The Only Cinnamon Roll Recipe You Need

Don’t you just love a good cinnamon roll? Something about the sweet, comforting aroma of cinnamon rolls baking, and the anticipation of that first warm, gooey bite, makes me feel like an excited little kid again!

And these cinnamon rolls are everything a cinnamon roll should be. Buttery, sweet, tender dough spiraled around sticky, cinnamon and brown sugar filling. Generously iced with fluffy cream cheese frosting- when they’re still warm- so that just the right amount melts into the buns and the rest stays in a nice, thick schmear on top.

What’s Your Perfect Cinnamon Roll?

The perfect cinnamon roll means different things to different people. For instance, my perfect cinnamon roll is soft and fluffy on all sides with centers that are cooked through but that border on being slightly under-done. Eric’s perfect cinnamon roll has crispy edges with oozy bits of caramelized filling on the bottoms and soft, gooey centers.

In a little bit, I’m going to show you how one recipe can please everyone 🙂 And THAT’S why this is the only cinnamon roll recipe you need!

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First Things First, The Dough

For the dough you’ll combine warm milk and active dry yeast in a large measuring cup and let it stand for 10 minutes to activate the yeast. The temperature of the milk is important. Too cold and the yeast won’t activate, too hot and it will die. I use an instant read thermometer and aim for 110°f (105°-115° is the recommended temperature range).

In a large mixing bowl combine softened butter, sugar, salt, room temperature eggs and flour. Mix until combined. It will be dry and still have some butter lumps, and that’s ok. With mixer on low gradually pour the milk/yeast mixture into the flour mixture, and continue mixing on low until dough clears the sides of the bowl. You’ll need to scrape down the sides a couple times. Once the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, let it continue mixing on low for 30 seconds. This dough may feel a little stickier than you’re used to. That’s the way it’s supposed to be. It will firm up during it’s first rise. If it’s completely unmanageable you can add a couple tablespoons of flour, but no more than that.

Scrape the dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Place in a warm spot to rest and let it rise for about an hour, or until it’s doubled in size. When you’re working with yeast dough there are lots of variables that can affect how long it takes to rise- the temperature of your kitchen, the temperature of your ingredients and the freshness of your yeast all factor in.

So rely on the way it looks more than the amount of time it’s taking.

While your dough is resting combine the brown sugar, salt and cinnamon for your filling.

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Punch Down Your Dough & Get ready To Roll

Once your dough has doubled it’s time to punch it down and roll it out- my FAVORITE PART!

Rolling, filling and shaping cinnamon rolls is some of the most satisfying kitchen therapy I can think of. The dough is soft and warm and stretchy and just feels so good under your hands. And this dough is one of my very favorites to work with because it’s so laid back and easy going…plus, I love the sweet, yeasty, comforting way that it smells.

If happy were a dough it would be this one 🙂

How to Shape Cinnamon Rolls

Roll & Butter Your Dough

This recipe makes 24 rolls, but you can easily cut it in half (amounts for one dozen are in recipe notes). You’re going to start by dusting your counter space with flour and laying your dough in the middle. I like to knead it just a couple of turns. Cut your dough into two pieces and set one aside, covered, while you work with the other one.

Take a rolling pin & gently roll the dough to a rectangle roughly 12″ wide by 16″ long. Next, take 1/2 of your softened butter and tear off little pieces to dot evenly over the surface. Using an offset spatula or your hands, spread the butter in an even layer across the dough. I prefer using my hands because the heat helps warm the butter giving you more control so that the dough doesn’t tear.

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Add filling and shape into a log

Next, spread 1/2 of your cinnamon and brown sugar mixture over the butter in an even layer. Starting with the side closest to you, begin rolling the dough away from you- keeping it nice and snug without pulling or stretching the dough- until you have just a couple of inches left unrolled. At this point pull the end of the dough up and over your log and pinch it to seal.

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Portion into rolls

Now, lightly dust an area of the counter with flour the width of your log. Roll the log, seam side down, onto the floured area (this way, it won’t stick while your portion the dough into individual rolls). Use a bench scraper to first divide the dough in half. Then cut each half in half. You’ll now have four large pieces. Cut each piece into 3 more pieces for 12 total slices.

Repeat with remaining dough half for 24 total cinnamon rolls.

Here’s Where The Choices Come In

If you like your cinnamon rolls like I do, with soft edges, place them close together in a greased pan. This creates the pull apart type rolls that have soft, fluffy sides (and if you pull them out at the right time, those gooey barely done centers). If you like your cinnamon rolls to be wider, individual rolls with firmer sides, place them on a lined sheet pan with plenty of room in between. This allows them to spread as they bake (and you’ll also end up with more of that caramelized, crispy filling on the bottom and at the edges that Eric loves so much). If you want tall buns with more crust and caramelized bottoms place them in greased jumbo muffin tins.

Don’t you love choices??? You can even make more than one kind with the same batch of dough & please EVERYBODY (how often does that happen????)!

Rise & Bake

Now that you’ve chosen your pan, it’s time to cover them, place in a warm spot, and let them rise for about 45 minutes. They most likely won’t double, but they will get larger (about 1 1/2 times their starting size).

Tips For Baking & Icing

• I have included weights with my ingredients. I weigh ingredients instead of measuring with cups for the majority of my baking recipes and it really helps with consistency. If you’re using cups, stir your dry ingredients first to “fluff” them a little and lightly spoon into your cup before leveling off with a knife. Don’t scoop directly from the container because this will result in significantly more flour (or powdered sugar) in the recipe and will affect your final result!
• Preheat your oven so that it’s at 350°f when you’re ready to start baking. Invest in an inexpensive oven thermometer and it will save you from many future baking disappointments!
• Bake on the middle rack.
• Use a metal pan, not glass. Because of the way glass transfers heat, using one will result in overdone edges by the time the middle is cooked.
• Line your pans with parchment. This makes clean up AND getting pull apart buns out of the pan SO much easier!
• Start checking for doneness at 20 minutes. It takes just minutes to go from perfect to overbaked! You want the buns to be lightly golden on top.
• You can also use an instant read thermometer (I do!) poked into the center to check the temperature. For a rich, sweet dough like this, 180-190°f is done (I take mine out at 180° for that coveted gooey core).
• Ice your buns after they cool slightly but while they’re still a little warm. This way the icing partially melts into the buns but some of it stays solidly on top. The best of both worlds!
• And here’s some great advice on how to make them ahead of time so that you can bake them in the morning (think Christmas and Easter morning!)

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Now, it’s time to eat!

All that’s left to do is brew a cup of coffee, steep some hot tea or pour yourself an icy cold glass of milk to go with. Or just stand over the pan with sticky fingers and a satisfied smile, too impatient for any additional preparations.

Enjoy!

Do you save the center for last, too?