Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls + Video
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Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls are easy to make for a delicious cinnamon roll breakfast without ever leaving home! Topped with copycat Cinnabon frosting, these soft sweet rolls with a thick, cinnamon-sugar filling will be gone before you know it.
Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls
A fabulously soft, sweetened bread made with egg and buttermilk is the base for Cinnabon cinnamon rolls, and it’s also the base for ours.
We make our filling with butter, cinnamon, brown sugar, and a little cornstarch to thicken up the filling (so it doesn’t all ooze out, thanks to a great tip from a recipe message board).
The copycat Cinnabon frosting is, of course, the star of the show! A vanilla cream cheese frosting with a hint of lemon to really make it stand out.
If you enjoy the flavors of sweet cinnamon and sugar, we also have recipes for Cinnabon Cinnamon Stix, cinnamon sugar donuts, French toast, and homemade cinnamon swirl bread.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Active Dry Yeast – You’ll need the regular packets, not the instant kind, for homemade Cinnabon cinnamon rolls.
If it doesn’t get nice and foamy when mixed with the water and sugar, it has died and you’ll need to start over with a fresh packet.
Also, be sure your water is right between 110-120°F — using a kitchen thermometer will help.
If it’s too cold, the yeast won’t bloom. Too hot, and you’ll kill it. - Buttermilk – This ingredient adds moisture and tanginess, plus it helps make these quick homemade cinnamon rolls extra fluffy!
If you don’t have any on hand, you can make an easy substitute with regular milk and lemon juice or vinegar. - Eggs and Butter – Bring these to room temperature before starting the recipe, even for the portion of butter that needs to be melted.
Ingredients incorporate a lot better when they are the same temperature, and the butter will melt faster and more evenly if it’s already warm.
Homemade Cinnabon Icing Recipe
Whip together a mixture of softened cream cheese and butter, then mix in powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and kosher salt.
The secret ingredient in this Cinnabon icing recipe is lemon juice!
It perfectly complements the cream cheese and helps balance the sweetness in the rolls.
Be sure to use freshly squeezed citrus — bottled lemon juice is too sour and often has a bitter aftertaste.
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
Quick Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Without a Stand Mixer
No mixer? No worries! You can mix the dough by hand instead.
- Activate the yeast. Add water, yeast, and sugar to a large bowl. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
Once the yeast blooms, stir in the buttermilk, eggs, and butter. - Form the dough. Stir in the buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter. Then, add the salt and flour and mix until you can no longer stir with a spoon.
- Knead. Turn dough out onto the floured countertop and knead for 3-5 minutes. Once the dough is no longer sticky, proceed with the remaining instructions.
Make Ahead Instructions
The easiest way to prep this cinnamon roll breakfast recipe is to do most of the work the day before you want to serve the rolls.
Then, all you have to do is pop your quick homemade cinnamon rolls in the fridge and bake them fresh the next morning!
OVERNIGHT PREPARATION:
- Make and assemble the dough. Follow the recipe all the way up until the baking step.
- Cover and refrigerate. Place the unbaked cinnamon rolls into the baking pans and place them in the refrigerator. The dough will slowly rise overnight.
- Bake. The next morning, remove the pans of Cinnabon cinnamon rolls from the refrigerator and bake.
NOTE: They may need a few extra minutes in the oven to account for the cold dough, so be sure they are cooked thoroughly before you pull them out. - Make copycat Cinnabon frosting. Prepare the Cinnabon icing recipe while the rolls bake, then slather over the top while hot!
Cinnamon Roll Breakfast FAQ
Yes! In fact, it’s the perfect “warm place” for this very purpose.
Preheat your oven to 200°F, then turn it off. Place the dough inside and shut the door, then check it after about 45 minutes. It’s ready once it has doubled in size.
Feel free to add some extra warming spices like ground ginger, cardamom, or nutmeg to the filling.
You could also add or swap flavors in the Cinnabon icing recipe to make it more interesting! Use orange juice instead of lemon, or substitute maple syrup for the vanilla extract.
For a pop of extra sweetness, sprinkle raisins or dried currants over the filling before rolling up the dough!
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls + Video
Ingredients
Rolls
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 cup water warm, 110-120°F
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 6 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Filling
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 stick, softened
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 stick, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Pour water and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook (see cooks note if you do not have a stand mixer), sprinkle yeast over top, and stir. Allow yeast to bloom for 5-10 minutes. Once it is nice and foamy, it is ready. *It should look like the ‘head’ of a beer poured too quickly and smell yeasty.
- In the meantime: melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Once the yeast mixture is aromatic and looks like the head of a beer, add buttermilk, eggs, and butter to the bowl of the stand mixer. Mix on low and add 4 cups of flour, one cup at a time. Add salt. Once the flour is mixed in, add remaining flour slowly until dough becomes a ball. Mine takes 5 ½ cups total. Knead dough on medium-high for 5 minutes. Add more flour a tablespoon at a time as needed, if bread is too sticky to come together. The dough should be tacky when you pull it out of the mixer, not sticky.
- Lightly dust countertop with flour. Turn dough out onto the countertop. Knead a few turns, shape dough into a ball.
- Add 1 tablespoon butter to bowl and heat in microwave until melted. Place dough into bowl upside down, flip the dough over and cover loosely with plastic wrap and drape bowl with a towel. Set bowl in a warm place in your kitchen. Allow dough to rise for 60-90 minutes until nearly doubled in size.
- Meanwhile combine light brown sugar, cinnamon, and corn starch in a medium bowl. Stir with a fork until well combined. Set aside.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough a few turns, then using a rolling pin, roll out into an 18” tall x 24” wide rectangle. Spread softened butter around dough leaving the bottom 1” border uncoated.
- Sprinkle the buttered dough with brown sugar mixture, leaving the bottom 1” uncoated. Use your rolling pin to gently press sugar mixture into the dough (so it doesn’t fall out as you roll it).
- Starting at the top, tightly roll dough toward you, using the last 1” to seal roll. Cut dough roll in half and then cut those halves in half, giving you 4 pieces. Cut each of those pieces into 1/3rd. You will have 12 pieces.
- Grease (2) 9”x13” baking dishes. Place rolls in pans evenly spaced out, 2 rows of 3 rolls in each. Make sure to put the end pieces upside down. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and drape a towel over pans. Set pans in a warm place and allow rolls to rise another 60-90 minutes until rolls have doubled in size.
- Preheat oven 350°F.
- Bake for approximately 20 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Halfway through baking time rotate the pans.
- In the meantime prepare frosting; add cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer (or stand mixer) until light and fluffy. Add remaining ingredients. Beat until mixture is light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside.
- Remove rolls from oven. Spread ¼ of frosting over each pan of rolls. Allow to cool slightly and repeat. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published November 2013, updated and republished July 2023
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Thank you so much for this copycat recipe. I hope I have time this weekend to give these a try .. and those Red Lobster biscuits. ohmy! 😉
Wow, these look delicious, can't wait to try them. I can't find butter milk where I live are there any substitutes for this, and which is the best cream cheese that you'd recommend.
yes there is SUBSTITUTE for BUTTERMILK. 1 Cup of Whole milk and add 1Tablespoon vinegar. Let it set for 5 min und then use in place of buttermilk.
or lemon juice
I found the dough to be extremely dry and heavy – even for my stand mixer. This response calls for 1 cup of buttermilk and the recipe calls for 1/4 cup. Which one is accurate? I would like to attempt making them again because I had to throw my first batch.
I believe what you are after is this. Make a cup of buttermilk (1 Tab of vinegar or lemon juice add enough milk to equal a total of 1cup let it rest for a couple min). Measure out the 1/4 cup of buttermilk called for in the recipe.The dry dough may be because of not stirring you flour before measuring and hold back the last 1/2 cup or so and only add it as needed. Depending on elevation and humidity your flour needs can be different
Powdered buttermilk is handy to have. In theocrats giant food and Wal-Mart has it. Or sour the milk like above.
I love Cinnabons! These look just like them and I can't wait to give them a try!
a picture of the dough in the process and a picture of a cinnamon roll cut open would have been great.
honestly!!!
Watch the video.
Is it possible to put the 2nd batch in the freezer at any point? It is just my husband and myself and Lord knows, we don't need to eat up one pan of them, let alone two, LOL.
yes i tried it and its fine
I would be interested in freezing the 2nd batch as well….are you suggesting freezing them before or after baking?
I have not frozen them mid rise, but they freeze perfectly after cooked. Enjoy.
thanks! Also, I should have asked this too. Not being a bread baker or a yeast user, I wondered if these could be made the night before, popped in the fridge, and then baked in the morning. I would love to have these for breakfast, but I'm simply not that ambitious in the morning 🙂
Great to freeze but do not frost with frosting until taken from freezer, thawed and ready to serve.
also can freeze dough.
Gosh, I have everything I need to make these. Heading to the kitchen no!
I made these and find them to be a little bit on the harder side. How do i get them to say really soft and chewy?
Sorry you hear you are having trouble. You could cover the pan to decrease the browning on the edges, cut down the cook time or lower oven temp to 325.,
Hope that helps! Enjoy.
Haha… love the story about your first Cinnabon. On my husband and I's first date, Cinnabon was involved too. We were so awkward and didn't know what to do. He presented to me a pressed flower bookmark he made himself and I snuck away from the restaurant on the pretext of going to the loo and got him a box of Cinnabon. Because he said he liked them. We were so weird back then. It's been forever since my last batch of homemade cinnamon rolls. Maybe it's time to revisit these beauties!
thank you very much for this great recipe, everyone in my family loved it…as I am not into cream cheese, i made a simple glaze of 1/2 cup dark sugar, 70 g butter and 2 table spoon water
Is the recipe correct when it says it should be 18" tall??
Roll the dough out to 18"x24". Yes, that is correct.
It should actually say "wide" and "long" rather than "tall" since tall refers to height (as in a vertical measurement). But I'm sure you've already figured that out by now! ��
These look fab! I never have buttermilk on hand, and it being the day before Thanksgiving, I am not crazy enough to brave the stores. Here is a substitute I am going to use. http://joythebaker.com/2009/10/the-best-buttermilk-substitutions/
You can make your own buttermilk. Just add vinegar or lemon juice to regular milk.
There is a powder buttermilk at the store in the powder rmilk aisle.
There is a powder buttermilk in the powder milk aisle of the grocery stores
I dont have a stand mixer, can you give instructions for mixing by hand? I always have a terrible time with yeast breads.
I don't have a stand mixer and I am too old to get one now. I don't think I can knead the dough by hand for 5 minutes. Do you have any suggestions for me?
How can you be too old to get a stand mixer? Come on, just get yourself one! You deserve it and in my opinion, the older you are the more useful a stand mixer is!! It is never too late! My siblings and I bought one for my mom because she also thought she's too old to get one.. now she would never give it away! much love
I am 77 and just got my first Pro Kitchen aid stand mixer. I love it. I know I'll be gone before the mixer but I have already told my daughter to come and get it. I got the blue one because I know she will love it
Don't EVER think you are too old To get yourself something new and useful. I am 85 and if there is something I can use and would really like to have–age does not enter the picture, it is the convenience and labor these things save.I couldn't see myself without one, my the time they save, especially whipping up those mashed potatoes. Go ahead, pamper yourself, with this arthritis I couldn't mix a thing so they are life savers. Best wishes.
I have my grandmother's stand mixer. It's a great heirloom.
I bought one 3 years ago they pay for themselves. I don't buy bread due to the nasty preservatives so I make my own weekly.
I absolutely love your comment set. I'm 75, and I'm going to get a stand mixer. Case closed. I also am going to find powdered buttermilk. There are other nuggets I've picked up today too. ,many thanks to you all.
Now I have a request. Does anyone know of something to make kneading possible in spite of arthritic hands? I'm beyond thrilled to be here enjoying this stage of my life, but I do miss being able to use my hands in a variety of ways.
Noone is too old for a standmixer.. There are kitchenaid mixers in Amazon starting round $56..
Great recipe! These turned out fabulous. Thanks for sharing.
Yay! I am so happy you loved them.
Is it active dry yeast or fresh yeast?
Hi, is it active dry yeast that you're using?
Hi, is it active dry yeast that you're using?
Yes, active dry yeast. 🙂
Can you use a bread-maker to make the dough?
I have never used a bread maker. I imagine you could mix the dough in it though. Let me know how it goes, our readers would love the extra option if it works out. Enjoy!
Yes I've made it in the bread machine & it turned out great on the "dough" setting
Do you have any tips on making this recipes without the use of a stand mixer?
Do you have any tips on making this recipe without the use of a stand mixer?
She put a note in the instructions that said, "SEE NOTE" and clearly gave instructions on how to do it without a stand mixer.
I also do not hae a stand mixer, so an alternate option would be great!
She put a note in the instructions that said, "SEE NOTE" and clearly gave instructions on how to do it without a stand mixer.
My son LOVES loves LoVeS!! Cinnabon. And I am sick and tired of paying the high price at the store (and now BurgerGross King) for them. Time to COOK my own!!
I agree with Anon.: GET A STAND UP MIXER!! Go to the thrift store or craigslist or put it on your birthday wish list. I love mine. I wish I had more counter space since it weighs several stones but still, I wouldn't ever try to mix any heavy stuff with my shabby arms ever again.
Printing this now and will wait for the weekend to cook.
THANK YOU!!!!
Use Makara Cinnamon if you can find it. That is what the Cinnabon company uses …its not the same as regular cinnamon. (some Cinnabon stores sell it at their locations)