Better Than Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls: The Best Cinnamon Rolls you’ll ever taste! Light fluffy layers of sweet roll, packed with cinnamon filling, then slathered with cream cheese frosting.

Overhead shot of cinnamon rolls in a pan with icing on top.

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.

Homemade cinnabon cinnamon roll on a plate with icing on top.

“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 a “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!

Cinnamon roll on a plate with the dough coming untwisted.

Our Best Cinnamon Roll Recipe

First things first, you need ingredients for these homemade cinnamon rolls. 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.
Overhead shot of two plates with a cinnamon rolls on each plate.

Cinnamon Roll Filling

  • Cinnamon – The classic flavoring of 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 luxurious swirls inside!
Cinnamon roll dough in a baking dish lined with parchment paper.

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.
Dough rising in a large mixing bowl.

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.)
Rolls of cinnamon bun dough with cinnamon swirl in the middle.
  • Place the bread hook on the mixer and turn it 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.
Cinnamon rolls sliced and ready to bake.

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.
Cinnamon rolls baked and lined up in the baking dish.
  • 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.
Baked cinnamon rolls with icing on top in the baking dish.

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!

Overhead shot of cinnabon cinnamon roll on a plate.

See The Printable Recipe Card Below For How To Make Better Than Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls. 

Cinnamon buns on plates.

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-thirds all-purpose flour and one-third whole wheat flour for fluffy rolls.

Hand pulling apart a cinnamon roll on a plate.

More Cinnamon Roll Recipes!

"Better than Cinnabon" Cinnamon Rolls Recipe | ASpicyPerspective.com
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Better Than Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Better Than Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls: light fluffy layers of sweet roll, packed with cinnamon filling, then slathered with creamy glaze.
Servings: 12 rolls

Ingredients

For the Dough:

For the Cinnamon Roll Filling:

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

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

To prep ahead, make the dough the day before serving. Follow the instructions through cutting the rolls and placing them in the dish. Then cover the baking dish with plastic and refrigerate until morning. Set them out on the counter while the oven warms. Bake for approximately 30 minutes and glaze!

Nutrition

Serving: 1roll, Calories: 581kcal, Carbohydrates: 79g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 16g, Cholesterol: 95mg, Sodium: 464mg, Potassium: 161mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 44g, Vitamin A: 840IU, Calcium: 87mg, Iron: 2.4mg
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Sommer Collier
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