These are the BEST Homemade Cinnamon Rolls that you will find to make. They are made with simple pantry ingredients to get delicious fluffy warm rolls covered in homemade cream cheese icing.
The overnight cinnamon rolls are great for when you want a simple but tasty breakfast on Christmas morning, but the fluffy cinnamon rolls are truly great for any weekend when you want the perfect cinnamon rolls the next morning,
If you have never tried a homemade cinnamon roll recipe, then this is a great one to try. They are easy homemade cinnamon rolls that are perfect for beginners and will turn out amazing gooey cinnamon rolls for a tasty breakfast.
Ingredient Notes
Rolls
- Yeast: use active dry yeast for this recipe
- Sugar: you will need granulated sugar
- Eggs: eggs beaten before combining with other ingredients
- Milk: lukewarm whole milk (or what you have on hand but warm milk is key)
- Butter: unsalted butter needs to be melted in order for it to mix appropriately into the dough
- Salt: kosher salt is preferred for this recipe
- Flour: all-purpose flour works great, no need for bread flour
Filling
- Butter: butter softened to room temperature
- Sugar: brown sugar or coconut brown sugar for the filling
- Seasoning: cinnamon will give you that delicious taste for the cinnamon rolls
Frosting
- Cheese: your favorite brand of cream cheese softened
- Sugar: powdered sugar is the best choice when making cream cheese frosting
- Extract: vanilla extract is preferred unless you want a different flavor profile
- Butter: butter should be soft if not melted to get the right consistency
- Seasoning: a pinch salt helps cut the sweetness slightly
- Milk: the amount of milk may vary based on the consistency you want
Equipment Needed
For this recipe, you only need a few simple kitchen tools. We recommend using the following equipment:
How to make Classic Cinnamon Rolls:
- Mix yeast, sugar, eggs, milk, butter and salt together in a large bowl, all at once.
- Add 4 cups of all-purpose flour. Mix well with a spoon, cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow dough to rise 4-6 hours on counter or overnight in the refrigerator.
- Do not knead the dough.
- Roll out dough into a long, thin rectangle on a lightly floured surface.
- Spread on softened butter.
- Mix together brown sugar and cinnamon, and spread evenly over the dough.
- Tightly roll into a jellyroll shape, starting at the long end of the dough.
- Use a string or floss to cut dough into 1-inch pieces and place into a greased 9×13-inch baking pan (I placed 15 rolls in a 9×13-inch pan so the rolls were touching).
- Cover and let rise for an additional 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375℉ and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
- In a bowl, mix together frosting ingredients and spread over baked rolls.
Storing Instructions:
- Fridge: Store these overnight cinnamon rolls in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge for the best results.
- Freezer: These Cinnamon Rolls freeze fairly well. They of course are best served fresh, but you can easily freeze them.
Make and bake them according to the recipe’s directions. Then freeze them in an airtight container, or wrapped in multiple layers of saran wrap. You can make these for a special occasion, take them to a neighbor, or eat them as a weeknight treat – they’re delicious any time of year!
FAQ about Classic Cinnamon Rolls
You most definitely could. We recommend using two packets to get the 1 Tablespoon measured out.
We recommend using active dry yeast.
You can find the yeast on the baking aisle at the grocery store, near the flour and baking soda.
There are a few reasons why your cinnamon rolls might not be fluffy, but here are the most common issues when it comes to making the best cinnamon rolls:
The yeast is old and not active any more.
There was not enough sugar to feed the the yeast.
The yeast did not activate and get foamy before adding the dry ingredients.
The dough did not rise enough before baking the cinnamon roll dough.
More sweet rolls you might like
- Cinnamon and Sugar Sticky Buns Recipe
- Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
- Quick Caramel Sweet Rolls Recipe
- Easy Lemon Pull-Apart Rolls
Classic Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
Rolls
- 1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
- ½ cup sugar
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup milk, lukewarm
- ½ cup butter , melted
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
Filling
- ¼ cup butter, softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoon cinnamon
Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup butter , melted
- pinch salt
- 2 Tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Mix yeast, sugar, eggs, milk, butter and salt together in a large bowl, all at once.
- Add 4 cups of all-purpose flour. Mix well with a spoon, cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow dough to rise 4-6 hours on counter or overnight in the refrigerator.
- Do not knead the dough.
- Roll out dough into a long, thin rectangle on a lightly floured surface.
- Spread on softened butter.
- Mix together brown sugar and cinnamon, and spread evenly over the dough.
- Tightly roll into a jellyroll shape, starting at the long end of the dough.
- Use a string or floss to cut dough into 1-inch pieces and place into a greased 9×13-inch baking pan (I placed 15 rolls in a 9×13-inch pan so the rolls were touching).
- Cover and let rise for an additional 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375℉ and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
- In a bowl, mix together frosting ingredients and spread over baked rolls.
Notes
Nutrition
Video
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.
I have never made Cinnamon Rolls from scratch but THIS recipe makes me WANT TO! I think I will be trying these this weekend! I just need to make sure that I pass them out because I’m pretty sure I could eat them all! LOL Do you think these would freeze well once baked? Just in case I want to keep a few back for…guests! Yes, that’s it! guests!!! I have been a fan of you Sisters for a LONG time! Keep up the great work! Merry Christmas to all of you and your families.
Thanks for your sweet comment Tammy!! These will freeze great in an airtight freezer container or wrapped well in aluminum foil. Merry Christmas!
Is this recipe in any of your cookbooks? We made it last weekend and loved it.
Hi Marcia. This recipe will be in our next book which comes out in the Fall through Deseret Book. We also sell the books on Amazon. But it is coming! Just have to wait about 6 months!
I don’t have a jar of yeast at the moment. Would 2 packets work?
2 packets should be fine.
I am going to be making these this weekend. Can I prep the rolls in the pan the night before and bake the next morning to save some time?
Hi Erin!
I think that would work great! Just cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge overnight and bake in the morning!
Just a question, why let the dough raise in the fridge for a few hours instead of less time on the counter? Thanks 🙂
Dont mix the salt with the yeast, milk, sugar, butter mixture at the beginning. The salt will inhibit the yeast from blooming.
Awesome recipe! These were amazing! Thank you!!
Can raisins be added to the batter? If so, would anything need to be adjusted?
Debbie, I add my raisins in the cinnamon sugar layer.
Adding raisins as is will work great.
My son is gluten free, do you think this will work with gluten free flour?
Do you think instant yeast would work in this recipe?
I have a batch in the fridge right now. They’ve been in there for over two hours and I don’t see any rising going on. I’ll see if this actually works since I’ve always made mine in a warm environment.
I love this recipe. I have made them over and over. This is now my go to breakfast to take to friends when they have a new baby.
Can you substitute a certain type of Almond milk for regular milk?
I’m sure you would be fine subbing in almond milk.
I have a question about adding the salt. Crash VanBuren mentions in the comment section not to mix the salt with the yeast, milk, sugar & butter mixture in the beginning – although the recipe states to mix it all together. When would you add the salt or will it turn out okay if it is mixed in the beginning with the yeast? Also, should the temp, of the milk be at room temp. or right out of the fridge (or does it matter)? Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe and I look forward to hearing back from you!
Is it let raise 4-6 on counter or overnight in fridge…or both ways in fridge?
How much will it raise after this time?👆🏼(I threw out a batch because I thought it didn’t raise enough🤷🏼♀️??)
How thin do you roll the dough?
Did you ever try to make this GF?
Always in fridge? Or 4-6 hours on counter?
Roll to about 1/8-1/4 inch thick.
Mix yeast, sugar, eggs, milk, butter and salt together in a large bowl, all at once. And if you scroll down to the full recipe, it says that the milk is lukewarm.
Looks yummy!
Two packets would be about 5 teaspoons and the recipe calls for a tablespoon which is only 3 teaspoons. Does the amount of yeast matter much?
Slow rise equals better flavor.
Always in fridge? Or 4-6 hours on counter?
4-6 hours on counter? Or in the fridge?
On the counter.
4-6 hours on counter, or overnight in the fridge.
Hello! An important question was asked about the yeast. The question was that the recipe asks for 1 tablespoon of yeast which equals 3 teaspoons. You said you can use two packets, but that equals to about 5 teaspoons. So the question is; does that matter that 2 packets is more? I am waiting on the response so I can make these delicious looking cinnamon rolls. Would so appreciate it if you could answer this question. Thank you
We said 2 packets because 1 packet wouldn’t be enough. So stick with the 1 Tablespoon measured out. Whether it comes from packets or a larger container.
This went… terribly for me 🙁 I took the dough out of the fridge, it has risen beautifully BUT! it was way too sticky. It got stuck to the bowl and I had to tear it to take it out. When I tried to spread the butter, it got stuck on the pallet knife. Then, when it came time to roll it, it got stuck to the counter beyond any hope of fixing it. I liberally floured the counter, the rolling pin, my hands, everything. How do I stop it from sticking to everything?
If I wanted to Make these into Caramel rolls, do I just add the caramel before I let them rise in the morning?
How big a rectangle do you roll the dough into? How many inches by how many inches? What’s the yield of this recipe?
Can I use instant yeast in this recipe? If so, what would I change?
I haven’t been able to find regular yeast in stores for a couple weeks.
Never had any luck making cinnamon rolls always either no rise don’t taste or something else. They are intimidating. Thanks to your recipe, it was easy to follow and the video helped. Love visual aids. Thanks for making me a believer in good easy cinnamon rolls
Yes, I used instant yeast. No problems here
Just follow recipe
I followed this step by step and the dough did not rise…ever.
Thank you!!
A number of things can contribute to your dough not rising. Here is a link that you might want to check about issues. Sometimes it can be your yeast.
https://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/why-your-bread-dough-doesnt-rise-zbcz1503
Instant yeast will work great too. The Difference Between Active Dry Yeast & Instant Yeast
The difference between these types of dry yeast is simple: active dry yeast has a larger granule and needs to be dissolved in water before using, while instant yeast has a more fine texture and can be mixed right into dry ingredients.
You just roll it into a rectangle. You want the dough kind of thin. Almost the size of a cookie sheet. This recipe yields about 15 cinnamon rolls.
Sounds like you needed more flour if it’s that sticky.
I desperately want to make these for my son that’s visiting tomorrow. Our stores are all out of any kind of yeast!!! I went to 6 different stores 😣 I see on Pinterest I can use lemon juice and baking soda..and tips if I have to do that? Thank you!!
These were an absolute disaster for me. The dough stuck to everything, I couldn’t roll it, it stuck to itself and kept tearing. I literally sprinkled flour all over everything. They look horrible and were super disappointing. I used enough flour in the recipe too, so I’m not sure how to trouble shoot this? I have friends making this recipe and loving them, so I want to make this work!
I just finished making these rolls, and although my family thought they were ok, I thought they turned out to be a bit dry-any suggestions?
Can I use bread flour to make this? I know it’s not ideal, but I’m almost out of all-purpose flour and the stores don’t have any right now.
I don’t see any nutritional value for these ?
Could I use instant instead of active yeast? If yes, would that change the rise time? Also, could I use almond milk instead of regular milk?
I did, they are on their second rise as we speak. I used 1 packet of instant yeast as well because that is all I could find and it rose perfectly. I did not put in the fridge though. I rose it in a closed oven for 6 hrs.
I made these exactly as recipe stated with a brand new jar of active dry yeast, and they didn’t rise. As I went to roll them, they were ridiculously sticky so I wound up with a pan of dough not looking much like cinnamon rolls, I baked them anyway and they rose in the oven and taste fine. I am, however, curious as to why they didn’t rise. Also, where is the video link for these?
Made these yesterday. They turned out good but not very sweet. Next time I might add white sugar to the filling perhaps. I did use almond milk instead of milk so perhaps that made them less sweet, I’m not sure. I also used only one packet of instant yeast and it worked fine.
I’m not sure what you are doing wrong. We haven’t had a problem with these. Here are some tips to help you when your dough doesn’t rise: https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/9-reasons-your-bread-isnt-rising-and-what-to-do-about-it/
Not all of our recipes have a video yet. We have thousands of recipes out there. We are producing new videos every week. Someday we’ll have one for our cinnamon rolls.
You can enter it into myfitnesspal.
Yes, bread flour will work great too.
It would need to be 15 inches by anything to get 15 1 inch rolls. I made mine until I got a nice 15 inch width with extra on the ends
I rolled it up and ended up getting enough to do 3×5 in a 13×9 pan and then 8 extra smaller ones that I placed in a greesed pie plate
Did you pack the brown sugar into the measuring cup? Mine had so much filling I couldn’t fit it all on the dough…its was overflowing everywhere.
I was skeptical when the dough was really sticky when I put it in the fridge. When I pulled it out the next morning it looked like it had not risen at all. But I rolled it out onto a HEAVILY floured countertop. With dough cold and the flour they did not stick. I rubbed the softened butter onto the dough with my hands. There was a LOT of extra sugar filling going all over the place… next time I might go with 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 T cinnamon. I ended up getting 15 plus 8 extra that I put in a pie plate. I baked them for 20 minutes…the smaller ones in the tin I could have baked 4 minutes less and the others were perfect. Some mentioned they weren’t very sweet, but once you add the frosting they are the perfect sweetness. If you are expecting them to double in size, that didnt happen for me, they rose maybe 25% after 30 minutes, and another 25% in the oven.
Made them today they were amazing. made the dough last night, put it in the fridge and did the rest this morning. Super easy and so good.
I made these over the weekend and they were amazing!! BUT I thought they didn’t rise, like a few comments I read. I let them raise overnight and when I got them out of the fridge in the morning, I barely saw a difference. Then after a 30 minute rise in the pan they had barely grown! I was freaking out! But luckily when I baked them they turned out perfect! Definitely recommend!
Hi, I loved these cinnamon rolls and loved how the dough stayed in my fridge overnight. I want to use this amazing dough to make a savoury version. Do you think it would do ok with less of the sugar? I was thinking maybe half the amount or quarter?
My dough did not rise in the fridge overnight! I’m so sad. Is there any hope? I followed the directions and used new yeast. Please don’t send me the link to why-my-yeast-didn’t-rise. I’m so bummed
So did you roll the dough? I’m in the same sitch.
My dough was sticky too. I added more flour slowly until it was not so sticky and didn’t stick to the side of my Bosch mixer. I prob had to add 1/2 cup
Next time, there are a couple of things you can try if it isn’t rising (this from lots of mistakes/experience). Try humidity by putting dough in a container and adding a dish of boiling water to steam. You can also knead more yeast into it. I did both cause mine hadn’t risen after a full day. It worked!
Do you have suggestions for converting to high altitude? We’re at 6400 ft. Thanks!
Go to this website from King Arthur flour. It will help you with high altitude baking. https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking
Made these today..rose really well on top of stove. My daughter said they tasted like they were from a fancy restaurant! Definitely a keeper! Thank you!
I read the reviews before I made these. I mixed one (active) yeast packet with the other ingredients and had no problems. My dough was sticky, so I added almost 1/2 cup more flour and that did the trick. I greased the bowl before I added my dough and let it rise on the counter for 6 hours. I think the extra flour and buttering helped my dough not stick when I rolled it out on a generously floured cutting board. I rolled a 15X9 rectangle. I used the floss method (genius!) and placed the cut rolls in the 9×13 dish for them rise in the refrigerator overnight. They didn’t rise to my liking, so I sat the dish on the counter for an hour and that did it for me. Then I baked them. I added chopped apples to one half. They were nice and soft and not too sweet. I heated the leftovers in the toaster oven the next day. Perfection. I’m adding pecans next time.
At first glance as I was reading this recipe I was not sure about just mixing things together with a wooden spoon and leaving it alone on the counter for a few hours. No kneading? So I knew I had to try this.
I thought I really messed this recipe up badly. I added the flour and realized I forget to add the eggs. So I add the eggs and now the mixture is a really wet mess. I bake in grams now and although I did the math correctly I for some reason did not add the correct amount of flour. I was possibly one cup or more short. I added the flour to the dough and looked a little dry but I was done messing it up. I left the mixture alone for four hours and then continued.
My goodness these are really the BEST and easiest Cinnamon Rolls. No stand mixer. No dough hooks. Very forgiving. The dough was soft and had really good flavor. The frosting was just the right amount. Will make these again. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Maria, We are so impressed that you just kept pushing on with this recipe. And yes, they are forgiving. So glad they turned out amazing. And you are amazing!!
Can I freeze these before baking?
We always freeze them after baking. I’m sure you could freeze the dough after making into rolls in a freezer container, and then let it thaw and rise when ready to bake.
This is a fabulous recipe! I’ve tried others like it and there is no comparison. Thank you for sharing!
I use instant yeast all the time. You just have to be sure to add it along with the flour not the liquid. I put my flour in and sprinkle the yeast on top and mix into the liquids. Instant yeast doesn’t need proofing.
Don’t you need to Proof the yeast when using Dry Active Yeast?
This recipe is from our easy homemade rolls. We just turned them into cinnamon rolls. They are super easy and taste amazing.
I don’t think the proportions in this recipe are correct. I followed this recipe And I had the same problem other posters had which is it didn’t rise much and then it stuck to the bowl. When I finally got it out the bowl it just fell apart, the consistency was off. I noticed one of the other posters said to not mix salt in it initially, maybe that was the problem.
Thank you for finally sharing the perfect cinnamon roll recipe! I received lots of compliments about how yummy they were.
This did not rise at all. I don’t think I’ll use this recipe again.
Absolutely amazing!
This was so easy. The rolls were delicious. I have a feeling I will be making these over and over.❤️♥️❤️
We love to hear this! So glad to hear that you loved the recipe.
Soooo Good!!!
Do I use rapid rise yeast
We use active dry yeast but you can use rapid rise yeast in the recipe as well
Loved this recipe – now our new Christmas morning breakfast!
I made a half batch and they turn out delish!
what a waste of time and ingredients. this made a batter, not dough. i followed the directions and measurements exactly written and let the mess rise for 6 hours on the counter. such a disappointment. never again.
I’m so sorry it didn’t work for you. I can’t imagine why the dough would end up batter-like. So strange!
Can I use bread flour instead of AP?
Bread flour would work great with these
I double checked and followed the recipe to a “T” any idea why my dough turned out incredibly sticky? Too sticky to roll out!
You may need to adjust your flour for the altitude or humidity (even the distinct humidity in each person’s home!) can affect how much is needed. You can add more flour to roll out the dough to make sure it’s not too sticky to roll. Just avoid adding so much that the dough starts to get too dry and chunky.
Ive only made cinnamon buns once before. I was looking for an easy recipe. This is it! Followed the recipe exactly. They came out perfect and so very delicious! I definitely will make them again. This recipe is a keeper!
These are so easy and turn out great every time!
Stupid question.. Can you use a mixing bowl with the dough hook instead of a wooden spoon to mix everything up?
Followed recipe and dough was way too sticky to roll and form properly. Threw in loaf pan.
Absolutely you can! I love to use my dough hook to mix this dough
Can you substitute gluten free flour
We recommend making the recipe as directed – if you try using GF flour, keep us posted with how it turns out!
I love the recipe
Omg, these are the best homemade cinnamon rolls!! They’re soft & delicious!! They are now my go to recipe! I actually divided the recipe in 1/2 since I was only making them for me. I’ll try to freeze 2 to see how they come out. I might try to divide into 3 so I only make Like 5 or 6. Perfect amount!
As a beginner, this very friendly, doing it will be my hobby with income, thank you very much
Can you refrigerate the dough overnight and bake in the am? Does the dough need to stand for a while to rise again?
Yes you can refrigerate these. We like to shape them according to the recipe then pop them in the fridge, covered. Before baking, remove the rolls from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to an hour to allow them to warm up and rise slightly.
I made these and they turned out absolutely delicious, the dough was a little sticky but extra flour on hands and board sorted that. 1st rise on counter over night worked a treat 2nd rise I left them for 2 hours and they were huge and so fluffy.
Fantastic recipe 15 scrolls eaten in minutes everybody loved them, next time I’ll try the 2nd rise in the fridge over night to cut down the time in the morning.
I’ll be making these again soon.
If the dough is refrigerated overnight, do you need to let it warm up before preparing? Thanks
The dough does not need to be fully warmed up before baking, but it must be allowed to warm up to room temperature after refrigeration to allow for the final rise and to prevent the dough from being underproofed. I would let it sit at room temperature for a least two hours
Can you make it the day before and bake before serving?
This recipe! Hands down! Chefs Kiss! Absolutely amazing! Core recipe!
Looks like an easy recipe.
Do I use salted or unsalted butter?
You can use either. We usually used salted
I’ve seen cinnamon roll recipes where they pour heavy cream over the rolls before baking them. Can heavy cream be poured over your recipe and then baked? If not, do you have a cinnamon roll recipe that does?
You can definitely bake these with heavy cream poured over. I’ve done it multiple times with great results!
This is my go to recipe when I need a treat for my work or my husband’s…super easy, and rave reviews every time. I do put a full stick of butter in the filling of each batch, but aside from that, I just follow the recipe. Thanks so much for another amazing recipe.
Perfect awesome & tasty Cinnamon Rolls, EVER! Ladies, just read and follow the instructions carefully, and you just can’t go wrong with these tasty beauties.
I have seen lots of messages about the dough not rising. I’ve made these before and mine didn’t rise either. Put your covered dough in the oven- do not turn it on. Boil some water and fill a 9×9 or really any size pan full of the boiling water and put it in the oven. I put mine on the alert below. The steam and the humidity from the water made my dough double in size and the rolls were so soft in about 3-4 hours. I would def recommend doing this next time. It worked great! My dough was also very sticky. I used a mixer and added about 1/2 cup extra flour. Also a game changer.
Easiest cinnamon roll ever. They’re delicious. This recipe is a keeper.
Perfect recipe for my 12 year old who wanted to make her own cinnamon rolls instead of baking them out of a can. We are by no means expert bakers, and these turned out beautifully! So flavorful!
Thank you!!