Better Than Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Nov 17, 2025 
Better Than Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls: The Best Cinnamon Rolls you’ll ever taste! Light, fluffy layers of a 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!
Cream Cheese Frosting for Cinnamon Rolls
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:
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
Video
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.
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.