Posted Nov 18, 2018, Updated Sep 13, 2024 Whenever I need to make a special breakfast, I always turn to this homemade cinnamon roll recipe. Christmas morning, birthdays, you name it, my family requests that we begin our celebrations with these gooey cinnamon rolls. This particular cinnamon roll recipe is a step above the rest. With a few special ingredients and an easy-to-follow method, you can make the best cinnamon rolls you’ve ever eaten, in the comfort of your own home. I can honestly say they are even better than Cinnabon cinnamon rolls, because nothing beats fresh rolls straight from the oven! They are also easy to prepare a day in advance and let them rise overnight in the refrigerator, or they can be prepared a few weeks in advance and frozen. And we can’t forget one of the best parts, these gooey cinnamon rolls are topped with the best cream cheese frosting ever! Once you make this cinnamon roll recipe it is sure to become your favorite for years to come! So let’s get baking.
Best Cinnamon Roll Recipe: Ingredients and Substitutions
This recipe took me years to perfect, and as such I do not recommend making any substitutions. These homemade cinnamon rolls contain only a few, common ingredients that most of us always have on hand! Flour, sugar, butter, eggs, salt, cinnamon, etc. What makes this cinnamon roll recipe stand out among the rest is that there is both vanilla extract and cinnamon in the cinnamon roll dough. These two additions take these cinnamon rolls from good, the best you’ve ever had.
Milk. I recommend using whole milk, but 2% milk works well too. I do not recommend going lower than 2% because the fat content really matters to making rich, moist, and dense cinnamon rolls. All-purpose flour. bread flour may be used in place of all-purpose flour for a little bit lighter texture. I have not tried using any healthier substitutions like whole wheat flour, so I cannot speak to the success in the outcome if you try it. Butter. both salted and unsalted butter work well. Brown sugar. I recommend using light brown sugar in this recipe, however if you love the molasses-y taste of dark brown sugar you can use that in place of some or all of the light brown sugar. Ground Cinnamon. choose a high-quality cinnamon for the best result0. Cream cheese. Full fat or light cream cheese both work well in this recipe. Obviously, the higher the fat content, the richer the taste. Vanilla Extract. I implore you to only ever use pure vanilla extract in your baking! No imitation extracts need apply here!
How to Make cinnamon rolls
Let’s walk through how to make cinnamon rolls, and don’t forget to watch the video. Begin by making the dough.
Make the Dough
Start by proofing the yeast until it is foamy. Then add the rest of the wet ingredients stir until they are just combined. Combine the dry ingredients then add them to the wet ingredients, then stir to combine. You can do this two ways:
1: Use a standing mixer:
I recommend using a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook to make the dough for these best cinnamon rolls. Add a about 1/3 of the dry ingredients at a time, mixing after each addition, to avoid making a mess!
2. Mix the dough by hand:
Mixing the dough by hand is also very easy to do. The only difference will be that mixing the dough requires more kneading by hand than using the standing mixer.
Knead the Dough
Once a firm but slightly tacky dough ball has formed in the standing mixer (as pictured below), turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead by hand, adding more flour if necessary. Knead the dough for 2-5 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic, but still a little sticky.
First Rise
Once the dough is smooth and elastic, place it in a lightly greased bowl to rise. I recommend covering it with a warm, damp towel and putting the bowl in a warm place to rise (for about 1 hour).
Speed up Rising:
To help the dough rise faster, boil some water and put it in a bowl or measuring dish next to the bread that’s rising. Cover the bread and the vessel containing the boiling water with a damp towel. This creates a warm, moist environment that yeast loves. I also recommend putting the dough/boiling water/damp cloth apparatus in your oven with the lights turned on. This creates a warm moist environment, which speeds up the rising process.
Make the Cinnamon Sugar Filling
While the homemade cinnamon roll dough is rising, make the cinnamon sugar filling. This is very easy to do, however there are two different methods :
- Combine all ingredients and then spread onto the dough. For this method, add softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon to a medium-sized bowl and combine with a fork until the mixture in homogenous. Then spread this mixture on the dough with your hands and a greased spatula.
- Combine dry ingredients, but melt butter and brush it on the dough. For this method, combine the cinnamon and sugar in a bowl and mix well. Then, melt the butter and use a pastry brush to brush it on the rolled out dough. Next, sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the melted butter and roll it out. The second method is easier (in my opinion), because spreading the butter/brown sugar/cinnamon mixture is a little bit difficult. However the first method (mixing all the ingredients together) is my preferred method. I prefer this method because the filling doesn’t leak to the bottom of the pan (and out of the cinnamon rolls) as much it does with method #2. There is virtually no filling leakage when all the ingredients are combined and spread onto the dough, but there is some leakage with the melted butter method.
Assemble the Cinnamon Rolls
After the dough has risen, press it down to release the air from it and form it into a rectangle. This step is important because it makes it easier to roll the dough into the desired shape (which is a large rectangle).
Roll out the Dough
Next, roll the dough into a rectangle that is 24×12” and about 1/4″ thick. This dough is so easy to work with that this step should be very easy. If you find the dough is sticking to the rolling surface, add a light dusting of flour. I use this marble rolling pin in every recipe that requires rolling and I absolutely love it. The weight is perfect to get a nice even roll, especially for yeasted dough.
Add the Filling
Once the dough has been rolled out into the desired shape and size, add the cinnamon sugar filling. As I mentioned above, spreading the filling can be a little tricky, but here are a few tips to make it easier:
Start by sprinkling most (but not all) of the filling evenly over the dough. It will look like there isn’t enough, but do not worry there definitely is. Take a greased spatula and spread the filling evenly over the dough. While this cinnamon roll dough is hearty, you still need to be careful not to tear it while you are spreading the filling. Add the rest of the filling where needed, and spread until it’s evenly distributed.
When the filling is evenly spread, it will look like the photo below. Be sure to leave a 1/4″ border around the edges without filling so that it doesn’t leak during baking.
Roll Lengthwise
It is very important to get a tight roll on the dough. I recommend pulling the dough towards you and gently pressing down as you roll it. Once you have finished tightly rolling the best cinnamon roll dough, it should look like the photo below. Be sure to pinch together the dough where the end meets the roll, to prevent the filling from leaking.
Cut Into 12 Rolls
Now it’s time to cut these homemade cinnamon rolls into individual pieces. I recommend using a very sharp knife or even a string to cut them, to avoid smushing the rolls and ruining the swirl.
Measure Before Cutting
I highly recommend that you do not eyeball the cutting process. Instead, measure the length of the dough roll (which should be 24″ long) and divide it by 12 to determine how long each cinnamon roll should be. Then, use your knife to make marks at the places you will cut (in the case of a 24″ roll that would be every 2 inches). After you have marked out all of your cuts, then use either a knife or string to cut the rolls.
Second Rise
Arrange the cinnamon rolls into four rows of three in a 9×13″ baking dish. They will rise and touch each other, but this is a good thing, because it makes them extra gooey. I recommend lining the baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the cinnabon cinnamon rolls from sticking to the pan. Once the homemade cinnamon rolls are arranged in the baking sheet, cover them with a warm damp towel and let them rise until doubled in size. Be very careful not to let the towel touch the tops of the cinnamon rolls. During this rise, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F so the oven is ready to go once the dough has risen (which takes between 30 and 60 minutes). After they have risen, they should look like the photo below.
Bake
After the rolls have doubled in size, it’s time to put them in that oven and bake. Something important to note is that this cinnamon rolls recipe will rise more in the oven. So do not be surprised if you see the rolls start to puff up even more as they bake. Bake them for 20-25 minutes. You will know the rolls are done when:
Make the Cream Cheese Icing
In my opinion, there is no other way to top a cinnamon roll than with a delicious, homemade cream cheese frosting. I recommend making the frosting while the cinnamon rolls are baking. Maple glaze is also delicious! Begin by beating together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. You want to ensure there are no lumps. Then add the vanilla and beat until combined. Next, carefully add the powdered sugar. I recommend adding half at a time and beating the frosting after each addition. Finally, beat the cream cheese icing until silky smooth. Make sure to fully incorporate the powdered sugar so there are no lumps! Again, you can either use a standing mixer or a hand mixer! Keep the cream cheese frosting at room temperature. The frosting incorporates into this cinnamon rolls recipe the best when it is at room temperature. If you are making the rolls right away, do not refrigerate the frosting. When making in advance: if you are making the recipe the night before to bake in the morning, remove the cream cheese frosting from the refrigerator and place it on the counter to come to room temperature as the cinnamon rolls rise and bake.
Frost the Baked Cinnamon Rolls
Frost the cinnamon rolls as soon as you remove them from the oven. I cannot stress this enough! Adding the cream cheese frosting to the warm cinnamon rolls causes the icing to melt into the cracks of the rolls, is one of the factors that makes them gooey – just like Cinnabon.
Serve
Finally, it is time to dig in and enjoy these homemade cinnamon rolls! I recommend letting them cool for 10 or so minutes before serving. But eating them warm is definitely the best way to enjoy them. Serve them alongside your favorite breakfast recipes!
To Prepare in Advance
I receive many questions about making these in advance. There are many ways to do this, here are my suggestions below. Always tightly cover the rolls so no air can get to the dough and dry it out.
Refrigerate dough after 1st rise before making rolls.
Refrigerate assembled cinnamon rolls to bake the next day (preferred)
Freeze assembled cinnamon rolls to bake at a later date.
I want to take a moment and answer many of the questions about this cinnamon roll recipe that I’ve been asked over the years. If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
