Cinnamon Bun Recipe

These easy cinnamon rolls from scratch are perfect for yeast beginners because they only require 1 rise. Each cinnamon roll is extra soft with the most delicious cinnamon swirl! The rolls freeze beautifully, so this is a great make-ahead recipe, especially for planning ahead for holidays or the next time you need a special breakfast. Choose from a few easy icing flavors to top the warm & gooey rolls.

This easy cinnamon roll recipe is one of the most popular recipes on my website, for good reason.

These are classic, homestyle cinnamon rolls. It took me lots of recipe testing trial-and-error to develop quick cinnamon rolls that maintain all the flavor and texture of traditional overnight cinnamon rolls. But THIS. IS. IT. And I promise, making these easy cinnamon rolls is 100x more satisfying than that feeling you get from popping open a store-bought can of ready-to-bake rolls.

Lately, I’ve had even more success with the dough when I let the yeast dissolve in the warm milk/butter mixture, instead of whisking it into the dry ingredients. The rolls turn out even fluffier and softer, and I know you’ll appreciate that, too! The recipe below includes this small change.

Reader Kristine says: “This recipe is perfect in every way. It is simple to execute and requires a very reasonable amount of time. … The best part for me, however, is that they tasted just like my grandmother’s cinnamon rolls. I have her recipe but it requires hours and hours and I rarely have that kind of time. Tasting these warm from the oven brought back a flood of happy memories and made me feel like I was right back in her kitchen.★★★★★“

Reader Lana says: “I admit, I was very skeptical about my cinnamon rolls rising in 90 minutes. And I was nervous about making cinnamon rolls because I didn’t think that I could make anything close to what my grandma used to make. But I’ve made other recipes from your site and have been successful so I gave it a try. Let me say, the cinnamon rolls are amazing! And easy!★★★★★“

Just like grandma used to make! Is there a better compliment than that? I doubt it.

The Best Cinnamon Rolls You’ll Ever Eat

The BEST cinnamon rolls in the WORLD. Big, fluffy, soft and absolutely delicious. You’ll never go back to any other recipe once you try this one! This cinnamon roll recipe includes options to make them overnight or ahead of time and even freeze them.

Prep: 120min

Total: 140min

Yield: 9

Ingredients:

• For the dough:
• ¾ cup warm milk (whole milk or 2% preferred) (110 degrees F)
• 2 ¼ teaspoons quick rise or active yeast (1/4-ounce package yeast)
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
• ¼ cup butter, melted (I prefer salted, but unsalted works, too)
• 3 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• For the filling:
• 2/3 cup dark brown sugar (light brown sugar also works)
• 1 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup butter, softened
• For the cream cheese frosting:
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instruction:

1. Warm milk to around 110 degrees F. I like to do this by placing milk in a microwave safe bowl and microwaving it for 40-45 seconds. It should be like warm bath water. Transfer warm milk to the bowl of an electric mixer and sprinkle yeast on top. Add in sugar, egg, egg yolk and melted butter. Mix until well combined. Next stir in flour and salt with a wooden spoon until a dough begins to form.
2. Place dough hook on stand mixer and knead dough on medium speed for 8 minutes. Dough should form into a nice ball and be slightly sticky. If it’s TOO sticky (meaning it’s sticking to the bottom of the mixer, add in 2 tablespoons more bread flour.) If you don’t want to use an electric mixer, you can use your hands to knead the dough for 8-10 minutes on a well-floured surface.
3. Transfer dough ball to a well-oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a warm towel. Allow dough to rise for 1 hour to 1 ½ hours, or until doubled in size. This may more or less time depending the humidity and temperature in your home.
4. After dough has doubled in size, transfer dough to a well-floured surface and roll out into a 14×9 inch rectangle. Spread softened butter over dough, leaving a ¼ inch margin at the far side of the dough.
5. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and cinnamon. Use your hands to sprinkle mixture over the buttered dough, then rub the brown sugar mixture into the butter.
6. Tightly roll dough up, starting from the 9-inch side and place seam side down making sure to seal the edges of the dough as best you can. You will probably need to cut off about an inch off the ends of the dough as the ends won’t be as full of cinnamon sugar as we’d want it to be.
7. Cut into 1 inch sections with a serrated knife or floss. You should get 9 large pieces.
8. Place cinnamon rolls in a greased 9×9 inch baking pan or round 9 inch cake pan. (I also recommend lining the pan with parchment paper as well, in case any of the filling ends up leaking out.) Cover with plastic wrap and a warm towel and let rise again for 30-45 minutes.
9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove plastic wrap and towel and bake cinnamon rolls for 20-25 minutes or until just slightly golden brown on the edges. You want to underbake them a little so they stay soft in the middle, that’s why we want them just slightly golden brown. Allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes before frosting. Makes 9 cinnamon rolls.
10. To make the frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Spread over cinnamon rolls and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Easy Cinnamon Rolls (from scratch)

These easy cinnamon rolls are perfect for yeast beginners because they only require 1 rise. You have a few options for toppings. The recipe below includes a simple cream cheese icing, but we also love these with the coffee icing or vanilla icing that’s included in the recipe Notes below.

Prep: 1h40min

Total: 2h5min

Yield: 10

Ingredients:

• 2 and 3/4 cups (344g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
• 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
• 3 Tablespoons (45g) unsalted butter
• 2 and 1/4 teaspoons Platinum Yeast from Red Star or any instant yeast (1 standard packet)
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 3 Tablespoons (45g) unsalted butter, extra softened
• 1/3 cup (67g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 4 ounces (113g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 2 Tablespoons (30g) butter, softened to room temperature
• 2/3 cup (80g) confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instruction:

1. Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Combine the milk and butter together in a heatproof bowl. Microwave or use the stove and heat until the butter has melted and the mixture is warm to the touch (about 110°F/43°C, no higher). Whisk in the yeast until it has dissolved. Pour mixture into the dry ingredients, add the egg, and stir with a sturdy rubber spatula or wooden spoon OR use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on medium speed. Mix until a soft dough forms.
3. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Using floured hands, knead the dough for 3 minutes. You should have a smooth ball of dough. If the dough is super soft or sticky, you can add a little more flour. Place in a lightly greased bowl (I use non-stick spray), cover loosely, and let the dough rest for about 10 minutes as you get the filling ingredients ready.
4. After 10 minutes, roll the dough out in a 14×8-inch (36×20-cm) rectangle. Spread the softened butter on top. Mix together the cinnamon and brown sugar. Sprinkle it all over the dough. Roll up the dough to make a 14-inch log. Cut into 10–12 even rolls and arrange in a lightly greased 9- or 10-inch round cake pan, pie dish, or square baking pan.
5. Cover the pan with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the rolls to rise in a relatively warm environment for 60–90 minutes or until double in size. (For a tiny reduction in rise time, see my answer to Where Should Dough Rise? in my Baking with Yeast Guide.)
6. After the rolls have doubled in size, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake for 24–27 minutes, or until lightly browned. If you notice the tops are getting too brown too quickly, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil and continue baking. If you want to be precise about their doneness, their internal temperature taken with an instant read thermometer should be around 195–200°F (91–93°C) when done. Remove pan from the oven and place pan on a wire rack as you make the icing. (You can also make the icing as the rolls bake.)
7. In a medium bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add the butter and beat until smooth and combined, then beat in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until combined. Using a knife or icing spatula, spread the icing over the warm rolls and serve immediately.
8. Cover leftover frosted or unfrosted rolls tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls {Cinnabon Copycat}

The best homemade cinnamon rolls ever! If you love gooey cinnamon buns, here’s the secret ingredient. Everyone raves about these homemade yeast rolls.

Prep: 30min

Total: 119min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 618 kcal, Carbohydrate 85 g, Protein 7 g, Fat 28 g, Saturated Fat 17 g, Cholesterol 109 mg, Sodium 427 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 47 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm milk ((about 115 degrees F))
• 2 1/2 teaspoons instant dry yeast* ((I like Red Star Platinum Baking Yeast))
• 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1/3 cup salted butter** ((Melted, but make sure it isn’t over 110º Fahrenheit. Just softened is fine.))
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour ((divided))
• 1/2 cup salted butter ((almost melted))
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1/2 cup heavy cream*** ((for pouring over the risen rolls))
• 6 ounces cream cheese ((softened))
• 1/3 cup salted butter ((softened))
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon maple extract ((or vanilla))

Instruction:

1. Pour the warm milk in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast overtop.
2. Add the eggs, butter and sugar. Mix until combined.
3. Add in salt and 4 cups (save the other 1/2 cup and add only if you need it) of flour and mix using the beater blade just until the ingredients are barely combined. Allow the mixture to rest for 5 minutes so the flour has time to soak up the liquids.
4. Scrape the dough off the beater blade and remove it. Attach the dough hook.
5. To knead, beat the dough on medium speed for 5-7 minutes, adding in up to 1/2 cup more flour if needed to form a dough. The dough should be elastic and smooth. **The dough should be tacky and will still be sticking to the sides of the bowl. That’s ok! Don’t be tempted to add more flour at this point. We generally add about 4 1/2 cups, but start with 4 cups.
6. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray.
7. Use a rubber spatula to remove the dough from the mixer bowl and place it in the greased large bowl.
8. Cover the bowl with a towel or wax paper.
9. Set the bowl in a warm place and allow the dough to rise until double. I like to turn on the oven to the lowest setting for 1-2 minutes. Then turn off the oven and place the dough to rise in there. It normally takes about 30 minutes for the dough to rise. Do not allow the dough to rise too much or your cinnamon rolls will be airy.
10. While the dough is rising, prepare the cinnamon filling. In a medium bowl, combine the soft butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, mixing until well combined. Set aside.
11. Sprinkle a pastry mat generously with flour. Turn out the dough onto the pastry mat and sprinkle the top of the dough with additional flour.
12. Flour a rolling pin and roll the dough to about a 24×15″ rectangle. (the size of the rectangle can vary…it does not have to be exact!)
13. Use a rubber spatula to smooth the cinnamon filling over the whole dough rectangle.
14. Starting on the long end, roll the dough up tightly jelly roll style.
15. Cut into 12 slices and place in a greased 9×13 baking pan.****
16. Cover the pan and allow the rolls to rise for 20 minutes or until nearly double.
17. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
18. Warm the heavy cream until the chill is off. Don’t make it hot…you just don’t want it cold. It should be warm to the touch.
19. Once the rolls have risen, pour the heavy cream over the top of the rolls, allowing it to soak down in and around the rolls.
20. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-22 minutes, until the rolls are lightly golden brown and the center rolls are cooked through. Note…the time will vary based on how big the rolls are, what type of pan, how close the rolls are packed, etc. They could take up to 25-27 minutes. Check the rolls at 20 minutes. If they are getting too browned, cover loosely with foil for the remaining baking time.
21. While the rolls are cooling, prepare the cream cheese frosting.
22. In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and butter using a hand mixer. Blend well.
23. Add in your favorite extract and the powdered sugar. Beat until combined.
24. Spread the frosting over the cooled rolls.
25. Store in an airtight container.

Easy Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

These BEST EVER cinnamon rolls are soft, moist, fluffy, and topped with a silky cream cheese icing.

Prep: 20min

Total: 1h45min

Yield: 12

Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 – 5 cups all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (75g) granulated sugar
• 2 packets Fleischmann’s® RapidRise® Yeast (about 4 1/2 tsp)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups (355g) water
• 6 tbsp (85g) unsalted butter
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup (55g) unsalted butter, room temp
• 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 4 oz cream cheese, room temp
• 1/4 cup (55g) unsalted butter, room temp
• 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Instruction:

1. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the tops are a light golden brown. While they cool, make the icing.
2. Spread onto the warm rolls and dig in!

How To Make Homemade Cinnamon Rolls • Tasty

FAQ

What’s the difference between cinnamon rolls and cinnamon buns?

What is the secret ingredient in Cinnabon?

What is the secret to great cinnamon rolls?

• 1) Melt the butter in the same bowl you make the filling. …
• 2) Use a bench knife (or bowl scraper) for neat corners. …
• 3) Don’t roll the dough too tightly. …
• 5) Do yourself a favor and get rigid plastic half sheet pan covers. …
• 7) Let the rolls cool for 10 minutes.

Why put cream in the bottom of cinnamon rolls?

Why put butter in cinnamon rolls?