This cinnamon roll recipe creates fluffy, golden, gooey-on-the-inside rolls with a easy frosting that you may be tempted to eat by itself!
And I promise, this recipe is so simple! You can make it on a lounge-y, cool morning and it'll warm you and your loved ones up right away!
The Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
There are a few things I can't say no to in this life. One of them? A fluffy, gooey, steaming hot cinnamon roll. How could anyone resist?! It's the perfect Christmas morning meal to have with hot cocoa sitting around the fireplace, or just any morning when you want something decadent and special. And I promise you, these are doable for anyone to make! Even if you're averse to baking of any kind, you can make these guys with ease.
I know that rolls especially can be intimidating because there are a few different steps and a bunch of ingredients, but I provided detailed instructions and easy-to-follow images for you to reference as you go! You'll be tempted to make these every weekend after you make them just one time. They're so soft on the inside with the perfectly creamy and thick frosting that melts in your mouth, and I love the sticky cinnamon filling so much I could eat it plain. Enjoy!
How to Make Homemade Cinnamon Rolls:
Making cinnamon rolls from scratch is easier than you think! With this simple recipe you'll be wowing your friends and family with Cinnabon style goodies made right in your kitchen.
Step 1: Make A Sweet Yeasted Dough & Let it Rise
- Stir the milk, yeast, and sugar together. Let the mixture rest for 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs, oil, and salt, and mix to combine.
- Add 3 cups of flour and mix well; continue mixing for 2 minutes.
- Continue adding the rest of the flour until a soft dough forms, and mix until well combined.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until a smooth dough forms.
- Shape into a ball, and return the to bowl you mixed it in. Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Roll Out the Dough, Fill With Cinnamon-Sugar & Shape Into Rolls
- Roll dough into a rectangle that is about 24 inches wide and around 18 inches tall.
- Mix the melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon to combine well.
- Spread the sugar mixture all over the rolled dough, leaving a 1 inch gap along the top.
- Roll the dough up starting at the bottom.
- Mark the dough doll roll into 12 even pieces.
- Use a serrated knife to cut the rolls where you made your marks.
- Place the cut rolls, cut side down, in a parchment lined or greased large 17x11-inch baking dish.
- Cover with plastic wrap or a clean dish towel, and let rest for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Bake Your Cinnamon Buns, Let Cool & then Frost Them!
- While the rolls are resting, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until golden-brown.
- While the rolls are cooking, make the icing.
- Add the melted butter to a medium bowl. Add the vanilla and the powdered sugar, and mix well to get out all the lumps. It helps if the butter is warm or even a bit hot when you mix in the sugar. Add enough cream or milk, and stir to combine util you get a medium-thin consistency.
- When the rolls come out of the oven, let them cool for 5 minutes and then frost warm and serve.
Cinnamon Bun FAQs
Why didn't my cinnamon rolls rise?
The key to great cinnamon roll dough is letting it rise two times. First, let it rise for about 30 minutes covered in a bowl, and then after you've shaped and filled the rolls, let them rise again for about 30 minutes covered in the baking dish. Don't skip or rush the rising time. The yeast is working extra hard to raise because it's a sweet dough, so it needs that additional time. Also, make sure you don't roll the dough too tight, which gives them less room to expand.
Why do cinnamon rolls fall after baking?
In general, bread expands as it's baking because steam from the liquid in the recipe puffs up the pastry when it's hot in the oven. As steam releases when the rolls cool, the rolls may shrink in size a bit. But no worries, it shouldn't affect the flavor or texture at all!
How do you store cinnamon rolls?
You can cover cinnamon rolls with foil or plastic wrap right in the baking dish after they've cooled and store them at room temperature for up to 2 days. To keep them longer, store them in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Can I freeze cinnamon rolls?
Yes! The choice is yours -- you can freeze rolls unbaked, un-risen, in the baking sheet. Just cover them and let them thaw and rise for a few hours before baking as instructed in the directions below. Or you can freeze them completely finished and frosted. Let them cool, cover with plastic wrap or foil, and freeze for up to 3 months.
My Favorite Homemade Cinnamon Roll Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 min
- Yield: 12 perfect rolls 1x
Description
This cinnamon roll recipe creates fluffy, golden, gooey-on-the-inside rolls with a easy frosting that you may be tempted to eat by itself!
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 cup warm milk (about 100 degrees, not hotter)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- â…“ cup canola oil or vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 ½ to 5 cups all-purpose flour
For the filling:
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 1 ¼ cups packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
For the frosting:
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- Enough cream or milk to thin, about 3 tablespoons
- Dash of salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl (or a stand mixer), add the milk, yeast, and sugar, and stir to combine. Let the mixture rest for 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs, oil, and salt, and mix to combine.
- Add 3 cups of flour and mix well; continue mixing for 2 minutes.
- Continue adding the rest of the flour until a soft dough forms, and mix until well combined.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead, adding flour as needed, until a smooth dough forms.
- Shape into a ball, and return the to bowl you mixed it in. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean dish towel, and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. It won't rise much, just a bit.
- After 30 minutes, remove the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll it into a rectangle that is about 24 inches wide and around 18 inches tall (it can be a bit taller; it's a rough rectangle).
- In a medium bowl ,add the melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon and stir to combine well.
- Spread the sugar mixture all over the rolled dough, leaving a 1 inch gap of dough along the top with no cinnamon mixture.
- Roll the dough up starting at the bottom (which is 24 inches wide) up to the top where there's a bit of dough without filling.
- Mark the dough doll roll by making a small slit in the middle, then divide the middle into two more pieces (you are now up to 4 pieces), and then divide each of those 4 quarters into 3 more pieces. This is to divide the dough evenly into 12 pieces. Each line should be about 2 inches apart.
- Use a serrated knife to cut the rolls where you made your marks.
- Place the cut rolls, cut side down, in a parchment lined or greased large 17x11-inch baking dish, 3 rolls wide and 4 rolls down.
- Cover with plastic wrap or a clean dish towel, and let rest for 30 minutes.
- While the rolls are resting, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- After the 30 minute rest, remove the towel or the plastic wrap, and place in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden-brown.
- While the rolls are cooking, make the icing.
- Add the melted butter to a medium bowl. Add the vanilla and the powdered sugar, and mix well to get out all the lumps. It helps if the butter is warm or even a bit hot when you mix in the sugar. Add enough cream or milk, and stir to combine util you get a medium-thin consistency, about as thick as toothpaste.
- When the rolls come out of the oven, let them cool for 5 minutes and then frost warm and serve.
Notes
- A 9x13-inch and a 17x11 inch baking dish both work great for this recipe, you can use two 9-inch cake pans and put 6 rolls in each pan.
- TO MAKE THESE THE NIGHT BEFORE: Make the dough as directed but don't let it rise in the bowl. Skip the first rise and roll out the dough and make the cinnamon rolls as directed and place them in your prepared pan. Cover the pan well with plastic wrap and refrigerate right away. Keep in the fridge overnight or up to 18 or so hours. When you are ready to bake, remove the rolls from the fridge while your oven preheats. When the oven is hot cook the rolls according to the directions, adding a little time as needed to cook them until golden brown. I normally bake them 5-10 minutes longer. Frost and serve.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: cinnamon roll, cinnamon rolls, cinnamon roll recipe, easy cinnamon rolls, homemade cinnamon rolls, cinnamon buns, recipe for cinnamon rolls
You will LOVE this cinnamon roll recipe that has an overnight option, it's going to be a family favorite in no time.
Jessica
Can this recipe be doubled?
Melissa
Yep, no issues there.
Kaysha
Everyone loved these rolls! I changed up my cinnamon roll game with this recipe rather than an overnight roll recipe, and they turned out well! As long as you have the time to make them, they will be a big hit.
★★★★★
Kathleen Nelson
Great recipe! I made this today and the ratios and cooking times are on point! Thank you for sharing:)
★★★★★
Jogo0720
These are easy to make and taste fantastic!
★★★★★