These easy homemade cinnamon rolls are soft, gooey, and delicious! They're my family's favorite holiday breakfast. Make-ahead instructions included!
This cinnamon roll recipe is my family’s favorite holiday breakfast! Easy and delicious, it makes the best cinnamon rolls I’ve tried. They have a soft dough filled with a rich brown sugar and cinnamon swirl. A gooey vanilla glaze (or cream cheese frosting!) takes them over the top.
I first shared this recipe in 2019, inspired by the cinnamon rolls my mom made on Christmas morning when I was growing up. Now with over 350 5-star reviews, it’s since become a reader favorite! I recently updated it with new photos, make-ahead and freezing instructions, and tips for cinnamon roll success.
If you’ve never made homemade cinnamon rolls before, you won’t believe how simple they are to make from scratch! They’re a perfect breakfast for Christmas, Easter, or any weekend brunch. I hope you love them as much as I do!
Ingredients in Cinnamon Rolls
Here’s what you’ll need to make this cinnamon roll recipe:
- Active dry yeast or instant yeast – It helps the dough rise.
- Melted butter and milk – They add moisture and richness to the cinnamon roll dough.
- Sugar – It makes the dough lightly sweet.
- Sea salt – Essential for a flavorful dough.
- All-purpose flour – Spoon and level it to avoid packing too much into your measuring cup.
- Dark brown sugar and cinnamon – They create the delicious cinnamon sugar filling.
- Powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and more milk – For the glaze! It’s sweet, gooey, and quick and easy to mix together. If you love cream cheese icing on cinnamon rolls, top them with my cream cheese frosting instead.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Recipe Variation
Make vegan cinnamon rolls: Because this recipe is made without eggs, you can easily make it vegan! Simply use almond milk instead of regular milk and melted coconut oil instead of butter!
How to Make Cinnamon Rolls
I love how easy it is to make this recipe. No stand mixer required! It has three main steps:
- Making the dough
- Filling and shaping the rolls
- Baking and icing them
Here’s an overview of each step:
Making the dough
Start by proofing the yeast. Mix it with warm water and sugar in a small bowl, and set it aside for 5 minutes, or until the yeast is foamy.
Next, mix together the wet and dry ingredients. Combine the melted butter, milk, sugar, salt, and yeast mixture in a medium bowl. Place the flour in a large bowl and add the wet ingredients. Stir to combine.
Next, knead the dough. Use your hands to knead the mixture until it comes together into a rough dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and continue to knead until it becomes smooth.
Then, set the dough aside for its first rise. Form it into a ball and place it in a large bowl greased with butter. Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and set aside until the dough has doubled in size.
Filling and shaping the rolls
After the dough rises, roll it out into a large rectangle. Dust your work surface and rolling pin with flour to prevent sticking.
To add the filling, brush the dough with melted butter and sprinkle it evenly with brown sugar and cinnamon.
Then, roll and cut the rolls. Starting at a short end of the rectangle, roll the dough into a log.
Use a sharp knife to slice the log into 12 even rolls. Place them in a large greased baking pan, cut side up. Cover the rolls and set them aside to rise for 1 hour.
Baking and icing the rolls
After their second rise, bake the cinnamon rolls at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, until they’re lightly golden brown. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for 10 minutes.
While they cool, make the glaze. Slather it over them and enjoy warm!
Why aren’t my cinnamon rolls fluffy?
If your cinnamon rolls aren’t fluffy, expired or dead yeast is usually the issue.
- Always proof your yeast before making the dough. This simply refers to mixing the yeast with a little warm water and sugar and waiting for it to foam before adding it to the dough. If the yeast doesn’t foam, discard the mixture and start again with new yeast. Note that I recommend proofing active dry AND instant yeast. Instant yeast technically doesn’t require proofing, but I think it’s always best to check freshness to avoid disappointment.
- Don’t overheat the proofing water. 105°F to 115°F is the sweet spot. If the water is too hot, it can kill the yeast!
Cinnamon Roll Recipe Tips
- Use room temperature milk. Cold milk will hinder the rising process. Warm your milk in the microwave for 20 seconds, or let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, before adding it to the dough.
- Let the dough rise somewhere warm. Yeast responds to warmth, so, for an extra-productive rise, stick the dough somewhere warm. We like to put ours on a sunny windowsill! I’ve also had success putting the dough in the oven with the light on while the oven is turned off. The light gives off warmth that helps activate the yeast.
- Add the glaze when the rolls are still warm, but not hot. If the rolls are too hot when you add the glaze, it will melt. If they’re too cold, it won’t spread and ooze over them. I find that letting them cool for 10 minutes brings them to the perfect temperature. They’ll still be warm when you eat them, and the frosting will soften over them without completely melting.
How to Make Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
Get ahead on this cinnamon roll recipe by assembling the rolls the night before you plan to serve them. That way, you can easily bake them off in the morning!
To make overnight cinnamon rolls, prepare the recipe up to the point of slicing the rolls. Place them in the baking dish and cover tightly with foil or plastic wrap. Instead of letting the rolls rise at room temperature, refrigerate them overnight. The next morning, remove the rolls from the fridge. Let them stand at room temperature for 1 hour before uncovering and baking them according to the recipe.
Storage Tips
Store these homemade cinnamon rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, I recommend freezing them.
How to Freeze Cinnamon Rolls
Allow the cinnamon rolls to cool completely after baking. Wrap individual rolls in foil or plastic wrap, or tightly cover the entire baking dish. Store the rolls in the freezer for up to 3 months. Wrapped or covered in foil, they reheat perfectly in a 350°F oven. Add the glaze right before you eat!
More Favorite Brunch Recipes
If you love these soft, fluffy cinnamon rolls, try one of these brunch recipes next:
- How to Make a Frittata
- Spinach Quiche
- French Toast Casserole
- Coffee Cake
- Baked Oatmeal
- Or any of these 51 Best Brunch Recipes!
Getting ready for Christmas morning? Check out these 45 Christmas Breakfast Ideas!
Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the yeast
- ½ cup warm water, 110°F
- 1 (¼-ounce) package active dry yeast or instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Dough
- ⅓ cup melted butter, plus more for brushing
- ½ cup milk, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
Filling
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 1½ tablespoons cinnamon
Glaze
- 1½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 to 4 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Other Frosting Options (instead of the glaze)
- 1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions
- Grease an 8x11 or 9x13-inch baking dish.
- In a small bowl, stir together the water, yeast, and sugar. Set aside for 5 minutes, or until the yeast is foamy.
- Make the dough: In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, milk, sugar, and salt. Stir in the yeast mixture. Place the flour in a large bowl, then add the wet ingredients and stir until combined. The mixture will be sticky. Use your hands to roughly knead the mixture, then turn it out onto a floured surface. Knead the dough for 3 to 4 minutes, or until smooth, sprinkling it with more flour if needed. Form the dough into a ball.
- Brush a large bowl with butter and place the dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Make the filling: In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Punch down the dough and roll it out on a floured surface into a 20x14-inch rectangle. Brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar to within ½ inch of the edges.
- Starting at one of the short 14-inch ends, roll tightly into a log, then use a sharp knife to slice the log into 12 rolls. Place the rolls in the baking dish cut-side up, cover, and let rise for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Make the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, and vanilla until smooth. If it’s too thick, add more milk. Alternatively, make this cream cheese frosting recipe instead of the glaze.
- Uncover the rolls and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly golden on top. Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes, then drizzle the glaze or frosting on top and serve.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Oh She Glows.
Hi Jeanine, I really want to make pumpkin cinnamon rolls. Any advice for adding pumpkin to these?
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to make them with my son who’s got a dairy allergy.
Can the dough be made overnight and left on the counter for the morning? x
I hope he loves them! Some other readers in the comments have made them in advance by making the rolls and leaving them in the fridge overnight (covered in plastic wrap), and then they bake them in the morning. I would suggest going that route, I wouldn’t leave them at room temp overnight. Hope that helps!
These look amazing! Can I sub Whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour for the AP flour? I’m trying to only eat whole grains and avoid white flour. Thanks!!
Hi KG, I haven’t tried these with entirely wheat flour. Things like this usually turn out too dense for my liking. I’d say you could probably sub 1/4 the amount with wheat or 1/2 the amount with whole wheat pastry. You may have to adjust the water if the dough is too dry.
These were so SO good. My fiance and I were inhaling them so that was a little dangerous but completely worth it. If someone were to serve these to me I’d have no idea that they were vegan. The only thing I would do differently next time (and there will be a next time) is to use a slightly larger baking dish. I used the same size that was recommended but it was a semi oval shape and I really needed a true rectangle shape so that they wouldn’t get overly smushed. So next time they’ll be delicious AND picture perfect.
yay! I’m so glad you loved them so much!
Im making them now or family night? im sure they will turn out amazing!
For family night ?
Hi Jeanine,
I just made these following your recipe, I just used a different flour mix (1/3 softwheat, 1/3 wholewheat and 1/3 semi-coarse flour). I also let them sit in the fridge overnight and baked them for breakfast. I was really worried about the potential failure and kind of expected them to be less soft and fluffy than the regular ones. But they turned out wonderfully! So I just wanted to thank you. As the days are starting to get colder here in Belgium, I will most certainly make them more often. Husband suggested to add a bit of cardamom to the filling, and it worked well.
Hi Marijana, I’m so glad you loved them! Thank you for sharing!
I made these one morning and they turned out amazing. I did a non vegan way, using cow milk and butter. Will definitely make these again!
I’m so glad you loved them!
These are perfect!The only note I have is that it only took 20 minutes in the oven but I guess my oven is just stronger. I didn’t have some of the ingredients so I swapped some things with whatever I had and surprisingly, it worked.I’ll definitely make them again!
Hi Evita, I’m so glad you loved them!
Just baked these, and my house smells DIVINE. Always had a tricky time making rolls but this recipe was so straight-forward and easy! Perfect for a multi-tasker like myself! Tastes amazing and fluffy and not overly sweet. Absolutely Fab xx
Hi Chynna, I’m so glad you loved them!
Hi Isabella, I think the humidity is definitely the issue. While we don’t live in an area as humid as you do, I still had to add a bunch more flour to my regular pizza dough recipe the other day – things are much stickier in the summer vs. the winter.
It’s ok to add enough flour until it’s easier to work with. I think you could add more than the 3/4 if you need to in order to create a workable ball. I wouldn’t alter anything else, I’d just work in more flour. Hope that helps!
I made this recipe yesterday and they are AMAZING!!!! I’ve eaten 3 today, haha. My whole family (not vegan) loved them and only 3/12 are left on day 2. I pecans and raisins to the filling and some lime juice, and added lime zest and maple syrup to the icing. Make these !
yay! I’m so glad everyone loved them so much!
Thank you for such a yummy and easy recipe! I subbed the coconut oil for Earth Balance like some others did and it def was not a problem at all. (:
The measurements were spot on, and even though I rolled the wrong way it still came out! Lol My fiance and I tried some of the end pieces as a test and they were delicious! I have a dish in the fridge to bring for brunch tomorrow to my parent’s – I think it will be a big hit! Thank you again, this will definitely be one of our go-to recipes!
Hi Heather, I’m so glad you both loved them!
Super good! I ended up only making around 8 sizeable ones, with 3 end bits. I wasn’t able to roll my dough out to the correct length, however these tasted so so good. I’ve made vegan cinnamon rolls before, and this recipe was super easy to follow. Just make sure to take a large chunk of time to make these!
These look delicious, and I’m very excited to try them! I would like to make them the night before and then pop in the oven the next day. Should I let the rolls rise for an hour once they are cut and placed in the dish, and then place in the fridge overnight? Or should they go straight into the fridge after being placed into the dish, without letting them rise?
Hi Julia, you can put them right in the fridge in the dish after you assemble, and then let them rise for an hour out of the fridge in the morning. I hope you enjoy!
they will rise in the fridge as well – that’s ok, just let them still sit at room temp for an hour before baking.
Thank you so much!!
Hi Jeanine!
I am very inexperienced in baking with yeast and flour so I am *struggling* over here. I would super appreciate it if you could help me figure a few things out!
My first attempt at making the dough turned out really gooey (the consistency was almost identical to MaraNatha peanut butter lol). I figured I probably mis-measured somewhere so I decided to start from scratch, but this time I packed the flour down before leveling it off (which I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to do, but what do I know). This time the “dough” was a bit thicker, but still very runny – meaning, I could pour it out of the bowl. I tried to just keep stirring, but my tired arm and impatience led me to the conclusion that I should just keep adding flour until it turned into a kneadable dough (which was a decent amount). I don’t know whether or not this would have worked out in the end because I accidentally killed my yeast (I put the saran wrap on tight when it was rising) – heartbreaking.
I would really love to give this recipe another shot, but (if it’s not clear by now) I have no idea what I’m doing! My father just retired and cinnamon rolls are his favorite thing in the world so I’d love to surprise him with these. If there’s any guidance you can offer I would greatly appreciate it!
Hi Chloe, hmmm, I haven’t heard of anyone’s dough being this way – a few questions: how humid is it in your house right now? What type (and brand) of flour are you using? Are you sure the yeast became foamy in step 2? And, did you change any of the other ingredients?
These are fantastic! I was worried about rolling the dough out into that big of a rectangle but there was no problem at all. This dough rolls like a dream.
I did everything ahead of time. Let the rolls rise in the pyrex dish (mine took much longer than an hour – but my yeast is old), then refrigerated overnight. Brought them to room temp the next morning and baked. Perfection!
These were as fantastic as everyone said they were. I was nervous about rolling out the dough to that large of a rectangle but it was absolutely no problem. This dough rolls like a dream.
Hi Joelle, I’m so glad you enjoyed making these! Thanks for your tips about making them in advance!
what adjustments would you make for high altitude?
Hi Suzy, I’m sorry don’t have experience baking at a high elevation. A friend of mine lives in Denver and has a blog with awesome baking recipes: https://www.ohladycakes.com/
Hello! I want to make these for Easter morning for a bright stop during this crazy time – however – I live in Denver and not entirely sure how to amend the recipe or instructions for the higher elevation. Any tips? Thank you!
Hi Cate, I’m sorry don’t have experience baking at a high elevation. A friend of mine lives in Denver and has a blog with awesome baking recipes: https://www.ohladycakes.com/
No worries! Thanks for the suggestion!
We tried the recipe and the rolls turned out to be really soft and yummy! Thanks for the recipe. One thing I would like to know is if the cane sugar is supposed to be melted via melting or it should remain pretty ‘grainy’ in texture when the rolls are done?
Hi Vicky, apologies for my slow reply! The brown sugar filling should be a little grainy, it doesn’t melt completely.