My homemade cinnamon rolls are incredibly easy to make from scratch. I make the simple dough, let it rise, fill it with cinnamon and brown sugar, bake, and then add a quick cream cheese frosting as a topping!
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My Easy Cinnamon Roll Recipe
Breakfast can be kind of elusive in my house… some mornings, I have time to enjoy a full spread. Other times, I’m flying out the door, bagel or protein bar in hand. I much prefer days when we’re able to all sit down together as a family. And on leisurely mornings like those, I’m definitely breaking out these homemade cinnamon rolls!
My kids love breakfast, but their go-to is cinnamon rolls. My son Connor asks for them for breakfast every single holiday, so they’re a staple on the table next to the bacon and hash browns.
My daughter Leah is a super picky eater, so it’s nice to have that easy breakfast option on the weekends that both kids will eat.
I mean it isn’t every day that mom says “Okay” to cream cheese frosting at breakfast! This one is for sure an indulgent option, but I always know it’s going to be a good day when I start it off with one of these beauties.
Need more breakfast recipes to try? Some of my other favorites include bananas Foster pancakes, Bisquick coffee cake, brioche French toast casserole, and hash brown casserole!
Homemade Cinnamon Roll Recipe Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour
- Rapid-Rise Yeast – I use the rapid-rise kind to put these together quicker
- Salt
- Sugar
- Warm Water
- Egg – room temperature
- Unsalted Butter – room temperature
- Brown Sugar
- Ground Cinnamon
- Cream Cheese – room temperature
- Confectioner’s Sugar
- Vanilla
How to Make Cinnamon Rolls
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Combine the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar in a mixing bowl, then add the egg. In a separate bowl, warm up the water and butter until almost melted. Slowly add it to the flour mixture and stir, then knead when it becomes sticky. Shape it into a ball and set aside for 5-10 minutes. In the meantime, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon for the filling.
STEP TWO: Add the ball of dough to a lightly floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll it out into a rectangle. Spread softened butter over the dough, then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture and press it into the dough.
STEP THREE: Beginning at the long end of the rectangle, roll the dough out into a long log. Cut the ends off, then cut the log into 9 even slices that are about 1.5 inches thick.
STEP FOUR: Add the rolls to a 9-inch baking pan in 3 rows of 3. Cover and let them rise for about 1 hour. When ready, bake the rolls at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Set them aside to cool slightly.
STEP FIVE: Combine the cream cheese, butter, confectioner’s sugar, and vanilla with a hand mixer until smooth. Spread it on top of the warm rolls, serve, and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
- When warming up the water and butter in the microwave, make sure not to heat the mixture too much. It needs to be hot to activate the yeast (100-110 degrees F), but below 139 degrees F so as not to kill it before it can activate. I use an instant-read thermometer to check the temp.
- The butter and egg must be at room temperature — the butter will melt and spread much more easily and the egg needs to also be at room temp so it doesn’t cool the yeast.
- I usually let the assembled rolls rise in a low-temperature oven. I set it to 220 degrees F and let it preheat, then I turn it off and place the rolls inside. Just remember to remove them when ready to preheat to 350 degrees! That’s one mistake I won’t make for a second time.
- This recipe can make up to 12 rolls! When I’m expecting guests I usually slice them slightly thinner (a bit bigger than 1 inch rather than 1.5) and cook them in a 9×13-inch pan instead.
- Dental floss makes slicing evenly without squishing the dough a lot easier. A very sharp knife would also work!
Easy Cinnamon Rolls Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Add chopped pecans or walnuts to the filling for a crunchier texture. I personally love nuts, so I make this variation when I know no one with allergies will be there!
- Apple pairs so well with cinnamon, so another fun variation is to sauté some fresh apple pieces in butter before adding them to the filling. It tastes almost like apple pie!
- My kids, like most kids, love chocolate. Sometimes I replace half the cinnamon with cocoa powder and even incorporate some mini chocolate chips. This is my favorite thing to do for a fun birthday breakfast.
- Maple also complements cinnamon well! Rather than using vanilla for the icing, try maple syrup instead. This is so tasty around the end-of-year holidays.
- To make these gluten-free, use a GF all-purpose flour blend. Opt for one with a 1:1 ratio so the structure and texture stay the same.
What to Serve with this Cinnamon Roll Recipe
These homemade cinnamon rolls make for an indulgent breakfast on their own, but I do like to add turkey bacon (made in the oven) and some hash browns so my kids don’t get too much of a sugar rush. And if I’m serving them as a part of a large brunch spread, my brown sugar pancakes and sweet cream pancakes are definitely making an appearance!
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls FAQs
Why is my cinnamon roll dough so sticky?
The dough might come out too sticky if there is too much moisture or not enough flour. Sticky dough is normal at first, but ideally, it should become soft and tacky (not wet!) after kneading. When mine looks too sticky I add extra flour about 1 tablespoon at a time until I get the consistency I’m after.
Why are my homemade cinnamon rolls not fluffy?
The rolls may not come out fluffy if the yeast didn’t activate properly or the dough didn’t rise enough. Remember the importance of getting the water and butter mixture to the right temperature — it can’t go over 139 degrees F or else it will kill the yeast. Additionally, let the dough rise for the full hour!
When should I ice the cinnamon rolls?
I ice the rolls when they’re still warm, but not hot enough for the icing to melt and slip right off! I find that about 10-15 minutes after they come out of the oven is the sweet spot.
Can I make this easy cinnamon roll recipe the night before?
Absolutely! I often do this when I make these for our holiday brunch. Simply prepare the rolls up until the shaping step, then cover and refrigerate them overnight instead of letting them rise at room temp. In the morning, remove them from the fridge about an hour before baking, so they come back to temperature. Then, bake as directed!
How should I store leftover cinnamon rolls?
Store any leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. These reheat well in the microwave in 15-20 second bursts until warmed through. They will also keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Easy Recipes
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Dough
- 3 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 packet rapid rise yeast 1/4 ounce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
Filling
- 1/4 cup butter at room temperature
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Icing
- 4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine 3 cups of flour, yeast, salt, and sugar. Crack the egg into the flour mixture.
- In the microwave safe bowl, warm up the water and butter, until it is mostly melted, about 45 seconds. The water should be comfortable to touch, if it is too hot it will kill the yeast. If you are unsure, use a thermometer and it needs to be less than 139 degrees F for it to not kill the yeast.
- Slowly pour the warm water and butter into the flour mixture a little at a time, using a wooden spoon to incorporate it into the flour. Once you have poured all the water in the flour, it will be slightly sticky. When it is difficult to stir, use your hands to knead the dough adding up to ¼ cup of flour if it is still too sticky. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes. With a clean finger you should be able to press into the dough and it does not stick. Shape it into a ball and set it aside for 5-10 minutes. The dough will puff up a little bit.
- While it is set aside, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon for the filling. Make sure the butter is spreadable.
- Prepare to roll out your dough. On a floured surface place your ball of dough. Use a rolling pin to roll it out to a rectangle that covers a 10×15 mat.
- Spread the butter over the rolled out dough and leave a ½ inch border around the edges.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon and brown sugar over the butter, pressing it down.
- From the long end of the rectangle roll the dough into a long log. It will be about 15 inches long.
- Cut the ends of the dough off. This left about 14 inches of the log.
- Cut the log into 9 slices. These were about 1.5 inches thick.
- In a buttered 9×9 square baking pan, place the rolls in rows of 3.
- Cover the rolls and allow them to rise for 1 hour. They will double in size.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the cinnamon rolls for 20-25 minutes until they are golden on top.
- Allow them to cool for 10 minutes. While they are cooling, make the icing. Using a hand mixer, combine the cream cheese, butter, confectioners sugar, and vanilla until it is smooth.
- Spread the cream cheese over the warm rolls.
Notes
- The butter and egg must be at room temperature — the butter will melt and spread much more easily and the egg needs to also be at room temp so it doesn’t cool the yeast.
- I usually let the assembled rolls rise in a low-temperature oven. I set it to 220 degrees F and let it preheat, then I turn it off and place the rolls inside. Just remove them before you preheat the oven again!
- This recipe can make up to 12 rolls! Just slice them slightly thinner (a bit bigger than 1 inch rather than 1.5) and cook them in a 9×13-inch pan instead.
- Dental floss makes slicing evenly without squishing the dough a lot easier. A very sharp knife would also work!
- You can make these the night before by preparing the rolls up until the shaping step, then cover and refrigerate them overnight instead of letting them rise at room temp. In the morning, remove them from the fridge about an hour before baking so they come back to temperature. Then, bake as directed!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. These reheat well in the microwave in 15-20 second bursts until warmed through. They will also keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
