Better Than Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls
Better Than Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls: The Best Cinnamon Rolls you’ll ever tasted! Light fluffy layers of sweet roll, packed with cinnamon filling, then slathered with cream cheese frosting.
Cinnabon Recipe
Ah, Homemade Cinnamon Rolls. We can’t seem to get enough of them.
Several weeks ago I took my children out on a lunch date. After lunch, the kids noticed a Cinnabon shop and proceeded to coax me over to the counter.
I hadn’t had a Cinnabon roll in a long long time, so I gave in rather quickly.
With nostalgic anticipation, I unraveled my first cinnamon roll layer and proceeded to taste what I remembered to be life-changing. Yet what was my reaction?
Meh.
Not as good as I remembered.
It was too… something. And not enough, something else.
“Better Than Cinnabon” Cinnamon Roll Recipe
In fact, my gut reaction was a prideful confident statement, “We can do better at home.”
In all honesty, you really can do better at home if you know what makes a killer cinnamon roll. So today I want to share my secrets for making “Better Than Cinnabon” Cinnamon Roll Recipe.
Best cinnamon rolls recipe that is perfect for any occasion
Consider making this Better Than Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll Recipe for your sweetie this Valentine’s Day! Or for Christmas morning breakfast!
Our Best Cinnamon Roll Recipe
First things first, you need ingredients. I’ll go over the dough, the filling, and the glaze/frosting separately.
- Whole Milk – This is used to help proof the yeast and add moisture to the dough.
- Unsalted Butter – For tender fluffy rolls with elevated flavor, be sure to make the dough with butter, not margarine or shortening.
- Granulated Sugar – To make the dough sweet!
- Active Dry Yeast – For a light airy texture. Don’t add hot liquid to yeast. It can kill it.
- Eggs – Room temperature.
- All-Purpose Flour – For a light wheaty flavor and smooth texture.
- Salt – Add plenty of salt to the dough to balance all the layers of sweetness to come.
Cinnamon Roll Filling
- Cinnamon – The classic flavoring to cinnamon rolls.
- Nutmeg – I add a secret ingredient to my cinnamon filling… Nutmeg! Just a touch of nutmeg boosts the cinnamon flavor without overpowering it. Most people won’t notice the nutmeg flavor, but they will notice the intensified cinnamon appeal.
- Brown Sugar – To sweeten the filling and make it sticky.
- Butter – The easiest way to incorporate all of these flavors is to mix them into softened butter and spread it over the dough. This creates the luxurious swirls inside!
Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
The Best Cinnamon Roll Recipe is frosted not once, but twice!
- Cream Cheese – Softened. This brings a nice tangy flavor to the frosting.
- Unsalted Butter – Softened.
- Vanilla Extract – To gently flavor the glaze.
- Powdered Sugar – To sweeten and fill out the glaze.
How to Make The Best Cinnamon Rolls
For the Dough:
- Set the butter, eggs, and cream cheese out to warm to room temperature. Place the milk in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. The moment it reaches a boil, remove from heat. (This process is called scalding, and it ensures the milk doesn’t affect the yeast’s ability to rise. Don’t skip!)
- Pour the hot milk into the bowl of an electric mixer and add 1/2 cup butter, to bring the temperature down. Stir and allow the butter to melt completely. Then stir in the sugar. Touch the milk mixture to test the temperature. It should be close to lukewarm. If it is not, add 1/2 cup flour and test again. Once it is just above room temperature, stir in the yeast and let it foam for approximately 10 minutes. (Too-hot liquid can kill yeast so be careful.)
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- Place the bread hook on the mixer and turn on low. Add the eggs, salt, and remaining flour up to 4 cups.Allow the mixer to “knead” the dough until it pulls away from the sides. Run the mixer for approximately 10 minutes to allow the dough to stretch and develop the gluten.
- If the dough seems too sticky after the first 2-3 minutes add an additional 1/4 cup flour.
- Once done rising dump the inflated dough out on a well-floured work surface. Fold into thirds and press flat. Then turn and fold into thirds again and press into a rectangle. Roll the rectangle out into a large 16 X 20 inch sheet.
For the Cinnamon Filling:
- Mix the brown sugar, softened butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg until smooth. Keep at room temperature until ready to use. This helps prevent leakage, and also makes it easier to roll the dough tight.
- Using a large flat spreader, spread the cinnamon filling over the sheet into a thin layer. Leave 1 1/2 inches bare (cinnamon-free) on one long edge. Be careful not to gouge holes in the dough.
- Starting at the cinnamon-covered long edge, roll the dough sheet tightly toward the uncovered edge to form a long tight log. Place a piece of parchment paper in a 9 X 13 inch baking dish.
- Then cut the log into 12 equal rolls. Tuck the loose end under each roll to secure it, and place them in the baking dish to rise.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Allow the rolls to rise (again) for at least 30 minutes while the oven heats. Then bake for 20-25 minutes, until the edges are barely golden and the center of each roll is puffed high up.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- While the rolls are in the oven, beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar together until completely smooth.
- The moment the rolls come out of the oven gently spread half the glaze over the tops and allow it to seep down into the cracks.
- Five minutes later, add more glaze if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Follow these tips and you too can make Better Than Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls that your friends and family will go nuts over!
See The Printable Recipe Card Below For How To Make Better Than Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Let Cinnamon Rolls Rise Overnight?
You can make the dough the day before. Roll them, cut them, and place the baking dish in the fridge until morning.
Then set them out to rise while the oven warms. Bake and glaze!
What do the eggs add to the dough and is there a way to leave them out?
The eggs make the dough more pliable and give it stretch. They also make the texture finer, the flavor richer, and the color better. I would not omit them unless you are allergic.
Can you half the recipe?
Yes, you can half the recipe. Making a smaller batch (or the same-sized rolls) should not affect the overall cooking time. However, if you make the rolls smaller, you will need to reduce the cooking time.
Can I use evaporated milk?
Yes you can, although I would not scald the evaporated milk because it is processed for canning. You can use it as-is.
Can the flour be substituted for whole wheat flour?
You can. However, the dough will be much heavier and will not rise as much. I would suggest using two-third all-purpose flour and one-third whole wheat flour for fluffy rolls.
More Cinnamon Roll Recipes!
- Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls
- Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding Muffins
- Cinnamon Roll Cookies
- Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls from Lauren’s Latest
Better Than Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 1 cup scalded whole milk
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons dry active yeast (or 1 packet)
- 2 large eggs
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (plus additional as needed)
- 2 teaspoon salt
For the Cinnamon Roll Filling:
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1/2 cup cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
For the Dough:
- Set the butter, eggs and cream cheese out to warm to room temperature. Place the milk in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. The moment it reaches a boil, remove from heat. (This process is called scalding, and it ensures the milk doesn't affect the yeast's ability to rise. Don't skip!)
- Pour the hot milk into the bowl of an electric mixer and add 1/2 cup butter, to bring the temperature down. Stir and allow the butter to melt completely. Then stir in the sugar. Touch the milk mixture to test the temperature. It should be close to luke warm. If it is not, add 1/2 cup flour and test again. Once it is just above room temperature, stir in the yeast and let it foam for approximately 10 minutes. (Too-hot liquid can kill yeast.)
- Place the bread hook on the mixer and turn on low. Add the eggs, salt, and remaining flour up to 4 cups. Allow the mixer to "knead" the dough until it pulls away from the sides. Run the mixer for approximately 10 minutes to allow the dough to stretch and develop the gluten. If the dough seems too sticky after the first 2-3 minutes add an additional 1/4 cup flour. After 10 minutes, turn the mixer off. Cover the top with plastic, and allow the dough to rise until double in size, approximately 60-90 minutes in a warm kitchen.
For the Cinnamon Roll Filling:
- Mix the brown sugar, softened butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg until smooth. Keep at room temperature until ready to use.
- Dump the inflated dough out on a well-floured work surface. Fold into thirds and press flat. Then turn and fold into thirds again and press into a rectangle. Roll the rectangle out into a large 16 X 20 inch sheet.
- Using a large flat spreader, spread the cinnamon filling over the sheet into a thin layer. Leave 1 1/2 inches bare (cinnamon-free) on one long edge. Be careful not to gouge holes in the dough. Starting at the cinnamon-covered long edge, roll the dough sheet tightly toward the uncovered edge to form a long tight log. Place a piece of parchment paper in a 9 X 13 inch baking dish. Then cut the log into 12 equal rolls. Tuck the loose end under each roll to secure it, and place them in the baking dish to rise.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Allow the rolls to rise for at least 30 minutes while the oven heats. Then bake for 20-25 minutes, until the edges are barely golden and the center of each roll is puffed high up.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- While the rolls are in the oven, beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar together until completely smooth. The moment the rolls come out of the oven gently spread half the glaze over the tops and allow it to seep down into the cracks. Five minutes later, add more glaze if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Loved them. I actually did the dough part in my bread maker and just set it to dough. So good!
Made this last weekend-WOW! I followed all of the instructions and couldn’t be happier. Ima sucker for Cinnabon cinnamon rolls and when I saw this I knew I had to try.
Outcome was better than expected- my family loved it!! A new recipe in the rotation for treats and weekend family time. I just became a registered nurse and these would be such a treat to share with the nurses on the floor. This is a recipe I’m happy to rave about any chance I can!
Thank you so much for sharing this, an easy to follow and delicious winner! Wish I could share my picture.
Delicious and always a hit!
I’ve made this recipe a dozen times with no issues. Today I tried and had to throw out both attempts because the dough was liquid. Any thoughts?
Hi Leah,
That’s so weird! Things to consider… What was the weather like while you were making the dough? (High humidity is bad for baking days.) Did you switch brands of baking ingredients like milk, butter, or flour?
Best darn rolls I ever made! My friends and family just love these. Takes a little time but it’s well worth it. I substituted sour cream for the cream cheese in the glaze as I was out of cream cheese. Came out great.cheesecream
This is my second time making this recipe, and everything turned out fantastic both times. A couple things to note. I had to wait about 30 mins (rather than 10 mins) for the yeast to start foaming. And I would probably half the cream cheese frosting. Both times we only used about half of it (and there was plenty). Delicious, five stars!
These were amazing!!! I made them up on Christmas Eve and refrigerated the rolls. Took them out Christmas morning and let them set for about an hour (still covered) then baked. OMG!!! The house smelled wonderful and we devoured all of them!
Very easy to make and my husband said “It is better than Cinnabon.”
The best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever made. My family liked it so much. Thank you for this delicious recipe. :)
Best Cinnabon recipe that I’ve tried. The time to bake was not long enough for my gas oven. The rise was great, looked perfectly cooked, but unfortunately it could have used another 10 minutes. I’ve already frosted. Do you have any advice on how to save the rolls?
Maybe just go ahead and bake it for another 5-10 mins anyway, I think the frosting would probably make it more gooey. If you want more frosting you can put more on afterwards if needed. At least that’s what I might try if I was in the same situation 😅 But hopefully that doesn’t make it overly soggy?
Jason, put your iPad on “reader” mode, or go to the print option and read the recipe there.
Made these yesterday, they came out great!!!
I LOVE this recipe. These rolls are the best recipe I’ve found. They’ve becme a christmas morning tradition.
I was wonderig if you are able to freeze them to keep for later?
super soft. right amount of stickyness. consistency is so good..Super Yum in my Tum💖💖 I add a splash of vanilla extract on the dough recipe to give it a little vanilla smell😊
Accidentally added cream cheese to the filling (yes, a man baking his first thing from beginning to the end – thank you Better Call Saul for the inspiration!). The result? Not bad! In fact, makes it extra gooey (unsurprisingly). Was told to make that mistake the next time too, in fact. Thank you for the recipe!
This is my ultimate favorite cinnamon roll recipe. Except for that I love to make this recipe (the dough is so fluffy and soft), the result beats all other cinnamon rolls
This has been our go to breakfast for all holidays and when we have company. They are super easy and come out impressive!
Thank you so much!!!
My favorite cinnamon bun recipe! Comes out great every time!
Hi there, can we have the recipe in gram please? As the cup are pretty confusing to measure in our country, we have different types 🤣
Hi Mell,
Sorry about that… Americans are weird. LOL! There is a button for metric measurements in the recipe form at the bottom of the post. It is calculated by an AI program, not manually, but I’ve heard from several readers that it is pretty accurate. Hope this helps!
So good!
Great recipe! Just made them! What is the storage recommendations after baking?
Hi Susan,
These rolls can sit out at room temperature for 2-3 days, well covered. Or wrap them in plastic and refrigerate for up to 7 days. Then warm in the microwave or toaster oven before serving.
Everybody is sooo happy with my cinnamon roll bake. thanks so much for this recipe!
My family loved this recipe. My daughter said it tasted like the old Cinnabon. I followed the recipe except I used salted butter. I didn’t have unsalted. I just added less salt to the dough. 1 1/4 teaspoon. This recipe is a keeper. Thank you for sharing.
I forgot to say I used 2% milk. It worked great.
Best cinnamon rolls ever! This last time, I added a bit of melted white chocolate to the frosting (I didn’t measure) and that really kicked up the frosting!
Obsessed with this recipe! Wondering if you can use almond milk vs whole mile?
Hi Leah!
I would use real dairy in this recipe, but some people have had success making it with almond milk and plant-based butter.
Made these today and they were wonderful. Did take most of the day but sure was a delicious afternoon snack. I spread the butter then put the cinnamon sugar mixture on top. Some of the rolls the sugar was gritty but others were nice and syrupy. Would mixing the butter in have made a difference?
Hi, can I add chocolate to the filling? My family prefers them with chocolate just like the chocobons. How do I do that or do you have any suggestions? TIA!
Hi Julia,
The easiest way to do this would be to sprinkle 2 cups of mini chocolate chips (or shaved chocolate bars) over the cinnamon filling before rolling the dough. If you give it a try, please report back!
Question that probably won’t get answered right away. For the first rise I didn’t plan well and if I’m going to be gone longer than 60 to 90 min what could I do?
I’ve always put mine in the fridge to slow the rising process. You’d have to allow them to sit at room temp for at least 30 minutes in addition to allowing them to continue to rise on your counter top before baking. I have not made this recipe yet, but have made another that is similar, and I’ve followed the above process which works.
Good luck and Merry Christmas!
I followed the recipe as it’s written, and these were SO delicious! My husband said they were better than Cinnabon. Absolutely perfect cinnamon rolls! We have a new favorite! Thank you for sharing!
I love this recipe but after making it a couple of times and dissapointed with the rising ability. I did the math on the yeast flour ratio. 4 cups of flour be it english or American cups required 10g to 10.5 g of acive yeast at a minimum especially if you add another 1/ 4 cup of flour . It’s a great recipe and I always use it but for success and fluffy buns it needs the yeast amount to be higher than listed.
I was using English teaspoons so that could be the issue.
These are the BEST! I have made them a few times now. Can you freeze them after they rise or just cut and put in freezer and let rise when they defrost ?
For the make-ahead directions, can I make them two days in advance and keep in the refrigerator?
Recipe was great but prep time needs to be adjusted. For someone who is making cinnamon rolls for the first time, you need to add the actual rising time into total time. We didn’t get cinnamon rolls for breakfast, most like lunch but they did taste good.
So amazing! Easy to bake and everyone loved them!!!!!
Could I use bread flour?
Hi Jacki!
You can, but the texture will be softer with AP flour.
Best recipe!! I have made these twice and my family loves them! I know these can be prepared the day before and refrigerated but I’m curious if they can be frozen? Thoughts?
I have frozen them without issue.
This is THE best recipe… I’ve been using it for about 2 years… I use half and half instead of whole milk because that’s what I always have in the fridge…. I also added apple to the filling and cooked on the stove for 5 minutes and cooled then added to dough…. OMG! Yummy! I have also divided them up an frozen individually and they are still fantastic. Thank you for this recipe… my family and I love it! ❤️
Perfect recipe. I’ve used this recipe three times so far and the cinnamon rolls are delicious each time. The most recent time, I used three eggs instead of two. I’ve never made cinnamon rolls before the pandemic and this just happened to be the first recipe I tried using. This is now my go-to cinnamon roll recipe. Tastes almost exactly like the mall Cinnabon, only now I can control the sweetness. Thank you!
Thank you, Sommer!! I have to limit myself to making these twice per year- once for Christmas morning and once for our annual family vacation to the beach. They are awesome every time!!!
Forget Cinnabon! I am officially dubbing these Sommerbuns!!
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You’re doing a great job Man, Keep it up.
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This is a family favourite, I cut the icing in half, which is more than plenty
My boyfriend and I made and ate these when we had major munchies and oh my, we just stood at the kitchen counter and stuffed our faces, speechless. Then we went around my building and shared with my neighbors. We came back home and continued to eat these. The next morning, popping them in the microwave covered made them nice and warm again. I was skeptical, thinking that next day cinnamon rolls wouldn’t be as good but it was still so damn delicious. This is forever be my go-to cinnamon roll recipe. Thank you for blessing us with this.
Always a hit with the family and at any brunch gathering. Best cinnamon rolls we’ve ever had
I couldn’t find my usual recipe for these and I came across this one and decided to give it a try even though I was a bit cynical because the one I used to use was wonderful.
Well..this one blew it out of the ballpark as Americans like to say. Absolutely delicious, perfect texture and they were still great after days of being made. Thank you!
Just made these and they turned out incredible. A must try, thank you for sharing.
I’ve made this twice,turns out perfect each time! Thank you for this recipes
My family loves these! Delicious! Do you think I could freeze them? Maybe when they are rolled but not cut?
Excellent! I used a mixture of whole wheat and all purpose flour, and they came out beautiful! I couldn’t even tell they were semi-healthy :). Also toasted some pecans and sprinkled them on top of the frosting. When making other rolls, I added some thinly sliced apples – will definitely do that next time. Perfect recipe, thank you!
Our new favorite recipe ! Best we have ever made !
my go-to recipe. they are perfect!
In Australia we don’t have Cinnabon stores (I’m sure they will be down under soon). So don’t have anything to compare too. Will have to give these a try and see how they go.
Wont have any problems with my dough not rising in a warm kitchen. Been very HOT this summer. Its now Autumn but still going to be 35 degress – 95 fahrenheit today.
Hi Julie, We do have cinnabon in some places. We have had at least one store on the Gold Coast for more than a year now (Robina Town Centre). I know there is one in Melbourne too and I would guess Sydney. Home made is always nicer anyway and Cinnabon is ridiculously priced in Australia. I mean RIDICULOUSLY!
I meant to make this recipe for breakfast today. I mostly picked it because the recipe indicated 1h and 5minutes to make it. Half way through mixing the ingredients I realized I still have to let the dough rise for 60-90 minutes. I guess we’ll have Cinnabons for lunch today. Oh well!
Just wondering if you can make this recipe with a different percent of milk or if it has to be whole milk. It’s not something I drink, so I don’t want it to go bad in the fridge. Wondering if 1% or 2% would be ok.
Hi Meagan,
Whole milk is best, but 2% will definitely work. Happy Baking! :)
My son gave me the recipe and he has been making it. All of his friends say they are the greatest ones they have tasted. So I am making them today and will let you know how they are.
Can I make the rolls the day before cooking or do they need to be cooked same day?
Hi Rebeka,
Yes, you can make the dough the day before. Roll them, cut them, and place the baking dish in the fridge until morning. :)
Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe and the useful tips. Thank you and take care!!!
Well, I am at the stage of “allow the rolls to rise for at least 30 minutes while the oven heats.” And…….they’re not rising. I am hoping these are okay! :( Yeast was new not old. The dough DID rise very nicely in the mixing bowl for the 60-90 mins. What did I do wrong? Help!
When I do my second rise, I always put the dough container on the back of the stove so the heat from the oven helps it along. If that doesn’t work, I’d say something killed your yeast – maybe the milk?
Excellent recipe, thank you! I do have a question though. Do you recommend dark brown sugarvor light brown sugar for the filling?
Hi Cindy,
You can use either light or dark brown sugar. However, light brown is the most traditional. Happy Baking! :)
These came out so perfectly and just delicious. I did have some issues with the yeast. It took much longer than 10 minutes for it to foam and I almost tossed it but I waited a bit longer and it seemed to thicken up so I just went with it. The rolls puffed up perfectly in the oven and the taste is amazing! I also took one of the reader’s advice and poured some cream over the rolls before I put them in the oven and they were super moist.
Thank you so much for sharing!!
Lori, I am making these right now and I too am not seeing any foaming after 10 mins. The yeast is new, too. I will wait another 5-10 mins and see. I have never made cinnamon rolls before and I am so excited1
Hi! I love the heart, time, passion and PRIDE you put into this recipe, not only in its formation but also in its presentation (posting). That being said, how does scalding the milk help it better interact with the yeast? Or is it simply a precaution in case it negatively intereferes with the yeast?
Hi Cameron!
Yeast is very sensitive to temperature and other ingredients. Sometimes the enzymes in milk can affect the yeast’s ability to properly activate. This weakens the gluten structure and causes the dough to not rise well. Scalding the milk is a little precaution that will ensure your cinnamon roll dough turns out perfectly every single time.
These are Amazing!🤤
Is it ok to double the dough to make bigger rolls?
Hello, I only have salted butter. Will thiswork out? Thank you.
x
I have used both salted and unsalted butter and to me both tasted very good.
These are amazing! Indeed, better than Cinnabon! I was tired of Cinnabon’s dough being so gooey and elastic – like it’s not cooked enough. Gross. These are far superior and I’m very proud of how they turned out.
these are delish, you are my trusted site btw, everything i’ve made from here is great. I had some trouble spreading the cinnamon mix, mine was way too sticky and wouldn’t spread evenly with plastic or metal spreader, but in the end it worked out. and they came out divine.
Made these for my family this morning. Perfection! It was so easy to do…made our Christmas breakfast extra special. This recipe will replace the one I had used in years past. Thank you!
These came out great, but the total time at the top of the recipe needs to be fixed. It does not take a total of 1 hour 5 minutes when you factor in rise time. Plus, the cook time says 20 minutes while the recipe says 30 minutes.
Best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever had! These are always a favorite with my family!
So I already found a recipe I loved but liked the reviews for this one as well and decided to give it a try. What I dont like is that the dough was just a little too sticky for me even after adding extra to have it pull from sides of bowl. I think it’s just too much butter in dough so I prefer 1/3 cup instead. I didnt have cinnamon since I used the last in other rolls and I substituted with 1/2 tbsp of cinnamon extract mixed into butter used for filling. Turned out awesome. Also icing is good but I liked 1oz cream cheese, 1 stick butter and a pinch of salt better. To each their own…..just my personal recommendation.
These are the best cinnamon buns that I have ever had! I have just started making my own and found the recipe easy to use and they came out perfect!
You definitely want to use unsalted butter when you are growing the yeast. Tried salted and no foaming, then redid with unsalted butter and it grew like a champ.
I make these every Sunday (Cinnamon bun Sunday..woohoo!) now to eat and share! Yummy so yummy!
These are perfect!
These are perfect for a leisurely Sunday morning breakfast. I appreciate the video! These can be tricky.
made these for my thanksgiving breakfast and I am obsessed with this recipe! Completely loved it!
I have made a lot of cinnamon buns in my lifetime, from sticky with nuts to white icing. These are hands down the best recipe I have found. Make these for my husband’s Bible study and I basically have them eating out of my hand. They go nuts over these. I have made these 4 times and they turn out beautifully each time. Absolutely the best!!
Love these rolls! I always have to make at least 3 batches at a time, 1 for home/husband, 2 for work. This is one of my most requested baked goods from my husband and my coworkers. Thanks so much!!
These are the best cinnamon buns in the world! I’ve made them 3 times, gets easier each time. I added 1/2 cup heavy cream prior to baking this time, as I found on another site, which gives an extra moistness. They were 11/10. I have received the highest praise serving these to my friends and family. These buns have even gotten me a marriage proposal haha, they’re THAT good.
Thank you for the recipe! The cinnabons were delicious!
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OMMG it’s perfect , it tasted exactly like Cinnabon if not even better ! , thank you so much :)
I have made these many times for the boys on the ranch in Texas, and never have any leftovers. This recipe has made me famous. 😊 I have one question. Can I freeze the dough after the first rise, and let them second rise for 1/2 hour before baking?
WOW!WOW!WOW! How I hate making this recipe because it’s so good my husband and I will eat 6 before we get to share with my daughter and her family.
My sons are 4 & about to be 1 in a couple days, and we makes these every Saturday night for Sunday morning breakfast. Yum! This will be a football Sunday morning, Christmas morning and birthday morning tradition in our house I’m so glad we started at such a young age!
I’ve recently retired and (I presume) as many men do, I’ve started interfering in the kitchen. I’ve become quite a good (sour dough, pizza, focaccia etc ) baker. I tried making cinnamon buns about a year ago (my wife absolutely loves Cinnabon) and they were not good. I came across your recipe and based on the reviews decided to have another go. Wow….I managed to get 2, my son and his wife got 2 and guess who ate the rest? Fortunately for her, she is slim and can afford to indulge every now and then.
Congratulations, fantastic recipe. I’m making more on Sunday to take to the kids! (Just been told by the wife to make 2 batches as she wants to keep one ;-) )
I thought about making this but I only have skim milk, condensed milk and soya milk, will any of these work as a substitute for whole milk?
Hi Loris,
Out of these choices, I would go with skim milk. Happy Baking!
Ceylon Cinnamon is a natural herb for many health diseases. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.
OMG, these are really better than Cinnabon. I poured 1/4c of milk over the rolls before putting them in the oven & had to bake them for 30 mins. They were so tender, soft, & delicious. First time ever making cinnamon rolls & I sticking to this recipe.
I have made this several times and every time I make them they don’t even last a day. My family and friends love this recipe. Though i put a little extra filling 😝😝 I take the filling 1.5times of this recipe and its even yummier. I have one question. In the recipe it says the dough has to be kept aside for 60-90 minutes in a warm kitchen. Can it be kept aside longer?? Please reply. Thank you
This is THE BEST cinnamon roll I have ever had!!! Just the smell of the yeasty sweetness makes my mouth water! Since it’s just my husband and I, I take the rolls and wrap them individually and freeze them. When you want one, unwrap it, pop it in the microwave for 1 minute and they are just as delicious as fresh baked.
I have made these twice now – one time baking immediately and one time refrigerating until next morning and then popping them in oven straight from fridge. Guys, these are literally the BEST cinnamon rolls I have ever tasted. I won’t be buying nasty ole Cinnabon ever again! I was so proud of how they tasted, I handed them out to everyone I knew. If you want to impress people and make them think you are QUEEN of the KITCHEN, dominate them with these cinnamon rolls!
I loved this recipe however I left too much space between the rolls and they opened more than need everything else was almost perfect my family loved it my husband kept asking for more lol.
These are definitely better than Cinnabon. Never again will I eat store bought cinnamon rolls. Just the right size too! Can’t wait to try to make a few variations in addition to this recipe.
Thank you for this recipe. I only followed the dough and filling portion (because I was missing ingredients), but I’d have to say, this is the best I’ve had. My whole family loves Cinnabon Caramel Pecanbon, but it’s very expensive. We still buy it regardless. With this recipe, I think we’re no longer going to buy – just make the cinnamon rolls at home.
So, I have tried several recipes. There are good ones but, since finding this recipe, this’ll be the one that I’ll keep. The dough and filling is perfect – just perfect. The only modifications I did were: on the dough, I didn’t put the salt, because I had salted butter and, the 4 cups of flour, I just weighed it to 640 g. I didn’t need extra flour with that amount of flour. (I should have weighed the liquid too, I trusted the recipe).
SIMPLE TIP: I don’t have a heavy duty mixer, so I knead by hand. But, I’m a lazy one at that, so I knead a few minutes (under 5 minutes), stop and then knead again after 20 minutes. My 3rd kneading is my last knead. Shape the dough afterwards.
SIMPLE TIP: If the cinnamon-sugar-butter filling gets too liquid-y, put it in the fridge 2-3 minutes, so that it is not too viscous that you could see oil. It is easier to spread with jam-like consistency.
Hi, I’m a little confused on the math and measurements. If it’s a 16×20 log, how do you measure 12 equal slices? I’m dying to try these😁
Cut the log in half, then cut each of those halves in half as well. You’ll have 4 smaller logs now, cut each into thirds!
Cut the log in half, then cut each of those halves in half as well. You’ll have 4 smaller logs now, cut each into thirds!
Best cinnamon rolls!
Hi! I love this recipe. Fourth time doing it in 4 weeks. Everytime comes out awesome. But the first two times, the paste was dark brown and very thick paste (couldnt spread evenly but great taste!). The last two rounds the paste came out light brown and good enough to spread.
I dont know what i did wrong as the filling is simple. Maybe i accidently put in less butter?
Hi Sommer!
This is the best tasting CINNAMON ROLLS i have ever followed! thank you! I have been baking cinnamon rolls and finally got the right recipe. Only issue now is not sure why the center pieces are too soft and gooey dough, and will sink in the following day? Have you encountered such? Any tips? Have you tried using bread flour before for this?
Again, thanks and be blessed always!
Gemma
Hi Gemma,
I’m so very glad you liked them! It sounds like maybe you need to keep them in the oven just a little longer. You can use a hanging oven thermometer to test the accuracy of your oven and then calibrate it, if needed. It might be off a few degrees. :)
what do the eggs do to the dought? can the eggs be left out of the recipe? i’m seeing other recipes that don’t use eggs in the dough.
Hi Lulu,
The eggs make the dough more pliable and give it stretch. They also make the texture finer, the flavor richer, and the color better. I would not omit them unless you are allergic.
hi. can i half the recipe? will cooking times be affected? can’t wait to make this!
Hi Corinne,
Yes, you can half the recipe. Making a smaller batch (or the same-sized rolls) should not affect the overall cooking time. However, if you make the rolls smaller, you will need to reduce the cooking time.
Excellent.
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Made it for my family and they loved it! So glad I came across your recipe, thank you! 😋😋
Hi i made this yesterday it Turns out good. And it was my forst time i will make again tom
These are the best homemade cinnamon rolls I’ve ever had. This is the recipe I’ve been searching for, for years!!
Theses cinnamon buns were some of the best I have ever had! They were reasonably easy to make and tasted great!
Looks yummy. Ran out of whole milk but I have 1% and evaporated milk. Read in one of your replies that evaporated milk is the best substitute. Can I replace the scalded whole milk with evaporated 1:1 (1 cup for this recipe)? Any tips for scalding evaporated milk? Thanks in advance.
Hi Faye,
You do not need to scald evaporated milk because it is processed for canning. You can use it as-is. :)
THANK you for this recipe it’s really great! Just one question, can I use bread flour instead?
Bread flour has more protein content than all purpose. It will build up more gluten and well result in a slightly more chewy texture than all purpose. I am sure they would still be delicious. Perhaps cut the kneading time down by a few minutes to avoid too much gluten being formed.
Hey! What a great recipe !
However I had a problem the second time around . Not sure what went wrong .
After baking them they got really big and the filling came out.
Any advice for next time ?
I made this because I was jonesing for some cinnabon rolls and I made a different recipe and it turned out pretty good. This recipe sounded great but for some reason it didn’t cook. I think its the amount of butter and my oven, think the oven has officially hit the skids, but the house smells fabulous. So 5 stars from me because I think the recipe is sound but my oven sucks. So don’t make this if you think your oven is flaky.
Can I use wholewheat flour?
Hi Na-Eela,
You can. However, the dough will be much heavier and will not rise as much. I would suggest using two-third all-purpose flour and one-third whole wheat flour for fluffy rolls. Happy Baking!
Tried it and as a beginner it is quite easy… and it is DELICIOUS!! though mine “explode” hahahaha maybe iput in too much yeast
Best recipe I’ve tried in a long time. I only have 2% milk in my house so I eyeballed about 1/4 10% cream with 3/4 2% milk. I also didn’t have any cream cheese so I made a standard vanilla icing using 35% cream and icing sugar. I also poured a bit on before I baked it. So good!
This is my go-to cinnamon roll recipe. I’m making these for a friend, and just wondering in which step could i put them in the freezer. Like before the second rise or after the second rise? Thank you!!
These were a joy to make! I don’t have a hand mixer so I kneaded the dough by hand with the help of my kids. The nutmeg in the frosting was such an unexpected delight! These are going to be made time and time again! THANK YOU
I was wondering if I could replace the scalded milk for greek yogurt or water and butter?
Hi Seanne,
The best substitute for scalded milk would be canned evaporated milk. I haven’t tried greek yogurt, it might work, but I would stay away from adding more water.
I don’t know if I’ve posted a review. But your recipe has made me famous around my neighborhood and among my family. Thank you so much for sharing.
Identical!!! Love these! Recipe was perfect.
These were delicious, my son cannot get enough of them .thanks a million for sharing your recipe
Wow! These were amazing! Definitely a crowd pleaser! Light, fluffy and delicious. Definitely a keeper!
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Just made these cinnamon buns today. I don’t usually leave comments but I definitely had to for these! They came out amazing and couldn’t believe how comparable it is to Cinnabon’s. Instructions were straightforward and easy to follow. Only thing is, I think the ingredients for the frosting could be cut in half. I had a lot of frosting left over. I would make these again, for sure!!
Made this for my wife for Mother’s Day. After finishing hers, she turned to me and told me that she “commanded” me to make them for her birthday.
I haven’t made it yet but do i have to use a mixer or could anything work to mix it ?
I’m certain you can do this without a mixer
Hi AnnMarie,
Yes, you can mix the ingredients in a bowl, then move the dough ball to a floured work surface. Knead the dough for 12-15 minutes, by folding in and half, then pressing it hard, down and away from your body. Rotate the dough ball as you do this. It’s a bit of a workout, but then maybe you’ve earned more than one cinnamon roll when you are finished. ;)
These were amazing – turned out perfect first time. Made them as a treat for Mother’s Day and got massive kudos from everyone at the table – thank you!
Thank you for the wonderful recipe! With the clear instructions and video, my eight year old daughter and I were able to make the delicious cinnamon rolls for my wife on Mother’s Day. We’ve never baked before and everything turned out perfect. Having the rolls was a special treat and made the occasion very special for my family.
This was my first attempt at making cinnamon buns. They were great. The icing could be cut in 1/2 as it was more than enough. I will make again soon. And use up the leftover icing
By far the most delicious Cinnamon Roll recipe I have ever made. Super Moist! A true keeper.
Oh. My. God. These are legitimately the BEST cinnamon rolls I have ever had in my entire life. You are a Goddess! Can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
Turned out great!!!! Someone recommended to add 1/2 cup warm heavy cream right before baking the cinnamon rolls. Definitely a must!!! It makes the cinnamon rolls nice a soft and very moist.
By far the best cinnamon rolls I’ve made yet. I used instant yeast and added it directly to the flour, eliminating the need to rise the yeast. The dough is perfect! I’ll be using it for other recipes as well, it’s that good. Filling and frosting are not so sweet, just right. Thank you for this recipe, its gonna be hard to find a better one than this!
Can I use baking powder instead dry yeast? Thank you
I am wondering the exact same! I LOVE this recipe and sadly cannot find yeast anywhere lately. Don’t know if anyone else has given this a shot with baking soda instead?
Hi Mariana,
Unfortunately, not in this recipe. The dough is too heavy for baking powder to offer the same kind of lift that yeast provides. Also, yeast has a comforting flavor that would be missed here. Hope this helps! :)
I forget the 5 stars!!!
Merci pour la recette. Thank you for the recipe, it fills like a trip to a Cinnabon shop, we love it!!!!
Just made these tonight,my first time ever making cinnamon rolls from scratch. WOW. Thats all I can say! It’s such an easy recipe. I don’t have a stand mixer,or hand mixer,and I don’t have a rolling pin,but that didn’t take away from how fast and easy these we’re to make. I had to change the recipe for the frosting slightly,I didn’t have powdered sugar,so I substituted regular sugar. It didn’t alter the frosting at all. It was smooth and fluffy. I would recommend this recipe to anyone who’s looking for a cinnamon roll that tastes exactly like Cinnabon.
This is amazing! The only thing is that the prep time is much longer than posted as you have to let the dough rise twice. Otherwise this was the best cinnamon rolls we have ever made hands down.
The instructions say to roll the log up on the long edge; but in the video it is rolled up on the shorter edge. Help! Mine is proofing now; I hope someone sees this in time.
Hi Donalyn,
Go with the long-edges. (We outsource our videos.) Sorry for the confusion!
I love this recipe and so does my family.
Is it possible to make the dough and cut it and freeze it for a week before baking?
Absolutely! Make sure to wrap it well before freezing. Then thaw at room temperature before baking.
Can I freeze the dough
Hi Leah,
Yes, you can wrap the dough well and freeze it for several months. Then thaw at room temperature and use. :)
I love this recipe. It’s a family favourite. I would like to know if it’s possible to freeze the rolls after theyve been cut for a week before baking
AMAZING!
This is one of my first times baking cinnamon rolls but I am a veteran cinnamon roll snob. Saying that this recipe was better than Cinnabon was a bold claim that it sure lived up to! I followed this recipe to a T up until the time of baking. The two things I changed were :
1. I split the rolls into two smaller baking dishes to test out something I read on another recipe. To give them that Cinnabon gooeyness, I poured 1/2 cup of warmed (not hot) heavy cream over risen buns before baking. I only did this to one pan to see if it made a difference and IT DID! this pan was much closer in texture to a Cinnabon! They were so soft and the cinnamon filling was so gooey.
2. I added a teaspoon of lemon juice to the cream cheese icing like suggested in another comment. This really brought out the cream cheese flavor that I love.
They were a hit! I will definitely be baking more!
You are a legend!
I followed your suggestion of pouring warmed heavy cream onto the buns before baking and it even keeps them soft the following day as if you just baked them fresh!
Thank you thank you thank you! hahaha :-)
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Hello! Looks delicious. Can these be made with skim milk? I don’t have any whole milk on hand.
Hi Ashley,
Yes, you can. Happy baking! :)
I don’t usually comment on recipes but these cinnamon rolls are my favourite things I have ever baked! I’ve already used this recipe twice and they’ve turned out perfect both times! We don’t have a cinnabon in my country and ever since visiting America I was determined to find a recipe so I could make them myself and this recipe exceeded my expectations! These are just as advertised, exactly like I remember cinnabon if not better!
I don’t have whole milk at home right now. I have heavy cream, half n half and 1%. What do you think about using the heavy cream instead of whole milk. I was googling and it said to reduce the butter then. Or I found add butter to the 1% to make it more like whole. I’m not sure what the best think would be. I really don’t want to go out just for whole milk. What are your thoughts?
Hi Christine,
I would personally use the half & half. If you are worried about the dough being too heavy, you can use 2 parts half & half and 1 part 1% milk to roughly equal the fat content in whole milk. Hope this helps! :)
Can I use instant dry yeast instead of active dry yeast?
Hi Anne,
Absolutely! As long as it’s fresh, you should have no issue adding it right to the dough mixture.
This recipe is amazing! Thank you for posting! All your tips are so helpful! For a little bigger roll I did 1 1/2 the recipe and doubled the filling! Also, I’m not a huge fan of a cream cheese frosting (just to heavy for me) I tried 4cups powdered sugar and 8T whipping cream glaze with amazing results! Will only use this recipe from now on! ❤️
Hello! Can I use this dough recipe to make as pizza dough? Thanks!
Hi Chloe,
We actually have a fabulous recipe for pizza dough here: https://www.aspicyperspective.com/how-to-make-pizza-dough-from-scratch/
Hi, your recipe looks delicious! If I want to bake half now and half in a month (I see I can freeze the unbaked rolls), what size pan do you recommend? 8×8? Thanks!!
Hi Kim,
Yes, use either an 8X8 or a 9X9 inch dish. Happy baking!
Wonderful recipe! 12 rolls is too much for my small family, though, so I made the recipe and split the 12 rolls into 2 9-inch round cake pans. l made them the night before Easter. I put 1 pan in the fridge to eat the next day, and I put the other in the freezer. We just ate the freezer batch, and they were great!
id love to make these but wouldnt need so many. Is there a way to cut this recipe in half? Also can regular milk be used?
Hi Janis,
You can use the “serving slider” in the recipe form to reduce the recipe proportions as needed. Happy baking!
I’m about to try a GLUTEN FREE version of this recipe using Cup 4 Cup flour, but in the time of COVID-19, dry active yeast is nowhere to be found. I picked up a cube of FRESH YEAST, but am confused about the conversion and technique as I have never used yeast of any kind before (yikes!)
The conversion I found online indicates: To substitute fresh yeast for active dry yeast, use a ratio of roughly 2:1, i.e. use one small cake (0.6 ounce) of compressed fresh yeast in lieu of 1 packet (. 25 ounces) of active dry yeast. Note a packet of active dry or instant yeast contains about 2 1/4 teaspoons (. 25 ounces) of yeast. Does this sound about right?
Also, how does using fresh yeast alter the dough recipe – steps 1 and 2 in particular?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!
So tasty! I have to agree, I don’t think I will ever buy store-bought again! I started making a friend’s recipe and realized the filling and topping just weren’t what I wanted – it would have been the sugar icing, not a cream cheese topping. I used the filling and topping form this recipe and they taste divine! I will be using this recipe from now on!!
I wish I had found it before I made the dough – the one I made didn’t rise well and tastes really doughy, but next time and thanks for the hint on the yeast – I may have used too warm of water with it this time around.
Absolutely delicious!!! Tastes like store-bought.
Amazing recipe! Just made it for a second time and it’s just amazing!
Wondering if I can freeze the dough and bake it after?
Sorry I mean bake one by one after*?
Followed the recipe exactly as written. The rolls were delicious! Similar in taste and texture to Cinnabon’s, but better! This was my first time making cinnamon rolls, and the instructions were very easy to follow. Great recipe!
Hi I was just wondering what brown sugar was used dark? Or light? I looked everywhere for plain brown sugar like does it not exist lol? We’re currently going through covid-19 maybe that’s why. I don’t typically bake so just a bit confused and were hoping you could help
Hi Ana,
Go with light. In most cases, if a recipe calls for brown sugar (and doesn’t clarify) it’s always best to go with light brown sugar for overall flavor and appearance. Hope this helps! :)
As an edit to my previous comment, I used only a pinch of nutmeg because I don’t care for it. I couldn’t tell it was there, but I wanted a little because I didn’t know it could intensify cinnamon. The batches I refrigerated and baked later also came out excellent! A winner recipe!
If using instant yeast, should you still let it it in warm liquid for 10 minutes or would you add it to the dry ingredients and then mix the warm liquids in?
Thank you!
Hi Jennifer!
Usually, you do not have to allow time for instant yeast to foam. You can mix it right into the dough mixture. :)
This recipe was fantastic! Cinnamon rolls are one of my top 5 favorite foods, and I usually couldn’t afford a Cinnabon or I would get one every trip to the mall! I have tried different recipes, always looking for a better one. In comparing recipes, I decided to cut these in 2″ pieces instead of 1-1/2″, but they were so tall the filling oozed out of the pan, and the middle rolls didn’t get cooked all the way. I made a bunch at once to give to families on Easter, so the next batch I cooked a little longer at 325 degrees, and they turned out better. But I am going to stick with this recipe next time and cut them at 1-1/2″ . I didn’t have a mixer, but kneaded by hand, and the dough was very springy and hard to roll out, but they turned out so good! I used less vanilla, only because I was low on it, and added 1/2 c. powdered sugar to make more frosting. These were so good, I don’t think I’ll ever want to try any other recipe!
I’m making these as we speak! You roll it out into a 16×20 sheet (not into a pan) and then when you roll it and cut it into 12 pieces. Those 12 pieces fit into a 9×13 pan perfectly!
AMAZING!!!!! the instructions were so easy to follow, came out soft and buttery. Only issue i had was that i had hard time rolling out the dough, not sure what i could have done differently. I kneaded the dough by hand as I don’t have a mixer, plz advise. 😊
Better than Cinnabon & I’m extremely stingy about my cinnamon rolls 🥰.
Just wanted to say that these are my all-time favorite! I’ve been using it for years now and I make them for friends and family every now and then as well. They are so good that my family tells me I should make extra on the weekend and sell them lol
I’ve been making cinnamon rolls before in different recipes and never go back after I made this recipe. So detailed and easy to follow, thank you so much for sharing this. I will keep this recipe 🥰
I love this recipe…made it several times and it’s definitely a fan favorite. I docked one star because the timing is misleading. It really should incorporate the proofing time for the dough in the prep time. I forgot about an hour+ to proof and may not have them ready in time!
Can you freeze these if you don’t need the entire batch right away? I love cinnamon rolls but my husband doesn’t love sweet stuff (weirdo).
Hi Mandy,
Yes, you can! Make the rolls up to the point of baking them. Then wrap them well and freeze. :)
They really are fabulous and I have never made a yeast dough before! They take some time but are well worth every second! Enjoy!
Best cinnamon rolls EVER!!!
Directions were really clear and easy to follow.
I want to make this recipe but I don’t have a mixer with a hook, and there’s nothing in the directions for how to knead the dough by hand! Help!
Hi Emily,
Sorry about that. Yes, you can mix the ingredients in a bowl, then move the dough ball to a floured work surface. Knead the dough for 12-15 minutes, by folding in and half, then pressing it hard, down and away from your body. Rotate the dough ball as you do this. It’s a bit of a workout, but then maybe you’ve earned more than one cinnamon roll in the end. ;)
Absolutely delish!@
Help!! I have the rolls in the oven now so haven’t had a chance to try them yet. But I had an impossible time trying to spread the cinnamon butter onto the dough even though the butter had been left out to soften for hours. Any advice on how to make it more spreadable forever the next time? Thanks.
I often have to microwave the mixture for maybe 10-15 seconds until it is spreadable!
Hi Vikki,
The cinnamon filling will seize up if it has been sitting around for a long time, or if your kitchen is cold. You can warm it on the stovetop (or in the microwave) to make it soft again for spreading. Hope this helps!
Can I use cream instead of milk? Thank you
Hi Rein, Sure! :)
Wow, just wow! These were awesome, thank you for the recipe! Could’nt even wait till after dinner had to have one before. :)
What do I do if the yeast isn’t foaming?
Hi Sarah,
That could happen for a couple different reasons… If you keep your yeast in the freeze (people often do this to keep it fresh longer) it may take extra time to foam.
Yet most likely, you need to throw out the yeast and buy a fresh jar.
I have heard from several readers, that when their old yeast failed them, they added double yeast and had fairly decent results. Just a thought.
Outstanding recipe. Made it a couple times now, turned out fantastic both times. Made a couple little tweaks – upped the cinnamon to 3 Tbsp out of sheer laziness, and I doubled the frosting recipe and added a cup of sour cream to it for a little extra tang and loosen it a bit. I like to have enough so people can have extra frosting to dip. :)
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These are very delicious and the process and instructions are simple and work well. I made a few modifications but you can easily make this exactly as-is and be happy. I substituted bread flour and achieved extremely tender and flavorful dough. I forgot to add the 1/3c sugar to the dough! I didn’t notice until the kneading process. After some consideration, I sprinkled about 3T Onto the kneading dough before deciding to stop, worried I’d negatively affect the dough texture. Still came out perfectly. I don’t miss the extra sugar.
I added vanilla and fiori de sicilia to the dough and that gives the dough a citrus quality that is superb. I used sea salt because the recipe didn’t specify.
I only used 7oz powdered sugar in the frosting. I will do 6oz next time.
10/10
Excellent recipe! Have made this recipe many times, always turns out perfect. I’m looking at another great batch about to go in the oven and wanted to say Thank you for sharing this great recipe!
Everytime I make these they’re hard to keep around.
I have a bunch of roommate’s & they’re always asking for some. My daughter wanted some comfort food she said so I made some today to try & lure her to come visit 😁
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe 💜
Can this (the dough) be made in a bread machine?
Hi Rachel,
Yes, a personal friend of mine has had great success using her bread machine with this recipe. :)
Hi! I made these and they were so tender and so soft I also added in some of the filling into the cream cheese and did that and it was so yummy. Quick question now I want to make them again I don’t have whole milk all I have is heavy cream and half and half should I just wait?
I used half 2% milk and half half and half, and they turned out awesome!
This is a keeper. I was skeptical of adding nutmeg, but I’m so glad I followed the recipe exactly. Thanks for giving so much detail. This recipe is fool proof! My family of amateur food critics LOVED it.
I made this twice now and it turn out so perfectly. Thank you for this recipe. ❤️
Made this on Christmas morning! They were fabulous!! Definitley close to or better than a cinnabon!!
Wow!! I made this recipe today for the first time and it was sooo good! These are the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever had. I will definitely be making these a tradition in my household. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Would I be able to make the filling and frosting a day in advance from when I assemble the rolls?
Hi Chelsea,
Yes, you can make the dough, filling, and frosting up to three days in advance. I usually roll and cut them the night before baking, then cover and keep them in the refrigerator.
Is there a way to make the dough ahead and freeze before thawing and baking? Thank you!
Hi Mary,
Yes, you can make the dough and freeze it 3-6 months. Thaw it at room temperature for 3-5 hours before rolling and baking.
Can you knead these without a stand mixer? If so how long?
Hi Dee,
Yes, you can knead the dough by hand! I would knead it for 10-15 minutes.
If you are reading this, MAKE these! The best cinnamon rolls I have ever made and ate! I make them multiple times during the winter season. My family just loves them! Perfect Christmas morning treat! Follow the directions and you’ll be fine 😊
I love this recipe so much! Everyone who has ever had them raves about how good they are. These truly are better than cinnabon!! Sooo soo good!!!!!
Such a delicious recipe!
These are fantastic! I love having this recipe! I love the ability to change out the frosting on these incredible cinnamon rolls….though I LOVE cream cheese frosting, I’ve got 2 people in my family who are NOT fans…in that case I’ll be substituting a good buttercream frosting or a lovely glaze. Anyway…thanks for this great cinnamon roll recipe which gives me the ability to accommodate my family without annoying the Cinnamon staff! :)
Everyone at my house really loved it! It was so good!
Wow – amazing! They came out perfectly. My family loves Cinnabon and these were even better!
Cinnamon Rolls have been a part of many holiday traditions in my family, and we might have to switch from the store bought to these! 😍
My family LOVEEEEEED these!
Thank you
Best cinnamon rolls recipe ever! I’ve been trying for years to find something like this, have tested dozens. My entire family loves it, so it’s the only one to keep.
Thank you for sharing it!
Just made this recipe and I will definitely be making it again! It was my first time using yeast because it always terrified me but they turned out so so good!
Made these last night and ate two of them right away! They are delicious!! I did add the nutmeg, the hunny and I love nutmeg and it was a nice addition. I used dark brown sugar because thats what I had on hand and I also used water instead of milk because I am lactose intolerant and usually dont keep milk in the house. I dont think it affected the recipe much, if at all. They are big and light and fluffy. I was very happy with how they turned out.
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I made this recipe and followed all instructions in. The cinnamon rolls were very delicious. Thanks a lot.
This is now one of my new show stopping recipes! I made it for a brunch and for my coworkers and they LOVED it just as much as I enjoyed making them. Bravo
Wow!! These came out amazing!!!! I followed the recipe exactly. But right before putting the rolls in the oven, I poured about 1/3 cup of heavy cream over them. I saw that step in another recipe and really wanted to try. They came out so perfectly!!
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These were hands down the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever eaten in my life! 100% perfect recipe!
I added a little bit of orange extract into the frosting and sprinkled cranberries over the top for an added touch and they came out perfectly!!! My favorite Cinnamon roll recipe so far. They didn’t last long with my 3 boys!
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I made these for my coworkers and they turned out great! I made them the night before and put them in the refrigerator immediately after putting the sliced rolls into the pan. I took them out of the fridge to rise on the counter for about an hour before baking them. I was nervous that the dough didn’t rise much in either step – in the morning, the rolls didn’t seem to have expanded at all after sitting out for an hour. However, they expanded perfectly in the oven while baking and ended up just like the picture. Based on personal preference, the modifications that I made were to omit nutmeg and to use 1.5 cups of powdered sugar in the frosting instead of 2 cups so they wouldn’t be quite as sweet. 3 cups of flour seemed sufficient to make a firm dough. I put about two thirds of the frosting on the rolls, and left the remaining in a container next to the rolls so those who like extra frosting could spread more on, and those who didn’t like as much frosting wouldn’t be overloaded. At least five people told me they were the best cinnamon rolls they’d ever eaten. They’re great warmed up – room temperature rolls were best if warmed up in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds. Thanks for the recipe!
Cinnabon’s cinnamon rolls are the best ones I have ever tasted. Being perfectly gooey on the inside and crispy on the outside, they are something I would definitely want to try again and recommend to everyone I know!
This really is better than Cinnabon! I don’t usually write reviews but I just had to for this one because it’s hands down the best cinnamon rolls recipe I’ve tried (I’ve followed 3 different Cinnabon rolls recipe) and this one is the best 🤤
Is there any way at all these will work if adapting to Gluten & Dairy free?
Hi Kim,
I’m sorry to say I haven’t tried that. I’ve done a fair share of GF baking for my daughter, and I can’t imagine a gluten-free flour substitute that would offer enough stretch.
However, maybe someone in our online community has tried it? Any takers??
Substitute GF all purpose flour and make sure vanilla extract is real so itS GF as well. Never have an issue with converting any recipe! If you follow directions of a non GF recipe it should taste almost exactly the same. ( I use bobs red mill 1:1.) I NEVER get great great results from recipes intended to be gLuten free. The 1:1 flours are made to imitate all purpose flour and acts the same even with yeast products but they do not need a second rise but won’t hurt if you do it anyways. My cheese cakes, cakes, muffins, cookies brownies… bread and pizza dough are all the same recipes I’ve used for 20 years prior to finding out I had celiacs and now i use the very same recipes and swap for GF products where needed and they all taste the exact same! Family members and friends do not notice Any difference. I did the same for this recipe!
Thanks Brandie! So good to know!! :)
I experimented with lots of recipes this winter and this one was, hands down, the family’s favorite. We have lots of people visiting this summer and I’d love to greet the visitors with a cinnamon roll for breakfast. Can I make a batch of dough and freeze it? Or roll out and freeze the individual rolls and then put in the fridge the night before to thaw and then second rise the following morning?
(Although I would love to make a full batch everytime someone came to stay with us, I know I’d weigh about 3000lbs by the time summer is over)
Amazing! I love these so much! Easy to follow and great results. I will be making these again. Possibly a second batch tomorrow.
Great recipe, I’ve made at least 4 times already!!! question, in regards to freezing, do the freeze well after they are made or can I freeze the log before I cut or after I cut?
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I made these for Christmas, so delicious! The recipe was very generous, I gave several pans away on Christmas Eve to share the goodness of homemade cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning, I think the paste part of the recipe really makes a difference. They refrigerated well and rose perfectly for the second rise on Christmas morning. I just given myself a new, shiny, red Kitchen Aid mixer and this was the first thing I made. I am thinking of making these for mother’s day weekend as I have a friend visiting.
Hi!
I LOVE these, thank you! Quick question – would it be okay to make them the night before up to the “second rise” step, and keep them in the fridge, to stick in the oven in the morning? Do you think that would work, or somehow mess up the rising process?
Thank you!
Hi Sapna,
Yes, that would work. Happy baking!
These were the first cinnamon rolls I’ve made that turned out perfect the first time. Your suggestion for adding yeast after adding flour to cool the milk was perfect. They are better than Cinnabon. My whole family loved them and I bookmarked your site. I can’t wait to try your other recipes. Thanks!
Hello! This is only the 2nd time I’ve made cinnamon rolls and I used a different recipe last time. This one is better; the tip about making the cinnamon paste is truly helpful. One question: I was not able to “press” the dough into a rectangle, I had to roll it and it took a huge amount of effort. It snaps back once rolled and I have to roll it and roll it and roll it…. I used the exact 4 cups of flour, the only addition was for dusting. I do not have a stand mixer and kneaded by hand for 10 min. Coincidentally, the same thing happened with the last recipe. Should I use less flour ?Wait!! I just had a thought! I am using “bread” flour. Could this be why? I have a feeling this is it. No one else on this forum seemed to have had this issue. Thank you for an awesome recipe and very helpful tips. I will be making this one from now on.
Hi Rebecca,
I’m so glad you like them! :)
Yes, that is exactly what it is. Bread flour has a higher level of proteins and gluten, so it will want to snap back a bit more. Go with all-purpose flour next time.
Seriously best cinnamon rolls ever! An surprisingly not terrible difficult to make.
When doubling or quadrupling this recipe do all ingredients multiply equally (I’m especially worried about the yeast. I know some recipes you don’t use the full amount of yeast when you make a large batch)?
Hi Elizabeth,
Yes, definitely multiply the yeast in this recipe. Happy Baking!
Oh my gosh! These were incredible! I made them for my husband, and his morning coffee friends, and they devoured them. This is definitely going on my go to list! Thanks so much!
These came out perfect! The dough is lovely and tender. Found a keeper!
Truly worth the effort! Best Cinnamon rolls ever!
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Thank you so much. This Recipe is incredible, it’s absolutely delicious. I made them last night and definitely are better than Cinnabon. The only change I made was using bread flour instead of all purpose. Thank you for sharing :)
Awesome recipe! I was recently in an airport and was lured to the Cinnabon counter with hopes of enjoying one of their delectable treats. I did get one but was disappointed by how stale it was. I’ve been craving a better one ever since which is why I ended up here. I skipped the nutmeg and added another half tspn of cinnamon. My yeast was a little old so the dough only rose once and it took a long time so I just left it overnight to rise. However, the end result was still a decadent treat that my whole family enjoyed with very enthusiastic thumbs up! Thank you for sharing!
These are amazing!!!!! Our family devoured them, even my picky eater!
They are outstanding 👍. Tonight was batch #6. They are so yummy. Do not overcrowd them, my first mistake. I also found an easy way to ensure they don’t unravel from the center when baking, which was a problem for the first 2 batches. Brush them with egg being very careful to not smash them. Make sure that the egg goes in the cinnamon. The other addition I do if on hand is add a tablespoon of heavy whipping cream to the frosting. I love them very much, and my changes don’t affect taste at all. I can’t make perfection better.
I am struggling with the frosting, it seems slightly crunchy. I have had no complaints, everyone loves them. I just wish it was creamier than it is, but I am the only one who thinks this. If anyone has a suggestion, hit me up.
I’ve never made cinnamon rolls and they were amazing from the first batch. More than one person told me they were the best they’d ever had. Thanks for the recipe!