The Perfect Cinnamon Rolls {Gloria’s Famous Recipe}
These perfect cinnamon rolls are incredible! Soft, fluffy, with the perfect amount of sweet cinnamon filling. The search is finally over!
A huge fan favorite for ten years, these cinnamon rolls are perfection.
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Dough
This recipe makes a huge batch of cinnamon rolls – 24 to be exact. And the cinnamon rolls are substantial in size.
If you want a more moderate approach to cinnamon rolls, here’s a small batch recipe cut down from this perfect cinnamon roll recipe.
The dough for these cinnamon rolls includes:
- scalded milk
- butter
- yeast
- eggs
- sugar
- flour (I use unbleached all-purpose flour)
I add the flour as quickly as possible, because I’ve learned over the years of making these cinnamon rolls, that they turn out softer and fluffier if the dough is not over kneaded.
Once the flour has been fully incorporated, the dough only needs to be kneaded for 2-3 minutes.
The flour amount in the recipe is a guideline, because several factors will impact the exact amount of flour needed, including how we each measure flour.
The dough should clear the sides of the bowl and be soft and slightly sticky, but if it leaves a lot of doughy residue on your fingers, continue adding flour a little at a time until it is less sticky and more supple.
It should not be stiff and stodgy. Err on the side of under flouring if you aren’t sure.
Let the dough rise until doubled.
These food-safe buckets {aff. link} are my go-to for rising the dough for these perfect cinnamon rolls.
Rolling and Cutting Cinnamon Rolls
Divide the dough in half and pat or roll each half into a rectangle, about 1/4-inch thick.
Spread softened butter across the top, followed by the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Very lightly pat the cinnamon and sugar mixture into the dough.
Cut the cinnamon rolls into 1 1/2-inch pieces (or thereabouts), depending on how big you want the cinnamon rolls.
How to Tuck the Ends of Cinnamon Rolls
To avoid the loose edge of the cinnamon rolls unraveling while baking, I always tuck that edge under the cinnamon roll.
It’s about as simple as it sounds. Before placing on the sheet pan, take the loose edge and bring it underneath the cinnamon roll.
Place the cinnamon roll on the prepared pan so that edge stays tucked underneath.
I use two half sheet pans lined with parchment paper for baking these cinnamon rolls.
Let them rise on the pan until noticeably puffy – the sides of the cinnamon rolls should be touching each other.
Bake until golden and no longer doughy in the center. In my oven that’s about 22 minutes.
I prefer letting the rolls cool until just warm before spreading on the frosting instead of spreading the frosting on right out of the oven.
The frosting recipe includes maple extract. It is a delicious flavor pairing for these cinnamon rolls! However, you can easily leave it out if you want a more classic cinnamon roll frosting.
How to Make Cinnamon Rolls Ahead of Time
I have an entire post dedicated to this topic: How to Make Cinnamon Rolls Ahead of Time.
But in short, it’s easy to make these cinnamon rolls in advance.
- Make the cinnamon rolls and place them on the sheet pan.
- Immediately cover them with greased plastic wrap and pop them in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours.
- Take them out of the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature (it’s likely they rose in the refrigerator, but if they need more rising time, let them rise fully before baking).
- Bake as directed in the recipe.
The baked and frosted cinnamon rolls can also be frozen (it’s a game changer) – I’ve included details for doing so down in the notes of the recipe.
Perfect Cinnamon Rolls
These cinnamon rolls are perfection. I have probably a dozen other recipes for cinnamon rolls on my site, but when I need a never-fail, go-to recipe, I always turn to this recipe!
Thousands of you have fallen in love with this recipe, too. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Shannon: I had to comment because this is the first cinnamon roll recipe that has worked out for me! Honestly, I think I have made at least 10 recipes and none of them tasted just right.
Katie: I very seldom comment on recipes because I usually have to tweak them to my liking but this was spot on. I actually hate baking because it never turns out well for me, I’m a perfectionist. I cannot believe how good these are and everyone who tried them agreed! They are so awesome and I’ve made cinnamon rolls in the past that were just meh, so I wasn’t too hopeful. What reeled me in was that it was a tried and true recipe, I love it when the older generations decide to share their incredible recipes with us! Thanks Gloria and Mel! They were truly delicious.
Andrea: I’ve been making these for 3 years now, and seriously life changing. I wasn’t a newbie to cinnamon roll making, but your tips make these even more amazing. One of my most favorite recipes of all time!!!
A Little About Gloria
Years ago, my Aunt Marilyn introduced me to these cinnamon rolls AND to Gloria, the amazing woman behind the cinnamon roll recipe!
When I finally met her, it felt like I was meeting a celebrity, which is not far from the truth. Her cinnamon rolls are legendary! She was so gracious and kind. And so excited to have her recipe posted here!
For decades, every year on Father’s Day, Gloria and her daughter made cinnamon rolls for all the men at Gloria’s church congregation. In order to serve the cinnamon rolls at the peak of their awesomeness, they would stay up all night so that the rolls would be warm from the oven and super fresh for church (in the picture above she’s holding a collage of one of her epic all nighters).
I want to be like Gloria when I grow up (except I don’t think I’m selfless enough to stay up all night like that!).
Gloria has since passed away, but her amazing legacy (even beyond cinnamon rolls!) lives on. 💗
One Year Ago: Loaded Broccoli Cheese and Bacon Soup
Two Years Ago: Glazed Chocolate Chip Scones {And Halloween Recap}
Three Years Ago: Hearty Turkey and Bean Chili
Perfect Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Rolls:
- 4 cups milk (preferably not skim)
- 1 cup (227 g) salted butter
- 1 cup (212 g) sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 ¾ tablespoons instant yeast (see note)
- 4 large eggs
- 11-13 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Filling:
- 1 cup (227 g) salted butter
- 2 cups (424 g) lightly packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Frosting:
- 8 ounces (227 g) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (113 g) salted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons maple extract/flavoring (optional)
- Pinch of salt
- 2 pounds powdered sugar
- Cream or milk for consistency
Instructions
- For the dough, heat the milk in a medium saucepan until the milk is scalded (which is basically heating it until right before it simmers – it will start steaming and little bubbles will form around the edge of the pan). Pour the milk into the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
- Add the butter, sugar and salt. Mix until the butter is melted and let the mixture cool until warm but not hot (110 degrees F on instant-read thermometer).
- Add the yeast and eggs and mix until combined.
- Turn the mixer to low speed and add the flour until the dough clears the sides of the bowl. The exact amount will depend on several factors (including how you measure the flour). I usually end up adding right around 13 cups of flour. The goal is for the dough to soft and just slightly sticky without leaving a lot of residue on your fingers. Let it knead for 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to a large, lightly greased bowl. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap and let rise until doubled.
- Divide the dough in half. Roll or pat each portion of dough into an 18-inch by 12-inch rectangle. Spread 1/2 cup softened butter over each rectangle.
- Stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle half of it over each rectangle. Pat it in slightly with the palms of your hands. Starting with one long end, roll up the cinnamon rolls. Don't stretch and pull the dough while rolling or it can cause gaps when the cinnamon rolls are baking.
- Cut each cinnamon roll log in half with a serrated knife or unflavored dental floss. Then cut each half in half again (forming four equal portions). Cut each of the four portions into three rolls – twelve cinnamon rolls total. Repeat this with the other roll – you'll have 24 cinnamon rolls total.
- Place the rolls on a parchment-lined half sheet pan. I space the rolls 3 across, 4 down. If the ends have come free, carefully tuck them under the cinnamon roll.
- Cover the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap and let the rolls rise until double. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Bake the rolls for about 18-22 minutes until lightly golden on top. Let the rolls cool almost completely in the pan before frosting.
- For the frosting, in a large bowl, whip together the cream cheese and butter. Add the vanilla, maple (if using) and salt, and mix until combined.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until thick and creamy. Add cream or milk a tablespoon at a time until the frosting is smooth and spreadable to your liking.
- Spread the cinnamon rolls with frosting.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from Gloria C. (after my Aunt Marilyn told me all about them)
Well, you did it again! I was in charge of the brunch for our Stake women’s conference yesterday, and as part of the menu I whipped up 300 of these bad boys (I made them half the size of these, so 6 batches) over the past month and froze them. I pulled them all out the night before to defrost and warmed them in the oven. And while I may not make another cinnamon bun for the next 5 years (it was a big endeavor), you sure made me famous around these parts! Thanks, to your and Gloria!
Oh my gosh! 300! Seriously, I cannot even believe you did that. You are amazing, Lindsay! And I don’t blame you for not wanting to see another cinnamon roll for a LONG time.
I am making cinnamon rolls for a graduation brunch. I have only used white granulated sugar (instead of brown sugar) for my filling. How would a measured amount of white sugar convert from 2 cups packed brown sugar. That’s how my Mom always made them.
You’ll have to just experiment, Susan, because I haven’t made them with granulated sugar and have no idea how a subbed quantity would fare in the recipe. I’d probably start with 1 1/2 cups and go from there.
Just made these for a 2nd time. What a great recipe! I had to make mine in two batches so my mixer could handle the dough (big recipe but go big or go home!) I used a simple buttercream frosting instead and they are so yummy! I also like your tip for tucking the end of the roll underneath! Thank you!
Hi Mel – I absolutely love making these cinnamon rolls. I have a question for you – I want to make the whole batch for Easter Breakfast at our church this Sunday. If I make them Saturday (bake,cool, frost) – how would you suggest I warm them up on Sunday? Just a warm oven for like 5-10 minutes? I typically make them as you suggest and freeze them individually – they are just the best!!!! Thank you for your time!! Kim
Hi Kim – yes, I think slightly warming them in the oven would do the trick – of course the frosting will melt a little but if that’s ok to you, I’d say give it a try!
Hi Mel, I don’t believe I ever left feedback after making this last summer for a pregnant friend who was dying for cinnamon rolls. I stayed up all night making them but they were worth the effort, so delicious! She loved them and got a whole pan to freeze for whenever the craving struck again. I’m making them again for a chili cookoff fundraiser (chili and cinnamon rolls seem to be a “thing” around here, and it’s still just so WEIRD to me, but oh well) and am making them normal sized and I know they’re gonna be a hit!
So funny, I’m making the rolls for a chili cookoff fundraiser, too! I’m going to try the mini ones mentioned in my above comment this afternoon. Wish me luck!
Good luck with the fundraiser, Veronica! I agree that combo of chili and cinnamon rolls is a little obscure but it’s so fun to hear of regional eats like that.
I made these for Christmas and they were, in fact, perfect! I am wondering if you could please suggest a way to make them in a miniature size (like 1 or 2 bites)? I’m hoping to serve them to a crowd. Thanks!
Me too! I would like them small for birthday treats.
Hi Ashley – I’ve never made them that way but I’d suggest splitting the dough into 4-6 portions instead of 2 and rolling them into long, thin ropes and cutting that way. Good luck!
I did end up splitting the dough into 6 portions as you suggested. I placed each roll in a parchment fluted cupcake holder and they fit perfectly. They ended up being slightly smaller than a regular muffin, just right for a few small bites. They were a hit with our church family!
Hi Mel,
First off, thank you for sharing your recipe. I just finished making a ‘bad’ batch of another recipe for Cinnamon rolls…and was so disappointed.
Going to try your recipe, but was wondering if you could clarify “Step 3.Add the yeast and eggs and mix until combined.” As in, together at the same time or do I add the yeast and wait until it develops? You don’t mention whether you need to wait for the yeast to bloom or not…help please?
If using instant yeast, you don’t need to proof it first so you can add the eggs and yeast together.
Ok, I’m freaking out about the amount of regular yeast since i ALWAYS use instant but I’m out. Seriously 2.5 TBS??? I have made the a lot but I’m hung up with the measurement this time!
Hi Mel,
We love this recipe. How far in advance can you put them in the fridge to rise. I’m wanting to make them for Thanksgiving morning. Could I make them on Wednesday afternoon and put them in the fridge to rise or just make at night and put in the fridge? Thanks
Absolutely! I do that all the time. It works great.
Mel, I noticed in a comment above that you used a convection oven–would you mind sharing the settings you used for that? We have the convection option in our oven, but I rarely use it because I’m rather insecure about figuring out the settings. I would love to be able to use it for this recipe! Also, we made these cinnamon rolls a couple of weekends ago…oh my heavens. This is our new go-to cinnamon roll recipe–thanks for sharing it!
Hi Nicole – I agree that convection can be a bit hard to figure out and each oven is different, even using convection. Having said that, I bake these on 325 convection for about 14-15 minutes. That seems to be the golden temp/time for my oven.
If I cut this recipe in half, should the yeast also be halved? Thanks!
Yep, I think so.
Oh wow! I made these babies yesterday for general conference and they really are the best! We took some to neighbors and instant texts of, oh my gosh these are amazing! Came rolling in. Thanks for sharing Gloria 🙂
I just made this today and its sooo good. I made this with half whole wheat and frost this with magical frosting with maple extract.
Do you think I could use this dough to make fluffy dinner rolls? I made the cinnamon buns and absolutely adored them, so light and fluffy. Is it possible to just leave out the filling and roll it into balls before the second rise? Thanks! Love your recipes!!!
I don’t see why not – they’ll be a fairly rich dinner roll (usually dinner rolls have less butter/sugar) but if you like your dinner rolls sweet, then it should work!
Do you bake both pans of rolls at the same time? If so, is it necessary to switch positions of the pans halfway through? Would it be better to turn on both of my ovens so each pan has their own space?
I have a convection oven so I bake them at the same time (no need to switch positions) but if you have a conventional oven without convection bake, I’d recommend baking one sheet at a time or switching halfway through like you suggested. Since you have the option of a double oven, I’d bake them in separate ovens (they’ll bake more evenly that way).
I hate to bash on recipes…I really do! I ALWAYS appreciate those who work so hard to share recipes with the rest of us. But this time, I do have a few negatives points…but I actually hope this helps the next person.
This recipe is very time consuming. It makes an industrial size batch. And the rolls are not big…they are HUGE! If you don’t have restaurant equipment (mixer, baking sheets, oven), cut this recipe in at least half.
My Kitchen Aid couldn’t hold all of the batter, so it went up into the machine (took 2 hours to clean, and I had to take my mixer apart!). Working with this much batter/dough is way too difficult.
I won’t even go into the overflowing rolls, which dripped over the sides of the pans and had smoke flowing from my oven (alarms going off and everything!). Such a mess.
Two other points…unless you want massive rolls (like for a giant, lol), cut them smaller. One inch rolls are still big after they rise again.
Next, roll VERY tightly. Don’t just roll them up (thinking it’s enough). If, from the inside of the roll, it looks like 2-4 swirls…it isn’t enough. These things come undone very easily.
These taste okay…but maybe that’s because of the difficult time I had with them. I’ve had better and easier ones.
Sorry Mel…I really do appreciate all of your recipes!
Mel, love your site! I am cooking/baking up a storm and everything has been incredible!
I was wondering if you use a certain type of cinnamon for your rolls. I have read about Vietnamese cinnamon. Sounds like there are many different kinds out there and I am curious what you use
Thanks for such a fun read and awesome blog! I use to spend my time watching/reading Foodnetwork, you have replaced it!!
Thanks, Kelli – you are so nice! My favorite cinnamon is from Penzey’s Spices (their signature blend – it has three different types, Vietnamese being one) but they also have Vietnamese cinnamon that I’ve heard people rave about.
Call me deviant, but I prefer room temperature cinnamon rolls. Can I bake these, frost them, then put them in a Tupperware container overnight, and will they still be good in the morning for breakfast?
That should work just fine.
About how long from start to finish would you say making these takes?
It really depends on the warmth of your kitchen and how fast they rise but I’d say probably 2 hours or so.
I was “iffy” about the maple frosting, as I really, really like the traditional vanilla cream cheese frosting on my cinnamon rolls. I took a chance and tried it out, and they really are so, so amazing. Also, I thought I had messed mine up, because I accidentally let one of the butter cubes soften too much and melt, then my dough seemed thicker than what I thought it should be when I rolled them up, and then one of my big long rolls was way too long and the individual rolls ended up being kinda wide … but, to my utter surprise, they still worked out perfectly!
I am really excited to try this recipe! When you freeze them on a tray for reheating later, do you frost them before you freeze them or do you frost them after you reheat them in the oven? Thanks. I am thinking of making these for girls camp since I am in charge of food.
I bake them, let them cool, frost them and then freeze. They reheat beautifully!
Hi Mel! I have made these cinnamon rolls 2 times and have loved them both times. But the maple in the frosting no one can taste! I have bought 2 different maple brands and both have been not very strong. Is there a brand that you recommend?
Hmmm, what brands have you used? My favorite maple flavoring is from King Arthur Flour (it’s like maple concentrate) but it’s kind of pricey for the little bottle (however it packs a huge punch in maple flavoring). I don’t always have it on hand so usually I use the Mapleine. Maybe try upping the amount just a bit to see if that helps.
I just made these for Easter breakfast and they were the BEST cinnamon rolls I’ve ever made and I’ve tried a lot of recipes! They were tender and light and not overly sweet. Delicious!
Just made these this morning for Easter and they are AMAZING! Thanks for the awesome recipe. We are basking in the ooey gooey cinnamon roll goodness right now!
Hi Mel! I have 2 questions: 1.) How do these compare to your buttermilk cinnamon rolls? I planned on making these until I saw the buttermilk ones…can’t decide! 2.) I tend to only buy dark brown sugar, will that be a problem and should I definitely use light? Thanks so much, I aplogize if these questions were asked already…I only briefly scanned the comments.
Hi Glindy – that’s a tough question about the cinnamon rolls – I love both recipes but these edge out the buttermilk ones just slightly because the dough for Gloria’s recipe is just slightly softer. Also, I think dark brown sugar should work just fine.
I visited a pregnant friend today and while we were setting up our plans, we were talking about in future how we’d like to do cooking & baking sessions together so I could teach her to bake and she could teach me to cook (she’s a better cook than me, I’m a better baker than her). She said she wanted to learn how to make cinnamon rolls b/c she was craving them and I told her I’d make her some and bring them when I came. So I made these!! Had them pinned a while now. And they are definitely the best I’ve made. She is a happy camper, with a whole pan of them frozen individually in bags in her freezer now. But Mel, I have to give you mad props for making these and everything else you do on a regular basis. I forgot how time consuming these are! I was up from midnight to 7 am making just one batch. I also had a baby up from midnight to 3 b/c his first molar is coming in, which made the process a little longer, but seriously. You’re awesome.
Oh my goodness, Veronica – that is a true labor of love. You are a good friend!
Mel or experienced bakers:
A few questions about using a KitchenAid stand mixer. I have a new Pro 6qt stand mixer that I’m dying to keep busy, and I’m DETERMINED to master yeast breads! Can anyone offer tips or suggestions for this recipe and others in the future?
1. In making the dough, I used the #1 & #2 settings on the KitchenAid. I understand that the dough should pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl, but I’m a little unclear of when exactly to begin the actual kneading/timing. Should the bottom of the bowl be mostly clean before kneading/timing? I was so afraid of over mixing that I finally switched it to #2 (Kneading) and began timing it while the bottom still had a bit (maybe 1/2 cup or a little more) of sticky dough attached. In other words, the dough had not completely gathered together in a smooth ball form yet.
2. Can anyone offer any suggestions about the settings for a KitchenAid stand Mixer? The manual says to use setting #2 for kneading dough, but is that setting too high for the whole mixing process from beginning to the end? Both are low speeds, but I would love to learn the right way. I was mixing on #1 but it almost seemed too low.
3. Can anyone give me a general rule of thumb as to rules of rising times? I’ve made dough before where it rose beautifully, but I have had interruptions and have always wondered if you can let your dough/rolls rise too much. What happens in the end when dough is left too long to rise?
I am determined to be a good “listener” and take as many tips as possible so I can finally master the yeast breads. A big thank you goes out to anyone here that has tips or suggestions!
Hi Cris – I hope others can chime in and help you with your KitchenAid questions. I’ve only used one a handful of times and never to make bread so I won’t be of much help there since I use a Bosch mixer. About rising, that really depends on the warmth of your kitchen but generally I plan on about 45 minutes for a dough to double in size. Overrising (like really significantly where it’s fallen over the sides of the bowl and deflated on it’s own) can cause the bread to not rise again while baking but it has to rise a ton for that to happen. I think there’s a lot of wiggle room in dough rising.
These were sooooooo good!!! Thanks again Mel! You’re the best!
Ok SO…apparently I am not supposed to be making these today!! first I added yeast thinking it said teaspoon…nope Tablespoon (added the extra to it in at the end.. the are rising… so fingers crossed).
Then it was too much for my mixer but i didn’t realize until it was too late! ha
and then i cut them sooo wrong… getting 8 giant pieces…because I was talking to my kids… so i had to cut some small some big hahaha lets see if these turn out. SERIOUSLY it will be a miracle! one of those days I guess!
THEY WERE AMAZING! Some HUGE some little hahaha but AMAZING!
Hey Mel- Made these today for my son’s 6th birthday and they worked out perfectly. I’ve made many a cinnamon rolls in my life, and I think these were the best. They were his birthday cake of choice! My only question is with the parchment paper — my rolls stuck to the paper. Was there something I should do differently, or have yours ever stuck? It was a bummer to have paper come off on the cooled rolls.
Hmmm, that’s strange, Rebecca – I don’t think I’ve ever had anything stick to the parchment paper I use (what brand are you using, I suppose that could make a difference – I use the parchment from King Arthur Flour). I think in the future if you lightly spray the parchment with cooking spray that could help.
These are divine. I’ve received such great feedback about them. I did a class on freezer cooking and we sampled these (they had been in my freezer about 3 weeks and you couldn’t tell at all) and people were saying I needed to do a class just on how to make them!
Hi, I have made these rolls multiple times already and they are so good, everyone loves them! A few questions:
1) Have you ever used some of the dough for dinner rolls?
2) I am not sure what I’m doing wrong, but the rolls tend to be doughy on the edges while the center gets brown? Am I not rolling the dough thin enough or tight enough? Also, my filling kind of drips out the bottom, it still tastes great, but wondering what I can do to get it to stay “inside”
The roll?
Hi Suzanne – in answer to your questions – I’ve never used the dough for dinner rolls, I think it might be too sweet since it’s for cinnamon rolls but that might just be a personal preference. I’m not sure about the doughy issue – I’ve heard others say the insides are doughy and the outsides are done but not the opposite. It’s hard to know without being right there to see how thick/thin you are rolling it. I think rolling them up tightly (not stretching the dough and pulling it to get it tight, just moderately tight) should help the filling stay in. You might try cutting back on the butter just a bit too – I haven’t had the problem of the filling leaking out but sometimes excess butter can cause that to happen (or using melted butter instead of softened butter).
These are amazing! I did a half batch cause I’m the person that will eat all 24 in 24 hours. Turned out great. Company said they were the best cinnamon buns ever! Truly the Perfect Cinnamon Roll.
These are smelling up our house right now! Thanks for the recipe + also i’m loving this maple cream cheese frosting. I love maple flavored things and never thought of doing this in frosting but its really good.
I made these rolls this morning with my 4.5-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son. We had so much fun, and they turned out delicious! I haven’t made homemade yeast ANYTHING for many years now because my breads and rolls were always tough and tasted like flour. I was only going by my old church cookbooks because I never knew anyone to teach me how to work with yeast. I loved your tutorial, and I now realize that I was adding WAY too much flour. I didn’t know that the dough was supposed to be slightly sticky. Thank you so much–I now have the motivation I need to get back into it! I’ve always had this odd childhood dream of wanting to be just like Laura Ingalls Wilder (okay, that dream has faded slightly over the years :), and part of that dream always included cooking from scratch. Well, as society and age took its toll on me, I have slowly merged onto the “dark side”. Stumbling upon your website in the new year was just the motivation I needed to go back to the old ways of doing things and have a happier me and a healthier family. The rolls were divine, thank you! I can’t wait to try more–your website is the new daily topic of discussion between my sister and I. 🙂
You are too cute, Melanie. Thanks for the comment! I’m thrilled these cinnamon rolls worked out for you!
Just wanted to let you know that I made these cinnamon rolls with flax seed and they were incredible!!! The dough was still very easy to work with! My daughter with severe egg allergies had her first cinnamon roll ever! Thanks for posting such an amazing recipe and giving me the courage to try it with you amazingly detailed posts.
That’s awesome, Shannon!
These rolls are absolutely wonderful! Over the years I’ve made every cinnamon roll recipe on your site and these wee our favorite. I also used the roll recipe for these cinnamon rolls and the filling recipe from your orange sweet rolls and they were so delicious! I’ll be making both versions again for sure.
To anyone even contemplating making these – DO IT. They are amazing! You might gain 20 pounds, but it’s totally worth it. My mixer bowl struggled to keep the contents contained, so I might halve the recipe next time, but would be sad to since that would mean fewer leftovers. 🙁
These may replace the recipe I’ve used for the last 26 years. I thought that one was unbeatable. My entire family commented on how much they liked them. The only change I will make is to make them slightly smaller. They were almost too big to eat.
Easily the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever made (or eaten!). Thanks for the amazing recipe!
When you reheat the pan of rolls, what temp do you set the oven to? How long? Thank you for the recipe.
Straight from the freezer I put the pan covered with foil in a 225 oven for about 45 min.
Mel, these cinnamon rolls are LIFE CHANGING! As in, I’m going to gain 20+ pounds because I cannot for the life of me stop eating these babies! The recipe was easy for me to follow (first time baking cinnamon rolls) and everyone who has the pleasure of eating one of these rolls thinks I’m a top notch baker. 🙂 Thank you, thank you to Gloria and, as always, thank you to you!!
Made these today (before New Years resolutions kick in) and they’re amazing! You’re right, the dough is so easy to work with that I didn’t even use a rolling pin. The only change I made was to halve the amount of maple extract, as ours is quite strong and it would’ve been overwhelming. I’ve always used my mother’s cinnamon roll recipe, which is not as wonderfully decadent as this one. This is my new favorite (sorry, Mom!) I think I need to make them one more time before January 1st…
Made these last night for Christmas morning. My father-in-law ate THREE of them. My husband said I wasn’t allowed to try another cinnamon roll recipe – this was the ONE. 🙂 Thanks for sharing, Mel!
How does this recipe do if it’s cut in half?
It works just fine cut in half.
so two large baking sheets, twelve rolls on each?
Yes, exactly.
Thanks Mel! Making them Christmas morning!
Wanting to try a new cinnamon roll recipe, this is the one I went for. They were fantastic and they were huge!! I was glad for the 4 men in the house that can eat these. What I liked the most was the dough- it was so easy to work with just like you said. It was kind of like a cross between bread dough and something more pastry like, if that makes any sense. I made the dough on Christmas Eve and put in the frig overnight. I got up this morning and rolled out the dough easily enough and went from there. For sure this recipe can be halved and still get 2 dozen smaller rolls on one baking sheet. It was funny to see my teenage boys faces at the size of these cinnamon rolls, but probably would halve the recipe in the future and make the smaller rolls. I liked changing up the frosting to maple. (One of my boys asked if I could put cooked bacon pieces in the middle next time- new food trend? 🙂
Really, really good!!
Well, my pans overfloweth…wish you had stated a size pan to use. Did these as I normally do and used my 9×13 baking tin. Not a good idea. These are spilling all over out of the pan. Word to the wise, don’t use a 9×13 baking dish or baking sheet! Must be a larger one! Lesson learned the hard way. 🙁
I obviously missed the pictorial at the bottom of the page where I can see what your tin looked like. Still wouldn’t have helped me with a size though
How could I have missed those measurements on the pan size…or did you add that to the instructions… I may be losing my mind…
Re made the cinnamon rolls …two batches in one day, the second tome they look wonderful…trial and error …my daughter said “holy cow they don’t look home made!” Can’t wait to share them with my family.
You aren’t losing your mind, Alrene – I often update the instructions on the recipes after reading and responding to comments. I didn’t want anyone else in the same situation so I added the dimensions. I thought just the verbiage “large, rimmed baking sheet” would be enough but if the measurements help, they are added in now. Thanks!
So do I pull them out 3 hours before cook time? You’re the best Mel!
I either take one for the team and get up early to get them out of the fridge and on the counter to rise for 2-3 hours or I take the lazy way and stick them straight from the fridge into the oven as it preheats and then start the baking time when it comes to temperature. They don’t get quite as fluffy as if letting them rise at room temp but works for me!
So excited to make these! Question though. We want to make these for Christmas morning. Do I completely make them the night before or can I slow the rise in the fridge like your other recipe and bake in the morning? Help!
Yes, they can be made ahead of time and rise in the fridge overnight.
I made these last night for today’s Easter breakfast. This morning we just sent each one to the microwave for fifteen seconds and they were perfect. I’d never do that with a regular yeast dough (they go stale so fast!), but this dough is so rich that sitting covered on the counter for a few hours hurt nothing. Thanks, Mel!
I want to make these for Christmas morning, but I’ll need to freeze them. Do you suggest that I freeze the whole tray (I don’t want to wrap them individually…too much work and too much plastic) completely cooked and frosted or freeze after the first rising? Thanks!
Yes, Jodi – I’ve done the exact same thing. Baked them, cooled, frosted. Then covered the whole pan with foil and frozen them. I reheated them in the oven until gooey and warm.