The Best Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

This is how to make the BEST cinnamon roll recipe for perfectly fluffy and slathered with a buttery cream cheese frosting.

the best cinnamon rolls in white baking dish, slathered with frosting

I’ve always had high standards when it came to cinnamon rolls. I’ve tried many recipes over the years, on a quest for the perfect recipe. Well folks, that ended as soon as I tried these rolls, from baker extraordinaire, Sarah Kieffer. Sarah is the cookbook author and blogger behind the blog that Savuer named the Best Baking & Dessert Blog, The Vanilla Bean Blog, and a friend who is just as sweet as these rolls. I’ve featured Sarah on the blog before (check it out here) and this cinnamon roll recipe comes from Sarah’s first cookbook, The Vanilla Bean Baking Book.

These melt-in-your-mouth cinnamon rolls hit all the bases. They’re soft, tender, fluffy, and full of amazing flavor. They start off with a recipe for a sweet, enriched dough that is perfectly tender (thanks to honey and eggs) and is actually really simple to make with only the help of a stand mixer that does most of the kneading for you. The only work that needs to be done is setting the timer on your phone to remind you to give the dough its series of flips and folding while it rests and rises.

pan of easy cinnamon rolls next to cookbook

What’s in These Cinnamon Rolls?

Now that I’ve sufficiently professed my love for these cinnamon rolls, it’s time to get to the good stuff — how to make them.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for the cinnamon roll dough:

Eggs
Whole milk
Honey
All-purpose flour
Instant yeast
Salt
Unsalted butter

And for the cinnamon roll filling you’ll need:

Brown sugar
Cinnamon
Salt
Unsalted butter

And finally, the addicting cinnamon roll icing:

Unsalted butter
Cream cheese
Vanilla extract
Salt
Powdered sugar

How to Make These Cinnamon Rolls

I used to be intimidated over making cinnamon rolls, but Sarah provides a simple method and clear instructions, making them easy. Plus, I love that you can make these ahead of time.

Here’s how to make them:

Start the Rolls at Night

I found the perfect time for making these easy cinnamon rolls was in the evening, starting the dough-making process while fixing dinner, then flipping and folding as the evening wore on and finalizing the process before I went to bed. The dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to three days, making it a good candidate to add to any brunch or breakfast table. One thing to note, the dough will be pretty shaggy and rough the final time you pull it out of the fridge.

homemade cinnamon rolls in white baking dish

Mix the dough, then let it rest. If you have a stand mixer, now’s the time to use it (and you don’t need a dough hook attachment––a paddle works just fine here!). You’ll first need to make the dough, then cover it with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel wrap and let the dough rise for 30 minutes (the microwave is a great place for it to rest).

Punch and rest some more. After 30 minutes is up, fold the dough back over itself 6 to 8 times, then recover the dough and let rise another 30 minutes. Repeat this series of foldings a total of 4 times (it’ll take 2 hours total).

Rest and chill overnight. Once the dough has had time to rise and has been folded multiple times, cover it one last time and let it chill in the refrigerator overnight, where it will rise more.

unbaked cinnamon rolls in baking dish after second rise

Roll it Out in the Morning

Roll, sprinkle, and cut. The next morning, on a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle. Brush it with melted butter, then sprinkle with a mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Roll up the dough and cut it into even-sized pieces. I cut these down into just 8 rolls, but you can certainly make them smaller to 12 portions and pack them in tighter if you prefer.

Tip: You could use a knife, but I like to use sharp kitchen scissors or dental floss for nice, clean cuts!

Rest and rise until doubled in size. Place the cinnamon rolls in a greased baking dish, then cover them with plastic wrap and let them rise until doubled.

For the Best Cinnamon Rolls, Glaze Twice

Sarah suggests slathering a layer on as soon as the rolls come out of the oven so the glaze sticks in every nook and cranny, and then adding more again after they’ve somewhat cooled. Genius move.

Make the icing. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium until smooth and creamy, then add the vanilla and salt and mix on low speed to combine. Add the powdered sugar and mix on low until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides in between.

Bake and glaze. Once risen, bake the homemade cinnamon rolls until golden brown. While the cinnamon rolls cool, make the icing and slather it liberally over the rolls while they’re still warm. Glaze with more icing just before serving.

Can I Freeze Cinnamon Rolls?

Yes, you can freeze cinnamon rolls. First let them cool completely, then seal them in a freezer bag and freeze them. When you’re ready to eat the frozen cinnamon rolls, set them on the counter to thaw. Note that you should freeze them without the icing, and should make a fresh batch of cinnamon roll icing just before you serve them.

Can I Refrigerate These Overnight During the Second Rise?

Yes, you totally can. However, the dough still needs to be chilled before rolling. After you’ve assembled your rolls and nestled them in the greased pan, cover them with plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator overnight.

In the morning, you need to remove the cinnamon rolls from the fridge (keep them covered) and let them come to room temperature before baking, about 30-40 minutes or so. Also, note that they may take longer to bake.

two cinnamon rolls on plates next to baking dish full of cinnamon rolls

Fun Cinnamon Rolls Ideas to Try

If you want to experiment, from this classic version, here are some ideas you could try:

Orange and Almond Cinnamon Rolls: Add the orange zest of 1-2 oranges to the cinnamon sugar filling and ½ teaspoon of almond extract to the cream cheese frosting.
Cinnamon Rolls with Raisins and Nuts: Add 1 cup of raisins and 1 cup of chopped nuts to the cinnamon roll filling
Raspberry Cinnamon Rolls with Lemon Creme Fraiche Frosting: Substitute the ½ cup brown sugar with ¾ cup raspberry jam for the filling and switch out the cream cheese with creme fraiche.
Pumpkin Pie Cinnamon Roll: Add ½ cup of canned pumpkin and ½ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to the cinnamon and brown sugar to use as the filling.

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My Favorite Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

This is how to make the BEST cinnamon rolls recipe for perfectly fluffy and slathered with a buttery cream cheese frosting.

CourseBread, Breakfast

CuisineAmerican

Keywordcinnamon rolls

Prep Time30minutes

Cook Time25minutes

Rise Time4hours

Total Time4hours 55minutes

Servings12

Calories487kcal

Ingredients

For the Sweet Dough

4 large eggs , at room temperature
¾ cup whole milk , warm (100°F – 110°F)
¼ cup honey
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 ¼ teaspoon instant yeast
2 teaspoons salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter , at room temperature, cut into 1-inch pieces

For the filling

½ cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and cooled

For the Icing

8 tablespoons unsalted butter , at room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese , at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

Make the Sweet Dough

Grease a large bowl. In a liquid measuring cup, combine the eggs, milk, and honey.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, mix the flour, yeast, and salt and stir on low to combine. Add the egg mixture and mix on low to combine. Add the butter one piece at a time, then increase the speed to to medium and beat the butter into the dough, until all the small butter piece are incorporated, about 1 minute. Transfer the dough to the prepared bowl. The dough will be very sticky and shaggy, so use a spatula to scrape the dough into the bowl.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise for 30 minutes. Place your fingers underneath the dough and gently pull the dough up and fold it back over itself. Turn the bowl and repeat this folding again. Repeat 6 to 8 more times until the dough has been folder over on itself. Re-cover the bowl with plastic and let rise for 30 minutes. Repeat the series of folding 3 more times, for a rise time of 2 hours and a total of 4 foldings.
Tightly core the bowl with the plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, or up to 72 hours. Sarah suggests the dough can be used right away after the initial 2-hour rise, but she finds it easier to work with after it has been refrigerated overnight.

Make the Cinnamon Rolls

Flour a work surface and knead the sweet dough 10 to 12 times. Shape the dough into a ball, cover the top lightly with flour, and cover with a tea towel to come to room temperature.
Grease a 9 by 13-inch pan. In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
Roll the dough into a 16 by 12-inch rectangle. Brush the dough with the melted butter so the filling adheres. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the dough.
Starting with the long side, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. Pinch the seam gently to seal it and position the dough seam side down. Use a scissors or a sharp knife to cut the dough into 12 equal pieces or 8 equal pieces if you want larger size cinnamon rolls. Place the pieces in the prepared pan cut-side up. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until doubled, 1 to 1 ½ hours.
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Remove the plastic and bake for 25-27 minutes, rotating half way through until the rolls are golden.
Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the rolls cool for 5 minutes before icing them.

Make the Icing

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla and salt and mix on low to combine. Add the powdered sugar and mix on low until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
Apply a thin layer of the icing on the cinnamon rolls while warm so it seeps into all of the nooks and crannies of the rolls. Add more icing as desired and serve.

Notes

Reprinted from The Vanilla Bean Baking Book: Recipes for Irresistible Everyday Favorites and Reinvented Classics

These can do a second proof overnight in the fridge, if you’d like. The dough will still need to be chilled before rolling though. After you’ve assembled your rolls and nestled them in the greased pan, cover them with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, you need to remove the cinnamon rolls from the fridge (keep them covered), and let them come to room temperature before baking, about 30-40 minutes or so. Also note that they may take longer to bake.

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