Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll Recipe (Copycat) + Video
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Soft, fluffy, gooey… this Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll Recipe delivers everything you remember about those food court treats, but even better and fresh from your own oven. Layers of buttery brown sugar and cinnamon melt into every swirl, and that thick cream cheese frosting? It sinks right in while they’re still warm. Sweet, rich, and completely over the top in the best way.
Table of Contents
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS CINNABON RECIPE
- Tastes just like Cinnabon (maybe better!)
- Ultra-soft, fluffy dough that stays tender
- Thick, gooey cinnamon filling in every bite
- Classic cream cheese frosting that’s rich and smooth
- Perfect for make-ahead mornings or special occasions
Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll Recipe
These cinnamon rolls have a whole story behind them.
Chad first took me to Cinnabon back in 1998, and I fell hard. For the cinnamon rolls first… and then eventually for him too. Although honestly, the cinnamon rolls might’ve helped {wink}.
And all these years later, we still love them.
So, of course, I had to figure out how to make Cinnabon cinnamon rolls at home.
And this version? This is the one we keep coming back to. Soft, gooey, loaded with that cinnamon sugar filling… it just hits the same way every time.
I’ve made this Cinnabon cinnamon roll recipe for Christmas morning, the weekends, and anytime a craving hits. Because why wait for a special occasion when you don’t have to?
CINNABON CINNAMON ROLLS RECIPE VIDEO
Want to see how easy these come together? Watch our quick recipe video 👇
INGREDIENT NOTES
- Active Dry Yeast: Make sure your water is warm, not hot. Using a kitchen thermometer will help. If it’s too cold, the yeast won’t bloom. Too hot, and you’ll kill it.
- Buttermilk: Adds tenderness and a slight tang that balances the sweetness.
- Eggs & Butter: Bring these to room temperature before starting this Cinnabon cinnamon rolls recipe, even for the portion of butter that needs to be melted.
- All-Purpose Flour: Add this gradually. Too much will make the rolls dense instead of soft.
- Cornstarch: Helps keep the filling soft and gooey instead of melting away.
- Brown Sugar: Packed for that deep, molasses-rich sweetness in the filling.
- Cream Cheese: Use full-fat for the best texture and flavor in the frosting.
VARIATIONS
Extra Gooey: Add a little extra butter and brown sugar to the filling.
Pecan Crunch: Sprinkle chopped pecans over the filling before rolling the dough.
Orange Cream Cheese Frosting: Add a bit of orange zest to the frosting.
Lighter Sweetness: Reduce the amount of brown sugar slightly.
Single Pan Batch: Bake all of the Cinnabon cinnamon rolls in one pan for softer edges.
Overnight Rolls: Assemble the night before and bake fresh in the morning.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
- Pair with a strawberry banana smoothie for something fresh on the side.
- Serve warm with coffee and our Easy Breakfast Casserole for a full spread.
- Add rolls to a brunch table with our Baked French Toast Casserole.
- Serve this Cinnabon recipe alongside sausage breakfast sliders for a sweet and savory mix.
- Enjoy one warm… standing at the counter… before anyone else gets to them!
CINNABON CINNAMON ROLLS FAQ
Yes. Assemble, refrigerate, then let them sit at room temp before baking.
Usually too much flour or not enough rise time. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky.
It’s recommended for flavor and texture, but you can substitute with milk plus a little lemon juice.
Spread some frosting onto the rolls while they’re warm so it melts in, then add the rest after.
HOW TO MAKE CINNAMON ROLLS WITHOUT A MIXER
With a little bit of elbow grease, you can mix the dough by hand instead.
- Activate the yeast. Combine water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl and let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy. Then, stir in the buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter.
- Form the dough. Add the salt and flour and mix until you can no longer stir with a spoon.
- Knead. Turn the dough out onto the floured countertop and knead for 3-5 minutes. Once the dough is no longer sticky, add it to an oiled bowl for the first rise. Continue the Cinnabon cinnamon roll recipe from there.
I’ve made this recipe of cinnamon rolls from Cinnabon enough times to know… the dough tells you everything.
If it feels too firm while you’re mixing, it probably is. That’s where people go wrong. They keep adding flour until it’s easy to handle, but that’s not what you want here.
You want soft. Slightly tacky. That’s what gives you that fluffy, pull-apart texture.
And the double frosting? That’s not extra. That’s intentional.
The first layer melts into the rolls, the second sits on top. That’s how you get that true Cinnabon-style finish.
DONNA’S PRO TIPS
- Check your yeast. It should foam before moving on to the next step.
- Don’t overflour the dough. Soft dough = soft rolls.
- Roll tightly so the swirls hold their shape.
- Use a sharp knife or kitchen floss for clean cuts without squishing the rolls.
- Let the rolls fully rise. Don’t rush this step!
- Rotate pans halfway for even baking.
- Frost in two layers for that signature finish.
TOOLS NEEDED
- Stand Mixer with Dough Hook: Makes kneading easy and consistent.
- Mixing Bowls: For dough, filling, and frosting.
- Rolling Pin: To get that large, even rectangle.
- 9×13 Baking Dishes: Gives the rolls space to rise and bake evenly.
- Sharp Knife or Bench Scraper: For clean cuts without squishing the rolls.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
Don’t miss a thing! Follow us on
Facebook| Twitter| Pinterest| Instagram
Other Favorite Breakfast Recipes
🍔 Copycat Creations Vol 1
Craving your favorite restaurant meals at home? This exclusive ebook has the boldest, most requested copycat recipes — from fast food faves to sit-down classics.
👉 Buy your copy now and start cooking the meals you love!
TL;DR (Too Long, Didn’t Read) THE QUICK VERSION
- Soft, gooey copycat Cinnabon cinnamon rolls
- Fluffy dough with rich brown sugar filling
- Cream cheese frosting goes on warm and again after
- Don’t overflour — dough should be soft and slightly tacky
- Let the rolls rise fully for best texture
- Great for make-ahead or overnight prep
- Bake until just golden, not overdone
- Classic, indulgent, and absolutely worth it
Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll Recipe (Copycat)
Ingredients
Rolls
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast, 1 packet
- 1 cup warm water, 110 to 120°F
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
Filling
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened, 1/2 cup
- 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened, 1/4 cup
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- PREHEAT AND PREP PANS: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 9 x 13 inch baking dishes with 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ACTIVATE YEAST: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1 cup warm water and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Sprinkle 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast, 1 packet over the top and stir gently. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
- MELT BUTTER: Melt 7 tablespoons unsalted butter and set aside to cool slightly.
- MAKE DOUGH: Add 1/4 cup buttermilk, 2 large eggs, and the melted butter to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed. Add 5 1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup at a time, then add 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Continue adding flour slowly until a soft dough forms, about 5 ½ to 6 cups total.
- KNEAD DOUGH: Knead with a dough hook on medium speed for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
- FIRST RISE: Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl if needed. Cover loosely and let rise in a warm place for 60 to 90 minutes until doubled in size.
- MAKE FILLING: In a medium bowl combine 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Stir until well combined.
- ROLL DOUGH: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll into an 18 x 24 inch rectangle.
- ADD FILLING: Spread 1 stick unsalted butter, softened evenly over the dough, leaving a 1 inch border along one long edge. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture evenly over the butter and press gently so it sticks.
- ROLL AND CUT: Starting from the long edge, roll the dough tightly into a log. Pinch the seam to seal. Cut into 12 equal rolls.
- SECOND RISE: Place 6 rolls in each prepared baking dish, spacing them evenly. Cover and let rise for 60 to 90 minutes until doubled in size.
- BAKE: Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until golden brown, rotating pans halfway through baking.
- MAKE FROSTING: In a large bowl beat 4 ounces cream cheese, softened and 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened until smooth and fluffy. Add 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Beat for 3 to 5 minutes until light and creamy.
- FROST ROLLS: Spread half of the frosting over the warm rolls. Let cool slightly, then spread the remaining frosting on top.
- SERVE: Serve warm 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 May 2026
Disclosure: Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link your price will remain the same and The Slow Roasted Italian will automatically receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting us, it helps us keep creating new recipes.
Welcome!
We’re Donna and Chad, the dream team behind The Slow Roasted Italian. Our focus is on taking complicated OUT of the kitchen. Life is busy enough, making meals should be fast and easy, to help make your life as simple as possible. Read More >>
I think you just helped me perfect my cinnamon rolls! I never thought to use corn starch to thicken up the filling, brilliant!!! Thanks so much!
I think you just helped me perfect my cinnamon rolls! I never thought to use corn starch to thicken up the filling, brilliant!!! Thanks so much!
How in the world do u get that dough to roll out to that size, I ended up cutting it in half and doing half at a time and still it keeps shrinking back on me grrrrrr HELP
If it shrinks back that much it may need to rest. The gluten causes that snap back. I would lay a clean cloth over the dough and come back to it in 10 minutes. It can be frustrating. I hope it came out well. Let us know how it goes.
Hi! This recipe looks delicious! I can barely wait to give it a try. If you have time, would you consider this technical baking/prep question — would be possible to freeze these in the middle phase (after the rolls are prepared, but before the second rising), then slow thaw/rise in refrigerator overnight, then wake and bake? I have three kids, and their patience starts to wane (especially if they can smell the cinnamon), so pre-making would spare them some of the agonizing wait time and would prevent rising at real bakers' hours to start the prep. I see, in the posts, that many have frozen after baking, but I'd like to serve them freshly baked, if possible, but there's no hope that A) I could get up at 3:30 to make sure kids have them while still getting out the door for school in time B) kids could wait 3 hours past the point of asking 'what are you making?' 🙂 I'd hate to try it out and waste the first batch. Thanks in advance for your help!
Valerie, from my experience it seems perfectly rational that it would work. I have not tested it, though so I can only assume it would work. If you do give it a shot, let me know how it worked out and if I try it I will post about it. Enjoy!
How much table salt do I use if I dont have kosher?
I highly recommend buying kosher salt. I love the way it is absorbed into the food and how easy it is to grab to season food. However, if you prefer table salt use 3/4 teaspoon for every 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Enjoy!
Thank you! (I've wondered that for other recipes!)
When using your hands, keep kneeding till is squeaks and is nice and soft, like a babies bum
Did you get a chance to try it yet? I also wondered if you could use a bread maker.
I am making these now and I used my bread maker,and it seems to be working fine!! I just add the liquids first then dry.I set my machine on dough/knead and it does the hard stuff for me.I allow it to do the 2nd rise then take it out and shape it then let rise again. Hope this helps
Awesome to hear the bread maker is a great options. Enjoy!
When I made this they where not as goosy as the cinnabon makes theys how can I make mine as goosy thanks
What do you mean? The rolls or the topping? Can you tell me what pan you baked these in? If it is a dark pan that could effect the doneness of the final product. Email me and I can help you figure it out.
The recipe states it makes 12 cinnamon rolls. Yet in the directions it says to grease two 9" x 13" pans and place the rolls evenly 2 rows with 3 in a row. That's only 6 rolls in each pan? The picture shows it to have all 12 in one pan. I am confused. Please help.
The photo is of one batch that I made. It was baked all in one pan but when I made them in 2(9×13) pans they were able to spread out properly. Follow the directions, they are accurate. Enjoy and let us know how it goes.
Your Cinnabon recipe sounds great and I'm excited to try it out! You said to use all purpose flour but I will use a bread machine. Should I replace it with baking flour?
You should still use all purpose flour in a bread machine. If you use a different flour it would make it a different texture. If you read through the comments you will see other readers that have used bread machines. Enjoy and let us know how it goes.
Donna, thank you for the advice. Usually I use bread flour for the bread machine, but this time I tried it out with all purpose flour. I'm not sure what went wrong but the dough was too runny to roll so I decided to pour it in a cake pan and mixed in the filling. The texture was more like a cake but the taste is great! Next time, I will use the bread flour and see the difference.
How much flour did you add? There shouldn't be enough liquid to make this batter pourable. I would love to discuss the recipe and help you resolve the issues you encountered. Although, cinnamon roll cake sounds divine!
Yes, the cake was scrumptious and thanks for the great recipe! Now that you mentioned, I think I made a mistake and used 5 cups of flour. Next time, I will make sure I measure correctly.
These look delicious but I have one question: when you say to leave one inch free of butter and cinnamon sugar before rolling, is that an 18 inch edge or a 24 inch edge? In other words, how long is the finished roll before cutting into individual rolls, 18 inches or 24 inches? Thanks!
After reading your recipe and the amount of work involved to make the cinnabons, I went out to the store and bought them…………..
I was searching for a good cinnamon roll recipe and came upon your website. I spent the day making these and they were absolutely WONDERFUL! Thank you so much for this GREAT recipe. Better than any that I saw on Food Network, The directions were perfect and easy to follow. This is a keeper! I doubled the icing just to be sure I had enough for both 9×14 dishes. I baked on convection bake and they were beaufitul – just like at Cinnabons!!! Thank you SO MUCH!
Question: Although the dough rose fine, when I added the sugar to the yeast /water, it seemed to stop the yeast from blooming like it should, even after waiting 7 minutes. Should the sugar be added with the buttermilk mixture instead or is this supposed to happen?
I am so happy to hear you loved our recipe. They are spectacular and addictive so best to share with others. LOL
About the yeast, is it possible that the yeast was old? I have not had any problems making the recipe as written. Email me if you have any more questions. donna {at} tsrifood {dot} com
Sugar helps the yeast to "bloom". I always put a tablespoon of sugar in my yeast/hot water mixture. Was taught that by my grandmother and mother.
This looks sooo yummy!
Is it possible for me to use instant dry yeast? Here in the part of the world where I am instant dry yeast is what we use. Measurement and procedure if possible? Thanks
I found this on the King Arthur website: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipe/yeast.html
Can I use active dry and instant yeasts interchangeably?
Yes, they can be substituted for one another 1:1. We've found that active dry yeast is a little bit slower off the mark than instant, as far as dough rising goes; but in a long (2- to 3-hour) rise, the active dry yeast catches up. If a recipe using instant yeast calls for the dough to “double in size, about 1 hour,” you may want to mentally add 15 to 20 minutes to this time if you're using active dry yeast.
When dough is rising, you need to judge it by how much it's risen, not how long it takes; cold weather, low barometric pressure, how often you bake, and a host of other factors affect dough rising times, so use them as a guide, not an unbreakable rule.
Remember, bread-baking involves living things (yeast), your own personal touch in kneading technique, and the atmosphere of your kitchen; there are so many variables that it's impossible to say that “Dough X will double in size in 60 minutes.” Baking with yeast is a combination of art, science and a bit of magic; stay flexible, and your bread (and you!) will be just fine.
One time when you might not want to use instant and active dry yeasts interchangeably is when you're baking bread in a bread machine. Since bread machines use a higher temperature to raise dough, substituting instant for active dry yeast 1:1 may cause bread to over-rise, then collapse. When baking in the bread machine, and substituting instant yeast for active dry, reduce the amount of instant yeast by 25%.
This really looks delish!
Is it possible to use instant dry yeast? In my part of the world we use instant dry yeast. I hope you can help me with measurements and procedures. Thanks so much.
do these need to be refrigerated after? I made these and they are incredible! i made the dough the night before and after it rose the first time i put it in the fridge and made the rolls in the morning. worked out great!
I keep them covered with a towel or plastic wrap on the counter top. So happy you enjoyed them
Hi. I would like to know if there is any way these could be made in a non dairy version? cant have milk, perhaps soy milk?
I have not tried that, but if you do please let us know how it goes. Enjoy!
I saw your recipe on FB & although I made the gingerbread cinnamon rolls from The Law Student's Wife, I thought your lemon icing would be a wonderful addition! I was not wrong! So much so that I had to make a second batch of rolls & frosting to satisfy my 3 boys! Since we love lemon & it complements gingerbread so well, I grated a little zest into the icing the second time I made it. Wow! This will definitely be my new icing! The extra time whipping it truly makes it fluffy! My boys scraped their plates clean!
That is awesome! I am so happy that you loved it. Now I am going to have to pop over and check out her gingerbread cinnamon rolls too.
My husband is a sucker for his mother's caramel rolls, but I decided I wanted to try something new. When we finally dug in, he told me they were the best frosted cinnamon rolls he's ever had. And I agree! Even better than Cinnabon, which is hard to beat for me! Yum!
SCORE! So happy you loved them. These are our favorite cinnamon rolls, but I am intrigued about caramel rolls. I must look this up.
I made the dough and it didn't seem to turn out correctly. I followed the directions exactly and the dough came out very dry and flaky.I decided to add more water and it started to come together more. Hopefully it turns out, this is my first attempt at cinnamon rolls and this recipe looks awesome!
These look sooooo good. I hate to ask such a silly question, but I,m new to using yeast and I'm confused about this, "Pour water and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, sprinkle yeast over top, add sugar and stir." Do I divide the sugar since it only states 1/2 c sugar only once in the ingredients. I'd love to try these.
Hi Kay, not silly at all. It was an oversight. I corrected it to read "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. "
Let us know how it goes. Enjoy!
AWESOME recipe! I've made it SOOO many times, but due to my family/friends being picky eaters, I now use this recipe to make a 'Center of the Roll' type super-gooey monkey bread. Nobody in my family/circle of friends will eat the edge pieces because they're the harder bits and a lot of them – unless the buns are drenched in icing – won't even eat most of the tops either! What I did was slice the dough (before the last rise) into 128 pieces and set aside 16 pieces. I then coated the 112 remaining pieces in butter and the cinnamon sugar mixture. Once each piece was coated and CRAMMED in the pan, I took the 16 pieces from before and rolled them together and out into a very thin (thickness of a quarter at MOST) sheet of dough, coated one side with butter and placed it on top of the balls (butter side down). Let rise and bake as the recipe states. Once they're done, I invert the pan and voila! 112 tiny pieces of joy. If the balls have sat long enough on the top sheet (because it's now the bottom after inverting…), they're usually happy to eat it as well because it's now soaked up all the joy! Exactly the same recipe, the only change is the preparation before baking.
Bryce Johnston – Edinurgh, Scotland
The yeast blooming technique and the proofing are a miracle! I have always had such a hard time with breads turning lumpy or too dense, and when I turned out the ball of dough after the first rise, I could not believe how silky and bright the texture was! Thank you!
Are you putting the dough in the remaining tablespoon of butter to rise? I'm not sure what you are doing with it.
Actually you will use it in this step… add 1 tablespoon butter to bowl and heat in microwave until melted.
Enjoy and let us know how it goes!
so are we physically melting the butter and then putting the dough onto of the melted butter… turning it over and then waiting for it to rise… with all that melted butter in the bowl… or are we waiting until the dough has risen twice the size then putting the melted butter onto of the rolled out dough???