These seriously are the BEST cinnamon rolls – friends and family tested and approved. Served warm and frosted, these are just the right mixture of cinnamony goodness. Other great bread recipes are on the Best Bread Recipes page!
Yes, that’s a period in the title – as in The Best Cinnamon Rolls, period. I could’ve also said: Ever. In The World. In The Universe. Or You’ve Ever Eaten.
And I wouldn’t be exaggerating, tooting my own horn, or overstating it at all. I know there are hundreds of recipes out there for homemade cinnamon rolls – some even with “best” in the title, too. But I’m going to lay it on the line – they might be good, but these are better than any others I’ve tried (and the recipe by a huge blogger that gets written up all over the internet as the best? All I’ve got to say is baking powder and soda have no place in a yeast dough – ever. Unless you want cinnamon biscuits, that is…).
How can I be so sure? Fifteen-plus years of testimonials from family and friends. These are a special labor of love that I make only a couple times a year, but they are requested for every major family gathering.
And they are loved. My sister and brother-in-law told me once that they went out of their way on a hiking trip near Canada to stop in a little cafe that they read had the most awesome cinnamon rolls. She shook her head sadly as she told me they were not nearly as good as mine. And that she sorta felt sorry for the people who thought they were getting the best cinnamon rolls (yes, she’s a sweetie).
So I’m not putting the title on these lightly or flippantly or just to get Google traffic. And the reason I haven’t put them on the blog before? Well, they are a special recipe – I might even go so far as to say my best recipe – and I wasn’t sure I wanted it published.
Well, that and the fact that I knew it would take a long time to photograph, edit, and write up…a-hem. But I love all you guys, too, and since I can’t make them for you…posting the recipe is the next best thing!
So here is my gift to you: The Best Cinnamon Rolls – and of course a tutorial to walk you through the steps (which aren’t hard, by the way – I promise that, too!).
The Best Cinnamon Rolls
Note: This is the tutorial below to walk you through the recipe and not all recipe amounts are given. Click here to to to the full, printable recipe.
Step 1: Yeast Mixture
Mix yeast, warm tap water, and a bit of honey in a measuring cup and set aside. You’ll want to move quickly to the next step, because it will grow to fill a 1-cup measure in only a few minutes.
Step 2: Mix the Cinnamon Roll Dough
- Using a large mixing bowl, combine warmed milk, sugar, butter, salt and eggs. You can see in the photo that it won’t actually combine. Just mix them together as best you can and then add the bubbling yeast mixture and stir it in.
- Add half the flour (3 cups) and beat on medium speed until smooth – about a minute.
- Stir in another 3 1/2 cups flour to make a stiff, yet sticky dough and change to a dough hook.
- Knead with the mixer for 5-6 minutes, until the dough is clearing the sides, but still sticking to the bottom. Add only enough extra flour – a tablespoon at a time – to have it just clear the sides, as pictured (to make by hand, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes).
- Turn the dough out into a large, lightly greased bowl for rising. The dough should still be soft, sticking to the bottom of the bowl like pictured, but not sticking to your finger when you lightly touch it (similar to another awesome bread recipe, my 100% Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls).
- Cover and let rise until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. The picture is the doubled dough – it’s not typically smooth like some doughs.
Step 3: Fill and Shape Cinnamon Rolls
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface (I always use a tea towel) and let rest for 5 minutes. While dough is resting, prepare pans and filling.
- Divide a 1/2 cup of butter: put 1/3 cup into a pan or glass cup to melt and split the remaining butter between the baking pans. I use 2 glass pans, a 13×9 and a 11×7 inch, fitting 8 rolls in the larger pan and 6 in the smaller pan. (It’s easiest for me to divide the butter up first, like pictured, and then melt it in the pans and cups using a microwave. If you want to melt in a pan, you can pour the entire amount of melted butter into a measuring cup and pour a little in each pan until you’re left with the 1/3 cup you’ll need for the filling).
- Use a pastry brush to spread the melted butter all over the pans. Sprinkle a sugar-cinnamon mixture on the butter-coated pans. Yes, this is special – go ahead and do it.
- Mix brown sugar, white sugar and cinnamon (lots!) in a small bowl.
- Roll out the rested dough into a 15 x 20 inch rectangle, pour the remaining 1/3 cup melted butter on top and spread evenly – but make sure not to lose it over the edges. I use a pastry brush and go close to the edges only. The butter will be pooling in spots. That’s good.
- Evenly distribute the filling mixture over the buttered dough. I usually make a line of the sugar mixture all around the edge first before filling in the center, just to make sure I don’t push any butter off the dough with the sugar – that would be bad.
- Roll up the dough and pinch the edges to seal. I often take the butter-coated pastry brush and run it along the edge first to help the dough stick better when pinched.
- Cut into 14 rolls. I cut the roll in half first and then cut each half into a larger and smaller piece. Cut the larger piece of each half into fourths and the smaller into thirds. I use a serrated bread knife which cuts easily, but you can use whatever works for you.
Step 4: Let Rolls Rise
- Place the cut slices close together in the prepared pans. You may need to re-pinch the ends as you place them. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 45 minutes – 1 hour.
- Start preheating the oven to 350 degrees about 15 minutes before ready to bake. See my fingers on the risen rolls? That’s to show you that I often push down any centers that are popping up before putting them into the oven. The standard response to the problem of high centers is that the dough was rolled too tightly. I have found, however that some centers will rise no matter what – so I gently push any down before baking and sometimes after, too, which makes it easier to frost. It doesn’t seem to hurt them and it’s usually only a few.
Step 5: Bake and Frost Cinnamon Rolls
- Bake the rolls 18-22 minutes, until lightly browned, rotating halfway through if needed. The smaller pan is usually done first in the lesser time and will need to be removed, letting the larger pan continue to bake.
- Cool the rolls on a wire rack for a few minutes while you mix up the cream cheese frosting.
- Divide the frosting evenly among the warm rolls using a large spoon and then spread to fully cover. Yes, this is a frosting – no wimpy glaze allowed!
As the rolls continue to cool, the frosting seeps into all the crevices, mixing with the filling and creating…well, cinnamon roll heaven.
Step 6: Share and Enjoy
See if my family and I are right about these rolls – but don’t blame me if you find you’re spoiled for any other cinnamon rolls. We are, too!
The Best Cinnamon Rolls- period.
Ingredients
Rolls:
- 2 tablespoons yeast active dry or instant- both work
- 1 cup warm water hot tap is fine, 105-115 degrees
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 cup granulated sugar divided
- 1 cup warmed milk
- 1 cup butter 2 sticks, divided
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 eggs
- 3 ½ cup unbleached flour plus a bit extra for kneading and rolling
- 3 cup whole wheat flour white whole wheat, or spelt work as well
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons cinnamon
- cinnamon-sugar coating for pans: 1/4 cup sugar + 1 teaspoon cinnamon optional to coat the pans, but highly recommended
Frosting:
- 3 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 tablespoons hot water
Instructions
- Make the Dough:
- Mix yeast, warm tap water, and honey in a measuring cup and set aside.
- Using a large mixing bowl, combine warmed milk, 1/2 cup of the sugar, 1/2 cup softened butter, salt and eggs. Mix them as best you can, then add the bubbling yeast mixture and stir it all together.
- Add the whole wheat flour (3 cups) and beat on medium speed until smooth - about a minute. Stir in the remaining 3 1/2 cups unbleached flour, making a stiff, yet sticky dough.
- Change to a dough hook (or turn out if kneading by hand). Knead with the mixer for 5-6 minutes, until the dough is clearing the sides, but still sticking to the bottom. If the dough is still sticking to the sides, add only enough extra flour - a tablespoon at a time - to have it just clear the sides (by hand knead for 8-10 minutes on a lightly floured surface).
- Turn the dough out into a large, lightly greased bowl for rising. The dough should still be soft, sticking to the bottom of the bowl as you transfer it to the greased bowl, but not sticking to your finger when you lightly touch it. Cover and let rise until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Shape and Fill:
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface (I always use a tea towel - less flour needed and easy clean up) and let rest for 5 minutes. While dough is resting, prepare pans and filling.
- Take the remaining 1/2 cup of butter and divide it: use 1/3 cup in a glass measure for the filling and what remains from the stick of butter between 2 baking pans, a 13x9 and a 11x7 inch (roughly 2 tablespoons for the larger pan and 1 tablespoon for the smaller). Melt the divided butter in the pans and glass measuring cup in a microwave, using a pastry brush to coat the pans with the melted butter (to melt on the stove, melt the 1/2 cup in a pot and then pour the entire amount of melted butter into a measuring cup, pouring a little into each pan until you're left with the 1/3 cup you'll need for the filling). Sprinkle the optional (though not really...) 1/4 cup sugar-cinnamon mixture on the butter-coated pans.
- Mix the brown sugar, remaining white sugar and 3 tablespoons cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside.
- Roll out the rested dough into a 15 x 20 inch rectangle, pour the 1/3 cup melted butter on top and spread evenly using a pastry brush. Brush close to the edges, but don't allow the butter to go over them. Evenly distribute the filling mixture over the buttered dough. Start around the edges first before filling in the center to make sure the sugar doesn't push the butter off the dough.
- Roll up the dough as evenly as possible - too loose and you'll get spaces in the rolls, too tight and the centers will pop out - and pinch the edges to seal. Cut into 14 rolls (cut the roll in half first and then cut each half into a larger and smaller piece; cut the larger piece of each half into fourths and the smaller into thirds). Place the cut slices close together in the prepared pans. You may need to re-pinch the ends as you place them.
- Rise and Bake:
- Cover pans with a towel or plastic and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 45 minutes - 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees about 15 minutes before the rolls are ready to bake.
- Bake the rolls 18-22 minutes, until lightly browned, rotating halfway through if needed. The smaller pan is usually done first in the lesser time and will need to be removed, letting the larger pan continue to bake.
- Cool the rolls on a wire rack for a few minutes while you mix up the cream cheese frosting.
- Frost:
- Combine all the frosting ingredients together in the bowl of a mixer and use the whisk attachment to beat until smooth. Divide the frosting evenly among the warm rolls using a large spoon and then spread to fully cover all the rolls. Let cool a bit more before serving.*
Notes
Nutrition
Other Sweet Real Food Breads You May Like:
Glazed Make-Ahead Real Food Monkey Bread
Cranberry Crumb Loaves (with leftover cranberry sauce)
Spiced Carrot Bread Recipe (maple sweetened)
(Honey Sweetened) Dark Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Grab an ebook full of low and alternative sugar recipes like these by filling out the form below to get the popular AOC newsletter and never miss another recipe!
Subscribe & Get Lower Sugar Recipes
Grab these 12 lower sugar, honey, or maple syrup sweetened recipes that are healthy and delicious. You'll also receive access to the Subscriber Library & the popular Weekly Newsletter full of useful information and behind-the-scenes happenings, plus occasional offers. Never any spam - read our Privacy Policy here.
M. says
Yes, Jami, these ARE the best cinnamon rolls! I had a beloved recipe that, after a few years, I just could not get right any longer. I went on a “quest” to find a cinnamon roll recipe to replace my beloved recipe. I made these yesterday for today’s breakfast. There were many words of absolute delight as my family enjoyed the rolls. Thank you so very much for sharing this recipe here. Have a lovely day and God bless!
Jami says
Oh, I’m so glad you agree!! They have made me the “cinnamon roll lady” in my family for sure. 🙂
Fariza says
Hey can I use whole wheat pastry flour instead of unbleached and whole wheat? Thank you, I’m obsessed with your website you should write a cookbook! I’d buy it in an instant
Jami says
Oh wow, thank you Fariza – that is so encouraging! I actually have been talking with a publisher about a cookbook, but it’s narrowing it down to a topic that is hard – as you can see I like to make all kinds of good, whole foods. 🙂
As for the rolls, I have tried it and they are okay, but not the same tenderness. Since I only make them a couple times a year, I keep some of the unbleached flour in order to keep them the texture we like. But it’s up to you – try it and see if you like it!
Julie says
These were unbelievably amazing!! I used all whole wheat (hard white) flour and it worked great. I can’t thank you enough for sharing this recipe! It’s a keeper!!
Jami says
SO happy you liked these, Julie – and with all WW!
sueki says
Hi Jami
Im new to your blog and really like the look of your recipes.
im volunteering to make a lot of goodies for a bake sale, where i’ll sell individual servings vs a whole loaf etc.
i keep trying different cinnamon bun recipes, some are too dry, one almost put my oven on fire with too much butter dripping out of the pan.
i will follow your to a T
also helpful to know what mixer you like. i do get intrinsic enjoyment out of kneading dough by hand, but i do a lot of baking for foodonthecorner and a mixer would be useful, the ‘reconditioned” option was helpful to know about.
thank you for being so generous and sharing your recipes and info
sue
Jami says
I’m happy you found this, too, Sue – I think these may be the ‘one’ recipe for you, but then again, I’m biased. 😉
Cristina says
I just want to say these are really the BEST cinnamon rolls ever. I’ve made them countless times over the last couple of years and everyone raves about them. I did have a question though. I’ve found that by the time I’ve put all 6 cups of flour in, the mixture has already reached the consistency you talk about. Clearing the sides but still sticking to the bottom. Usually I end up almost skipping the dough hook part because I’m afraid I will over work it and it will be tough. Any idea why this could be? I have always used unbleached all purpose flour for all 6 cups. I’m not sure if it really makes that big of a difference but if I can improve what I’m doing I’d love to know! Thanks again for the wonderful recipe!!
Jami says
I’m so glad to know this, Cristina – your experience is the same as mine, meaning everyone loves them! As for the dough, with yeast doughs, do not be afraid to adjust to what it looks and feels like. Don’t put all 6 cups in, just what you need to get it to that point. I would always knead it, though, as that’s what allows the gluten to develop in yeast breads (it’s only baking powder-soda breads that you have to worry about ‘overworking’ the dough). After making it as many times as you have, go with your instinct now. 🙂
Julie Pullum says
Like Lisa I’m finally going to try these, just never had the time before, and I just wondered if the flour is normal or bread flour, so many things are different between USA and UK that sometimes things get messed up in the translation so thought should check. Also have never got around to replacing my very old 1960s kenwood stand alone mixer which finally died a couple of years ago, so going to make the dough in the bread maker, fingers crossed
Jami says
I use normal flour, Julie – unbleached instead of the bleached white flour here (not sure if you have those options), basically whatever you have that’s regular. If I put the whole wheat in (I don’t always) I just use a regular whole wheat – so none of them are bread flours.
And it’s a basic dough (though rich with the butter and eggs!) so it should work in your bread machine if it can handle that amount of dough.
Lisa says
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I might actually be brave enough to try it. Would inside the oven be an effective place to let the rolls rise? The temperature in my kitchen is always pretty cool.
Jami says
I hope you do! I can never quite figure the oven for rising, but I think if you heat it at the lowest temp and then turn it off maybe that would work? I’d check at 30 min. to see if it was still warm, though.
Emily says
A quick question. Am hoping to make these later today. Your recipe calls for “warmed milk, sugar, butter salt and eggs.” In other recipes I miexed all these together in a pan on the stove. Is that what you do, or do you just warm the milk, then add the other ingrediants to the warm milk once it’s in the mixing bowl?
Jami says
I just warm the milk to the touch and then add it with the other ingredients to the mixing bowl, Emily. The butter doesn’t melt all the way, so it’s lumpy, but once the strong mixing is done with half the flour, it’s all incorporated. The reason I never heat milk (or water, etc) on the stove for yeast breads is that it’s very easy to get it too hot and that will kill the yeast. You certainly can do that, but use a thermometer and don’t let it get much past 100 degrees (though I’d never add the eggs to a pan on the stove – you wouldn’t want any part to start cooking). I hope you enjoy these – what a fun way to start the new year! 🙂
Brittany says
I make homemade cinnamon rolls each year for Christmas morning. I will be making this recipe this year and will let you know how they turn out. I trust you because we’ve had success with so many other recipes of yours! I usually refridgerate the dough before the second rise on my recipe and take out and let rise the next morning, then bake. I love the idea of completely baking, then reheating. I also always make a batch for my sister’s family so they can enjoy and feel my love on Christmas morning. About how long would you say you gently reheat so I can tell her?
I love your site and always come back when I need a good recipe! Your 100% whole wheat rolls are a frequent here, as well as your honey ketchup, granola bars, ranch dressing and more. Thanks for sharing and your pictures, directions and whole look is just beautiful. I have an amazing friend that reminds me of you! She is an excellent cook and baker among everything else in life 😉
Jami says
Oh, Brittany, your comment totally made my day! I’m more than happy that you find the recipes work good for you, too – they really are what I use all the time, but sometimes I think maybe they won’t be the same for others? So LOVED reading this. 🙂
I just got through serving these cinnamon rolls to my family at our large gathering for the holidays and they were fought over once again! As our group grows bigger, I find I’m going to have to make another batch in the future to make everyone happy. 🙂 And I actually made them on Friday for a Sunday brunch, and while I think they are best on the day or day 2 from baked, day 3 was fine. We had made eggs in the oven and I stuck the rolls in the oven after turning it off for about 5 minutes before checking. It’s a balance to see how warm they are without the icing melting – that’s the only trick. If the oven weren’t already warmed, I’d heat at 250 degrees for maybe 10 minutes, checking halfway still, just to be sure. 🙂
Brittany says
Jami, these turned out just like you said they would! When my son ate his he commented that these were the best cinnamon rolls ever, without knowing the name and also said he was in heaven eating them! These are the new go to for a special treat! Thanks so much for sharing your talents! So totally impressed over and over again!
Jami says
LOVE reading this, Brittany – thanks so much for sharing your son’s reaction!
Amanda says
Oh my goodness, these really are the BEST cinnamon rolls ever! I made them today for my hubby and four sons. They loved them! I am pretty picky about cinnamon rolls and I’m always trying to find the perfect cinnamon roll. This is it!! Thank you for sharing your recipe!!
Jami says
Yeah, Amanda! We are of the same mind, ’cause I was pretty picky about cinnamon rolls, too, which is why I tweaked and tweaked until I came up with one I liked. 😉
Linda says
Thank you so very much for being generous enough to share one of your best recipes. I’ve tried too many cinnamon roll recipes to count and thought I’d found a keeper until I tried this recipe. We performed a taste test in our home, comparing my previous favorite recipe with this, and your recipe won hands down. I could not be more delighted to find a recipe that uses WW flour with such great results. The word my DH used was “squishy”, which is high praise! I have a question: my rolls looked wonderful going into the oven, but collapsed a little after baking. It didn’t affect the taste, but I wondered why that happened. I did a little research and one suggestion is that I used too much yeast. The 2 TB called for is more than any of the other recipes I’ve used. Is more yeast required because of the WW flour? Just curious. Thank you again for a winning recipe!
Jami says
Glad they won the taste test, Linda! They sure do in my family. 🙂 Hmmm, it depends on what you mean by ‘collapsed’ – the entire rolls or just the centers? When I don’t get the dough rolled evenly, the centers sometimes descend after baking, leaving spaces between the layers. Other than that, they pretty much always turn out like pictured for me – and I always use the 2 TB yeast. I think it’s that much because it makes a large amount of big rolls, it’s pretty much a double recipe of a regular roll recipe. I also think of the recipes I use a lot of yeast in and it’s always soft breads that you want light and airy, so that’s got something to do with it, too. One more thing to think about: I’ve overproofed bread before and it collapses after cooking, so make sure not to let them rise too long.
Hopefully you won’t have that happen the next time you make them!
Linda says
Thanks for the suggestion Jami. You may be right that I let the dough rise too long….on the first rise I got distracted and by the time I returned to the kitchen the dough had almost spilled over the bowl. Also, I should have mentioned that I used instant dry yeast. I read that you can reduce the amount by about 25% if using instant yeast because it has smaller granules and is a little more compacted than active dry yeast. I’ll be more careful with the rise next time, and if that doesn’t do the trick I’ll try reducing the amount of yeast. Even with slightly collapsed rolls, this recipe is a winner!
Syrie M. says
Hi Jami! Another fabulous “share”! I tried this recipe today, the first time I’ve made cinnamon rolls & they were absolutely wonderful! However, I didn’t realize that I was almost out of vanilla, so I wound up using 1 teaspoon of vanilla & 1/8 teaspoon of orange oil that I had on hand from making Divinity. They were super-duper good, as my 13 year-old niece said! Thanks for sharing it!
Jami says
Yeah, Syrie! I’m making some tomorrow for my family’s annual get-together – they are ‘required’ of me. 🙂