Better Than Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls
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.
Why We Love This Copycat Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls 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 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!
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.
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 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.)
- 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.
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!
Serving Suggestions
Of course, you can eat these best cinnamon rolls all on their own and have a lovely breakfast or brunch! But they go well with other things, too. I would serve these with a full spread, especially when feeding a crowd! Try serving with some of these options:
- Breakfast Fruit Pizza
- Oven Baked Bacon
- French Toast & Sausage Skewers
- Easy Egg Bites
- Ultimate Iced Coffee
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-thirds 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.
Just finished the rise step. I followed the recipe exactly and my dough didn’t rise at all. Not sure what went wrong? Hopefully they’ll still turn out okay.
Hi Amy, sorry to hear that! My guess would be that your yeast is old. I replace all my leavening agents (yeast, baking powder, baking soda…) twice a year, even if there is some left. There’s nothing worse than finding out too late that your baked goods aren’t going to rise. :(
In the oven now!! Look so awesome and pretty simple to make!
These look so delicious!! I’ve never attempted homemade cinnamon rolls but I think I am going to have to try these! Would these be okay to make at night and then leave the rolled up mixture in the fridge overnight and bake in the morning?? Thank you for answering!
Hi Faith! Yes, although you may need to bake them just a tad longer if the dough is cold.
Thank you for replying!! I am going to make these tonight and cook them in the morning. SO excited!! :)
So i have been avoiding making cinnamon scrolls thinking they would be a pain to make. I bit the bullet and attempted this recipe! IT was super easy and turned out perfect. the dough mixture seemed a bit sticky when mixed, however, once left to rise, it was just right. Personally, i might reduce the sugar in the glaze next time but the dough texture and taste was just right and that to me is the tricky part. Thank you!
If I don´t have a dough mixer, can I just knead it with my hands? How long do I need to knead it?
Absolutely! It’s just takes a lot more time… In fact, I would double the knead time in this recipe. Good arm workout thought! ;)
Absolutely loved these! I’ve been making the clone of a cinnabon recipe for the past year and have been searching for cinnamon rolls that aren’t dense and bland; closer to what I grew up eating. These are perfect! They turned out light and fluffy the first time and could not have been easier. I used my bread maker and just added the ingredients according to the bread maker instructions, after they rose in the bread maker I continued on as the recipe instructed. Will recommend these to friends and will definitely make again!
Gosh! Sommer, these cinnamon rolls look soo good! I’m drooling looking at pictures. thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!
I thought these sounded so good, but I’m terrified to use yeast (it never works for me). But the hubby was gone for the day and the kids were off at friend’s houses so I decided to try (because I could always throw them away if they didn’t turn out, and no one would know, right?).
BUT, they turned out awesome!! I should’ve cooked them slightly longer because they are a little too gooey in the center, but they rose, they were great. Hubby came home and was like “what are there?!?” and then proceeded to eat one hot directly out of the pan.
Thank you Sommer for building my confidence up with working with yeast.
These are pristine!! And so drool-worthy it’s ridiculous
I’m so impressed by how tidy your rolls are! Hope I can keep mine that tidy too!
you immediately had me with “Better than”. I’ll definitely make these for Sunday morning.
Cinnamon roll perfection!!
I had to bake these any extra 15 minutes, and they were still practically raw in the center. Not sure why? But they taste so good!
How decadent!
I could use a plate of these right now!
oh my gawd- these look so good i can’t handle it…
If you need me, I will be in the corner devouring these beauties!! Seriously, can’t wait to make!
Me too ;)
Drooling for these Sommer!!!
These look OUTSTANDING, Sommer! I’m not much of a baker, but these will get me back into it. Very nice.