Cinnamon Rolls are one of life’s most essential comfort foods. Big, soft, pillowy dough- swirled with oozing gooey cinnamon-sugar filling and topped off with creamy frosting. It can seem daunting to make the best homemade cinnamon rolls at home, but I assure you this is the easiest recipe for homemade Cinnamon Rolls! I call this recipe my “every day” cinnamon roll because while we have multiple recipes for cinnamon rolls on Our Best Bites, this is the most basic and simple and it’s so quick! It requires basic pantry ingredients, no proofing of yeast, and can be made start to finish before a movie is over. One batch just makes 1 9×13 pan of small-medium sized rolls so it’s perfect for most families. Want big giant cinnamon rolls? Simply double this recipe and bake on a standard, rimmed baking sheet. Want to make these a day ahead? Instructions included. Want to know if you can freeze them pre-baking? That’s covered, too. NOTE: There are LOTS of tips outlined and described past the recipe card below. Keep scrolling to read them!
Everyday Cinnamon Rolls
Description
Soft fluffy cinnamon rolls, made with basic pantry ingredients and in record time! See Notes section for instructions on making ahead, doubling the recipe, and freezing.
Ingredients
Dough
1 egg
Filling
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, softened
Icing
1 1/2 C powdered sugar
2 T melted butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1–2 Tbs milk
Instructions
Dough: Place milk and 4 tablespoons butter in a microwave safe bowl. Heat on high for about 1 minute 30 seconds. Butter should be mostly melted, but do not boil. Stir and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl whisk together 2 C flour, yeast, white sugar, and salt. When milk mixture has cooled to warm (not hot) add it to the flour mixture along with the egg while the beater (paddle attachment for those using a stand mixer) is running. Beat until well combined, about 1 minute.
Switch to a dough hook if you have one and ad remaining flour only until dough barely leaves the sides of the bowl. It should be very soft and slightly sticky. Continue to let the dough knead for 5 minutes. If you are not using a stand mixer, turn dough out onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes by hand. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and let rest for about 10 minutes while you make the filling.Filling: It helps to have butter super soft. Mix with brown sugar and cinnamon.
Assembly: Roll dough into a rectangle about 12 x 14 inches. Spread brown sugar mixture (it will be slightly thick, you might have to “crumble” it) over the surface and use your fingers or the back of a spoon to gently spread around. Roll up from the longer side of the rectangle and pinch edges closed. Score the roll into 12 equal pieces and then cut into rolls. Place in a 9 x 13 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover pan with a clean towel and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes. In the mean time, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
When rolls have finished rising bake for 15-20 minutes or until light golden brown. If desired spread with icing while still warm. Makes 12 rolls.
Notes
Tip for quick rising: My favorite place to proof rolls is in the oven or microwave (while it’s turned OFF). Tip: Heat a small bowl of water in the microwave until it boils. Open the door, quickly move the bowl aside and set the pan of rolls in and shut the door. Just let them sit in there to rise. The hot water will warm up the temp, and also keep the dough moist. You can do this same thing in your oven with it turned OFF. Place your rolls in there and add pan to the rack right below it. Fill the empty pan with boiling water and then quickly shut the oven door to lock it all in there.
For Large Cinnamon Rolls: Double recipe and proceed as written. Line a standard rimmed baking sheet (like a rimmed cookie sheet) with enough heavy duty foil that there is some overhang. Pull sides of foil up to “hold rolls in”. You can also use any other baking dish you like that fits your dough nicely.
To Freeze: After rolls are sliced and before they rise, immediately place in/on a parchment-lined pan in the freezer. When they are frozen, remove them from the parchment and place them in an airtight container or ziplock bag for easier storage.
To cook from frozen: Bring to room temperature and then allow to rise as normal. You can transfer them to the fridge to thaw overnight, and then place them on the counter in the morning to plump and rise, or you can place your frozen rolls at room temperature and wait for them to thaw and then rise (just like you would Rhodes Rolls). The total time for both of these really depends on the temperature of your home and other factors.
To Make the day before: If you’d like fresh rolls in the morning, you can save yourself some time and prepare these pre-baked the day before. Simply follow the instructions as written, but after rolls have been placed in the pan, immediately cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge. The next morning, put them out and let them rise as room temp and continue as instructions describe.
When it comes to cinnamon rolls and other breads, it seems like everyone has their favorite recipe, but I think part of the reason they taste so good is that when people have a favorite, they know exactly how the dough should look and feel so they come out perfect every time. I’m going to share a few of my little tricks for this recipe in hopes that it will turn out perfect for you too. When I was a teenager, I tried cinnamon rolls over and over and they were always dense and dry. It wasn’t until my Mom’s friend LeeAnn (who’s also my friend), a cinnamon roll master, made them with me side-by-side that I saw I was adding waaaaay too much flour! When she showed me how the dough should look and feel, it made all the difference.
How to Make Quick and Easy Cinnamon Rolls
The first thing you’ll do is melt some milk, butter and sugar in the microwave. You don’t want this boiling- I know mine is perfect when I can still see a pat of butter in there. It will continue melting after it comes out of the microwave.
Then add your dry ingredients to your mixing bowl, only part of our flour is going in at this point. You’ll see there’s yeast in there- there’s no need to proof your yeast in this recipe! You really do just toss everything in a bowl and it all works out. Make sure you’re using “Quick Rise Yeast” in this recipe.
Now add the milk mixture and you’ll also add an egg in there and mix it up. It will be a thick mixture, but a runny dough.
At this point it’s time to add the rest of the flour. Do not add too much flour! It took me a long time to figure this out and it’s still one of the biggest mistakes people make. Cinnamon roll dough should’t look like play-dough. It should seem like it would even be too soft to roll out, but when you gently dump it on a well floured surface it works just fine. Remember that a soft tender dough results in soft tender rolls. Too much flour and your rolls will be dense and dry. As you’re beating with a dough hook, it should come away from the sides of the bowl and not totally stick to your hands when you touch it, but it will be quite soft. You can see how mine is holding together in a solid blob, but also kind of gently falling off the dough hook and that’s what you want.
For the filling I mix everything together and spread it on in one step, If you want, you could spread on butter, then sprinkle on sugar, then cinnamon.
I roll out my dough and just spread on my cinnamon blob.
I’ve told you this before, but one thing I always keep in the kitchen is dental floss. It’s the best way to cut bread dough. Using a knife often ends up smashing it. And yes, that’s mint flavored- don’t worry, it won’t flavor your dough!
Use the piece of floss to score the roll of dough into 12 pieces. Tip: If you want even sized rolls start from the middle. So for 12 rolls, divide evenly in the middle and then divide each of the halves into thirds, and then into thirds again. After the dough is evenly scored, slip the floss underneath, then cross over top and just pull to slice. Use this same method to cut these Cheesy Garlic Bread Swirls (have you guys all tried those? They’re amazing.) . Then pop them in your pan to rise!
How to Freeze the Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
If you’d like to freeze your cinnamon rolls pre-baking, this is the point to do it! You’ll want to freeze them BEFORE they rise. Place your rolls in/on a parchment-lined pan and pop them in the freezer. When they are frozen, you can then remove them from the parchment and place them in an airtight container or ziplock bag for easier storage. Or you can simply freeze your prepared pan like in the photo above.
To Cook Homemade Cinnamon Rolls from Frozen
When you are ready to eat your cinnamon rolls, they’ll need to be placed in a baking pan and both thaw to room temperature, and then rise as normal. You can transfer them to the fridge to thaw overnight, and then place them on the counter in the morning to plump and rise, or you can place your frozen rolls at room temperature and wait for them to thaw and then rise (just like you would Rhodes Rolls). The total time for both of these really depends on the temperature of your home and other factors.
Baking The Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Your rolls are ready to bake when they’re plump and puffed! They’ll rise faster in a warm, steamy environment.
My favorite place to proof rolls is in the oven or microwave (while it’s turned OFF). Tip: Heat a small bowl of water in the microwave until it boils. Open the door, quickly move the bowl aside and set the pan of rolls in and shut the door. Just let them sit in there to rise. The hot water will warm up the temp, and also keep the dough moist. You can do this same thing in your oven with it turned OFF. Place your rolls in there and add pan to the rack right below it. Fill the empty pan with boiling water and then quickly shut the oven door to lock it all in there.
Bake the rolls until they’re golden on top. I think of those centers as built-in timers. Most of the time, when the middle pops up, they’re done!
Honestly I’ve never measured icing before, ever. I just grab some powdered sugar, add some vanilla and melted butter and then add milk until it’s the consistency I like. I put it on warm so it melts in all the cracks. You could also use this cream cheese frosting if you prefer cream cheese icing on your rolls.
How do I make Jumbo Cinnamon Rolls?
This recipe makes just one pan of small-medium cinnamon rolls. If you want JUMBO cinnamon rolls, then just double this recipe and they fit perfectly on a standard rimmed baking sheet (like a cookie sheet). I like to line my pan with foil and pull the overhanging foil up to mimic a taller pan. It helps keep them nice and shaped.
I suggest putting the icing on when they are just warm. If they’re too hot the icing will melt all over, too cool and it will be harder to spread. Just warm is perfect.
Enjoy these easy to make, every day cinnamon rolls!
Questions & Reviews
Those would be perfect for breakfast this morning!
thanks for the tip! can't wait to make them!
wow those look great! and the last buns i made did take a long time ..made with brioche SOO yummy!
Floss? Brilliant!
Wow, these look awesome! I'm thinking of making them too in a few days 😀 Quick question: My microwave is not working anymore, but since I live in Malaysia where it's always warm (sometimes TOO warm!), can I just leave the rolls out to rise on itself (That's what we usually do for our breads here) or the temperature has to be extra warm to encourage better rising?
Audrey
I just keep mine on the counter to rise with a hand towel over the top of the pan. I’ve made these for years, works every time!
I have never made cinnamon rolls before – they scare me! – but I tried these tonight and they worked! And they were easy! And they were delicious!! Thanks!
I love the trick of using floss to cut the cinnamon rolls! I must say, after trying out Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls I never thought I'd be seduced by another recipe but I'm definitely going to make these! They look so delicious!
J- if your filling is seeping out it might just be the consistency of the filling itself. Too much butter just turns to liquid and spills out. Also, make sure you roll them nice and tight.
Emily- If you have to pick just one, I'd make this one. It's just overall more simple and easy and they turn out great every time (at least for me!) The overnight ones are awesome, but they can also be a bit more temperamental.
Which recipe do you think is more melt in your mouth, gotta have another one- this recipe or the overnight? I want to make one of them this weekend, but can't make them both yet.
I'm always looking for the Holy Grail of cinnamon roll recipes and so far no luck. I make them every year for Christmas morning and every year I use a different recipe, but this recipe looks like it could be contender.
I always have a problem with the mix in the middle running out the bottom into the pan, do you have any tips as to rolling up or what I could be doing wrong that this happens? Thanks
Okay ladies…I am a HERO for making the awesome taquitos and quac. We all LOVED them! I love your site. Thanks for the amazing recipes!!
I so love you OBB! I have been wanting a recipe like this!!! Do you have any tips for high altitude bakers?
Happy Day,
Jasey @ Crazy Daisy
crazyjayzplace.blogspot.com
These were great! I was the beneficiary of them and very happy I was;)
I didn't know you were in Idaho! I'm in Idaho too! And you sure must be in the Boise area because I too have heard an abundance of whining about the temps & rain. How fun!
Anyway, these look delicious and a lot easier than most! I'm making them soon for sure!
It is mostly "old" recipes that call for scalding of the milk used when baking various products.
In essence, when you scald milk, you are pasteurizing the milk. At one point in time, milk was not pasteurized and refrigeration of foods was certainly not as sophisticated either. So to ensure food safety, milk was scalded.
You know, even without the pictures, this would be something I'd have to make "soon". But WITH the pictures, oh my! I'm thinking today. Now. Because, I'm still in Seattle and it's a rainy and drizzly June after a rainy and drizzly May and April. If the only sunshine I get is from these fantastic-looking rolls so be it. TFS!
Lindz Sims- guess what? I always use mint floss! It won't flavor anything, so go for it!
Southworths- seriously, the flour thing changed my bread making forever. In fact, I just made Kate's rolls successfully for the first time and realized it was because before I was adding way to much flour!
Was seriously supposed to start my [self-inflicted] hard-core working out/eating healthy today and now I just want to make cinnamon rolls! Thanks for the tip about not adding too much flour. I think that is a problem of mine… I always think it needs just a bit more. I know I've done it with Kate's Cheesy Garlic Swirls recipe and they've never been hard, but I think they could be a little softer and squishier! I'll see if I can at least make it to the weekend to try these…. maybe. 😉
Yeah these look awesome. Like even-though-I'm-eating-healthy-I'm-going-to-run-an-extra-mile-so-I-can-eat-these AWESOME. I never thought to use dental floss. All I have is mint floss though so I'll have to pick up some regular unless I want mint-flavored cinnamon rolls.
Ack! Now I'm DYING for cinnamon rolls. This recipe looks amazing!
Thanks!
We've had cinnamon roll weather in Portland for 8 months…maybe I should actually make them now!
Those look SO good and I've been craving cinnamon rolls. But, considering it's supposed to be 109 here today, I think I'll save this for cooler recipe…so October?? 🙁
Cindy- "Fillet of cinnamon roll" hahaha. I LOVE that!
I just use a small bowl so it can stay inside the microwave with the pan and continue to steam. But if yours doesn't have room, you could use a larger container for water and then but both the steaming water and your cinnamon roll pan in your oven with the door shut. I do that when I have a pan that's too big for the microwave.
Memoria- Can't tell ya, I've never tried that recipe, sorry.
My mother in law taught me the trick of putting breads or rolls in the oven with only the oven light on and that seems to give off just the right amount of heat for the rising stage.
As far as I'm concerned, floss is the only way to cut cinnamon roll dough! I'm glad you highlighted it.
🙂
ButterYum
I call that soft, ooey-gooey middle the "filet of cinnamon roll."
Q: Do you put the pan of cinnamon rolls in the microwave in with the hot water, or remove the water, then place the pan inside the microwave? The directions said to set it aside–I'm assuming outside because my microwave doesn't have room for both the pan and the water.
Thanks for the yummy recipe!
It's a coolish morning at Thistle Cove Farm and these would be wonderful. I think I'll rearrange my schedule and get started; thanks!
Oh, how I love this! We are right in Winter now. Not as wet as Seattle winters but oh so close and this was the perfect recipe for our family night tonight! Hooray! Thanks for the inspiration.
you are so right. I have a favorite cinnaroll recipe but am still tempted to try others whenever I can. Good thing lots of people like eating cinnamon buns because i make them really often! Great tips – i love the one about the middles popping up for doneness.
buttercreambarbie
Okay, so I'm in love with the Cone of a Cinnabon recipe on allrecipes. Would you say the main difference with this recipe is that it is quicker to make? I'm curious about this one, and I usually don't stray from my go-to recipe. The last few photos are so tempting
Mmmmm, there's no such thing as too many cinnamon roll recipes!
I only make them several times a year, but they're worth the effort. I use Paula Deen's recipe which, needless to say, is SWEET — but it's also oh so yummy.
This one looks a bit quicker, so I'm bookmarking it for when I have the urge to make cinnamon rolls again. I never thought about starting to cut them from the middle and working out — makes total sense!