I feel like a cinnamon roll making machine lately! I have been using the same cinnamon roll recipe for a while now, but I really wanted to see if I could successfully make a few changes that would simplify the recipe and also make it more convenient. My old recipe makes A LOT of cinnamon rolls. I really just wanted one pan. Though I’m sure my family would have no problem taking care of more! Also, I wanted to see if I could make the dough the night before, and have the rolls ready to bake in the pan the next morning.
It’s just so nice to be able to pull the cinnamon rolls out of the fridge, and not have to make too much of a mess in the kitchen first thing in the morning. Great for special occasions and holiday breakfasts.
I made these rolls three different times last week trying to get them just right. I brought some to friends, and some to my mom’s group, and then well yah, I ate a bunch myself! I used to be a little ho hum about cinnamon rolls in general, but lately I’m just wanting to dive right into that pan face first!
And this is some serious cream cheese frosting my friends. We are not messing around AT ALL! It’s not too sweet, and it really thick and fluffy too. Oh my, YUM! You could easily cover the whole pan with a thin layer if you half the frosting recipe, but if you love a good thick layer of frosting, make the full recipe and see what I mean!
Can you all guess which part of the roll is my absolute favorite? Oh man, that oh-so-soft and cinnamon-y core! I always save the best for last.
So let me give you a few tips so that your cinnamon rolls with come out just right.
1. You want to make sure that all of the liquid ingredients are warm, but not too hot. Make sure you are using good yeast, like not from two years ago.
2. Use the right amount of flour. This recipe calls for 3 1/2 cups of flour, and then more for rolling out the dough. You really want to go more by feel than by measurement. You want to add just enough flour to make your dough not too sticky to handle, but no more. The softer/stickier your dough is, the more tender your roll will be. But you can’t roll it out properly if it sticks to your work surface, so its a fine balance. Lift the dough up every now and then as your roll it out to make sure it’s not sticking, and add more flour to the counter as you need it.
3. If you haven’t worked with yeast dough very much, you will get better with practice. Don’t be afraid, just jump in there and try it!
Make sure you use a sharp serrated knife when you are cutting your dough, and let the knife do the work as you gently saw back and forth so that you don’t squish the dough. Don’t worry if they don’t look perfect. They’ll fill out as the rise and bake.
This is what your dough will look like in the morning after you have let it rise for an hour. The rolls will rise even more when you bake them, so don’t worry if there is quite a bit of space in the pan.
Hope these tips are helpful for you, and that you get a chance to make these and fall in love with them just as we did!
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PinIngredients
- 2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast (1 packet)
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg beaten
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons melted butter
For the Filling
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter softened
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
For the Frosting
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Pour the yeast into a large bowl. Pour warm water over the yeast and stir to dissolve.
- Pour the warm milk over the yeast. You want all your liquid ingredients to feel warm, but not hot.
- Stir in the sugar and beaten egg.
- Add 2 cups of the flour and salt, and then mix well by hand.
- Pour melted (but not too hot) butter in, and mix.
- Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour, and mix by hand until the dough is sticky, but pulls away from the sides of the bowl into one large ball.
- Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours.
- Turn the dough out of the bowl onto a well floured surface. I usually use another 1/4 cup of flour on my work surface, adding some to the top and bottom of the dough as I roll it out to prevent it from sticking to the counter.
- Roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch thick, into the shape of a rectangle measuring 12 by 18 inches.
- Smear your softened butter all over the dough. Then sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over the butter, taking care to go to the edges.
- Starting with a long edge of the rectangle, roll the dough up.
- Using a sharp serrated knife or dental floss, cut the rolled up dough in half. Cut each half in half again. Then cut each quarter into equal thirds so you have 12 pieces.
- Place each piece into a greased 9 by 13 inch baking dish with the spiral side up.
- Cover the baking dish and refrigerate overnight.
- In the morning, remove the baking dish from the fridge and let it sit in a warm spot in your kitchen for one hour. I usually turn my oven on for 30 seconds, then I turn it off and let the rolls rise covered in the just warm oven. Or you may have a “bread proof” setting on your oven.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place the baking dish on the center rack of your oven, and bake for 24-27 minutes. The tops will be golden brown.
For the Frosting
- Place softened butter and cream cheese into the bowl of an electric mixer. Whisk together until smooth and then add powdered sugar and whisk again on low speed. When all of the powdered sugar is mixed in, add heavy cream and whisk on medium high speed for about a minute.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cinnamon Roll
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 29g
- Sodium: 260mg
- Fat: 27g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.2g
- Trans Fat: 0.8g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6.9g
- Cholesterol: 88mg
Melanie @ Garnish & Glaze says
You’ve got me craving cinnamon rolls. Those look awesome! I love that you only have to wait an hour for it to rise the next morning.
Julie says
Thank you Melanie… hope you get a cinnamon roll soon!
Mimi says
My husband started eating cinnamon rolls about 2 years ago. I never had seen a cinnamon roll that even looked like the ones we had. So I am going to mix tonight and ha c.f. e them tomorrow. Lovelylittlekitchen
Julie says
Home you all enjoy Mimi!
Tiffany says
I have been craving cinnamon rolls and these look so yummy!! I actually tweeted this morning that I wanted one. lol!
Julie says
See! It was meant to be. I think you are supposed to make these Tiffany!
Karen @ The Food Charlatan says
3 batches in one week! I’m coming over!!! These look beautiful Julie!
Julie says
Thank you Karen! I would so love it if you ever did come into my kitchen – I have a feeling we would laugh til our sides ached!
Katya @ Little Broken says
These look perfect Julie! I love that they are overnight and all the work is done day before. I can so use one just about now. We’re having a really cool day in MD today so a nap, coffee and something sweet is in the works for me 🙂
Julie says
Thank you Katya. Enjoy staying cozy on your cool day!
Zulaa says
Hi. Can i use unbleached all purpose flour for the cinnamon roll instead of regular one? I’ve bought it without reading it 😛 Now i don’t know what to do. 🙂
Julie says
Hi, I have not used unbleached flour, but I do not think it will affect the recipe overall. No worries!
Zulaa says
tnx for the reply. 🙂
Lori W. says
Hello Zulaa, I only use unbleached flour, who needs their flour bleached! I use it for all baking, and everything turns out just fine. Also, I’ve used basic sewing thread for years to cut my rolls.
Neva says
I never get rolls and such to cut right (without some squishing) with *maybe* one exception. Unflavored dental floss works wonders for that. Just put some under the roll, cross the ends on top, and pull quickly.
Julie says
I have heard of this trick and really wanted to try it, but all I had in the house was MINT dental floss! After the fact, my husband suggested fishing line, so I’ll have to do a little testing next time. Thanks so much for sharing!
Madeleine says
You can also use regular sewing thread. I almost used mint floss once before I thought of this…but I honestly don’t think the mint would really be strong enough to taste in the finished product!
Julie says
Ah good idea! Thanks for sharing.
Renee @ Two in the Kitchen says
These look positively amazing! I have never made my own cinnamon rolls from scratch, but you are inspiring me to give it a shot with these mouth watering photos!!!! Pinned! 🙂
Julie says
You should totally give them a go! Thanks so much for sharing Renee.
Tiffany @ Triple Crème Decadence says
Spectacular! The cinnamon core is my favorite part too! And, with a little bit of cream cheese frosting = the perfect bite. I would love to enjoy your cinnamon rolls with a glass of milk!
Julie says
Thank you Tiffany, and I agree – Milk is the perfect pairing here!
Erin {Delightful E Made} says
Hi Julie! These rolls look completely amazing! And that frosting, wow!! HAve pinned. I will definitely need to give these a try soon. ~Erin
Sara Tetreault says
I only make these at Christmas….my family would think they had died and gone to heaven if I made several batches this month! LOL!
Thanks for the recipe – they look delicious.
Lindsay @ The Local Taste says
YUM!! These look so delicious. I’ve never made homemade cinnamon rolls, but these look super simple. That frosting looks amazing!
Valerie | From Valerie's Kitchen says
Overnight cinnamon rolls are a tradition in my house during the holidays. It’s so nice to be able to get the work done the day before and wake up to fresh, warm rolls the next morning. I love your tips and they look beautiful!
gourmandelise says
I love Cinnamon Rolls. I made some once, It was yummy as well!
Thanks for the tips!
Julie says
Do you have to put these in the fridge overnight or can you bake them right away…how would the directions differ?
Julie says
If you want to bake them right away, you can let the dough rise in the bowl as directed, then punch it down and roll out the dough and shape into rolls. Let them rise in the pan for another hour, then bake. Good question!
Lindsay says
I just popped these in the fridge to have with our chili tonight but wondering how long is “overnight?” If I refridgerate them for 6 hrs, is that ok?
Julie says
6 hours is fine. Hope you enjoy!
Kelsey says
girl. These cinnamon rolls. I just made them and they are amazing. Potentially the best thing I’ve ever baked.
Julie says
Oh this makes me so happy!
Sherita says
I Made these last night, done exactly by the recipe, & they didn’t rise this morning 🙁 what could have went wrong! I was so wanting some cinnamon rolls…. I don’t want to give up! Help! 🙂
Julie says
Hi Sherita, I’m so sad they didn’t rise for you! Wish I could be with you in your kitchen and help! Did the dough rise in the bowl before you rolled them out? Also, did you bake them anyway? Sometimes they will rise quite a bit as they bake.
Tara B says
So I was a bit worried too — I just made these and mine rose in the fridge a little overnight but didnt really rise this morning during the one hour rising stage. I threw them in the oven anyway and they rose beautifully!!! i just ate one — fluffy, buttery, delicious. I have one very, very happy boyfriend at the moment :). I’m also baking at a high altitude (7,500 feet) so maybe that is partially why they didnt rise in that hour. However, in the end they were the right height.
really fantastic recipe, thanks so much for sharing and for your detailed instructions. I’m not a yeast dough pro and so I was slightly intimidated 🙂
Julie says
This makes me so happy! So glad the recipe worked for you! Enjoy!
Cristina Rojas says
Hi Julie !
I would like to know if the sugar needed is white or brown? and also if the butter must be salted or not?
… Thanks
Cristina
Cristina Rojas says
Another question more :)…
When you say:
I usually turn my oven on for 10 seconds, then I turn it off and let the rolls rise covered in the just warm oven…
What we have to do then? …Preheat the oven and leave it for 24m more? or Removed form the oven until the it is ready?
Thanks :D.
Julie says
The rolls need to rise before you bake them. It helps them rise better if they sit in a slightly warm place while they are doing this for one hour. So I was just suggesting to get your oven a tiny bit warm by turning it on for a bit and then off to let them rise in it before you bake them. So once they have risen, then take them out, preheat your oven, and bake them as directed. Hope this helps!
Julie says
Hi Christina, I used white sugar, and I usually use salted butter in my recipes just for the sake of convenience. Thanks for your questions!
Cristina Rojas says
Thanks for everything 😀 !
I would let you know how it works 🙂
Andrea says
well this looks like my type of recipe. I love the fact that you can make them the night before and bake them in the morning. Only thing is, I’ll have to make room in the fridge for them LOL! Will be giving them a go this weekend as I can’t wait to dive into the soft doughy centre!
Julie says
Hope you have enjoy and have a great weekend!
Cristina Rojas says
Hi Julie!
It’s the second time I am doing the cinnamon rolls! 😀 The recipe was amazing… !!!
I have an other question when you put the cinnamon rolls to rest overnight you cover the baking dish with a wet clothe?
Thanks again for sharing the recipe!!!!
Julie says
I usually do cover it with a cloth, but have not used a wet cloth before. So glad you love the recipe!
Kate Woods says
Hi Julie! I am headed home for the holidays and I have been put in charge of Christmas morning breakfast and I really want to make these! My question is, after i have my milk/water/yeast mixture combined and it is time to add the sugar and the egg, how long do I have to let to milk/water/yeast mixture cool before I add my sugar and egg? I am always worried about my eggs scrambling! Thank you! 🙂
Julie says
Hi Kate, your milk and water should be about the temperature of a baby’s bath water, warm but not hot enough to scramble an egg. Hope this helps and that you enjoy the rolls!
Shari says
Make this recipe exactly as written and resulting cinnamon buns were perfect-tender dough and perfect amount of sugar/cinnamon. Great recipe that I’ll be making again Christmas morning.
Julie says
Shari, how kind of you to take a moment to let me know how they turned out. I’m so glad you like them! I’ll be right there with you Christmas morning :0)
Emel says
Recipe sounds great…making it for Christmas breakfast.
Preparing the night before is convenient. (Who needs sleep!)
Julie says
Exactly! I’m sure I’ll be up wrapping presents :0)
Mary says
Can these rolls be made several days ahead and kept in fridge then remove 1 hour to rise and bake on xmas morning. Thanks
Julie says
I would not make them several days ahead Mary. I think the yeast might loose some of its rise. I have only tested the recipe making them the night before. Hope this is helpful for you!
mary says
Thanks I wondered about the yeast
fenny says
hi thanks for the recipe
i want to know the butter u use is it salted or not? for the filipine, u use white sugar or browsing sugar + cinnamon powder? and also the degree of the oven use.350 degree celcius? n u keep it 350 degree for 24-27 min?
Julie says
Hi Fenny,
The butter I used is salted, and the filling is white sugar with ground cinnamon. The temperature of the oven is 350 degrees fahrenheit, which is 176 degrees celcius. Thank you for your questions, hope this helps!
fenny says
tks julie 🙂
sorry for the typo. my mobile autocorrect itself 🙁
^^ cheers,fenny – indonesia
Noreen says
Have you tried this recipe with whole wheat flour? If so, are there any changes to the recipe for that? I like whole wheat rather than white. My mother use to make rolls like that, but 40 years ago they used white unbleached flour…. do you have a good recipe for raised donuts??? She made the best of those as well… but with a family of 11 children and I was one of the youngest…. she never taught us to cook. I guess because it was faster to do it while we were in school than to wait for the weekends.
Noreen says
Have you tried this recipe with whole wheat flour? If so, are there any changes to the recipe for that? I like whole wheat rather than white. My mother use to make rolls like that, but 40 years ago they used white unbleached flour…. do you have a good recipe for raised donuts??? She made the best of those as well… but with a family of 11 children and I was one of the youngest…. she never taught us to cook. I guess because it was faster to do it while we were in school than to wait for the weekends. She was a great baker.
Julie says
Hi Noreen, I have not tried the cinnamon rolls with whole wheat flour, but if I did, I would try subbing half of the flour for whole wheat first. Raised donuts sound so good right now, unfortunately I do not have a recipe for them yet!
Cheryl Mattos says
If you use whole wheat flour, try half white and half wheat. Add one teaspoon vital wheat gluten. It will help the whole wheat flour rise more.
Karen says
These sound amazing! If I make them now at 10am, do you think they should be ok to bake tomorrow morning, around 24 hours later? TIA!!
Julie says
I haven’t tried making them that far in advance so let me know how it goes if you try it. Hope you enjoy!
Karen says
They came out so awesome!!! They were the perfect amount of fluffy and sweet!!!!! I got lots of compliments and I myself ate way more than I should have 🙂 will definitely be making these again!!!
Julie says
I know the feeling Karen! I appreciate you letting me know how they turned out. Makes my day to hear that you loved them too!
Tori says
I was wondering how the recipe would differ if I used quick rise yeast instead of active dry. I know they are different so I wasn’t sure
Thanks!
Julie says
I’m not sure because I haven’t tried it before in this recipe. I would try to search for a cinnamon roll recipe that uses that type of yeast, just to be sure. Thanks for your question!
Jessica Dimas says
Oh my gosh, Julie!!! You probably don’t remember me, but I used to go to your church. I’ve had this pinned for awhile now but on my mobile I never saw your pic. Have my laptop out tonight to make these for Christmas morning and I was so shocked to see your profile pic, I was like “hey, I know her!” 🙂
These look so good, can’t wait to taste them in the morning!
Julie says
That is so funny! You look familiar to me too. Did we go to the same church in high school? Hope you enjoyed the cinnamon rolls and had a great Christmas.
Linda says
These lovely cinnamon rolls are rising and almost ready to bake. We are spending Christmas with our bachelor son and improvising in his kitchen. Last night I accidentally used Bisquick instead of flour in my first batch of cinnamon rolls. (A Senior Moment!!!) Then I made a second batch using all the correct ingredients. Both batches are in baking now. I’ll let you know the results later. Thanks for the recipe. Have a Merry Christmas! Linda@Wetcreek Blog
Julie says
Oh bummer that you had to start over. Happens to me too! Merry Christmas to you as well!
Splashing in Puddles says
I made these last night and we ate them this morning and they turned out perfectly. They were so delicious !! Thanks so much for figuring out how to make them the night before, it would be a lot to do in the morning for breakfast.
Julie says
I’m so glad they turned out so well for you. I made them this morning too!
Joan says
These are really good! I was concerned that you didn’t knead the dough, but it turned out perfectly. Best recipe I have tried for our Christmas morning cinnamon rolls!
Julie says
Joan, I’m so happy to hear that you liked the cinnamon rolls! Thanks for letting me know!
Lindsey : LRstitched says
I just had to comment and tell you what a fab recipe this is! I have had disastrous experiences with homemade cinnamon rolls in the past and had about given up hope of being able to eat them on Christmas morn. I tried your recipe this year and OMG, amazing! These are the.best.cinnamon.rolls. The dough is so flaky and delicious and the frosting is perfect! I can’t wait to make these next year.
Thank you for sharing your talent!
Lindsey
Julie says
Lindsey, I’m SO HAPPY that you loved them! Yay!
Maria says
I switched Christmas breakfast recipes over and over these past few weeks. I ended up with starting this Christmas Eve and we ate them Christmas morning. We loved them! So happy this was the winning recipe.
Julie says
Isn’t it just the best feeling when a recipe turns out to be as good as you hoped? I’m so happy you liked these Maria! Thank you for letting me know!
Cat Bogoje says
Just made these for the first time and they are amazing. Took them out of the oven & glazed about 5 mins ago & alot of them eaten already. I hadn’t used yeast before so followed instructions & worked out well.
Julie says
That’s great! Working with yeast really isn’t too complicated after you get the hang of it. Thanks for letting me know how they turned out!
Aimie says
Just a little hint I learned from my Grandma- an easy way to cut beautiful and uncrushed rolls is to use dental floss! Place the piece perpendicular to the roll and pull the ends up, cross them over and pull tight. Easy as that and it makes WONDERFUL cuts every time!
Julie says
Aimie, it’s so funny that you just left me this tip. I made some cinnamon rolls for the freezer yesterday, and I found that the dough was extra soft and wasn’t cutting easily. I had heard that tip before, but I only had mint flavored floss on hand. I decided to try it anyway (I don’t think it flavored the rolls at all) and you are so right, it works perfectly! Thank you for stopping by and saying hi!
toni says
Can you please clarify the flout measurement? The recipe calls for 2 1/2 cups, but your photo comments say 3 1/2. Thanks for sharing.
Julie says
Hi Toni, you are going to add two cups of flour, then the melted butter, and then keep reading and you will see another 1 1/2 cups of flour is added. So it is 3 1/2 cups of flour total (plus more for dusting your work surface to roll it out). Didn’t mean to be confusing :0) Hope you enjoy the rolls!
Rhondi says
Hi Julie. I made these for breakfast this morning for my 3 girls and hubby. They were delicious! Your instructions and tips made it easy. I followed them exactly and the cinnamon rolls rose nicely in the bowl and in the pan the next morning. They were tender and the icing was heavenly. My family was very Happy and declared them the best I’ve ever made. Honestly, they were way better than the ones I posted on my blog years ago. Thanks for the amazing recipe. I look forward to trying more of your recipes. Have a Great weekend!
Julie says
This makes my day Rhondi! So glad everyone loved them. Hope you have a great weekend too!
Sarah says
I’ve made these twice now and LOVE how easy it is in the morning. Actually the whole recipe is pretty darn easy. Only thing I do different is use dental floss to cut the rolls instead of a knife. This is a keeper recipe!
Julie says
I love that dental floss tip! So glad you like this recipe, Sarah. Thanks for letting me know!
Monica says
I got to this post from another blog I read. I just made these yesterday and just finished eating them. They are amazing. I have never made cinnamon rolls in my life because usually yeast hates me, but these came out fabulous. I varied from your directions only to let my Kitchen Aid to all the kneading (which was the recommendation on the other blog). Next time I am also going to put a little orange zest in the frosting. Cannot wait to make these again. Super delish. Oh and my four kids made vultures look like slow eaters devouring these things! Thank you!!!
Julie says
Excellent Monica! Love that you love them!
Kristin H says
I just want to say THANK YOU for sharing this recipe! My family loved them, so I made them for my coworkers, and WOW… EVERYONE wanted the recipe! Some even said, “best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever had”. Of course, I gave everyone a copy of the recipe.. always hate it when people won’t share their recipes. If it’s good, share, share, share! Thank you again, so awesome!!!
Julie says
Kristin, glad everyone loved them!
Lara says
Thank you for this, my family always asks for homemade cinnamon rolls for holidays. The recipe I was using was for the bread maker. I have since gotten rid of my old one and won’t be replacing it. I wanted an overnight one so I could take it out before we went to church on Easter to rise. This is the one I’ll be using. I might do a mixture of white and brown sugar to give it a carmelly flavor.
Julie says
That sounds like a great plan! Hope you all enjoy and have a Happy Easter.
Tracy Erickson says
I made these rolls today for Easter breakfast, but they didn’t turn out so well. The texture was really strange. I find it odd that the recipe doesn’t call for any kneading. I also found the frosting a bit on the salty side, and I wonder if it would be a little sweeter if I add a tsp. of vanilla??
Samantha says
Hello! I would like to use this recipe for some friends returning home from vacation. How long do you think the cinnamon rolls could be refrigerated? Thanks for your help!
Julie says
I have only made it the night before. I think 24 hours ahead would be the most I would try.
Kelly says
I will be making these later today for breakfast at work tomorrow, my question is this, I will be making two batches, one as is, and I would like to make a pecan sticky roll with this recipe, Will this dough work for that as well? Thank you.
Julie says
Kelly, I think this dough would be great for pecan sticky rolls. If you make them that way please let me know how you liked them and share your recipe!
Kelly says
They must have been a hit because they were the first things gone today. Thank you for sharing the recipe. I used the same dough recipe you posted as is, but when rolled out I sprinkled 3/4 cup brown sugar onto dough after butter then cinnamon sugar mix, and also chopped 1/2 cup pecans and sprinkled onto dough and then rolled as usual. While dough was resting, I put 3/4 each of butter and brown sugar and melted together in small pan. I used two round cake pans, makes for easier turning over when done, grease cake pans and put equal amounts of melted mixture in each. Then rough chop about 3/4 cup pecans, depends on how many you like, and then put even amount in each pan. Cut your rolls as usual, I am definitely a dental floss girl, and put six rolls in each pan. Bake as usual, and turn out on plate while still hot. Looked and tasted wonderful. Thanks again.
Julie says
This is going on my list of recipes to try! Thanks so much for taking the time to share how you made them!
Rob says
Can you use rapid rise yeast for this recipe
Julie says
Hi Rob, I haven’t tested this recipe with rapid rise yeast, so I’m not sure if it would be a good substitute. Sometimes I find that the type of yeast doesn’t make a big difference in the outcome of a recipe, but then other times I feel like it can change the texture of the bread, probably because of too much rise, when I use rapid rise yeast. Let me know how it goes if you try it!
Sue says
I made them with rapid rise yeast….worked great!
Julie says
I’m so glad Sue! Thanks for letting me know!
Amy T says
Hi,
I just made 2 pans of your rolls last night (one with raisins for dad, one without!) and they re rising in the oven now. I was just wondering; for the baking, did you use convection? If I do, I can bake two at once, although I may decrease the temperature to 325? Does anyone have any experince with a convection oven for this recipe? I have a second “drawer” oven on my stove, so technically I could do both in a “regular” oven at 350…
Thanks!
Jessica says
Great recipe! I’ve made it at least 6x and it turns out great. This last time, I realized I had no egg after I started so substituted one smashed banana. I can’t tell the difference in the final product–still is fluffy and wonderful.
Julie says
Oh my goodness what a great tip! So glad you like the recipe Jessica!
Ms. Wolf says
This is the first recipe of cinnamon rolls I ever made. And it’s been the best one so far, these are delicious! And the frosting? Heavenly!
Thank you so much!
Julie says
I’m so glad! There’s nothing quite like a pan of homemade cinnamon rolls! Thanks for letting me know!
Lina says
Wonderful recipe! These cinnamon rolls are the best – soft and just right! Thanks a lot, I’ve been looking for a recipe like this for a LONG time…
Julie says
I’m so happy to hear that, Lina. Thanks for letting me know!
Shirley says
Anything with yeast intimidates me. But this looks pretty easy. Can you use a mixer with this or should it be done by hand?
Julie says
Shirley, I used to feel the same way! Now I really enjoy working with yeast dough. I like to mix this dough by hand because I feel like you will get a more tender roll. A large bowl is helpful so you don’t have to worry about making a mess, and then use those muscles :0) Hope you enjoy!
Brittany says
Perfection!! I have made these 3 times now and they are a hit every time!
Today I’m going to try to make 2 batches and freeze one… we’ll see how that goes. Have any suggestions on the point at which I should freeze the second batch? I was thinking of rolling them up and slicing them then freezing them right away, but I’m also tossing around the idea of letting them rise overnight and then freezing them.
Thanks so much for sharing with us all! I’m a teacher and very busy, but this recipe is easy enough to do in my busy schedule where I only have a few minutes to prep here and there! I’m going to share it with some people at my school this go around and I’m super excited to see their excitement!
Julie says
Hi Brittany! I’m so glad you like this recipe. I think you could freeze them after you roll them up, but before they rise. I have tried this with a similar roll recipe, and it worked okay, but I do have to say I prefer them when they have not been frozen. Let me know how it goes if you decide to try it.
Hazel Grayson says
Juile, I love your sight. Your receipts are easy to read, you have a Happy Thanks Giving and a Merrty Christama,Hazel
Hazel Grayson says
Julie, I love your site,and I can’t belive some of your receipted, how amizeing to make. I”m glad to hear that you are a Christrin. Keep up the good workHazel
Julie says
Thank you for your kind words Hazel! I’m glad you found me!
Seanna says
Julie,
Pinned this recipe a while back because they looked so amazingly soft and perfect. I made them today and I have to tell you they are the best cinnamon rolls EVER! They are perfectly pillowy soft and absolutely melt in your mouth! My family downed them! Thanks for sharing this recipe. I will definitely be back to your site to try more of your recipes!
Seanna
Julie says
Thanks Seanna! I’m so glad everyone loved them. Cinnamon rolls are my one of my favorite things in the world to make (and eat!).
Stacy says
I cant wait to try these for our Christmas breakfast this year! Easy and great reviews. I know we will love them! I’m actually wondering where you purchased and what brand your being dish is. It is exactly what I’ve been looking for for a while blue but I can seem to find one like it. Any typos you have on finding one would be awesome! I hope you are having a great time preparing for your Christmas this year! Thanks for the great recipe!
Julie says
Hi Stacy, I have had that dish for a while and it is from Pampered Chef. I looked on the website and it looks like they have a similar dish, but not in the same color. Here is a link if you are interested. Hope you enjoy the cinnamon rolls!
https://www.pamperedchef.com/shop/Bakeware/Stoneware/Rectangular+Baker/1338
Lea says
Do you think this recipe doubles well? I’m planning to give a few pans to the neighbors 🙂
Thank you!
Julie says
I haven’t tried doubling this recipe before but I feel like that much dough could be difficult to mix. You could try if you have a large bowl but I think I’d play it safe and just make it twice. Enjoy!
Andrea says
Merry Christmas! I have these in my oven as we speak! I’ve never made (yeast) bread from scratch (not in a bread maker)! They look like yours! I must have done it correct! Thanks! 🙂
Julie says
Oh yay! Hope you enjoyed, and had a very Merry Christmas!
Debi Cole says
Great recipe, easy to follow, and delicious!! I used half the frosting as you suggested and they were devoured quickly. They were still soft and yummy cold later in the day. Thank you for a great recipe to add to my annual baking.
Julie says
Debi, thanks for your comment. I’m so glad you all loved them like we do!
AmySue says
I have an overnight cinnamon roll recipe that makes two dozen rolls. I like to make them for our small group on Sunday mornings. I’m gonna give your cream cheese icing a try!
Julie says
Hope you all enjoyed!
AmySue says
The icing made all the difference!
Marguerite says
These were absolutely wonderful! We made them on Christmas Eve and since we are traveling we realized we didn’t have ingredients for cream cheese frosting so we made the glaze as another reader suggested! I used rapid rise yeast and I think it caused the rolls to rise too much so will go with regular next time. One question – I thought it seemed easier to add the melted butter first and then the flour – for easier mixing. I did this and it worked fine. Do you know of any reason not to do this? Thank you so much! This recipe is a keeper.
Julie says
Thank you for the feedback, Marguerite. So glad you enjoyed! I’m really not sure what the reasoning is behind adding the melted butter halfway through the flour. This recipe is adapted from a butterhorn dinner roll recipe, and that is what the recipe says to do so I have just always done it that way.
MamaKaz says
I’ve never posted on a blog before, but I just have to. These are GOOD. Like really really good. I made them 12/23 for Christmas Eve morning, and they were everything you want a cinnamon roll to be. The flavor developed with the slow rise in the fridge. They weren’t dried out when cooked. They weren’t “glue” when cooked either. They were perfect. And of course I made the full recipe of icing 🙂 …although I forgot to buy heavy cream. The consistency was perfect without it; I didn’t even have to add a little milk. I bet the cream would make it ultra-rich (will remember for next time). THANKS!
Julie says
I”m so glad you loved them!
fran gill says
ok open sew quilting meets in morning. Im going to make these and i will let you know how they turned out and what everone thinks
Julie says
Thank you Fran. Hope you all enjoy!
fran gill says
Big hit with all the sewers. All want the recipe. Thanks again They were great
Julie says
I’m so glad Fran! Thanks for letting me know!
Molly says
YUMMM!!!! I prepared these last night and am eating a nice hot cinnamon roll right now, this is such a great recipe and it wasn’t difficult to make at all. Thank you for this scrumptious recipe. I will be making this plenty in the future. 🙂
Love,
Molly
Julie says
Oh yay Molly! I’m so glad the rolls worked out for you.
Amanda says
This is the best recipe. Made these twice and successful both times. Definitely my go to recipe for cinnamon rolls. Thank u!
Julie says
I’m so glad you love them too! Thanks for letting me know how they turned out.
Christine Meckle says
What a great recipe! So wonderful for when the in laws are spending the weekend! Thanks for the recipe!
Julie says
Thanks for the good report Christine!
Ainsley says
Just a tip for the cutting, if you use a thread, it’s a whole lot easier. Cut a piece of thread about 7 or 8 inches long, shimmy it underneath the dough and wrap around the log of dough and pull through. It will slide right through the dough with no squishing. It works really well.
Julie says
Thanks Ainsley!
Janna says
I have made this recipe a couple times, and I LOVE it! The only thing I ended up changing was that I almost tripled the amount of salt, because I thought the dough was a little bland. Thanks for sharing!
Sheila Witty says
I made this recipe yesterday . We had them this morning for breakfast. Yumm!!! Love!! Recipe is a keeper. I like that it makes just one pan.
Julie says
So glad Sheila! Yes, sometimes one pan is all you need :0)
Emtesha says
Can you substitute the milk with buttermilk instead? Love baking with buttermilk!
TIA
Julie says
I have never tried that but you have me curious! Let me know how they turn out if you decide to go for it.
Jen says
I made these for a brunch this past weekend. I made them in the morning and let them rise on the counter. They were seriously amazing. Thank you for this recipe!
Julie says
Wow that’s so great Jen! I’m glad they turned out so well for you! Now I want to make some :0)
Jessica Cunningham says
I am 21 years old and I have been looking for a good recipe to try for home made cinnamon rolls. I have never made them, but these were amazing! My whole family is begging me to save them one as I write this. Even my grandmother, who is a wonderful cook. Thank you so much for sharing, I will definitely be keeping this recipe!
Julie says
That’s so awesome Jessica! These cinnamon rolls are one of my very favorite things to make – mostly because everyone just loves them so much!
Jessica says
I’m considering making your recipe for when we move next weekend. (for those who come to help us) Would it ruin the dough to triple or quadruple the recipe? I’m planning on making about 4 dozen rolls. I know some recipes are bad to double (or quadruple), and wasn’t sure about this one. Thanks!
Julie says
Hi Jessica, I think it would be hard to triple or quadruple the recipe – mainly because that would require working with such a large mass of dough. I think I would suggest doubling the recipe twice instead. That is a lot of rolls, and I will gladly come help you move in exchange for one :0) Best of luck!
Jessica says
Thanks!!
Jannamarie says
I absolutely love this recipe. I have been using bread flour and it makes them so fluffy. I have shared it with so many of my mama friends.
Julie says
Thanks so much Jannamarie, so glad you love it!
Alexis says
Can I make the frosting the night before too?
Julie says
Sure, you can just keep it in the fridge, and the let it sit out in the morning while the rolls bake so it will be soft enough to spread. Enjoy!
Peggy says
I make cinnamon rolls alot ,when I cut them ,I use dental floss it works really well ,try it, I think you’ll find it works alot better then a knife
Julie says
Thank you for the tip Peggy!
Brianna says
These cinnamon rolls are fantastic! Everyone in the family LOVED them. They also freeze really well which is nice. I love the fact that you adapted the recipe to make part of it the night before…makes it a lot less work in the morning! Thank you SO much for sharing!
Helena Alves says
Hi! I’ve been craving cinnamon rolls since the cold weather began here in Portugal and randomly came across your recipe on Pinterest today.
These cinnamon rolls are perfect for a sunday morning treat and I’m gonna try them this next weekend, for sure!
xoxo
Julie says
Hope you enjoyed Helena!
Jamie says
If I double the recipe does the yeast amount stay the same?
Julie says
No, you should make two separate batches exactly as written for the best results. Thanks for your question!
Laura says
Can these be left in the refrigerator longer than overnight? Was wanting to make these Christmas Eve Eve 🙂 and pull out to bake Christmas morning (so they’d be in the fridge ~36 hours). Will they still turn out?
Julie says
Hi Laura, I can see how that would be super nice to have them ready to go so early, but I would worry about how they would turn out after being in the fridge longer than overnight – just because I really haven’t had the chance to test the recipe that way. Hope this helps! Merry Christmas!
Liz says
I am making these today, so that we have freshly-baked, warm-gooey cinnamon rolls for our Christmas breakfast. A tradition. Is there a limit to how long these can be refrigerated? I want to make them this morning and put them in fridge, but that would be a lot longer than just overnight. Thanks!
Julie says
I have never made them more than 12 hours before baking, but I don’t think a few more hours would matter too much. Hope you enjoy!!!
Sarah says
I LOVE this recipe! I’ve made these for breakfast on Christmas morning the last 2 years and they’re always a big hit, and I haven’t had any issues living at high altitude which is andolurely wonderful. The only thing I changed was doing a mix of white sugar and brown sugar, so yummy! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Sarah says
*absolutely 😳
Julie says
This makes me SO happy Sarah!
Ellen says
Just made these for the time. Perfect for this blustery winter morning. I used brown sugar for the filling and threw in about 1/3 cup of raisins. Super delicious. Since I only had 4 oz of cream cheese I made half recipe of frosting which was more than enough. The flavor of the cheese was strong
Chantelle Kern says
Can these be made with gluten-free flour?
Julie says
I’ve never tried them with gluten-free flour so I’m not sure. Let me know how it goes if you decide to try it!
Trina says
This was such an easy recipe! Thank you!!!! They were amazing also. 😁
Tanya says
I’ll be honest. I am always a bit skeptical about pulling recipes off Pinterest. After failing at quite a few other cinnamon roll recipes I dug deep into your reviews, past the “these look good’, before committing. I am glad I committed. They are a winner. Thank you!
Tanya
Julie says
Thanks so much for the good feedback Tanya!
pat says
I bake my rolls, cool, slice apart and freeze in ziplock bags. Place frozen roll on plate and microwave 38-40seconds. Every roll is oven fresh.
Darcie says
These were so good! Just finished baking them and they’re already gone. Next time I might change up the frosting. I really enjoyed the tangyness of the cream cheese, but my kids and husband prefer a more traditional frosting. Thanks for the great recipe!!
Julie says
You are so welcome! Glad you liked them.
Patti says
I assume you would whole milk for this recipe but can you confirm? Thank you! Cannot wait to try!
Julie says
Good question, Patti! I do use whole milk in all my baking.
Jill Kerby says
These cinnamon buns look wonderful. Where I live (Dublin, Ireland) most recipes are now expressed in grammes, though many people -and professional cooks – still use ounces & pounds with 16 ounces to the pound. A cup is measured as 8 ounces or half a pound. A half cup is therefore four ounces.
Are these ounce/cup measurements correct for this recipe? (I’ve come across some American recipes in which a cup is measured as four ounces…
Many thanks
Julie says
I see how this would be frustrating – I think it depends on what you are measuring, correct? When I measure a cup of flour, I believe it is 4 1/2 ounces or 120 grams. Someday I would like to take on the challenge of learning to bake with a scale – I know it is much more accurate, but just now how I grew up learning to bake. Hope this is helpful for you.
Bailey says
Hi Julie! I’m looking forward to making these! I was wondering, do you think I could make these in a sheet pan like your other recipe? I’m wanting to make them smaller to make more (i’ll probably double the recipe too). What do you think? Thanks!
Julie says
Hi Bailey – great question! So the overnight cinnamon roll recipe is pretty much the sheet pan cinnamon roll recipe halved. The only part that remains constant in both recipes is the yeast, and water used to dissolve it (first two ingredients). So you can use the sheet pan cinnamon roll recipe, but just make the dough, let rise, form the rolls, and place the rolls in the sheet pan the night before. Cover and refrigerate, and then in the morning, take them out and let them rise for 45 min to an hour. Bake as directed in the sheet pan recipe. Does that make sense? Let me know if not! Also, I haven’t actually done this with the sheet pan recipe, but I can’t see why it wouldn’t work.
Sarah says
Made these last night for Christmas breakfast this morning. Ive tried several cinnamon roll recipes but this one blows them all away. The recipe is very easy, no kneading required with the dough. The only thing I changed was mixing all the filling ingredients together and spreading them on the dough, and I used brown sugar. The rolls were heavenly. So fluffy and gooey. Outstanding recipe.
Thanks!
Julie says
Thank you Sarah!
Corynne says
Made these for Christmas Day breakfast today. They were delicious! My only question is on the butter. Most of the baking I do uses unsalted butter, so that’s what I used. Do you use salted or unsalted?
Julie says
Sorry just getting to your question. I use salted butter just because that’s what I always have on hand but I’m sure a professional baker would use unsalted.
Corynne says
Thank you! It wasn’t a noticeable difference, but maybe slightly low on the salt with unsalted. I did sprinkle a little bit of kosher salt into the dough, but will use salted next time. Happy New Year and thanks for the tasty recipe!
Bobbi says
These cinnamon rolls are delicious and the Icing AMAZING!!! Thanks for sharing this great recipe.
Julie says
Thanks Bobbi! So glad you enjoyed them. Cinnamon rolls are one of my favorite things to make!
Queenie says
Instead of leaving it in the fridge overnight could I leave it out in a warm spot with a cloth overnight?
Sharon Gurney says
Can’t wait to try this recipe. I usually use margarine rather than butter for baking and wondering if anyone has tried margarine for these cinnamon rolls.
Julie says
I would recommend using butter. Hope you enjoy!
Lucy Silveira says
Just made them for breakfast. The house smells heavenly. Everyone enjoyed them. Best recipe ever and made them step by step so easy.
Julie says
So glad Lucy! Thanks for letting me know how they turned out!
Alisha says
These were really awesome. A real treat on a Sunday morning for my boys. A big thanks from us here in South Africa 🙂
★★★★★
Nina says
Can you make them ahead of time and freeze them?
Joy Schwartz says
So I want to make these for Christmas Morning! Can I make them today? And let them be in the fridge for Christmas Eve? What do you think? Let me know 😘
Julie says
I’ve never made them more than just 12 hours ahead- so not sure how the rise would be… let me know if you decide to try it. Merry Christmas!