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).
MY LATEST VIDEOS
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!
Click the arrow for the complete printable cinnamon roll recipe!
Subscribe & Get Alternative & Low 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.
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!
★★★★★
Oh, I’m so glad you agree!! They have made me the “cinnamon roll lady” in my family for sure. 🙂
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
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!
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!!
★★★★★
SO happy you liked these, Julie – and with all WW!
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 http://www.foodonthecorner.ca 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
I’m happy you found this, too, Sue – I think these may be the ‘one’ recipe for you, but then again, I’m biased. 😉
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!!
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. 🙂
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
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.
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.
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.
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?
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! 🙂
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 😉
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. 🙂
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!
LOVE reading this, Brittany – thanks so much for sharing your son’s reaction!
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!!
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. 😉
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!
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!
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!
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!
Yeah, Syrie! I’m making some tomorrow for my family’s annual get-together – they are ‘required’ of me. 🙂
Well, I made 1 and 1/2 batches of these last weekend, and they are deserving of their title. I did a good job of multiplying the recipe until I got to the frosting, and ended up with a full double batch, which almost made them too rich. Apparently I made them smaller too, as I fit 15 rolls into a 9 x 13 pan. But they were plenty big for us. Kudos to you Jami for such an excellent recipe! We appreciate you sharing. 🙂
Thank you, Sarah! I’m glad you’re enjoying them like my family does. 🙂
I finally got around to trying these out this morning for my daughter’s birthday breakfast. They are DEE-licious and I will definitely be making them again! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe. I shared it over on my Facebook page as well: https://www.facebook.com/TheCozyOldFarmhouse
Have you ever tried with all spelt or white wheat flour? Sometimes when I make things whole grain (with no white flour) I use half oat flour and half wheat to make them sweeter/less wheaty tasting….just wondered if you have tried all whole-grain flour and found good results? Thanks!
I haven’t tried all whole grain, Jenny, just half spelt or white whole wheat. Even half creates a much denser roll and since we have these only a few times a year, I basically go with all purpose to keep the wonderful texture. 🙂
love, love, love cinnamon rolls! I am seriously considering making these tomorrow! my 36+ week pregnant body is thanking you for this recipe. 🙂 (though my scale may not!)
These are so delicious. I rolled them out a bit more to make enough to take to my students on our final day (they have presentations today!). I am having a hard time not eating a bunch before class!! So goooood!! Thank you for the recipe and the great blog 🙂
Wow! Thanks for sharing such a special recipe! I’m printing it off to try!
Gina
Ok I made these today… Wow!… Just wow… I was literally taking bites and going “OMG!”… Never made these before so I was a nervous newbie and so proud they looked so good in the end… I made 16 with your recipe, two 9×13 glass pyrex is what I had. Loved the frosting and the slight crunch on the bottom from the ‘optional’ cinnamon sugar… Thank you so much for sharing Jami!.
Yes, and yes, Liz. 🙂 And my family complains that they are smaller (thinner) when I’ve made 16 in the past, but it’s certainly a good option. Thanks for taking the time to let me know how you liked them – and that you were successful using the tutorial, woot!
Oh my heavens! These look delicious! I’m definitely going to have to make them, but only if there are a lot of people to eat them so I don’t have to worry about my waistline as much! 😉
Hello Jami,
1st time commenter, but I feel a need.
Made these yesterday while watching Daytona 500.
They were UHHH-MAZING.
I’ve also made your Pork Stew and Sriracha crackers.
Freakin’ good food, man.
Love your site
Tami
Beausejour, Manitoba, Canada….ehhhh!!!!!
🙂
Yeah! Thanks for taking the time to contribute, Tami, I LOVE hearing which recipes others are liking. 🙂
YUUUMMMMYYY!!! I can’t WAIT to make these Sunday morning!
I’m an Australian admirer of your blog and tried these today and we all LOVED them. Thanks for posting. Details were easy to follow and not complicated. For any other possible Aussies who want to try this recipe, I didn’t end up converting the measurements and just used straight metric – only change I made was to change yeast to 2 tsp (metric). They were delicious, turned out just like the pictures and we will definitely be starting a tradition with these.
Just want to also say that your posts are quite inspiring with changing things up to have a fresh new look for all to enjoy.
Thanks so much, Caroline! And I’m so glad you’re able to use my recipes even with the measurement differences. 🙂
Cannot wait to try these! Do you think I could make a batch and maybe freeze them for a little while, maybe without the frosting, I could make that fresh when we need it? Any experience with little more long term storage? There are only two of us and I am finally getting some traction with my exercise program 😉 Thanks in advance!
I have tried lots of ways to make-ahead, Liz. The problem with not frosting them is that you miss out on that thing that happens as the frosting seeps into the cooling rolls, which is one of the things that makes them so amazing, in my opinion. When a family member can’t be at a gathering and are sad about missing out on the rolls, I wrap one with foil (after baked, frosted, and cooled) and freeze it – that might be the answer for just the two of you, then you can pull out just how many you need and let them thaw. As for how long, you’ll have to let us know if there’s a “use by” date, as I’ve never had them last very long in my family. 🙂
Thanks… I don’t know if we are up for the challenge of keeping them in the freezer but life is short I think we should enjoy them regardless! 😉
Cannot wait to try these! I’ve made the oh-so-popular-all-over-blogland-big-time-blogger’s recipe (which a friend said was “the best” and that’s the only recipe she uses anymore) but we didn’t care for them at all. Cinnamon biscuits is a perfect description of them. We love ours yeasty so I can’t wait to test this one out. Thank you so very much for deciding to share it. : )
Yes, Stephanie, I didn’t want to be derogatory in any way, but they really tasted like biscuits to me so I felt I had to address the difference. I think you’ll be pleased with these. 🙂
Yummy! I am a huge fan of cinnamon rolls, I have just never made them with icing (I always make vanilla custard to accompany them, very tasty!).
I’m your newest follower, by the way!
Anja @ cocalores.blogspot.com
Thank you, Anja!
I made the rolls yesterday to share with family. And, yes, they are the best!! Easy to make, look beautiful. Thank you for sharing. Oh, and my grandchildren thank you, too!
Woot! You probably win the prize for the first to make them. 🙂 Glad you found them easy, too.
They sound delicious! I would love to have you share this recipe on The Creative HomeAcre Hop tomorrow 🙂
Hope to see you there!
I’ve been following your blog for a few months now and I just love it! Thank you for sharing! I’ve made almost all your bread recipes and love them. Thrown all my old recipes out. I’ve always made bread by hand, but I’d really like to invest in a mixer to help my back out :). What mixer do you use and how long have you had it? Thank you!
Awesome, Amy- I’m so happy to hear that! I’ve used a Kitchenaid for years – I started with the a lower-end tilt-top model, but it was worked to death as soon as I started making whole wheat and sourdough breads. I now have a Kitchenaid Professional 550 (I think that’s the number…) which I LOVE. I bought it refurbished from the Kitchenaid site about 3 years ago and it’s working all my bread dough like a charm. You will LOVE not having to make it by hand anymore, so start saving. 🙂
Thanks, can’t wait to try it. I’m also looking forward to gardening with you. Love this blog.
Kathy
Wow, they look amazing and you make it look so easy. Can’t you just make us each a batch and send them to us!! 🙂 Thanks for sharing this family recipe with us, I appreciate you.
Hmmm, that would be quite a batch, wouldn’t it? 🙂
Yum! Love the addition of the spelt flour. thanks.