Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls (Better Than Cinnabun)

Big, soft, fluffy Cinnamon Rolls covered with sweet cinnamon roll icing are melt-in-your-mouth delicious yet easy to make!

These are the best cinnamon rolls! They are homemade, sweet, fluffy, and perfect for special occasions like Easter or Christmas morning.

Table of Contents

• Why You’ll Love This Recipe
• Ingredient Notes
• How To Make Cinnamon Rolls
• Recipe Tips
• Variations
• FAQs
• What To Serve With Cinnamon Rolls
• More Recipes
• Recipe
• Reviews

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Taste – These sweet cinnamon buns are sweet with the icing and cinnamon sugar combined with the cinnamon roll dough.

Texture – Gooey Cinnamon rolls are fluffy, with a buttery, cinnamon-sugar filling, and topped with a sweet, melty powdered sugar icing.

Budget – These fluffy cinnamon rolls use common ingredients you likely already have in your fridge and pantry.

Easy – These cinnamon rolls are easier to make than you think. It may look like it’s a lot of work, but you’d be surprised how easy they are.

Make-ahead – The best part is that you can make these cinnamon rolls ahead of time, or at least make the dough and let it right the night before, and in the morning, bake the cinnamon rolls.

Ingredient Notes

Below, I discuss the ingredients and possible substitutions if you don’t have a specific ingredient. However, if you are looking for the specific measurements of each ingredient, scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card, which includes all the ingredients and the specific amounts of each one.

Whole Milk – This recipe uses whole milk for the added richness and fat.  2% could be substituted but avoid using skim milk.

Yeast – Active dry yeast can be used in place of instant, ensure milk temperature does not exceed 110 degrees when adding the yeast if using active dry yeast.  If milk is too hot, it could kill the yeast and prevent the dough from rising.

Eggs – Eggs add richness to the dough, making a Brioche-style dough for these rolls.

All-Purpose Flour – It is best to use unbleached all-purpose flour for this recipe, bleached flour can hinder yeast development.

Cornstarch – Cornstarch may be an uncommon addition to cinnamon rolls, but don’t skip it.  The cornstarch helps make a tender and soft dough.

Sugar – This recipe calls for both brown and white sugar.  Sugar added to the dough adds a little sweetness and helps with browning.  The brown sugar, instead of all white in the filling, lends to a richer, caramel-flavored gooey filling.

Butter – These cinnamon rolls use butter in all 3 components.  In the dough, it adds richness and a buttery flavor, like a brioche-style bread.  In the filling, it helps the sugar stay put and adhere to the dough, and when baked makes a delicious, gooey filling.  For the icing, it is a base for a quick and easy vanilla buttercream icing.

Cinnamon – This recipe uses 4 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, lending to the wonderful aromatic smell and a mild flavored filling.  For a more intense cinnamon flavor, add 1-2 more teaspoons to the filling mixture.

Heavy Cream – Don’t skip this step!  Adding the cream right before baking helps the rolls stay super soft and adds to the gooey cinnamon filling the forms on the bottom of the rolls.

How To Make Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon Roll Dough

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, stir together flour, cornstarch, sugar, and salt until well combined.
2. Add warm milk and yeast in a small bowl or a 2-cup measuring cup. Stir until combined and allow to sit for 3-4 minutes until foamy.
3. Whisk in eggs.
4. Pour the milk mixture into the stand mixer bowl with the dry ingredients.
5. Mix on low until dough starts to form, about 1 minute.
6. While the mixer is running, add 1 tablespoon of softened butter at a time, one every 15-20 seconds.
7. Increase the speed to medium and mix until all butter is incorporated, about 1 minute. Continue to knead the dough for 2-3 minutes.
8. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and continue to knead 3-4 minutes until a smooth ball of dough forms.
9. Lightly grease a bowl with cooking spray. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to coat with oil. Place the bowl in a warm place and cover it. Let the dough rise for 2 hours or until it is doubled in size. 

Cinnamon Sugar Filling

1. To make the filling, in a small bowl, mix both sugars, cinnamon, and salt, and stir until well combined.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 14 by 19-inch rectangle.
3. Spread softened butter evenly over the surface of the dough, leaving ½ inch on either end bare. Cover the butter with the cinnamon mixture, spreading to make an even layer. Gently press the surface with your hands to press the sugar into the dough.
4. Starting along one long edge, roll dough into a 19-inch log, squeezing the log gently to help adhere layers. Trim ½ inch of dough from both ends of the log to make an 18-inch roll.
5. Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 12- 1 ½ inch pieces. For equal sizing, use a tape measure to cut the log in half, forming 2 9-inch logs. Next, cut both 9-inch logs in half, making 4- 4 ½ inch logs. Then, cut each quarter into 3 pieces, making 12- 1 ½ inch rolls.
6. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Place 12 rolls in the dish, evenly spacing them out. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for 1 hour. This is the second rise.
7. 30 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
8. When ready to bake, pour ¾ cup of cream over the rolls and in any spaces where the rolls are not touching.
9. Bake for 30 minutes, until a deep golden brown.

Powdered Sugar Icing

1. To make the icing, in a medium bowl, add the cooled melted butter, vanilla, and half of the confectioners’ sugar. Whisk until well combined and no lumps remain, 30-40 seconds. Add 3 tablespoons of milk and remaining confectioners’ sugar, whisking until well incorporated and a thin icing is formed, 30-40 seconds. If a thinner consistency is desired, add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until the icing reaches the preferred consistency.
2. When rolls are finished baking, remove from oven and place pan on cooling rack. Allow them to cool for 2-3 minutes.
3. While the rolls are hot, spread the icing evenly over the tops of the cinnamon rolls, about 2 tablespoons per roll. Allow rolls to cool an additional 15-20 minutes before serving.

Recipe Tips

Leftover rolls can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for 2 days.

To reheat an individual cinnamon roll, microwave for 30 seconds.  To warm in the oven, preheat the oven to 200 degrees, place the roll in an oven-safe dish, cover it, and warm it for 10 minutes.

To prepare rolls ahead of time: 

• Prepare the cinnamon roll dough and cinnamon sugar filling, and prepare the rolls until you cut and shape them.
• Place the shaped rolls in the baking dish, cover them with a double layer of plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.  
• To bake them the next morning, place the dish at room temperature for 1 ½ hours, remove the plastic, and continue with step 13.

Helping the dough rise – If your kitchen is particularly cold (below 70 degrees), make a proofing oven to help the dough rise.  

• In a cold oven, place one oven rack on the lowest level and the second in the middle or higher, ensuring there is room for the bowl of dough to sit.  
• Place a 9×13 dish or a similar-sized dish on the bottom rack.
• Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan.  
• Carefully pour water into a baking dish, and place a covered bowl of dough or shaped rolls on the upper shelf.
• Close the oven and allow the dough to rise.  

If using this method before baking, remove the rolls and water dish from the oven 30 minutes before baking, allowing the rolls to finish rising at room temperature.  Preheat oven and bake as directed.

To prepare without a stand mixer: 

• Use a large bowl and a sturdy wooden spoon to make dough.  Follow the same steps to prepare the dough.
• Pour the milk mixture into the flour, and stir until a dry, shaggy dough forms.
• Add butter 1-2 tablespoons at a time, working it into the dough with the spoon or even your hands.  Continue to stir until no butter chunks are visible, 2-3 minutes.
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface; the amount of fat will help prevent it from sticking to the surface.  Knead the dough to build the gluten and form a smooth ball. This usually takes about 5-6 minutes.
• Continue with step 6 under Dough Instructions in the Recipe card below.

Variations

Cream Cheese Icing – If you prefer a thicker cream cheese icing instead of powdered sugar icing, mix 4 ounces of cream cheese, 1/2 cup butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream in a stand mixer or large mixing bowl.

FAQs

What To Serve With Cinnamon Rolls

• Fresh Fruit – I like to serve cut fresh fruit, like strawberries or pineapple. 
• Yogurt – I like to serve vanilla yogurt or my favorite flavored yogurt.

More Recipes

• Caramel Pecan Cinnamon Rolls
• Apple Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Glaze
• Baked Glazed Strawberry Donuts

For more breakfast recipes, check out our Breakfast and Brunch Recipes Collection.