How to Make the Best Cinnamon Rolls Ever
Here’s how to make the best homemade cinnamon rolls ever! These are our family tradition for the holidays, especially Easter and Christmas.
Growing up, my mom made these cinnamon rolls for the Palm Sunday bake sale every year. They were eagerly awaited and sold out immediately.
These homemade cinnamon rolls are an amazing treat anytime.
My grown children, beg me to make them and they are a hit with the grandchildren as well.
March 2023 Update: As Easter approaches, I am planning to make this traditional cinnamon roll recipe for my family. My grown children are in their 30’s and still crave this taste of their childhood.
There is also a printable recipe at the bottom.
Making these cinnamon rolls helps me feel connected with my own mom and grandmother who made them throughout my childhood. I’ve literally been eating these cinnamon rolls for 60 years!
These never get old! There are absolutely none out there that you can buy that are as delicious!
Don’t Be Afraid to Make Your Own Cinnamon Rolls
If making bread or rolls is something that has confused or intimidated you, then this post is for YOU. I’m going to walk you through the entire process. Also, there are lots of comments that can help too.
I was intimidated for years, until my mom insisted I learn how to do these myself. So, I practiced until I had it down. Then I decided to teach others.
Since I first put this post up, women have written to me with questions about the process. I in turn, have worked my answers into this post.
Hopefully, I have answered all your questions ahead of time!
Included in the post are detailed instructions, pictures, and a troubleshooting guide.
Many readers have left comments with questions too. Be sure to read through the comments as well.
For the most part though, I have tried to also answer those questions here in this post as they come up.
On a funny note, I would always watch the comments on the eve of the holidays since that was when most of the questions come up. In fact, I used to provide my email so readers could get their questions answered.
So, let’s all give some thanks to the readers that tried this recipe out and let us know where the problems could come up!
The Best Cinnamon Rolls
I promise, these rolls are so much better than any cinnamon rolls you will ever buy!
For over 60 years these have been a much-anticipated part of our family holidays and dinners. It is the most sentimental of all the recipes that I make.
In theory, they aren’t difficult. However, there are some things you have to do to make sure they turn out right.
I’m going to share all my tricks, tips, and hints that will ensure that every batch turns out great.
Since this post came out a years, I’ve received questions and emails as readers made the recipe. I’ve created a FAQ and trouble-shooting guide that is included at the bottom of the post.
My adult children and my grandchildren LOVE them!
This dough recipe has been handed down in our family for generations. My dad’s mom (my Grandmother) taught it to my mom and she has passed it down to her children and grandchildren.
You can also use this dough to make the BEST HOMEMADE DINNER ROLLS.
Because of this recipe, my daughter and I started a blog called Granny’s in the Kitchen to preserve all our favorite and traditional recipes.
As a child, this was my favorite thing my mom ever made! It wasn’t something she did often, but she did make them for holidays, Christmas and always for Easter. It was an eagerly awaited contribution to any bake sale!
For years, I was afraid to make these rolls, thinking that they were too complicated or hard to do.
Finally, my mom had, had enough, and insisted that I learn to make them myself. She wouldn’t take no for an answer!
Once I mastered how to make the dough, I realized she was right, they weren’t that hard, but you had to allow enough time and make sure the dough was put together correctly.
My adult children LOVE these cinnamon rolls and it was for them that I decided to make them as a gift.
As you read the instructions, you’ll understand that it really is a gift of love when you make the best homemade cinnamon rolls ever.
Before You Start Making Cinnamon Rolls
Gather all the ingredients for the recipe. There are no optional ingredients in this recipe.
Also, if you get stuck in the middle of this recipe– check out FAQs at the bottom of post!
Each ingredient is essential to the outcome.This dough recipe uses common ingredients that most of us have on hand and even if you have to buy them, they are really inexpensive.
Read through the directions. You have to do things in order and have things at the right temperature.
Allow enough TIME, these take about five hours total. However, you aren’t working the entire time.
There are two periods of time, where the dough has to rise. I’ve provided approximate times but the temperature in your kitchen, your elevation, or even the humidity can all affect rising times.
Have the right equipment. You’ll need a large bowl, , a couple of small bowls, a medium sauce pan, and a hand-mixer.
In addition, you’ll need a heavy wooden spoon or spatula, measuring cups and spoons, and rolling pin (or in my case a wine bottle.
Ingredients for Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
- 2 packages of regular dry yeast (or 4 1/2 teaspoons)
- ¼ cup of warm water
- I stick of butter, melted + 1 stick to melt later (2 sticks at least)
- ½ cup of sugar for dough + 2 cups for inside the rolls
- 1 cup of milk, warmed + 2 TB for icing
- 1 tsp salt. Less if you use salted butter
- 1 cup of cold water
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 7 cups of flour (may be a little more or less)
- 2-3 TB light olive oil or melted butter or ghee
- 1/4 cup or more of ground cinnamon
- Confectioners sugar (have a pound or two ready)
Temperatures
You’ll see from the ingredients that some things are warm and cool. You want the whole thing ending up as a little bit warm to get the yeast going, but not hot enough to kill it. It’s better to err on being too cool as too hot.
Dead yeast will keep your rolls from rising and being fluffy. If everything is too cool, it will simply take longer to get the dough risen but eventually it will get where it needs to be.
Instructions for Making Cinnamon Rolls
I just use one bowl, usually the biggest bowl I have on hand. I prefer my big old yellow Pyrex bowl but today I had to use a stainless-steel bowl.
In a small glass bowl, I combine the yeast with the ¼ cup of warm water and set aside.
In big bowl, I add the melted butter and sugar, and salt. Then I add the beaten eggs, warmed milk, and 1 cup of water.
To this I add the yeast and water. With my hand-mixer on low, I gently combine all these ingredients.
Adding the Flour
The recipe calls for about 7 cups of flour. I add about 3 or 4 cups of flour to the wet ingredients. I mix, on low, the flour into the wet ingredients until it is smooth and sticky.
Don’t add so much your mixer starts making sounds like it is struggling. You want it to mix fairly easily.
When it is very smooth and a little shiny, you can put your mixer aside.
Now you’ll add the rest of the flour by hand. I usually add the next two cups, a cup at a time. I mix them with a sturdy spoon until they are worked in.
Then I start adding flour by ½ cups. The dough will start forming a ball but will be rough.
At some point, you are going to have to use your hands. I put the dough on a smooth surface and start working flour in, a little at a time. Put your bowl in the sink and run some water in it.
Your dough will stick some to your hands, but it shouldn’t be a gloppy mess. Add flour, until the dough holds together, and you can form a fairly smooth ball.
Now, go rinse out your bowl and dry it. Add a few tablespoons of light olive oil or some melted better or ghee. Take your ball of dough and put it into the bowl, turning it over and around until it is coated with oil.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and set aside.
After the dough is doubled in size, you push in down with your hands and make it a smaller ball again. At this point, I divide the dough in half to work with.
You divide the dough in half and make two rectangles as follows.
I just roll my dough on my counter top–well cleaned of course. I found myself without a rolling pin and used a full wine bottle and it worked great. Even better than a rolling pin!
Once the dough is rolled out to a rectangle, about 12 X 16, I pour melted butter all over. You want it all over but not too heavy.
Then I sprinkle about 1 cup of sugar all over. On top of that, I sprinkle lots of cinnamon. It looks like a LOT at this point, but once they rise and bake, you’ll be glad you used plenty.
Now it’s time to roll the dough. Gently life the dough along the long side facing you and roll it up into a long roll.
Once you have the dough in long rolls, you can cut it with a sharp knife into individual rolls about an inch and a half wide.
I like to use, 8-inch cake pans and put six or seven in each pan. You need to leave plenty of room between the rolls because they are going to get bigger.
Let the rolls, sit out covered with plastic wrap for another hour and a half. If they are rising faster, the time might be less. If they are slow, give them more time.
Once they have filled out and up, it’s time to bake. Preheat oven to 375.
Bake until the rolls are light brown–like the picture. That’s about 20 minutes.
As soon as they are out of the oven, you have to whip up the icing. It’s super easy. You have to get this icing on while the rolls are hot!
Melt a little butter in a pan. Then pour in a couple of cups of confectioners sugar. Add milk just a couple of tablespoons at a time as you whisk it.
When it is smooth and pourable, drizzle it all over the cinnamon rolls. I like to cover every single bit of roll and down any crevices.
That’s all there is to it!
A mere five hours and you have the most amazing cinnamon rolls ever! Grammy made and grandkid approved! (Create GREAT memories so they will never forget you–How to Be an Unforgettable Grandparent)
FAQs and Trouble-Shooting
Here are the common questions that I receive about making these rolls.
How many cinnamon rolls does the recipe make?
This recipe makes about 24 cinnamon rolls. If you halve the recipe it makes 12. The rolls can be frozen once they are done.
Can you use this recipe for dinner rolls?
Actually no one has ever asked me this! But I’ve included this for any of you that made it here. This recipe makes the most delicious dinner rolls ever!
I have wonderful memories of my grandmother bringing big, beautiful cloverleaf rolls to family dinners. My grown kids still beg me to make them for holiday dinners!
Can you halve the recipe?
Yes, you can. In fact, I was talking to my mom recently and she had just read the post.
She told me that the original recipe was half of what I had posted. She had doubled the original recipe to get the one you see here.
Can you freeze the rolls?
Absolutely. That is one of the great things about making the entire recipe. It’s a lot of work. But when the rolls are completely cooled, you can freeze them!
Wrap the cooled rolls in plastic wrap and then tuck them into a freezer bag.
Can you put the rising dough in the refrigerator?
Yes, you have two times when you can refrigerate the dough. This allows you to make the dough ahead of time, such as the evening before and then complete the process the next morning.
Great for having hot cinnamon rolls for breakfast!
The first way you can prepare ahead of time, is completely the recipe until you get the big ball of dough. You can put the dough ball in the refrigerator overnight and then complete the rest the next day.
You can also put the dough, once it’s been make into the rolls and put in pans into the refrigerator overnight. The next morning, take the pans out and let the rolls rise then bake.
However, the rising times will be much longer. I’ve done it both ways and I think it’s easier to just do them all the same day.
Keep showing up my friends,
Sara
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[…] cheese frosting, browned sugar icing is actually a more old-fashioned dessert topping. In fact, our family cinnamon roll recipe uses a browned butter glaze rather than cream cheese icing […]
My hubby keeps buying cinnamon rolls from the farmers market and not as good as mine…and thought I would try this recipe, I did use brown sugar vs white for filling. The kids said they’re the best! I agree!! Very good!!!
Hi Sara, How can I make these cinnamon rolls in a high altitude area? Thank you
I’m not experienced with making these at high altitude. That being said, it’s all about learning how to handle the dough, so you may have to experiment to get it right for your conditions. It took me a few tries to understand how the dough needs to be where I live. But once you get it–you got it. Sara
why does my rolls harden up the next day?
That’s the nature of rolls. Covering them tightly can help keep them softer. Also, they soften up when you reheat them. Sara
This recipe is super good i made just half of this recipe and it come out sooo good.
Thank you for sharing👏👏👏
Glad to hear you enjoyed the cinnamon rolls! Thanks for sharing. Sara
Amazing, the dough is so soft, easy to roll out. I made these with the granular sugar as the recipe states, then made with brown sugar. In my opinion, the brown sugar gives it more flavor and a little gooey goodness. Thanks for a great recipe.
Thank you for that tip! I can’t wait to try it with brown sugar. Sara
I’m definitely trying this recipe, you’ve taken a great deal of time to note your tips and what you do. Thank you for sharing! If I use unsalted butter how much salt do I need for the dough?
I grew up with my mom putting raisins and walnuts or pecans in her homemade cinnamon rolls. If I put both of these in, do you think it will impact the baking time?
For salt, try 1/4 teaspoon. I’m just not sure about the exact amount. But you don’t want it too salty, so I would start with 1/4 teaspoon. I haven’t tried the recipe with any add-ins. Those sound delicious in cinnamon rolls. I don’t think it would impact the time too much. Keep a watch on them towards the end. You’re looking for that light brown color. Sara
What type of flour? All purpose? Unbleached?
I use all purpose unbleached flour.
Will a stand mixer with dough hook work just as well as a hand mixer?
I’m sure it would.
Absolutely! That’s how I made them. Once it begins to stick together turn it up a click at a time to force the flour in the dough to form a ball.
Hi, if I’m using salted butter, how much salt would I use.
Can I use brown sugar in the place of sugar for spreading on the dough?
Great question. I’ve never tried that. When I use the powdered sugar, it sets up and dries so the rolls aren’t super sticky and it gives them a pretty glaze. If brown sugar is calling your name–give it a try. Sara
Making these for Christmas morning. I hope they turn out ok! How much butter to use for the icing?
I didn’t see this last night but just a tablespoon or so.
Do you lightly oil the pan before placing the rolls in the pan?
Hi Jean. I don’t but it wouldn’t hurt to put something in the bottom.
Thank you for sharing your delicious recipe! Because your recipe makes a big batch, I was able to share with friends. Do you think I can make a sweet potato version of this just by adding purée sweet potatoes?
I am so glad you were able to make them and share! I know everyone loves them. I have no idea about the sweet potatoes though.
Did you use regular sugar, not brown sugar?
Yes, I have always used white sugar. Brown sugar would probably be tasty in the filling though.
Excellent recipe! Thank you for detailed instructions.
I have made my mother in laws recipe in the past, with no success. This recipe was exactly the same ingredients as hers, and with detailed instructions!
My only mistake, once the bowl of dough rises, you split it in half and roll out each half. I just read in the question section, it should be two rolls. I was confused and made one roll, 1 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup cinnamon.
Believe it or not, they turned out fine, just fatter. They were amazingly delicious. Perfect for our Christmas Eve dessert!
My mom has always said, the dough recipe isn’t as important as mastering it. Thanks for sharing your experience. Sara
Hi Sara. As you can see by date this is still partial quarantine time. More important dry packets of yeast are nowhere to be found. Is there anyway of substituting saf-instant yeast for the dry or do I need to wait to try this great sounding recipe. Thanks
It sounds like that is similar to rapid-rise yeast? I think that would work fine–just watch the dough, so it looks like it should at the different rising times.
I couldn’t find any yeast but I would have tried a rapid-rise if I could have found it. I asked family and friends and ended up getting plenty of yeast from people that bake on a regular basis who had a good stockpile of it. Good luck!
How much is a stick of butter, I buy a full pound of butter???? Would it be 1/4 cup??
If you have a full pound of butter–use 1/4 of that total amount.
Sticks of butter are 1/4 pound.
However, they are 1/2 CUP of butter.
1 stick of butter equals a 1/2 cup.
Sorry…. just figured out the answer to the question I just submitted! The recipe makes TWO rolls and EACH roll is sprinkled with one cup of sugar! 😁
I wrote this post for my own kids and grandkids to have and they often complain that the recipes that I pass down are not complete. Sorry for the confusion. Hope you love the rolls. My kids say you can’t use too much butter or sugar! I’ve added my email to the recipe so maybe I can answer a question if someone is in the middle of making them. Thanks for writing!
The dough is on my counter rising at this moment and I realize that the recipe calls for 2-1/2 cups of sugar, but directions only account for 1-1/2 cups ( 1/2 cup in the dough and 1 cup sprinkled on top). What is the leftover 1 cup used for? Thank you
The other cup of sugar is used for the second batch of cinnamon rolls since she divided the dough in half to make two batches.
I’ve seen other recipes that you can make ahead and put in the fridge before the second proof. Is this something anyone has tried? I would like to make this evening and back them in the morning
Yes, my mom calls this dough refrigerator dough. I think you can mix it all up the night before and pull it out in the morning but you’ll need longer to let it rise. I’m not sure if you can do it between first and second rising. If you try it, be sure and allow extra time for it to rise–maybe twice as much.
Hello,
Your cinnamon roll recipe sounds delicious, but I can’t seem to find the actual recipe on this site to make them. I do see your tips & tricks for them, but no ingredient with measurements. Hopefully you can help! 😊
Thank you, Diana
Oh goodness, my apologies… I did locate the recipe! So sorry for the confusion. Thank you for sharing your family recipe with us, can’t wait to try it for my family!
Diana
Glad you found it! I just realized that I didn’t make a card for this recipe. But when I made it, I really just was documenting it for my family.
Hey! I would love to make these over the holidays but need to make then freeze to warm up on Christmas morning. What point would you suggest freezing? Thank you so much!
I’ve done it after they are frosted and cooled. Or you can freeze them before you frost them.
This is a wonderful and simple recipe. I enjoy making them as much as my friends in joy eating them. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
You’re welcome! Glad everyone is enjoying them.
Actually, you can freeze them before you bake them. Freeze them on a cookies sheet then place them all in a freezer bag. Pull out as many as you need, then let them rise and bake. I used this method in my restaurant. Fresh rolls every day.
That’s a great tip! I’m going to try it next time. Thanks for sharing. Sara
What is the yield for this recipe?
About 24
3 Tablespoons of yeast and 1/4 c warm water makes a sticky paste. I believe your measurements are wrong.
You say to add salt to the melted butter and sugar, but there’s no salt in the ingredients list.
Good catches! Thanks Constance–The original recipe is an old family one and very vague on some points. I’ll get that corrected. Thanks for taking the time to let me know.
Just made these. Came out awesome. (The recipe is missing bake times, but we were able to approximate. ) definitely adding it to my holiday line up! Thank you!
That’s great! Glad you enjoyed them. Sara