The Best Cinnamon Rolls {Cheryl’s Famous Recipe} – with step-by-step tutorial and tons of tips
This recipe for the best cinnamon rolls EVER will make you rethink who you are and every cinnamon roll recipe you’ve ever made! They are so light, so fluffy, and so amazing!
Well, today is a big, BIG day.
Several weeks ago, I quickly mentioned (in this Friday Thoughts post) that I had found “the cinnamon roll recipe to end all cinnamon roll recipes” and I asked if you had room in your heart for one more cinnamon roll recipe? Haha. Hundreds of you responded saying: uh, hello, are you crazy, BRING IT ON! While the other two of you said: don’t need another cinnamon roll recipe, thankyouverymuch.
I’ve been buried under requests for this recipe ever since. You’ve emailed. You’ve commented. You’ve found my personal Instagram account and stalked me there to ask for it. You’ve begged. You’ve pleaded. You’ve called. You’ve emailed and commented and asked again. 🙂
Although I had already made the recipe several times when I mentioned it that Friday, I wanted to make it several more times and take lots and lots of pictures in order to make sure I could provide the most foolproof recipe and preempt any troubleshooting. In total, I’ve made this best-ever cinnamon roll recipe at least nine times since my friend, Cheryl, gave it to me mid-December.
Speaking of Cheryl, I gotta give this lady all the credit. She’s the source of the greatest cinnamon roll recipe of all time! And she’s adorable (and so nice).
So is her husband. That’s him, Jean (pronounced John), making his other-worldly artisan bread. He’s a master bread baker. And Cheryl is one of the most accomplished, gourmet cooks and home bakers I’ve ever met. Like, she takes everything totally next level (they had us over for a Mediterranean-inspired dinner and I could barely eat, I was so in awe at the amazing spread). And these cinnamon rolls are no exception. Thank you, Cheryl! And thanks for letting me share the love with everybody about this recipe!
One of the most common phrases I’ve heard over the last couple weeks as you’ve requested this recipe is: I don’t know how they can be better than Gloria’s cinnamon rolls*, but I’m willing to try! (*Or these vanilla pudding cinnamon rolls or these Yukon gold cinnamon rolls.)
And trust me, I thought the same thing! The backstory is important here. So let me explain really quickly. At a church activity mid-December, I won an innocent-looking disposable square pan of cinnamon rolls as a Bunco prize. I’m wired to never turn down a pan of cinnamon rolls. When I found out Cheryl had made them, I was even more excited. I had no choice but to dig in right then and there even though the dice were still rolling.
I was stunned. How could a cinnamon roll be this light and fluffy? This amazing? I mean, I don’t want to brag, but I already make a ridiculously great cinnamon roll, but these were totally beyond deliciousness, and I began to doubt everything I thought I knew about cinnamon rolls.
I cornered Cheryl in the hallway to ask if she’d be willing to share the recipe after several of us women basically ate the whole pan and unanimously agreed: these cinnamon rolls = lifechanging. I had to whip my phone out faster than an old western gunslinger because Cheryl started rattling off the recipe by memory and I wanted to type in every detail. In my mind, I had already decided that if the ingredient lineup and method was basically the same as the other beloved cinnamon roll recipes on my site, I’d just chalk it up to the fact that Cheryl had a magic cinnamon roll touch. I’d be sad for a minute that I was missing this magical cinnamon roll making gene, but I probably wouldn’t need or use a recipe that was a similar variation to others I make all the time.
But. That wasn’t the case at all. As she gave me the recipe, I realized this was a cinnamon roll game changer and unlike any cinnamon roll recipe I’d made before. Because the amount of variation was so great, I knew I could (and needed to) post it to stand alongside the other great cinnamon roll recipes in my archives.
And because the ingredients and mixing method and dough texture are unlike other cinnamon roll doughs I’ve made, the resulting cinnamon rolls are lighter in texture and much fluffier. You don’t have to take just my word for it either. I’ve already said before that Brian is the resident cinnamon roll snob. He doesn’t like it when I mess with a good thing, and he already loved the cinnamon roll recipes I’ve posted before. But even he agrees 100% that these are the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever made.
I even dared make them for my Aunt Marilyn (who introduced me to Gloria’s recipe years ago!), Uncle Dan and cousin Lydia, who take “cinnamon roll snob” to a whole new level. Dan almost didn’t try them because he’s so loyal to Gloria’s recipe. After eating, analyzing, eating, and analyzing (that’s what I make you do if you come to my house), Lydia said they were “way better than any other recipe,” Marilyn admitted they were “absolutely incredible,” and Dan conceded that although he’d never say they were better than Gloria’s recipe, they were “definitely on the same level.” I’ve given so many of these cinnamon rolls away as I’ve tested the recipe; every single person has honestly raved over them (and I don’t think they are just saying that, because I’ve instructed all my friends that we can’t be friends unless they give me honest feedback on food I shove in their face.)
Phew! So there’s the background. I know some of you may not care about all that. But for those of you that have been loyal MKC readers and have fallen in love with any other cinnamon roll recipe on my site, you know that it is important to me to give you an explanation for why I’m posting yet another recipe for something I’ve already declared the best!
Here’s my ultimate disclaimer though:
If you have a cinnamon roll recipe that you love and have already deemed BEST EVER, stick with it! No need to change things now! I already know that this recipe may not be for everyone; the world was meant to be a cinnamon roll diverse place. However, if you love to try new recipes, have been looking for the cinnamon roll to end all cinnamon rolls, or you just want to expand your baking horizons, I think you are going to love this one.
Let’s get into the nitty gritty!
For this recipe, you can use a stand mixer or mix it by hand because it doesn’t require much kneading and the dough is not super stiff and hard to work with. I have recently been using this Danish dough hook aff. link (that one of you recommended!) for hand-mixed yeast doughs and it is a game changer.
I’ve made this cinnamon roll recipe in my Bosch Universal mixer {aff. link} and my KitchenAid stand mixer {aff. link} for testing purposes; I’ll always choose my Bosch for bread making because it’s superior at that kind of task, but a Kitchen Aid will do the job, too. Here’s a quick look at the comparison between these two stand mixers, if you are interested. This recipe doubles GREAT in the Bosch (haven’t tried a double batch in the KitchenAid).
Add 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup neutral-flavored oil to the mixer and pour in the 2 cups scalded milk.
What is scalded milk? It’s basically milk that’s been heated to just below a boil – doing so changes the protein structure in the milk (none of which I really understand). But what I do know is that the reason many yeast dough recipes calls for scalded milk is because it makes the bread/rolls lighter and fluffier! So do it!
I take the easy way out and microwave the milk for this recipe in a microwave-safe liquid measuring cup. Every microwave will vary, but I heat it for 2-minute increments until little bubbles start to form around the edges and it is steaming. You can do this on the stovetop, too. And yes, I’ve let it go too long and it actually boils, and no, I don’t start over, and yes, the rolls still turn out great (just be aware that boiling milk will foam and rise and most likely spill over so if it does, you’ll want to make sure you have a full 2 cups of hot milk to work with).
Let the milk/oil/sugar mixture rest for 15 minutes or so until the mixture is warm and not blistery hot. Add in the 4 cups all-purpose flour (I always use unbleached all-purpose) and then sprinkle the 1 tablespoon instant yeast on top of the flour. See the recipe below for how to substitute active dry yeast for the instant yeast.
If you’ve been a tad bit impatient like me and maybe, possibly, perhaps didn’t let the milk mixture cool off for the full 15 minutes, make sure the yeast is added on top of the flour so it isn’t incorporated straight into the hot milk.
Start mixing! The dough will be much wetter than a normal cinnamon roll dough. Don’t panic. Things will come together, I promise.
Mix until no dry streaks remain, scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed.
Now cover the bowl and let the wet dough (we’ll call it a sponge) rise until puffy and a little bubbly. This takes about 45 minutes to an hour in my kitchen. You can see a noticeable difference as the sponge has had time to rest and rise.
To the sponge, add 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.
Start mixing again. The dough doesn’t need to be kneaded, necessarily, but you definitely want to let it mix to fully incorporate all the dry ingredients. It will start out rough and shaggy looking but it will come together.
After about a minute of mixing, it should form a mass of dough that has smoothed out a bit (doesn’t look as rough and spiky). This dough is very soft! Resist the urge to add more flour. As long as it isn’t leaving lots of wet dough residue on the sides of the bowl, it should be ok.
If you are making the dough in a KitchenAid mixer, I suggest starting with the paddle attachment and moving to the dough hook after adding the last addition of flour, baking powder and baking soda. I find it’s harder to get clean sides of the bowl with this recipe when using the KitchenAid based on the shape of the dough hook and bowl, just try to avoid adding more flour unless it is just so sticky it is impossible to work with. Grease your hands with cooking spray and gather it into a smooth ball before deciding whether to add more flour.
The dough may leave some doughy bits of residue on your fingers or hands, but if you grab a small piece, you should be able to roll it into a somewhat sticky ball. Over flouring this dough will be the death of a great cinnamon roll, so persevere through a bit of stickiness if you can!
Pile the dough into a lightly greased bowl or container. You can see how soft and stretchy the dough is below.
Let the dough rise until doubled. The exact time will depend on the warmth of your kitchen, but it takes right about an hour to an hour and a half in my kitchen. I use these handy measured food storage containers for dough rising and about a million other things {aff. link}. If you live near a Standard Restaurant Supply store (or other restaurant supply store), you can pick them up in various sizes for less than the price on Amazon, FYI.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter (I use about 2-3 tablespoons flour) and roll out to about 12X18-inches. Pictured below is my favorite inexpensive and super awesome rolling pin – I have the 13 2/5-inch one {aff. link}. The size of the rectangle doesn’t have to be exact. I go for this size because it gives several spirals in the cinnamon roll, but if you like your cinnamon rolls puffier, roll the dough into a smaller rectangle so it is thicker. Spread the dough evenly with 8-12 tablespoons butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar (I use about 3/4 cup brown sugar + 1 tablespoon cinnamon – Cheryl recommends adding cardamom to the sugar, too, which is delicious).
Favorite cinnamon = Penzey’s signature cinnamon blend (totally unsponsored but the only cinnamon I use)
Start rolling these bad boys up! Roll tightly without lifting and stretching the dough up and over. If the dough is stretched while rolling, the rolls may have a tendency to shrink while baking. Once rolled, pinch the edge lightly to seal and pat the roll into an even thickness. My rolled up cinnamon roll log usually ends up being about 20 inches long.
As a quick sidenote, I get this question a lot:
Why do cinnamon rolls shrink and gap while baking?
That is a great question. And one that has kept me up many a night. In my intense cinnamon roll research, I’ve found it can be due to a variety of things. 1) Stretching and pulling on the dough while rolling into a log (like I mentioned above). When I’ve stretched too much during this part of the process, I’ve noticed that the cinnamon rolls can shrink and gap while baking. 2) Too much butter and/or cinnamon and sugar filling. While baking, the sugar and butter melt (into that glorious buttery/sugary gooeyness), and if the sugar filling is really thick, that leaves a lot more opportunity for gapping after the rolls bake and cool. 3) Rolling the dough too thin. While this may mean less cinnamony spirals, a thicker cinnamon roll rectangle is going to gap less while baking. 4) Letting the cinnamon rolls rise too long before baking. Doing this can cause the cinnamon rolls to deflate slightly in the oven and shrink as they cool. 5) Cramming too many cinnamon rolls into a pan that is too small. When I’ve done this, the rolls press together too much while rising and then fall back and shrink while baking/cooling.
Ok, moving on. Now it’s time to cut the log into rolls! I cut the log in half first. And then I cut each half in half again. And lastly, I cut each of those fourths into thirds. Confused? Haha. It’s easier than it sounds. This inexpensive serrated knife {aff. link} is my go-to for cutting cinnamon rolls because it doesn’t crush the dough while cutting, but you can use unflavored dental floss or thread.
My preference is to use a half sheet pan for these rolls (the recipe makes 12 large cinnamon rolls).
These rolls need room to rise and I’ve learned the hard way that putting them in too small of a pan means they won’t be nearly as fluffy and delicious. Below is a picture of this same recipe (all 12 rolls) baking in a 9X13-inch pan. You can see how close they are together before they’ve even risen. And on the right, after baking, they’ve gapped a lot in the middle and the sides are burned/middles are doughy.
So make sure you give the rolls at least an inch in between so they can breathe and have room to live. You can certainly roll the dough into a large rectangle and make 15-16 rolls out of the batch, instead of 12. If they are smaller, they’ll probably fit in a 9X13-inch pan + an 8X8-inch pan just fine.
If you are making these to give away, I’ve found rolling them per the recipe (and getting 12 rolls out of the batch) and putting four rolls into an 8X8-inch pan is about perfect for baking smaller batches. Just the right amount of space to bake up fluffy and perfect. Here’s an example of a cinnamon roll baked in a square pan with three other rolls. Get a load of that fluffiness! It’s the perfect size of cinnamon roll if you ask me.
Once the rolls are placed on the baking pan, let them rise until very puffy and touching lightly on most sides (they may not be double in size, but close).
Bake the rolls at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes (add time if needed). If you have convection bake, using that setting will help the rolls bake through to the center more quickly, but standard bake is fine, too.
While the rolls bake, make the frosting. You can frost them warm, or let the rolls cool a bit. I like to hit middle ground and frost while they are still just slightly warm so some of the frosting melts down into all the nooks and crannies but still stays a bit solidly soft on top.
Speaking of frosting, I’ve made a lot of cinnamon roll frostings over the years, and the icing I posted with these Yukon gold cinnamon rolls is hands down my favorite. It is the cinnamon roll icing I’ve been searching for my whole life. The delicate, creamy flavor (without an overpowering cream cheese presence) is the best, best, best. You can use various extracts to flavor it – maple, if that’s your thing (yum) or vanilla.
Lately, with the price of pure vanilla sky high, I’ve been experimenting more with emulsions (scary word that in this case just means flavoring). And wow, this butter vanilla emulsion {aff. link} adds the most insane yumminess to the cinnamon roll frosting. Kind of gives it a buttery sugar cookie vibe. In.the.frosting. It’s crazy good. And it’s only six bucks a bottle.
Incidentally as a sidenote, my 14-year old made these super soft chocolate chip cookies for a youth activity last week and used that butter vanilla emulsion in place of the vanilla extract and people were apparently saying they’d never had a cookie that tasted so amazing and wanted to know the secret. Emulsions! Haha.
And since we’re talking random bits of knowledge here, rolling things out on a lightly floured counter is one of my least favorite things to do in the history of ever because of the gummy mess it can leave while wiping up. That is, until I figured out my handy dandy bench knife/scraper {aff. link} could eliminate the hassle. I use this scraper for so many things, but scraping up floury, cinnamon roll gunk off my counter is one of the reasons it has earned its way into favorite tool status.
So there you have it! Have we covered everything? I think so! If you’ve made it this far (without skimming), you deserve a major award.
If you have any additional questions, ask away in the comments and I’ll respond as quickly as I can. I am SO excited for you to get your hands on this recipe and let me know what you think! Enough talking, go make some cinnamon rolls!
How to make these cinnamon rolls ahead of time
This post on making cinnamon rolls ahead of time applies perfectly to any sweet roll!
One Year Ago: Healthy Yogurt Oat Blueberry {or Chocolate Chip!} Muffins
Two Years Ago: 7-Minute Spaghetti Squash {Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker}
Three Years Ago: Perfect Roasted Vegetables {5 Simple Tips}
Four Years Ago: White Chocolate Oatmeal Craisin Coconut Cookies
Five Years Ago: Light Lemon and Spinach Spaghetti
The Best Cinnamon Rolls {Cheryl’s Famous Recipe}
Ingredients
Sponge:
- ½ cup (106 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup neutral-flavored oil
- 2 cups milk, scalded (heat to just below a boil), I use 2% milk
- 4 cups (568 g) all-purpose flour (I use unbleached)
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast, see note for active dry yeast
Dough:
- ¾ cup (107 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
Filling:
- 8-12 tablespoons salted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (159 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom, optional but delicious
Icing:
- 2 ounces (57 g) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (113 g) salted butter, softened
- Pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups (200 g) powdered sugar
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a bowl to mix by hand), add the sugar and oil. Pour in the scalded milk and mix. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes or so until it is warm but not blazing hot.
- Add the 4 cups flour and sprinkle the yeast on top of the flour. Mix until no dry streaks remain and scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed. The dough will be loose and wet-looking. Cover the bowl and let the sponge rest until puffy and doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.
- Add the remaining 3/4 cup flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix until the flour is completely incorporated and the dough looks smooth instead of rough and shaggy. It may not necessarily clean the sides of the bowl but it should for a pretty cohesive mass. Add additional flour only if it is too sticky to handle or a small piece of dough won’t form a ball in your hands (it’s ok if it leaves some doughy residue on your fingers).
- Scrape the dough into a lightly greased bowl or container, cover, and let rise until doubled, about an hour.
- On a lightly floured counter (I use about 2-3 tablespoons flour), roll or pat the dough into about a 18X12-inch rectangle. Spread the softened butter evenly across the top. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon (and cardamom, if using) in a bowl and sprinkle evenly across the top of the butter. Pat down very lightly.
- Starting with one long end, start rolling the rectangle into a log without pulling and stretching on the dough (but still rolling as tightly as possible). Roll the seam to the bottom and pat the log into an even thickness – it should be about 20 inches long or so at this point.
- Cut the log into 12 even pieces. Place the rolls on a parchment-lined half sheet pan, tucking the loose end of the roll underneath, if you want. The rolls should be about an inch apart so they have room to rise. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap and let rise until noticeably puffy and almost doubled, about an hour.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 18-25 minutes until lightly golden and baked through. Let cool until warm before frosting.
- For the frosting, add the cream cheese and butter to a medium bowl. Whip with a handheld (or stand) mixer until creamy. Add the salt, milk or cream, and vanilla. Mix again. Add the powdered sugar and whip until light and creamy.
- Spread the slightly warm rolls evenly with the icing. Serve immediately or let cool completely and serve at room temperature (or warm lightly before serving).
Notes
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from a recipe from my friend, Cheryl R (cut the recipe down to smaller size, changed up the mixing method just a little)
Wonderful , soft , delicious cinnamon rolls. Made them with my daughter and she is also “sold” on your fantastic recipe
I’m curious if anyone has tried using buttermilk instead of regular milk and the results?
Thanks
I made these yesterday by request from my husband. This recipe knocked his socks off. They were still lovely and tender the next day. The rolls reminded me of the cafeteria school rolls we got as kids that were as big as your (6 year old) face – but wayyy better! Thank you for always being an awesome, reliable, and a trusted baker we all can always count on.
I’ve made this recipe more times than I can count! We love to gift the other half of the recipe since we don’t need to eat more than one in our house and our neighbors and friends love it ask when I’ll make them again!
I just made these for General Conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. AMAZING!!! These are the best cinnamon rolls I have ever made! Will be saving this recipe to use for years to come.
For years I was on the hunt for the perfect cinnamon roll, I am talking years and lot and lots of different recipes. This recipe takes the cake, so soft and fluffy, not too sweet. Family favorite, so glad the search is over
What is neutral flavored oil?
Like canola or vegetable oil (a flavor without a strong flavor).
Hello! Can bread flour be used in place of the all purpose flour .?
Yes, but the rolls may not be as soft and tender (they might be kind of chewy)
These cinnamon buns are the best I’ve ever made, and I have made many recipes. Thank you.
Oh my… these were amazing!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you, Mel! I was looking for a cinnamon roll recipe that my husband could take to work and let’s just say I’m glad I made some extra! Everyone loved them. You are my favorite food blogger (and dare I say person?) ever! Haha, thank you again!!
I’ve made them a couple times since and they have been just as good!! My MIL said they were the best she had ever had! Score! Thanks again, Mel!!
At 72 years of age, I am a very good cook but a mostly mediocre baker. I awoke early this morning and decided to try your cinnamon roll recipe… it worked beautifully! Tender, fluffy, and very tasty rolls, and the frosting is perfect, too. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us!
BTW, I was confident your recipe would turn out good because it uses scalded milk… that is the “secret” to the fail-proof white bread recipe that I’ve used since my late teens. If the milk isn’t scalded, the resulting bread is tenser and less appealing, and if scalded the bread is always excellent, soft, fragrant, and tasty.
Best cinnamon rolls I have ever made. Delicious. I dare say they are better the next day! Yum
Fantastic recipe and super impressed with how well they freeze, yet still taste fresh. I would not mix these with a hand mixer, as the dough gets pulled up very quickly up into the blades and into the mixer. I broke my mixer attempting this myself. Definitely stick with your stand mixer!
Also, on my first attempt I was baking the rolls, when I read that convection might be preferred. So I changed my oven to 325 degrees/convection with about 7 min of cook time left, and the rolls browned too much and were just slightly undercooked in the middle. I would just stick with a regular bake vs convection (although all ovens are different).
But the recipe is so good, that I’m in the middle of making another batch right now!
I always use convection when backing ☺️ and what I do with these cinnamon rolls is to turn the pan or tray halfway (180 degrees) through baking so the pan cooks the tops evenly.
I also shave off a minute or 2 from the total baking time as they do tend towards browning quickly.
As you say in your description of the recipe that this isn’t for everyone but I feel like a master baker after pulling these out of the oven today! This is going to be my “go to recipe”!
I made these today!! Which is a huge win for me as normally, yeast dough doesn’t rise for me. They smell soooo good.
Ended up a bit on the dark side however…with lots of cinnamon/butter syrupy stuff in between them – any suggestions on what I may have done wrong??
Try baking them for a few minutes less, Carrie! That should help
These were amazing. I let them rise for too long too many times (thanks to online schooling situations). The dough was still very forgiving. They were huge and glorious. Thanks for the great recipe!
The first few times i made these they were fluffy and had a delicious soft bun texture, they were really the best cinnamon buns ive ever had! but the last two times i’ve made them they’ve been dry, dense and crumbly. delicious if reheated but they don’t exactly draw me to them and they eventually sit on the counter to die. i’ve been very cautious to not over flour (if anything i’ve gone a tiny bit under and have had the sticky dough suggested) ive followed the blog to a T. Any suggestions?? Id love to remedy this problem as I know these are the best when they work out.
Hi Michelle, if you’ve made them with really good results and then all of a sudden they haven’t started working out…it’s really hard for me to know what’s happening without being right there in your kitchen. If they are turning out dry and crumbly, I would keep an eye on baking time. Over baking can make cinnamon rolls dry. Is the dough rising well?
Did you use a different brand of flour? That can make a difference.
I made these and used your make ahead instructions! My mom said they were the BEST cinnamon rolls she has ever had! Never going to be able to buy store bought again! LOL…I even had to use whipped cream cheese because when I opened the normal kind it was moldy. I was worried it wouldn’t work, but it was great! Thanks for always posting AMAZING recipes! You are my new go to girl for recipes!
Help! I’m an avid cinnamon roll maker and I followed this recipe exactly but the dough is so tough! I should’ve been more careful about how much flour I added on the last step because it was obviously too much! The dough is not rising at all! 🙁
When doubling this recipe what’s the amount of yeast that you use?
I double the yeast but you could probably get by with 1 1/2-ing the yeast.
Best. Cinnamon Rolls. Ever.
I just made them and couldn’t stop myself from eating two!
Hi Mel. We made these (again) this morning. They are great…the recipe is perfect. The only change I made was I made 30 instead of 12 rolls. I was aiming for 24, but my cuts were just a little off. Anyway, it still filled the pan perfectly and gave us some large and small options. Such a great dough and the frosting was just right. Our neighbors are VERY happy right now. Thanks and Merry Christmas!
I love, love, love these cinnamon rolls! As I think I commented before, I wanted to try a merger of this cinnamon roll dough with the orange rolls (I used to make half orange rolls/half cinnamon rolls). I did this dough with the orange filling/icing (only I did half white/half brown sugar) and added 1/4 teaspoon cardamom and a pinch of cloves in with the sugar/zest mixture. They were so good! Highly recommend. I just love this dough. It feels so much less heavy (which might be a dangerous thing!) I also attempted a cranberry filling with the orange icing. They tasted good – but something weird happened to the dough where it turned green/gray in spots. I read that it could happen with certain baking soda interactions – so they tasted good – but I wasn’t sure about giving them to people. Also I do cut the cinnamon rolls a little smaller and tend to get 16-18 a batch. I like to put 5-6 in 9 inch round foil pans to give to people.
Sorry, I do have to add that I also make and store my own yeast/sour dough starter which was used in this recipe.
I have been making cinnamon rolls every holiday for years, trying several different recipes. None compare to this one, absolutely none. I have tried recipes with ricotta, sour cream, and warm milk which do not compare to this dough. I have enough dough left over from this recipe even after making two pie dishes. The left over dough will be in the freezer for another day and maybe for Zeppole rolled in cinnamon and sugar.
Sorry, I do have to add that I also make and store my own yeast/sour dough starter which was used in this recipe.
Thanks Mel! This is a good recipe, easy enough for someone who hasn’t made cinnamon tools for years. I doubled the frosting recipe, may not have been needed but it didn’t stop my family from gobbling these babies down!
I’ve made cinnamon rolls a handful of times, each with a new recipe because I’ve never been sold on it being the best recipe. This recipe is it. It’s the one. I’ll never try another recipe. The rolls were soft, tender and fluffy. The filling was perfectly cinnamony with a great ratio of butter, sugar, and cinnamon. The frosting/icing was perfect in every way. My whole family raved about them this way. My diet is ruined, my kitchen’s a mess, and it was all worth it. 🙂
The other problem I usually have is having the center raise way higher than the sides of the roll. Any idea what causes that?
My oven has a convection setting. But if I hit convection bake and then put in 350 the oven will automatically set it to 325. It sets it 25 degrees lower. So I never know what to do. Do I leave it as is? Or do I set it 25 degrees higher than the recipe calls for? Anyone know?
Hey Emily, when I use convection bake, I take the bake time in the recipe and set it 25 degrees lower. So a recipe that normally bakes on 350 will bake at 325 convection. That’s pretty normal. Also, a lot of times the centers of the cinnamon rolls will rise up higher if they are rolled too tight.
Do you ever just roll these out smaller to make more cinnamon rolls just smaller size but still on a sheet pan? I’ll be honest I always follow your cinnamon rolls recipes to a T (like use a ruler to get my dough rolled close to the inches you say and everything.) Before finding your blog my cinnamon rolls were just alright so I’m nervous to change it myself, ha! But I’ve been wondering how you would roll it out and how many to make still on a sheet pan if you were wanting to make them smaller to share with a large group. Your small batch cinnamon rolls say 14 x 10 in. So maybe that-ish?? Maybe get 20-24 on a pan? So 4 x 5 or 4 x 6?? Just wondering if you’ve ever rolled them out smaller and what it looks like for you if you don’t mind sharing your thoughts, thanks!
Yes! You can definitely make them smaller. I haven’t measured the rectangle when I do that but usually I just make the rectangle longer and less wide (so it rolls up less thick). I know that’s not very helpful, sorry! Depending on how small they are, you could probably get about 20 on a pan.
I just made these for my first day of teaching seminary. Bribery works! Thanks for the yummiest cinnamon rolls I have ever made!!
Excited to try this recipe. Can I use bread flour instead of AP? Does it yield the same result? At the moment I only have bread flour, and if so, how many cups?
I haven’t tried with bread flour – it might change the texture of the rolls (maybe a bit more chewy?). If you use it, you’ll probably use the same amount as called for in the recipe.
We absolutely LOVE these cinnamon rolls and have made them many times to enjoy ourselves and also share with friends. I’m wondering about taking a batch to my kids’ school for their teachers, but I would need closer to 30 rolls. Instead of making two batches, do you think it would work to make smaller rolls? I usually get 16-18 rolls in one batch from a 20×16 rectangle. If I made two 20×8 rectangles, I could get twice as many smaller rolls. Thoughts? Thanks so much for this delicious recipe!
Yes, you could definitely make them a bit smaller!
Shrinking was a problem for me at times. It was so frustrating with no answers even though Purdue extension weighed in. Finally one day I decided I was not going to watch it happen so threw a dish towel over them as they came out of the oven.
Behold no more shrinkage. Don’t know why but it works!
SAVORY ROCKS!!
These are the puffiest, fluffiest, most delectable cinnamon rolls ever, and well, we love Cheryl!!
For a variation, we made the same rolls but held the cinnamon and sugar and used savory flavors. The whole extended family loves them. Roll out the dough as directed. spread butter on the rectangle but … sprinkle with garlic salt, oregano, fresh basil from the garden ( or Italian seasoning); about 8 oz of grated parmesan and another handful of grated gouda. (or do shredded ham and cheddar). Bake as directed.
Wowza! They are amazing!
I looked to see if anyone else had asked this—— what kind of oil do you use? I only keep olive oil on hand (or avocado oil). I’ve made these with olive oil and they were fabulous! I’m wondering, though, would coconut oil be better?
Good grief. My milk just boiled over as I was asking this question ☹️
I haven’t made them with coconut oil, but I have made them with avocado oil (works great). I’ve found I prefer the taste of a neutral flavored oil.
These were delicious. Light, almost fluffy. The one thing I would change is that I think the cream cheese taste is too pronounced in the frosting. I added lemon zest and a couple of tbsps of orange juice. I have always looked for a frosting for cinnamon rolls that does not have cream cheese and not found one. Citrus helps. These even developed a very slight crunch on the bottom of the roll which we all loved as a complement to the soft texture of the middle of the roll. Moreover, they were easier than I anticipated. Absolutely delightful and disappearing at an alarming rate!
I like adding canned pumpkin to my dough this time of year. Can I do that with this recipe? If so, should I just sub it in for a bit of the milk and oil?
I haven’t tried it with this recipe, but I have a recipe for pumpkin cinnamon rolls here:
https://www.melskitchencafe.com/pumpkin-cinnamon-rolls/
This is a very good recipe, it’s actually the pioneer woman’s recipe for her cinnamon roll dough.
I have attempted to make these twice now followed the recipe to a T, I have made another cinnamon scroll recipe that has worked out fine every time I have made it, twice they have not worked out, maybe the dough is to wet but added more flour not sure what is going on very confused.
Hi Mel,
I’ve made these twice now and both times my family have loved them! In my daughter’s voice “Shut the front door” I’m not a baker by any means but your recipes are easy to follow. Wood
How long do you knead the dough?
You don’t knead very long, if at all – the instructions cover all the mixing details! 🙂
Trulllllly Delicious!!! Couldn’t find the recipe and used another that I though was this one, no comparison, so glad I ended up finding it again Thank you!
OMG those were the best Cinnamon Buns I have ever had. Thank you for the recipe. My waist may not say thank you but I loved them only ate half at a time and we shared with the neighbours and our kids.
These cinnamon rolls were ah-mazing!!!!!! There were no left overs to try the freeze trick… I would like to try it though. Maybe when we aren’t at a cinnamon roll deficit in our lives.
Where did you get your rolling pin from?
Amazon!
Is it extremly necessary to rise The Dough twice before rolling it out?
I’ve tried several of your recipes and loved them ❤️
Can I just say I’ve been loving reading through all your cinnamon roll recipes as a fellow fiend I think this is the one I will try next for sure! Five stars before making simply because I have trust in them from what they look like I have read through your how to bake ahead post, but I have a question. If I want to give these away and do 4 in the 8×8 as recommended, at what point can I stick a lid on them and give them off? And what instructions should I give to my recipients? Your help is soooooo appreciated!
Are you wanting your recipients to bake them themselves? Or will you gift them already baked? 🙂
I would like my recipients to bake themselves if possible (possible meaning: if the integrity of the rolls will be the same) and if not, I’ll bake before hand and hand them off. I’m just trying to wrap my head around what would be best method to keep them in 8×8 metal pans (the throw away kinds) and what instructions I should give!
If unbaked is not the way to go: if I bake them, wait till slightly cooked and then ice them, recipients could just pop in microwave for 20-30 seconds and they would be “like fresh”? Or is there another of your cinnamon roll recipes that would work better for sending off?
This one should work great for that!
Is it extremly necessary to rise The Dough twice before rolling it out?
I’ve tried several of your recipes and loved them ❤️
It definitely helps the end result be super fluffy and soft.
These were amazing! My sister sent me the recipe because she couldn’t handle it, LOL. Thank you for sharing. I have a quick question if you have time…
Have you ever started the rolls the night before and then finished in the morning? If so, did you let the rolls sit or the dough? Thanks so much! I will definitely be making these again
Hi Amy! Yes, this recipe works great as an overnight recipe. I’ve made the recipe to the point the rolls are shaped and on the pan and then refrigerated them overnight (took them out to rise in the morning and bake) and I’ve also refrigerated the dough overnight before shaping into rolls. Both work great!
I have never left a comment, but I must share my thoughts on these cinnamon rolls. THIS IS THE BEST RECIPE EVER! I have made them multiple times in the last few weeks. It has been perfect to drop off on friend’s doorsteps to let them know I care about them. Thank you for this delicious recipe.
My husband got a craving for cinnamon rolls this afternoon, so we made a batch of these! We just shared one and I had to tell you that my husband cried REAL tears of joy after the first bite, which then made both of us belly laugh for a good five minutes straight. It was such a good moment in the midst of all of this quarantine craziness, so THANK YOU! And even better, after having such a good laugh we still have an entire of pan of these amazing cinnamon rolls to look forward to!
Best. Cinnamon Rolls. Ever.
Life changing.
My children will make these for my grandchildren some day.