Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with this soft and gooey homemade Cinnamon Rolls Recipe. The light and airy dough is stuffed with butter, brown sugar and warm cinnamon and topped with a gooey cream cheese frosting. These Cinnamon Rolls are the perfect sweet start to your day.

Easy Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

These almost-famous cinnamon rolls are soft, fluffy, and irresistibly delicious, easily rivaling Cinnabon in both flavor and texture. While homemade cinnamon rolls can seem intimidating, this recipe breaks it down into simple, manageable steps. A mixer fitted with a dough hook makes prep and kneading effortless. This is one of those baked by Melissa cinnamon rolls recipes that you can make ahead of time for a special weekend brunch, Easter Sunday, or Christmas morning breakfast.

Key ingredients to make fluffy Cinnamon Rolls Recipe: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card.)

• Flour – All Purpose Flour forms the base of the dough.
• Liquid – Whole milk for moisture.
• Yeast – Active dry yeast gives lif to the dough.
• Sugar – Granulated sugar (white sugar) for sweetness.
• Whole Eggs – Large eggs stabilize the dough.
• Butter – Salted butter for richness.
• Spices – Ground cinnamon and salt for balance.
• Flavoring – Vanilla extract for creamy floral notes.
• Cinnamon Sugar Filling – Dark brown sugar (OR light brown sugar), ground cinnamon and salted butter.
• Cream Cheese Icing – Cream cheese, salted butter, powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar) and vanilla extract plus heavy cream to thin to spreading consistency.

How to Make the BEST Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

• Prep the Pan – Spray a 13×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Line the bottom and sides of the dish with parchment paper.
• Bloom the Yeast – Place lukewarm milk in a large bowl add the active dry yeast. Let stand until the yeast is foamy. 
• Wet Ingredients – Add the granulated sugar, eggs, melted butter and vanilla extract to the large mixing bowl. Use a mixer fitted with the dough hook to stir.
• Dry Ingredients – Add 4 cups of flour with the salt and the cinnamon with the mixer on low speed. . 
• Knead the Dough – Knead the dough until the dough is soft and not too sticky. 
• Let the Dough Rise – Place the dough in a large greased bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Let rise until doubled.
• Make Cinnamon Butter Filling – Combine softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. 
• Roll Cinnamon Roll Dough on a Lightly Floured Work Surface into a Large Rectangle – Spread the cinnamon butter mixture onto the dough then roll beginning at the long side, ending seam side down.
• Cut Into 12 Equal Portions – Cover and allow to rise for 30 more minutes. 
• Heat Oven – Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake per the recipe until puffy and golden brown.  
• Make Cream Cheese Icing – Glaze warm cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting and enjoy!

Kitchen Equipment to Make Cinnamon Rolls

• Stand mixer with dough hook attachment and paddle attachment.
• Large mixing bowl, medium mixing bowl, small bowl.
• Rolling pin.
• Dental floss or very sharp knife for cutting the dough into portions. Unflavored dental floss makes an even clean cut without pushing the filling out of the ends of the cinnamon roll dough.
• 13×9-inch baking pan and parchment paper.
• Wire rack.

Recipe Variations, Tips and Substitutions

• Yeast – You can also use rapid rise yeast (quick rise) in place of active dry yeast to expedite the rising of the dough.
• Leavening – Please note, yeast is the only leavening needed. There’s no baking powder or baking soda in these cinnamon rolls.
• Sugar – For a deeper molasses flavor you can use dark brown sugar for the cinnamon sugar filling.
• Butter – I don’t recommend using margarine for the cinnamon roll filling. This is one of those times you need to go for the gold and use butter.
• Can You Freeze Cinnamon Rolls Before Baking? Yes! You can freeze the rolls before the second rise. Form into cinnamon rolls then pop them into the freezer wrapped in plastic wrap before wrapping in heavy duty aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. When you are ready to bake, remove the rolls from the freezer and thaw in the fridge. Once thawed, remove from the fridge for the final rise in a warm place before baking. 

Storage and Leftovers

• Make-Ahead Tip – If you want to make these fluffy cinnamon rolls one day in advance, prepare them to the point of putting them into the pan for the second rise. Before rising for the second time, top the entire pan with plastic wrap and place it into the fridge. (Spray the plastic wrap with cooking spray to prevent it from sticking to the cinnamon buns.) When you’re ready to bake, remove the rolls from the refrigerator and allow them to rise at room temperature in a warm spot for at least 30 minutes. Leave the pan loosely covered with plastic wrap while the rolls are rising. Once they’ve risen, remove the plastic wrap and bake per the recipe.
• Leftovers – Store leftovers in in airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
• Reheating – Reheat in the microwave for 25-30 seconds on high until heated through before serving.
• Freezer Storage – You can freeze cinnamon rolls (cinnamon buns) after baking. Leave them in the pan to cool, then place the baked rolls in an airtight container in a single layer. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge when you are ready to eat and warm them in the microwave before serving.

More Homemade Rolls Recipes to Make

• Treat the family to Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls.
• Ham and Swiss Poppy Seed Rolls are a party favorite.
• Easy No Knead Yeast Rolls can be made by bakers of all skill levels.
• My Chicken Bacon Ranch Pull Apart Rolls have been pinned well over 1.5 million times on Pinterest!
• Easy Caramel Pecan Sticky Rolls are made with Hawaiian sweet rolls.
• Pepperoni Pizza Rolls baked in a muffin tin.
• Cranberry Orange Sweet Rolls for holiday brunch.
• Easy Lemon Rolls from Love From the Oven.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• Stand Mixer
• Cooling Racks
• Measuring Set
• 13×9-inch Pan