How to make Cinnamon Rolls:
1. Proof the yeast. (If using instant yeast, skip this step and add water, yeast and sugar in step 2). In a small bowl, stir together yeast, warm water and ½ teaspoon sugar. Set aside for 5 minutes to “proof”. (If the mixture doesn’t get foamy on top, either the yeast is bad or the water was too hot).
2. Mix Dough: In a stand mixer or large bowl add the yeast mixture, warm milk, sugar, melted butter, salt and egg. Add 2 cups of flour and mix until smooth. Add another cup of flour and mix or knead until combined. Continue kneading the dough for about 5 minutes, adding additional flour as or if needed to reach a soft dough that pulls away from the sides and bottom of the bowl and is not overly sticky, but very soft. Be careful not to add too much flour, or the rolls will be hard and dense, instead of soft.
3. First Rise: Place dough in a well-greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in volume, about 1 ½ hours. Meanwhile, butter a rimmed bakers half sheet (18×13”) or a 9×13” pan. Set aside.
4. Roll out: Dust a work surface lightly with flour, or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Punch down the risen dough and transfer to work surface. Roll it out into about a 20”x18” rectangle.
5. Add butter and cinnamon sugar filling: Spread the 6 tablespoons of softened butter over the top of the dough. Mix sugar and cinnamon together, and then sprinkle over buttered dough, leaving ½ inch border. Sprinkle with walnuts, pecans, or raisins if desired.
6. Roll and cut: Beginning on the 18-inch side, role up dough tightly into a log. Pinch the ends together to seal. Cut into 12 equal portioned pieces (about 1 ½ inches wide). A sharp serrated knife or a piece of floss work well to cut the dough.
7. Second Rise: Arrange rolls on prepared baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap (I like to spray the plastic wrap lightly with cooking spray first, so it doesn’t stick to the dough). Allow the rolls to rise again for about an hour, until doubled in volume.
8. Bake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Once risen, uncover rolls and bake for 18-22 minutes or until no longer doughy in the center.
Icing: While the cinnamon rolls bake, make the icing. Mix butter and powdered sugar together for several minutes. Mix in vanilla, and enough milk to reach a soft frosting consistency. Spread icing over hot cinnamon rolls, right from the oven.
For Cream Cheese Glaze:
To switch the traditional glaze in the recipe for cream cheese glaze, beat 4 ounces softened cream cheese with the butter. Omit the milk, and mix in vanilla and enough powdered sugar to reach a soft frosting consistency, about 1 ½ – 2 cups.
Tip for Quick Rise Cinnamon Rolls:
Make dough up to first rising, placing it in a well greased bowl, turning it once to grease the dough all over. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Preheat oven to 180 degrees F, then turn oven off. Place bowl into the oven, leaving the oven door slightly cracked open. Allow to rise until doubled. Then remove, punch down and roll out.
Make Ahead, Storing and Freezing Instructions:
Once cooled, store leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature, or 1 week in the fridge. Rewarm individually in microwave for about 15 seconds or until soft.
To Make Ahead of time:
Make dough and assemble rolls through step 7 (just before the second rise). Cover really well with plastic wrap or a lid and let rise in the refrigerator for several hours, or overnight. Remove from fridge, keep covered and allow to rise until doubled in volume, about 1 to 1 ½ hours, before baking.
You could also refrigerate the dough after step 2 and allow it to rise for several hours in the fridge, before rolling out, filling and baking.
To Freeze Cinnamon Rolls: Baked rolls can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm in the microwave for a few seconds. To freeze unbaked cinnamon rolls, bake the assembled rolls for only about 12 minutes at 375°F. Allow to cool completely, then cover well and freeze. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then return to oven for 10-15 minutes, until cooked through.
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Recipe
Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast*
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1/2 cup whole milk , warmed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar + ½ teaspoon, divided
- 1/3 cup butter , slightly melted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg , room temperature
- 3 1/2-4 cups bread flour , or all-purpose
Cinnamon Sugar Filling:
- 6 Tablespoons melted butter
- 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup raisins , chopped walnuts, or pecans (optional)
Icing:*
- 4 Tablespoons butter , softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3-6 Tablespoons milk , as needed
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together yeast, warm water and ½ teaspoon sugar. Set aside for 5 minutes to "proof". (If the mixture doesn't get foamy on top, either the yeast is bad or the water was too hot). For instant yeast, add yeast, water and sugar with everything in step 2.
- In a stand mixer or large bowl add the yeast mixture, warm milk, sugar, melted butter, salt and egg. Add 2 cups of flour and mix until smooth. Add another cup of flour and mix or knead until combined. Continue kneading the dough for about 5 minutes, adding additional flour as or if needed to reach a soft dough that pulls away from the sides and bottom of the bowl and is not overly sticky, but very soft. Be careful not to add too much flour.
- Place dough in a well-greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in volume, about 1 ½ hours. Meanwhile, butter a rimmed bakers half sheet (18x13'') or a 9x13'' pan. Set aside.
- Dust a work surface lightly with flour, or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Punch down the risen dough and transfer to work surface. Roll it out into about a 20''x18'' rectangle.
- Spread the 6 tablespoons of softened butter over the top of the dough. Mix sugar and cinnamon together, and then sprinkle over buttered dough, leaving ½ inch border. Sprinkle with walnuts, pecans, or raisins if desired.
- Beginning on the 18-inch side, role up dough tightly into a log. Pinch the ends together to seal. Cut into 12 equal portioned pieces (about 1 ½ inches wide). A sharp serrated knife or a piece of floss work well to cut the dough.
- Arrange rolls on prepared baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap (I like to spray the plastic wrap lightly with cooking spray first, so it doesn't stick to the dough). Allow the rolls to rise again for about an hour, until doubled in volume.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Once risen, uncover rolls and bake for 18-22 minutes or until no longer doughy in the center.
- While the cinnamon rolls bake, make the icing. Mix butter and powdered sugar together for several minutes. Mix in vanilla, and enough milk to reach a soft frosting consistency.
- Spread icing over hot cinnamon rolls, right from the oven.
Notes
- Tip for Quick Rise Cinnamon Rolls: Make dough up to first rising, placing it in a well greased bowl, turning it once to grease the dough all over. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Preheat oven to 180 degrees F, then turn oven off. Place bowl into the oven, leaving the oven door slightly cracked open. Allow to rise until doubled. Then remove, punch down and roll out.
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe October 2010. Updated September 2020 with process photos, video and additional tips.
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Love this recipe, always my go to! They turn out perfect each time.
They were pretty good just thought some apple pieces would be better. Next time will add apple chuncks to mix
Thank you.
First time making cinnamon rolls. So much easier than I expected. I made up to the 2nd rise, put roll in plastic wrap in fridge overnight, then cut, 2nd rise and baked the next morning. My family will never allow me to buy premade canned again
Just made these for the first time and I will always use this recipe. It was hands down the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever had.
Amazing recipe!!!
Made these last weekend for work and they were a huge hit! Everyone loved them so I’ll be making them again this weekend along with the lemon blueberry rolls. Everyone is excited! Someone asked for peach so might give it a go next weekend.
Thank you for all the great recipes and ideas.
Forgot to put this in my original comment.
I also didn’t use whole milk, I used 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream and 1/4 cup lactaid and the dough was still super soft.
Oh my goodness. You guys!
I’ve made cinnamon rolls over 4 times since the pandemic. For some reason, every recipe I used yielded in hard rolls where the filling leaked out. But Lauren, you outdid yourself!!!! This cinnamon rolls are fluffy and soft, and the filling is superb. I can’t recommend this recipe enough.
Pro Tip for the Recipe!
1) follow the recipe EXACTLY as written. Trust me, this leaves the dough so soft. Just follow it exactly
This was my first attempt at making cinnamon rolls & my family absolutely LOVED these!! I appreciated the step by step recipe and will definitely make these again. Thank you!
I love ❤️ your page!!! Such delicious and easy to follow recipes that even my picky bunch can enjoy!! Thank You so much for being an understanding Mom!! Please don’t ever stop 🤗
It was very easy to prepare and it taste so delicious!
There are a favorite at our house. My kids always request these for “special” breakfast. As a kick-off to fall, I made these this past weekend and, once again, they were a hit! I just wanted to say thanks for such a great recipe that the whole family can agree on.
Can I use rapid rise yeast? And if so how do I do it? With all this COVID stuff the rapid rise was the only thing I could find.
Yes, just skip the first step and add the water and yeast with everything else.
Every time I make these they turn out perfect, just like the title says! Love them & your site!
I’ve made this recipe many times now and it always comes through! I usually add less flour then it asks for and put the dough in the slightly warm oven for faster proofing when i’m short on time. It also holds overnight very well, I just have to let them get to room temperature for about an hour.
Excellent recipe, and fairly simple to make!
Do you use the rapid rise yeast in this recipe? Or just the regular yeast?
Regular active-dry yeast.
Has anyone tried making the night before and baking the next day?
I made them and they were amazing! We loved them!
I laready made your recipe the orange cinnamon roll , its so wonderful i make it , thank you so much for this kind of recipe , and you explain it so clearly ,
I’m so glad you liked the orange rolls! These are great too.
If I made these the night before could I refrigerate them over night and then bake?
Hi Devon, I’ve never tried it so I can’t say for sure, but I think it would work…
I prepared the rolls the night before, didn’t let them do the second rise but just covered the pan and put them in the fridge right away. Next morning I took them out and let them sit out for 15-20 minutes then put them in the oven. They turned out great!