milk until frothy. What do I do wrong??
Hi Karlee! It is a bit confusing as if the dough is really dry, it can't also be very sticky. The dough should still look wet after the first 5-6 min of mixing. Add water as necessary in small increments. Did you mix until the dough was smooth? It might be undermixed as well. The final dough temperature should be 75-80F. Make sure your active dry yeast isn't too old. If it is too old it can make your dough sticky, but usually it will also be very extensible.
Hi! Thank you for responding! It never looked smooth. I did check the date for Active Dry Yeast & it is not expired! I will have to try again to see if I can get it a second go around!
Hi Karlee! Sounds good! Please watch the video to see what the dough consistency should look like during the different stages of mixing.
This recipe is really easy to make and the cinnamon rolls turn out huge!! Thanks so much for the recipe!
You are welcome Donna! Glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
All I have is active dry yeast in my pantry not instant yeast, can i still make this recipe??
Hi Lora! Yes. For active yeast, you should bloom it in a portion of the milk that is warmed with a pinch of sugar. When it is frothy, then add it to the remaining ingredients in the bowl before mixing.
Officially my go-to recipe for cinnamon rolls! So simple compared to other recipes out there with no sacrifice on flavour or texture. They are so tasty and still soft the next day without needing to re-heat. Thank you!
You are welcome Kelli! Glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
I have tried several cinnamon roll recipes from creating a paste to boiling ingredients. This by far has been the easiest most full proof recipe I’ve tried. The rolls were dense yet pillowy if that makes sense so easy to pull apart and created the most perfect role.
Thank you Shannon! I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
I have no bread flour will these work without help!!! Xx
Hi Jade! Yes, you can use AP flour. You may have a little less volume but they will still be delicious.
I have iodized salt, will that still be okay?
Hi Kevin! Yes, it will not affect the recipe.
Hello! Excited to try these for the holidays. I only have glass 9x13 pans. Will I have to change the baking time or temperature? Thanks!
Hi Jen, you will need to add maybe 5-10 minutes to the baking time. Just keep an eye on them and it will be fine 🙂 If you have a digital thermometer, look for an internal dough temperature of at least 90 degrees C.
Hi! Can I make these the day before and pop them in the fridge to halt the second rise? I want them fresh on Christmas morning and I’ve just made these dough now without realising 🤣
Hi Emma! Yes you can. Please see FAQ section regarding an "overnight" process. To proof overnight, cover and refrigerate right after forming the rolls and placing in the pan.
I have made so many different recipes trying to find the perfect one: not too sweet, fluffy texture, not too rich, and not too gooey or dry. This is the one! My son loves cinnamon rolls and I think he ate I think three or four in the first 12 hours. Thanks for all the explanations and tips. It’s my go to recipe now!
You are welcome Noelle! I'm so glad you and your son enjoyed the cinnamon rolls 🙂
This recipe works really well. I have always had issues with my breads but these turn out perfectly. The recipe for the filling is also great as it spreads well and stays in the rolls better than the recipes that just press the sugar and cinnamon into the roll. I made two slight changes which was to add another egg yolk but that was just me being strange and I used fresh yeast and not dried as it is more readily available here in Spain
Thank you Andrew! I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Can't wait to make these. Can the rolls be made ahead and frozen before baking? Hubby and I would never eat a whole pan full. Thanks!
Hi Susan! I would not recommend freezing the dough as they will loose volume when you bake them. Freezing dough generally requires added dough strengtheners, increased yeast levels and fast (blast) freezing to maintain quality. You can do an overnight process for a morning bake off if that is more convenient (see FAQ section). I would recommend to freeze the leftovers after baking in an airtight container and warm them up in the microwave before serving.