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Easy Cinnamon Rolls

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There is nothing more comforting than these Easy Cinnamon Rolls! Made from simple pantry staple ingredients, this is a pastry that any baker at any skill level can make. Who needs an expensive single cinnamon roll from the bakery when you can easily make your very own large batch and have them any time you want? Light, fluffy, sweet dough with the perfect amount of gooey cinnamon filling, topped with vanilla icing. Breakfast really can't get better than this!

three cinnamon rolls on a stack of white plates with a jug of milk and more cinnamon rolls behind
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About The Recipe

We have been making these cinnamon rolls my entire life! They are the definition of a delicious and comforting breakfast. Yeah, okay... Maybe not the healthiest thing to kick off the day, but it is the most delicious! Buttery, soft, sweet, cinnamon-y rolls with the best ever cinnamon filling AND icing on top? Seriously, count me in!

Before we actually started this blog, one of the first "recipes" we posted on our Instagram was actually THIS! Though, it was before we really knew what we were doing... It was just a photo on Instagram without the actual recipe posted below.

Hm. Yeah, I don't know either... But here we are today! We are FINALLY sharing this.

We actually have changed the recipe over the years. Adding things, taking things out, and I can officially say that this version is seriously the absolute best that they can be! Plus, they are seriously SO easy to make.

cinnamon roll on a white plate with icing and other cinnamon rolls around it

I can remember during the months of fall and winter growing up, the house constantly smelled of cinnamon rolls. That definitely was not a bad thing. There was nothing better than waking up to the sweet smell filling the house or even coming back inside after a long day of playing outside and finding these being freshly pulled out of the oven.

Ingredients

For The Dough:

  • Butter
  • Milk
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Yeast
  • All-Purpose Flour
  • Eggs
ingredients for cinnamon rolls on a marble table

For The Cinnamon Filling:

  • Butter
  • Brown Sugar
  • Ground Cinnamon
  • Salt
  • All-Purpose Flour
  • Vanilla
ingredients for cinnamon roll filling

For The Glaze:

  • Powdered Sugar
  • Half and Half
  • Vanilla
powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk in glass bowls on a marble counter

Instructions

Thankfully, these cinnamon rolls are SO easy to make! First, gather and measure out all your ingredients for the dough. Now, place butter in a small pot and let melt over a low heat.

butter in a small pot

While your butter is melting, go ahead and combine sugar, salt, yeast, and two cups of flour in the mixer.

mixer bowl with flour, yeast, salt, and sugar

Once the butter is melted, add milk and heat to 120-130 degrees.

  • butter melted in a small pot
  • milk added to melted butter in a small pot

Pour in the butter/milk mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix on medium for two minutes.

  • dry ingredients for cinnamon rolls in a mixer
  • butter mixture added to dry ingredients
  • butter mixture and dry ingredients mixed together

Now, add the eggs and 2 more cups flour. Beat on medium speed for 2 more minutes. Turn off the mixer and change flat beater out for the dough hook. Add remaining flour and mix on low speed until just combined. Increase speed and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes.

  • flour and eggs added to butter and flour mixture
  • eggs and flour mixed into dough
  • flour added to cinnamon roll dough
  • cinnamon roll dough in a mixer

Transfer the dough into a large greased container and cover. Set aside until the dough has doubled in bulk. This should take about an hour.

  • cinnamon roll dough in a dough rising bucket
  • cinnamon roll dough in a plastic container
  • cinnamon roll dough doubled in bulk

While the dough rises, let's make the filling!

Add all ingredients to a medium sized bowl and, using a hand mixer, mix until thoroughly combined.

  • butter in a glass bowl
  • sugar, flour, and cinnamon added to butter
  • filling for cinnamon rolls in a glass bowl

Once the dough has doubled in bulk, turn out onto a floured surface and roll out to about a ¼ inch thick.

  • cinnamon roll dough turned out onto a marble counter
  • cinnamon roll dough rolled out on a marble counter
  • dough rolled out onto counter

Spread all the filling evenly across the dough.

  • filling on top of cinnamon roll dough
  • cinnamon filling being spread onto dough
  • filling spread over cinnamon roll dough

Using a rolling pizza cutter, cut the dough lengthwise in one inch strips. Then, cut halfway across. Roll each strip and place in a greased pan.

  • cinnamon roll dough cut into length wise strips
  • cinnamon roll dough cut half in half
  • cinnamon roll being rolled
  • cinnamon rolls on a marble counter

Cover the cinnamon rolls with a towel and set aside for about 45 minutes, or until they have doubled in bulk.

  • cinnamon rolls in a pan on a marble counter
  • cinnamon rolls in a pan after doubled in bulk

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

cinnamon rolls in a pan

As the cinnamon rolls cool, make the icing! Combine everything into a bowl and mix until smooth. You can use the mixer or a hand mixer to do this.

  • powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk in a glass bowl
  • vanilla icing in a glass bowl

After the cinnamon rolls have cooled, either spread the icing onto the cinnamon rolls or add to a piping bag and drizzle across.

cinnamon rolls glazed in a pan on a marble counter

Serve immediately!

Storing/Reheating

You can actually freeze them separately for individual servings or all together if you're expecting a lot of company. You can also freeze these with or without icing. I recommend freezing without icing that way it doesn't melt back into the cinnamon roll when you reheat them!

Just leave them out on the counter or, if you saved them individually, you can pop them into the microwave.

Troubleshooting

If your cinnamon rolls didn't rise: Check your yeast! It may be out of date.

Cinnamon rolls shrink after baking: This is totally normal! With yeast breads, as steam escapes, it's natural for the bread to shrink a little.

Cinnamon rolls pop up in the middle: This has to do with placement in the pan. The closer the cinnamon rolls are, the more they will pop. It's because the dough didn't have room to expand and, therefore, the only way they could go is up!

Dry cinnamon rolls: This could be caused by two things. Over baking or too much flour was added to the dough.

a cinnamon roll on a stack of white plates with a jug of milk, two other cinnamon rolls, and a pan of cinnamon rolls behind

Expert Tips

  • Make sure you use SAF gold instant yeast.
  • If you prefer, you can roll the dough up jelly roll style and cut it. But be careful because this can compress the dough!
  • If you don't have half and half, use ¼ cup heavy cream and ¼ cup whole milk.
  • If the icing is too thick for your taste, you can always add a little more milk.
  • This recipe freezes really well!

When you make these Easy Cinnamon Rolls, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.

Recipe

three cinnamon rolls on a stack of white plates with a jug of milk and more cinnamon rolls behind

Easy Cinnamon Rolls

Yield: 34
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Additional Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours

Buttery, sweet, and absolutely delicious. These easy homemade cinnamon rolls are the perfect breakfast, brunch, or late afternoon treat!

Ingredients

Rolls

  • 1 cup butter
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tablespoons instant yeast
  • 7 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs

Cinnamon Filling

  • 1 cup salted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 4 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla

Icing

  • 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • ½ cup half and half
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

For The Rolls:

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, combine sugar, salt, yeast, and 2 cups of the flour.
  2. In a medium saucepan, melt butter.
  3. Add milk and heat to 120-130 degrees.
  4. With the mixer running at low speed, pour the milk mixture over the flour mixture.
  5. Increase speed to medium and beat 2 minutes.
  6. Add eggs and 2 more cups flour.
  7. Beat on medium speed for 2 additional minutes.
  8. Change flat beater out for dough hook.
  9. Add remaining flour and mix on low speed until combined.
  10. Increase speed and knead until smooth and elastic, 8-10 minutes.
  11. Place dough in a clean glass bowl or plastic container that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
  12. Cover and allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about an hour.

For The Filling:

  1. While the dough is rising, combine all ingredients for the cinnamon filling in a medium bowl, and beat until combined. Set aside.

To Assemble:

  1. Spray a large high sided pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. Roll dough into a rectangle that is ¼" thick. Spread filling on dough, going all the way to the edges.
  3. Cut the dough into 1-inch strips lengthwise, the cut in half crosswise.
  4. Roll each strip into a roll and place in prepared pan.
  5. Set aside to rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
  6. While dough is rising, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  7. Bake rolls in preheated oven until lightly browned and set, about 20-25 minutes.

To Finish:

  1. While rolls are cooling, make icing.
  2. Combine powdered sugar, half and half, and vanilla.
  3. Beat until smooth.
  4. When rolls are cool, pipe or spread on top.



Notes

  • Make sure you use SAF gold instant yeast.
  • If you prefer, you can roll the dough up jelly roll style and cut it. But be careful because this can compress the dough!
  • If you don't have half and half, use ¼ cup heavy cream and ¼ cup whole milk.
  • If the icing is too thick for your taste, you can always add a little more milk.
  • This recipe freezes really well!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 34 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 318Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 180mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 1gSugar: 24gProtein: 4g
© Traci
Cuisine: American / Category: Breakfast

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. thelockdownchef says

    Divine! Perfect breakfast indeed

    Reply

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