for as long as i can remember, my husband’s family has made cinnamon rolls. there’s something sweet about watching his whole family make their way to the kitchen once the smell of these cinnamon rolls waft its way around the house. so since moving away, i’ve attempted to make them a few times and am always pleasantly surprised at just how easy they are to make! i used to be afraid of yeast because i’d heard it was so finicky, but as long as your water is not too hot (nor too cold) then it seems to work out just fine! i just a simple candy thermometer (aff link) to get this part right.
a few tips before you get started:
* you can use traditional dry yeast or instant yeast (aff links) – the only different is that the instant yeast, well, it rises a lot faster! so in the recipe when it tells you to knead the dough and then cover and let it rest for 20 minutes, the instant yeast may only need 10 minutes – you just want it to double in size, and the instant yeast gets to that point much faster than traditional yeast.
*as with any dry mix that will be beat using an electric mixer don’t pour it all in at once! both from pouring and mixing you’ll get flour everywhere if you do. rather pour in a little bit at a time and start the mixer on a low speed to work in the dry ingredients. once all of it is worked in you can turn it up. on that note, as can be seen in the picture i’veĀ had my kitchen aid and it’s attachments (aff link) for over 10 years and it’s still going strong. i love it and would recommend one to anyone! Ā though i’ve heard boschĀ mixers (aff link) are super nice as well! whether you use an electric one or a hand beater, pouring in your dry ingredients a little at the time will also reduce wear on the mixer’s motor!
* when adding flour to finish making your dough, just remember that the amount may change each time you make it depending on humidity, etc. so just add enough to make a soft dough. even if it seems a little bit sticky still (see next tip)…
* when your dough is finished and you’re ready to knead it, remember that the flour you place on your counter top will be absorbed into the dough as you’re kneading it, so even if it’s sticky to begin with, just keep kneading in that flour until the dough is smooth and elastic and is no longer sticky when you hold it.
* when rolling your dough, the thinner you roll it will dictate how many “swirls” you get in your roll. we like thinner dough with lots of filling so we tend to roll it thin, slather on the butter and cinnamon-brown sugar mixture and roll it as tight as we can!
* when cooking your cinnamon rolls, keep an eye on them. if they start to brown too quickly, simply place a sheet of tin foil loosely over top. they’ll still continue to cook but won’t get the direct heat from your oven that causes them to turn dark.
enjoy making these easy cinnamon rolls! & see just how fast your family flocks to the kitchen once these cinnamon rolls hit the oven!
:: freezer/make ahead instructions and faq ::
ok, so there have been a few questions about freezing and/or making these delicious cinnamon rolls ahead of time. even though they don’t take a huge amount of time to make, nobody wants to wake up at 5am on christmas morning to make them, amiright? i didn’t have answers to all of them, so the other week i went ahead and tried a few different things in my “test kitchen” of sorts, just so i could answer a few of those questions definitively. and so i could have an excuse to eat cinnamon rolls!
question no. 1 :: can i make overnight cinnamon rolls without freezing them?
answer :: yes!!! this questionĀ is by far the most common, and i’m looking at you mother’s day, thanksgiving, and christmas. in the hustle and bustle of the holidays, or even on weekends, you want to know if you can make these the night before. can you roll them, cut them, put them in the fridge overnight, and then just slide them in the oven the next morning? in the past i’ve always baked them right away rather than letting them sit overnight. so in my testing session i let them sit overnight (about 7-9 hours) in the fridge already rolled, cut into 1″-ish rolls, in a buttered baking dish. in the morning i baked them and they were fabulous!!
pro tips ::Ā the one thing that is an absolute must is to let the rolls come to room temperature before putting them in the oven. it might be useful to note that they did not rise while coming to room temperature, but since they weren’t cold anymore, once they hit the heat of that preheated oven they had no trouble getting nice and risen and fluffy! also, i got the rolls into the fridge the night before immediately after rolling, cutting, and putting them in the baking dish. this didn’t give them a chance to rise for a second time before chilling them. you also want to cover them with a lid or aluminum foil so that they don’t get tainted by any of the other foods in your fridge (onions? leftovers?)Ā that might ruin the heavenly cinnamon roll flavor and smell!
questionĀ no. 2Ā ::Ā what about the freezer? can i freeze them for future use?
answer ::Ā yes! but for how long you should keep them in the freezer, i don’t know. Ā iĀ do know that some foods start to lose their flavor, quality, etc once they’ve reached their “optimal” time in the freezer. i don’t know what that optimal time is for cinnamon rolls. if you know the answer to this, please post in the comments!Ā iĀ think it would be safe to say that a couple of months would probably be good. but in all seriousness, who could let cinnamon rolls sit in their freezer for more than aĀ few days??!!
when i froze mine i only froze them for 24 hours. so they were frozen, just not for an extended period. after letting them get to room temperature (it took about 1-2 hours) i threw them in the oven in the same buttered/greased pan i froze them in (i also put aluminum foil over these), and voila! deliciousness was served.
proĀ tip ::Ā if you want to serve them in a nice glass baking dish instead of an aluminum pan, i recently discovered these oxo freezer-to-oven baking dishesĀ (aff link) and think they are fabulous! though you will have to still allow the cinnamon rolls themselves to come to room temperature before baking, the pan is great for this and any other dish you want to freeze and then put straight into a preheated oven. plus, it has a lid, so you can skip the aluminum foil and make sure your cinnamon rolls are protected in the freezer with the hard lid.
questionĀ no. 3Ā ::Ā how big is your dough after rolling out?
answer ::Ā this really depends on if you do a single batch, a double batch, or on how thin you like to roll it out. the thinner you roll it, the more rolls, or layers, you get in your cinnamon roll. i do a fairly thin layer and it ends up being approximately 24″-27″ wide by 18″ high. it looked almost like a big oval – it doesn’t have to be perfectly squared off at the corners. the uneven shape gives your hungry hubby some delicious raw cinnamon rolls from the end of your roll when cutting them! š
how many cinnamon rolls does this make? well, based off the measurements i gave you above, and rolling from right to left so i was left with about an 18″ rolled log, it made 14 cinnamon rolls. the two little end pieces were quickly devoured by hovering children. again, it just depends on how you roll out your dough, but the average is probably 12-15 cinnamon rolls per batch.
questionĀ no. 4 ::Ā instant yeast vs. traditional yeast.
answer ::Ā the recipe calls for traditional yeast and it’s what i’ve always used for these rolls. but i have made regular bread lots of times and have used instant yeast for that on occasion, and you need to only let it rise for about 20-30 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size. no matter what yeast you use, your cinnamon rolls will turn out great! so if you’re in a hurry, or only have the instant yeast, feel free to use the instant yeast without fear of it not turning out!
questionĀ no. 5 ::Ā do i have to make these by hand? can i use a stand mixer?
answer ::Ā you can do either way! my grandma-in-law always makes hers by hand. i always use a stand mixer! just remember to take it out before you’ve incorporated all the flour, because you’ll want to knead it a few times and the flour on the countertop will absorb some of the flour you’ve sprinkled on your surface.
i’ve used both a kitchen aid stand mixer and a BoschĀ stand mixerĀ (aff links) for making this dough. the kitchen aid worked well for a while, but after using a bosch, i would definitely recommend a bosch. it has twice as much power than the kitchen aid and is fabulous for making dough! we make pizza dough, cookie dough (in large quantities), bread dough, etc with it all the time and it is always up to the challenge!
[follow the step-by-step pictures, start from the top & go left to right on the first image in this post]
Planning on trying this recipe? Please consider leaving an honest review of how your cinnamon rolls turned out. Even better, leave a comment as well and let us know how it went so future readers can continue to get awesomely delicious cinnamon rolls. You can leave a review and comment at the very bottom of this page after all the previous comments!
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easy homemade cinnamon rolls
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 mins
- Yield: 12 1x
Ingredients
- for the dough:
- 4–5 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 packages dry yeast (4.5 teaspoons)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- for the filling:
- melted butter for spreading
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- for the icing:
- 1.5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1/8 teaspoon vanilla
- 2–3 Teaspoons hot water
Instructions
- to make the dough:
- mix together 1 3/4 cups flour, yeast, and salt. set aside.
- in a small saucepan, heat the milk, water, butter, and sugar over med-low heat until it reaches 120-130F, stirring constantly. pour into the dry mixture and beat until smooth.
- add egg and 1/2 cup flour and beat for another 2 minutes.
- gradually add enough flour to make a soft dough (probably cup or two).
- knead dough. cover and rest for 20 minutes.
- once dough has risen, roll out into a rectangle, approx 1/4″ thick. spread melted butter over top, and sprinkle filling
overtop , leaving a 1/2″ border all the way around. - to make the filling:
- combine brown sugar and cinnamon. (double amounts, if necessary, to cover the area.)
- roll the dough as for a jelly roll, keeping it as tight as possible. when you get to the end, pinch the dough along the top and cut into 12 rounds, using a knife or bench scraper. place rolls on a greased pan and bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. let cool slightly, then top with glaze.
- to make glaze:
- combine powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and hot water and stir until you reach a smooth consistency.
- Prep Time: 45 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
These look so good.
I once tried a recipe that was supposed to be like Cinnabon- it was a lot of work, and they didn’t turn out! (I haven’t had the heart to try again since). I will have to pin this one to try next time!
I had to have a quick after dinner sweet and had no yeast… Decided to do this recipe using crescent rolls for the dough. Outstanding! I’m sure they will be better once I get some yeast and do the entire recipe as homemade but for now this “semi-homemade” works for this happy family! Thanks
FYI Add chopped pecans for outstanding sticky buns š
That’s awesome, Suzanne! The chopped pecans sound good as well š
Can I freeze the roll, then thaw when ready to use, then cut and bake?
Thank you!
i’ve never tried it before, but i’m thinking i probably should! i would assume that they would turn out – i don’t see any reason why they wouldn’t!
How long do you knead it in a stand mixer?
I knead the dough in a stand mixer for about 5 minutes. Hope that helps!
You canāt give it only four stars if you used crescent rolls instead. That is not the recipe.
I made these today and they were amazing. I’m already thinking of variations in flavor. Great starter recipe. Thanks for posting.
Thanks, Jada! Glad you like them!
Is it good or soggy
They always turn out in our house!
This recipe is a KEEPER in my house.. it is almost impostor mess up this recipe if you follow it step by step.. I like to change a few things here and there but I followed this recipe to the T The first time I made it and my cinnamon rolls didn’t stand a chance.. I truly don’t think you would be disappointed š
Glad you liked it, Patricia!
Oam planning on baking some cinnamon roll soon, I’m really happy to find your recipe thanks a lot,hopefully they will turn out great as it’s my first time
Hope you like them! We just made some last week and they were delicious! š
Wow – these look professional! And oh oh oh soooo good!
I LOVE cinnamon rolls and these look delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks Kate! Can’t wait to try them!!
The problem with the recipe is the yeast. You have to mix the yeast with the sugar milk combination before you add it to the flour. Yeast needs to be activated before it will actually make the rolls rise. Also, I used more cinnamon in the brown sugar mixture. Other than that, its awesome!!
Glad you it worked for you Katie. I’ve always done it just the way I detailed in the post, as has my family and my husband’s family for a couple generations, and it has always been a favorite. Sounds like there is more than one way to make them work. š
I am having the same problem, I didn’t mix the yeast with sugarmilk etc and they are not rising properly….
Sorry about that Stefanie I’ve never had any problems with them rising. Hope it works better next time!
What can i use instead of yeast?
I wouldn’t know. Yeast is what makes it rise. There may be another recipe out there somewhere that doesn’t use yeast??
I wait more than 20 min. About 1 hour and it work very well I think the problem is the type of yeast
Thanks for sharing this recipe! Have tried two others and this recipe has worked out the best of all. The consistency of the rolls is perfect, bread like but somewhat flaky. The others would come out like hard dinner rolls. I found that I had to double the icing for the rolls, we like a little extra. Added raisins to half the batch and came out awesome! Adding pecans next time! Thanks again!
Sylvianna! I’m so happy they turned out great for you! I’ll try the raisins/pecans next time š Great suggestion!
I love cinnamon rolls! I have made this ones yesterday and there are no more!!! Excelent Post!
Hi, you have a great blog. Happy to chance upon your blog via pinterest. Have a nice day š
Thanks! Glad you liked it. Hope you visit again. We’re on FB too if you’d like to follow us there. š
Literally I have these rising right now… I’m watching carefully because I’m in Jamaica and wonder if temperature will do anything…fingers crossed
Did they work!?
How do these turn out made the day before? And how would I do it?
Hi Gail,
Ours are usually gone before the next day, but every now and again there are a couple leftover. We just store them in an airtight container and re-heat in the microwave. Re-heating them helps to soften them up again and they’re still good, but eating the same day they were made is the best.
I made these this evening! I was worried about not letting the yeast “activate,” but I had absolutely NO problems and they turned out de-lish!! Thanks!
Glad you liked them and they turned out! They really are super popular in our family and for everyone who has ever tried them. Enjoy!!
R u using up instant yeast or regular
I’ve used both! Instant yeast just moves the process along a lot faster, but traditional dry yeast works great, too!
Just made these and it was so much fun!
Hope they turned out!
i found your recipe on pintrerest an it is amazing everyone of my friends and famliy members love it thank you for posting it š
Yay! Thanks for letting me know, Shayna! You just made my day š
What do you use for the icing on top? These look delicious, and we are wanting to try them out, but I’m unsure of what to coat them with!
Hi Ariel! The glaze/icing is in the recipe – it’s the last step and all it uses is sugar, butter, vanilla & hot water! It’s really easy to put together – hope you like it!
found on Pinterest and planning to try tomorrow since we’re home from school – how would I store them till my husband comes home? fridge/freezer?
Hi Blaire! So excited for you to try this recipe – we love it around here! I just keep them in a plastic container at room temp on the counter. Though if you decided to refrigerate them, you could certainly heat them up again in the microwave to get them nice and soft and warm again š Great question – thanks for asking! Hope you enjoy your cinnamon rolls!
I made these the other day and they were a HUGE hit at work! It was my first time making them and, though it was a little more time-consuming than I thought it would be, it was surprisingly easy.
Glad others are getting to enjoy these! We LOVE them.
These are in the oven as we speak. Unfortunately, it’s going to have to be cinnamon flat-bread instead of cinnamon rolls. I realized a little too late that I didn’t put enough flour in (only an extra cup after all the other ingredients were added) and so it stuck to the parchment paper and I was unable to roll it. Oh well, I’m sure it’ll taste just great!
oh no! i’m sure it still tasted good – can’t go wrong with cinnamon š
Hi! I am making this recipe for my birthday in a couple of weeks. My husband said that I can pick anything I want to eat for breakfast and then boss him around in the kitchen to make it. This looked liked a recipe that I can boss him around to follow! I can’t wait to try these. We love Cinnamon rolls. I might add a Cream Cheese glaze onto it instead of the one that you posted. I will let you know how they turn out!! Thank you for posting this amazing looking recipe!
yay! i’m excited for you to try them! i love cream cheese frosting – and they taste so great on these! happy birthday š
I will let you know how they turned out once ready š
Making these tonight for morning will they be ok to put dough in fridge over night then bake in the morning?? Any one done that was very quick and easy very surprised. Hope they taste good!
i’ve never made them the night before! let me know how it went!
Tried these today. LOVED them. I actually used cupcake tins to bake them in and they turned out amazing!! I’m surprised there are still some in the pan.
Awesome. They really are a HUGE favorite in our home and everyone raves about them when we share with others. Glad you had the same experience. š
I tried this recipe from pinterest–wow thank you!! I’m a beginner and it was very easy for me to follow
though I took a lot longer than probably necessary but they still turned out amazing!!!
I’m an old hat at making cinnamon rolls, but this recipe is a KEEPER!!! So very easy. I was worried about adding the hot milk mixture to the yeast in case it was too hot and killed the yeast, but I added it slowly and they rose fine. Another recipe I have has you temper the beaten egg in with the milk mixture to cool it a little before adding to the yeast. These were fantastic!!! I’ll never use another recipe again. Thanks!
So glad to hear it. As I’ve said with others this is seriously the best recipe I’ve ever come across as well!!
hi.. do we use 2 packet also if using instant yeast?
yes, it’s the same amount whether you use traditional yeast or instant yeast. great question!
If I prepare these in the morning but bake later in the evening will they still work?? Thanks and they look absolutely delish!
Good question. I’ve never done it before, but you may be able to keep them in the fridge during the day and they should still rise (even though it will be very slowly in a cold fridge), and then bake them in the oven when you’re ready. I might have to try this out (like I said, I haven’t done it this way before), but I would think they’d be just fine! If you do try it out, let me know how it went! Thanks, Ruby.
Tried these cinnamon rolls and they were amazing!!!! Never made cinnamon rolls before, but I’m so glad I tried this recipe. I ran out of milk while making these but I had some cinabon coffee creamer so I used 1/2 c. Milk and 1/4c. Coffee creamer and these were amazing!!!
Hi, this looks delicious! can i make the dough and refrigerate it over night?
Thanks!
Hi Dasi! Someone else asked a similar question a few weeks ago, and though I’ve never tried it before, I think if you make them and then keep them in the fridge they should still rise (albeit very slowly), and then just bake as usual in the morning when you’re ready. I haven’t tried it yet, but I get the appeal of making them ahead of time and still wanting freshly-baked cinnamon rolls! I have to try it! š Let me know how it goes if you do try it this way!
I was wondering the same thing. Want to make them for my daughter’s birthday, but need to prep the night before…hoping it works!
Hi Holly,
I wish I could say that I’ve tried them overnight at this point but I have not. I know if you use Ctrl + F or Cmd + F and search “overnight” on this page there are a few others that have tried these in overnight fashion. The ones that have commented seem to have had success in doing so. Sorry, I can’t help more! When I’m out of newborn stage it’s on my list to try these overnight and update accordingly! Best of luck and let us know how it goes!
Made these yesterday and theyvwere all gone. My family theyvwere the best one i have ever made. Thank you so much for sharing. So im gonna make some more today. Thank you.
That’s great, Lina! Thanks for sharing! Glad your family loves them – mine does too! š
It’s a first time I’m making cinnamon rolls. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, the dough turned out amazing, and sooooo delicious! I love it, and it didn’t take me forever to make it, which is another good thing about it. Again, great recipe, thanks for sharing!
P.S. I must say I activated the yeast by putting it into small amount of warm water and a tsp of sugar… Got all foamy in no time.
Awesome! I’m so glad you like them!
You don’t have to let these raise before baking them? I am anxious to try them–they are beautiful and sound delicious!!
You do have to let it rise! The steps are in the recipe card at the bottom. Instant yeast will help them rise faster.
I am by far from a baker, didn’t get that gene sadly. My hubby loves cinnamon rolls so trying these. Used rapid yeast hopefully that doesnt make a difference. Wish me luck
Hi Jessy Lynn! I’m so glad you’re trying them – I hope your husband loves them! I sometimes use quick-rise yeast, and they turn out just the same…only faster! š Good luck!
Is there a way to freeze these or refrigerate to have ready to go for the next morning?
Hi Samantha,
A few others have asked and unfortunately I’ve never tried to do them overnight. While I assume it can be done I simply haven’t done it yet. I guess I’ll put that on my list! Let us all know how they turned out if you ended up trying!
Katie
I want to get these prepped Xmas eve to bake Xmas day. Any tips?
Hi Erin! A few people have asked this question, and there are a few suggestions in the comments. I’ve never made them ahead myself, so this isn’t a tried-and-true method tested by me, but I think if you make them up until the second rise and then keep them in the fridge overnight they should still rise again (albeit very slowly), and then just bake as usual in the morning when youāre ready. Like I said, I havenāt tried it yet, but I’ll have to do it soon because it would be a huge time-saver for busy holidays š
I found your post on Pinterest this am. I made them this am as well. They turned out awesome! I wrote about them here http://just-asmalltown-girl.blogspot.com/2015/01/baking-with-memories-and-treasured.html Thanks for sharing. Happy New Year!
Glad you liked them Jen!!
We made these recently and they were absolutely perfect! It was my first time making cinnamon rolls and I am relatively inexperienced with yeast in general but they were wonderful and easy. Thanks for a great recipe!
Glad they worked for you Erin!
This was my first attempt at cinnamon rolls. They turned out perfect and tasted so good. From now on…no more cinnamon rolls from a can!
Awesome! Glad to hear it Kathy. š
Tried and loved your recipe today. LOVED IT! I didn’t need to proof the yeast before mixing. This process was used in the old days because they first had to prove the yeast was yeast thusly saving the other ingredients. Nowadays we can buy yeast without a doubt that it is indeed yeast. If you are having issues getting your dough to rise remember that any temp over 130 will kill the yeast. Good luck fellow bakers!
Wohoo! I’m so glad you like it!
Hi there,
Made those this afternoon but they didn’t rise….I knew I was in “trouble” when I left the dough resting for one hour and I cam back to the sa,e size….I did not use a candy thermometer as I don’t have it and I live in a place that is hard to get this. What would be thee alternative in this case to make sure I not heat the liquid ingredients too much and kill the yeast?I want to try again! Thank you
Hi Janaina! Having the water TOO hot can kill the yeast, so you want to make sure that it is just *warm*. If it’s not totally up to temp then that’s okay, it may just take little longer to rise, but at least it won’t deactivate it š You might also want to test a bit of the yeast in some warm water with a little bit of sugar and let it sit for a few minutes to make sure the yeast is active – if it starts to get bubbly and frothy then it’s working! If not, you may have to get some new yeast. Hope that helps, and good luck!!
if I use regular yeast are you sure I can mix it with the dry ingredients? I thought that I should put it to rise with the water and a spoon of sugar…..
This recipe is simply amazing. I Found it off Pinterest and decided to try it. It was Super easy and VERY DELICIOUS!!! The way it smells in the house is just heavenly. My only thing I did different was mix my yeast in a different cup rather than in the recipe, only because its just a habit for me and instead of using the icing in the recipe, I used Betty Crocker’s Whipped Cream Cheese frosting. Thank you so much for putting this recipe up. This is has definitely become a favorite in my house. I WILL NEVER BUY THIS ON THE STREET AGAIN! Its even delicious the next day. Just warm it up a little in the microwave and is great with a cup of tea or milk. Its not too sweet. It’s so great š Im so in love. THANK YOU AGAIN!!
wow, what a nice comment to read – thank you, tenisha!! š i’m so happy you liked them!!
i am making these right now but subbed the milk with rice milk due to a food allergy in our home.
yum! i hope you like them!
I just made these this morning. PERFECTION!!! I made 6 for us in one pan and 6 in another pan to give away. Sooooooo stinkin good!! This recipe is a keeper. Many thanks!!
That’s great Belinda! Glad you liked them – and I hope the people you gave them to loved them too! š
Have you made these with a bosch? How long do you need the dough? I’m a beginner. Excited to try these.
I haven’t tried these with a Bosch, but I know a lot of people like using it and I’ve heard it’s great for dough, so I’d give it a try š
just found this recipe on Pinterest today. Made them for dinner tonight but substitute Nutella & cinnamon for the filling and proofed the dough for 20 minutes in my slow cooker on the keep warm setting. They were great.
We love nutella! Will have to give that a try – thank you!
What a great idea to use a crick pot to let dough rise! Thank you for mentioning that! Iām planning to make these tomorrow…canāt wait!
My husband and I tried this recipe just now, and the cinnamon rolls turned out great! Although, for some reason the icing didn’t come out right. We followed the recipe exactly…. 1.5 cups of powdered sugar, one tablespoon of butter, and 2-3 teaspoons of hot water…. but it came out like playdough. I ended up adding another 2-3 teaspoons of hot water so that we could at least spread it on the rolls. I would prefer it to be runnier. Not sure if we did something wrong there, but the rest of the recipe was great!
Hi Kira! I’m glad you like the cinnamon rolls! Sometimes I need to add more water, too…or more powdered sugar – it all depends on the humidity in the air, etc. So that’s perfectly normal to just add whatever you need to either moisten it or thicken it up. Thanks for your comment!
I make these for my monkeys all the time. I shared your recipe over at The Monkey’s Treehouse. Thanks so much!
I am really confused are active dry yeast and dry yeast the same? I’m just trying to understand what to use because english is not my language
yes, they are the same! you just need to make sure that the yeast you are using is “active”, meaning it is fresh enough to make the dough rise. you can test this by heating some water to 105-110 degrees and putting in some yeast. wait a few minutes and if it foams and gets frothy then it’s active! there is a difference between “traditional” and “instant” yeast, though, and you can use either in this recipe. “traditional yeast” refers to the regular dry yeast, and
instant yeast” looks similar and it’s also a dry yeast, but it rises much faster – that’s the only difference! hope this helps š
thank you for the recipient they are delicious, I have made 2 batches and the family are asking for more
Yay, I’m so glad, Elaine!
i’m actually trying the recipe right now and the rolls are in the oven as I write this. They look so good and everything was so much fun to make! Hope they turn out great!
I hope they turned out great for you, too, Natalie! š
OH my goodness these are TERRIFIC!!! I made them and my husband had eaten them in two days. He’s asking me to make more. These were possibly the best cinnamon rolls that I’ve ever eaten. I chose to frost mine with vanilla bean buttercream.
Vanilla bean buttercream sounds incredible – I’ll have to try that next time! Thanks!
I’m so glad you shared this recipe with us and I’m also glad I found it. The rolls are so delicious, everybody loves them. Thank you so much!! Greetings from Venezuela .
Thanks, Patricia! I’m glad you like them!! š
just made this super easy and delicious! Next time I would make the frosting thinner!
Thanks, Rosa! A lot of people (including myself) like cream cheese frosting on these, too š
1st time making cinnamon rolls from scratch. Tried your recipe & they turned out perfect! I was out of milk, so I used half heavy whipping cream & water & I threw in some chopped pecans-YUM! Thanks for sharing this fabulous recipe.
You are most welcome. Glad you liked it!
I did it just now
it’s fantastic
Thank you so so much
I can’t seem to find ANYWHERE how long you let the rolls rise once they are cut and in the pan! Anybody????
Hi Donna! You don’t need to let them rise a second time after they’re rolled and in the pan. That’s what makes them so easy! š
Also, how long do you knead the dough, AND how big do you roll out the dough (dimensions )?
I only knead the dough for a couple of minutes, just until the flour is all worked in and I have a nice, soft dough. I’ve never timed it exactly though. As for the dimensions, I just try to get it 1/4 inch thick and into a rectangle. I haven’t measured it before, but it gets to be a decent size – about 2.5’x1.5′ or so. My husband likes when I roll them really thin because the ratio between filling to dough is greater š But if you like more dough than filling, feel free to make a smaller rectangle with a thicker dough. It’s really all about how you like your cinnamon rolls š Hope that helps!
Does the dough get harder when baked if rolled out too thin, or are they still nice and doughy?
They aren’t as nice and doughy as when you roll the dough out a little thicker. My husband just like lots of the cinnamon filling and you get more of that the thinner you roll it out š
Hi! I am a brand new cook. Didn’t grow up in a home with anything homemade, so I’m nervous about this first attempt of making these cinnamon rolls. When I add the 1-2 cups of flour, do intake it out of the mixing bowl to knead and then rise or do I knead it and let it rise in the bowl? I’m a rookie in need of step-by-step details! This recipe sounds delicious!
No problem Sarah. Mix it in the bowl. Take it out and knead it on a floured surface. Then roll it back into a ball and make sure it’s covered. It doesn’t matter if it’s back in the bowl or remains on the counter. I do the latter! Let me know how they turned out. š
I had made these once before and loved them, so when I was asked to make cinnamon buns for Christmas morning, I knew this was the recipe to use! I did try making them the night before. Made the dough at about 8:30 at night and rolled them out at about 8:30 the next morning. They turned out just as great as the first time I made them!! The only thing I would say (and maybe this is obvious) but make sure you let the dough come to room temperature (or close to) before rolling out!
Thanks for the great recipe!!
Awesome. Glad they were part of your Christmas and it worked overnight!! Cheers. š
Every Christmas morning my family has cinnamon rolls for breakfast. We used to buy them and then one day I decided to make them. I used this recipe and it was amazing. I have made them a few times and we live at high altitude. They always come out absolutely amazing. Thanks for this easy and yummy recipe.
Yay! I’m so happy to see comments like these š Thanks so much, Kerri! I’m so glad you like them š
I love it! my husband and kids can’t get enough! Thank you for sharing š
yay!! i’m so glad! š
I would just say to be sure you push the middle of rolls up before baking in order to form a nice roll where the center is higher than the sides.
Great taste & not doughy at all. I think they turn out better when they’re smaller. Too many yeast-cinamon rolls are doughy. yuck!
Glad you liked them JD! Good tip!
I love this recipe I have made them a few times now and I always make them all to the point that they are in the pan and then put them in the refrigerator until the next morning. The trick though is to pull them out of the fridge early to let them get up to room temp again and then bake. Big hit with my family, I even had my chef of a dad ask for the recipe š thanks for sharing
Thanks for the tip! And how cool that your chef dad asked for the recipe – made my day!! š
I made these this morning prior to leaving a foreign country with my team, and they were so decadent! Thanks for this recipe; I’d never made cinnamon buns that had to sit for only 20 minutes. And they were amazing! Definitely taking these home. The only difference is that I made mine with buttermilk, since we were out of milk. I added a pinch of baking soda to it, as well, and they were very rich! Thanks again!
Glad you enjoyed them! š
I made these and they were so good! I followed it all to a T, until it came to the frosting! It was lumpy after adding all 3 tablespoons of water so I added just a splash of milk and wah-la! Way better, smooth and perfect tasting!!
Great! We sure do love them in our house!
Could I possibly make these the day before and bake them the next morning?
Hey Sarah,
As noted above I’ve never tried them overnight but a few other people on this post have mentioned they have had success doing so! Let us know how it goes!!
Hi Katie ,
I tried this .the dough and filling work great, but I had problems with icing . Any advice for me?
Thanks
Hmm…. I haven’t had any previous problems with the icing. What happened to yours?
We’re celebrating our nine-year-old’s birthday this weekend. Birthdays are SO special and we celebrate with their choice of meals for the day! He picked cinnamon rolls and I can’t wait to try your recipe! Like you said in your entry, I’m also intimidated by yeast but I bought it and am ready to “work it”! Thanks for sharing!
Erica – happy birthday to your child! Hope the cinnamon rolls turn out great. I know many others have absolutely loved the recipe and they always turn out great for us too!
I don’t have an electic mixer, do you think that will change the way the dough comes out if I make these?
It shouldn’t change anything if you do them by hand! my grandmother-in-law makes these all the time and she never uses a mixer – always by hand, and they always turn out great!
This is seriously an outstanding recipe!!! Turned out perfectly, I’ll be using this recipe everytime so easy and simple! Thankyou for letting me find the perfect recipe š I also wanted to know what are the calories on one of these?
Thanks!
I’m so glad you love it! It’s our favorite too š And I have no ideas on the calories…maybe I don’t want to know though š
Hey I’m really excited to be making this for my family in a few weeks but I just wanted to clarify because I’m not quite sure what step 7 is trying to say? So once the dough has risen, do I add the melted butter? And if it is, do i have to mix it in? I’m not too sure as this is my frist time trying to make a cinnamon roll! I’m really looking forward to trying it out!
Hi Alisha! For step 7 you just need to brush melted butter onto the rolled out dough. No need to mix it into anything, just roll out the dough and put the melted butter all over the surface of the dough leaving about a 1/2″ border. That way, when you sprinkle on the cinnamon/brown sugar it will stick to the dough. Hope that helps! And good luck! š
just making these for the first time. Boo boo’d cutting them so we have some GIANT rolls to which not one single person in my house is complaining š Super easy recipe. Everything did as it should. Thanks will be pinning for sure.
That’s so good to hear! Giant cinnamon rolls are THE BEST!!!
These taste amazing! Thank you for providing step by step instructions with pictures, it was my first time making any recipe with yeast. I can’t wait to make them again, and maybe mix in some pumpkin spice to the filling and icing for a fall treat!
Glad you liked them Rose!! Good luck with the pumpkin spice. Let us know how they turn out. š
i am making your recipe few times a year ( if I was unreasonable I would make it all the time ) , it’s always a big success and fun to make . Cinnamom buns are my absolute favorites and your recipe is the best !!!
Glad you like it Julie!
Made a double batch, added chocolate chips, and cut them three inches. Everyone LOVED them. Best recipe so far. I will have to try pecans next time.
wahoo! so glad everyone loved them!! š
I made a double batch of these last night and they turned out perfectly! My husband, who is super picky about baked goods (š) loved them. I followed the recipe exactly and they rose beautifully. I didnāt see a second rise in the recipe so I let the cut rolls rise for 15 minutes prior to baking. Iām not sure if thatās right by they still turned out great.
I’m so glad you and your husband love them!! š
I was super nervous about how the recipe said to use the yeast. Iāve never done it that way. I made them, and it just took about 40 minutes for the dough to noticeably rise, than I rolled them out and it looked good. I went easy on the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture because it looked like a lot. After cutting it up, i didnāt use enough. They came out perfect texture and tasty!
So glad they turned out for you!! Definitely a winner in our books. š
Canāt wait to try this for Christmas morning! Iām sure they will be delish. Two tips from a lifetime of experience with cinnamon rolls: 1) cut the roll with dental floss. What?!?!?! Slide a piece of floss under the roll, cross it in the top of the roll and pull in opposite directions. This keeps your slice perfectly round. Besides, itās fast and fun! 2) for leftover rolls, slice horizontally and griddle with butter. They will taste like they came right from the oven but with a bit of crispy buttery yumminess!
I love these tips! Thank you so much for sharing! š
Was delicious! Doubled the brown sugar, cinammon, and butter, for an ooey gooey center. Also made night before and refrigerated until next morning and they were perfect! This recipe is sure to be a staple with our family!!!
So glad your family enjoyed it as much as ours. We really never have found a better cinnamon roll recipe!
I tried these and the dough was perfect!!! I baked half right away and saved the other half overnight in the fridge for the morning and it was just as good. I did let my dough rest for an hour instead of suggested time. Also in the morning I allowed the dough to come to room temperature before working with it.
They were amazing both times, thanks very much for sharing this recipe!!!
Awesome!! Glad it worked in both cases. We sure do love them. Best cinnamon roll recipe we’ve found!
This recipe are superb! Thank u so muchhh!!!
Loving it!
Glad you loved them!
Can you use a hand mixer or does it need to be a stand mixer??
You will want to use a dough hook so a stand mixer is probably best. Though, you can certainly do everything by hand, too!
Made these and they were amazing!! They we’re gone in a day, my family loved them! Thank you so much for sharing your amazing recipe š
You’re welcome, Makayla. Glad to hear they were a hit! We LOVE them.
Thanks so much for such an awesome recipe.. I did this both ways.. once adding yeast to the flour and the way I usually do it, which is mixing my yeast separately and both turned out. If you are a traditional baker you want to make sure you do not have a lot of flour and the temp of water/milk is above 110o degrees instead of the 100-100o. I am making these tonight for the second time and I must say this recipe is not only a great starter recipe but a great recipe in general.. tonight I am making a few variations but everything already looks and smells great! Thanks from our family family to yours š
Awesome. Thanks. Enjoy!!
Just made these this morning! So easy and fun fast just great too!!
Thanks Brittany! So glad you like them!!
I made this for the first time with no baking experience at all. I must say, you did wonderful explaining steps about making dough. I did have to look up other recipes to help me with kneading the dough, and made a different frosting. But it was sooo delicious, thank you for sharing this with us! I will be using it more often
Thanks, Hannah! I’m so glad you like them!
Just made these and loved how they turned out! Next time I will double the cinnamon and brown sugar. But I will definitely be making them again! Thanks for the awesome recipe!
I’m so glad you like them, Julia! We end up making more filling sometimes, too – can’t get enough of the cinnamon/brown sugar!
Loved this recipe. It was simple enough. I will make more icing next time, but thatās because we love extra icing on ours. I did double the filling, but again… love extra filling. We could smell these coming down the stairs. It was amazing.
Yes, we usually make a bit more filling too – the best part, imo! So glad you like them! š
Awesome and easy
I have been wanting to try yeast and use the BREAD PROOF button on my oven. Well, I tried these. it took me about a tad over an hour. I measure everything and line it up first. Like on cooking shows. Less mistakes for me. Recipe says 45 minutes. I you don’t line up it will only take that for sure. Which is totally amazing. I took these to Garden Club, I a the only chick and the rest are over a dozen old guy retirees.LOL. Lets say it is a good thing I stood bak Cuz they dove in fast. Three took some home for themselves and the wives. A must make. a definite repeat. Don’t be afraid of the number of steps. She wrote it better than anyone, one tiny step sentence at a time. No misunderstanding like the huge paragraphs where you can miss something. Way to go on recipe and instructions, amazing. Timing is dead on. Instructions are very clear. Keep up the good work. I will definitely be back for more of the recipes. (my first time to this sight)
Thank you, Stephanie! I’m glad you found us! š
I’m so happy you love the cinnamon rolls (and that everyone else loved them too!)
Hi Katie!
I made these cinnamon rolls yesterday. I followed your recipe precisely, and these turned out amazing. These rolls make your house smell incredible. This was my second attempt at making cinnamon rolls. I was so terrified that I could screw everything up and these wouldnāt turn out the way I expected them to. Fortunately, I handled the task. My whole family fell in love with these.
Iām so glad you shared this recipe with us. Thank you for this inspiration and all of your useful recommendations. The info you provide helped me A LOT. Look forward to your new awesome ideas.
Best wishes,
Ann
AMAZING!! Thank you so much for coming back here to tell me! š I am so glad you and your family loved these. They are a favorite in our house for sure!
Made these as a gift for some neighbors! Replaced the water in the icing with some leftover coffee from the morning which balanced out the sweetness of the icing well. Super easy to make. Thanks for the recipe!
Awesome. Glad you enjoyed them Maddie!
These were my first buns, they were easy and turned out GREAT
Glad you enjoyed them!!
This is the only recipe I go back to and my family loves. It is easy, and it has become tradition to make. I do add plumped raisins and usually omit the frosting because weāre not very into sweets. Making it over and over and experimenting with it has taught me so much over the last couple years! Thank you!
I’m so glad your family loves this recipe! Thank you so much for coming back here and telling me! š It is our favorite cinnamon rolls recipe too and we make it often on Sunday mornings. I love the raisins idea – I will try that next time!
HI! I made these this week and oh man they were a HIT!!! I didn’t get the rolls “even” and they certainly didn’t look all uniform, but the taste was just sensational. I am not a super experienced baker, but I managed to make these without too much difficulty! They are still good for a few days after you bake them, I Just pop them in the microwave for 20 seconds. I will say I went ahead and doubled the filling recipe right away and I think that made a big difference.
I’m SO glad you like them, Madeleine!! These are our favorite thing to make on the weekend. We actually double the roll recipe and we like to heat them up in the microwave over the next couple of days too! (I’ve got 7 people in my family so we eat a LOT! lol) Thanks so much for coming back here and telling us about your experience! It makes us so happy when people come back and tell us how much they liked something we posted! š <3
Can you double or triple this recipe????
Yes, you can! I double it all the time and it always turns out great.
This is about my tenth time making these easy cinnamons and this time itās 5 batches for a graduation party. So good, so happy to have found this recipe.
Whoa, 5 batches is ambitious – good for you!! So glad you like them! š
Katie –
I found your Cinnamon Roll recipe back in 2019. I had only worked with yeast doughs a few times and was a little unsure – your instructions, the photos and tips are wonderful! I have made these quite a few times since then, and they always turn out great. I’ve made them to eat the same day, and what I really love, is making them the night before and baking them in the morning for fresh, warm rolls with breakfast (or as breakfast!). I made them that way last week, and took them to work still warm – lots of compliments :). (I had to make a double batch, so there was a fresh pan at home for my family – they LOVE them). Thank you for a great recipe.
Thank you so much Lisa – I LOVE comments like this! I’m so glad you love this recipe. <3