The BEST Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Recipe! (2024)

In this post, you’ll find our best homemade cinnamon rolls recipe along with our popular and delicious 90 minute cinnamon rolls recipe! You’ll also find tasty toppings for cream cheese frosting, caramel topping, sticky bun topping and lots of tips to make homemade cinnamon rolls easier and even more delicious!

Who doesn’t love cinnamon rolls? They are so sweet and delicious, but they cost a fortune at the local restaurant, bakery or grocery store! You can easily make several batches for the price of ONE restaurant or store bought cinnamon roll!

These cinnamon rolls are perfect to make and take to a potluck or holiday get-together! Everyone loves them and you probably won’t have any left to take home.

If you want to make homemade cinnamon rolls, but you don’t want to have the temptation to eat the entire batch yourself, you can easily freeze individual cinnamon rolls so you can only make the one or two you need for a particular meal. You can find easy ideas and tips for this and lots of other cinnamon roll ideas further down in this post! I hope you enjoy all of the sweet treats!

The BEST Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Recipe! (1)

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The BEST Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Recipe!

The BEST Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Recipe! (2)

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This is the very best homemade cinnamon rolls recipe andthey’re gooey and delicious! I love cinnamon rolls! But why spend a fortune on them at your local store? You can make 3 batches of tasty homemade cinnamon rolls for the price of 1 restaurant cinnamon roll!!! Now that’s a deal!

  • Author: Tawra Kellam
  • Yield: 2 dozen cinnamon rolls

Ingredients

2 pkgs. or 2 Tbsp yeast

1 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 cup water, warmed (110º – 115º)

1 cup milk

6 Tbsp. butter or margarine

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs, well beaten

7 cups all purpose flour

Filling

2 Tbsp. butter or margarine

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 Tbsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Instructions

  1. Dissolve yeast, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and salt in warm water.
  2. Add milk, 6 tablespoons butter and ½ cup granulated sugar. Cool.
  3. Add eggs.
  4. Add 2 cups flour and beat until smooth.
  5. Stir in remaining flour.
  6. Knead to make a smooth dough.
  7. Place dough into a greased bowl.
  8. Cover and allow to rise until doubled in size.
  9. Divide the dough into four sections.
  10. Roll each to ½ inch thick.
  11. Spread each section with butter or margarine.
  12. Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, and raisins.
  13. Roll jelly-roll fashion and cut into ½ inch slices.
  14. Place cut side down into two greased 9×13 inch pans.
  15. Allow to rise until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
  16. Preheat oven to 350° and bake until golden brown (about 20-25 minutes).
  17. Cool and frost with buttercream frosting.

This easy buttercream frosting is perfect for both of the homemade cinnamon rolls recipes and for lots of other sweet treats like our banana cupcakes recipe!

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Buttercream Frosting Recipe

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  • Author: Tawra Kellam

Ingredients

Units

3 cups powdered sugar (If sugar is lumpy, you may want to sift it.)
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
12 Tbsp. milk

Instructions

  1. Mix sugar and butter.
  2. Add vanilla.
  3. Slowly add milk, beating until smooth. If it is too stiff, add a little more milk to get the right consistency.

Notes

  • This frosts about one 9×13 cake, two 8 inch cakes or 1 dozen cupcakes.
  • You can store this frosting in the fridge for several weeks.

Here’s a short video demonstrating how to make the best homemade cinnamon rolls recipe!

Both of these homemade cinnamon roll recipes are from volume 1 of our cookbook:

You can make EASY and delicious meals at home in less time than eating out! You’ll save a ton of money on food and your family will thank you!

Click here to get our Dining On A Dime Cookbooks 25% Off NOW! They’re filled with tasty recipes and tips to make your life easier!

The BEST Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Recipe! (4)

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90 Minute Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

The BEST Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Recipe! (5)

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This 90 minute cinnamon rolls recipe makes easy and delicious homemade cinnamon rolls your family and friends will love! They are amazingly delicious and you’ll be surprised how easy they are! These cinnamon rolls are perfect for potlucks, family get-togethers and holiday parties!

  • Author: Tawra Kellam
  • Yield: 12 cinnamon rolls

90 Minute Dough Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 pkg. or 1 Tbsp. yeast
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine

Cinnamon Roll Ingredients

1 batch 90 minute dough
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar

Instructions

  1. Mix 3/4 cup flour with the sugar, yeast, and salt.
  2. Heat milk, water and butter until very warm (120-130°).
  3. Add to dry ingredients and beat 2 minutes on medium speed.
  4. Add 1/4 cup flour. Beat 2 minutes on high.
  5. Stir in enough flour to make a stiff dough.
  6. Knead 2-3 minutes.
  7. Place into a greased bowl and let rise 15 minutes.
  8. Roll out the dough.

  9. Spread with 2 tablespoons of softened butter or margarine.

  10. Combine 1 teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ cup sugar and sprinkle on the dough.

  11. Roll jelly-roll style and cut into 1 inch pieces.

  12. Place the cinnamon rolls into an 8 inch round cake pan.

  13. Let rise 15 minutes.
  14. Preheat oven to 375°.
  15. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes.

Homemade Cinnamon Roll Recipe Tips:

Here are some easy ideas to make cinnamon rolls easier. These tips can be used to make your favorite cinnamon rolls recipe taste like the ones people pay big money for at the mall.

  • Add 1/2 pkg. of vanilla puddingto the dry ingredients of your homemade cinnamon rolls recipe for each 4 cups of flour you use.
  • Place a piece of greased waxed paper on the bottom of your baking pan so the cinnamon rolls don’t stick.
  • Don’t leave the cinnamon rolls in the pan after baking. As soon as you pull them out of the oven, flip them upside down on a plate, platter or cookie sheet. That way, all the gooey juicy filling that has run to the bottom of the pan while baking will seep back into the rolls.
  • Use one of those square metal pastry cutters to cut your cinnamon rolls. It slices through the dough perfectly with one quick slice. It works faster than a pizza cutter or dental floss.
  • The filling is normally a mixture of butter, cinnamon and sugar, but you can add other things like nuts, raisins and other dried fruit, and jelly or jam. Use raspberry, strawberry or any flavor of jelly or jam you like.
  • Freeze the homemade cinnamon rolls individually. After the dough is sliced into rolls, separate and lay the rolls on a greased cookie sheet. When frozen, place them in a plastic bag or container. Then you can take out as many as you want to use the night before and place them in the pan you will use to bake them. Then, in the morning, just pop them in the oven and bake at 350 – 375°. Don’t preheat the oven. This helps them rise perfectly.
  • Make a batch of the frosting for the homemade cinnamon rolls recipes and freeze in dollops on a cookie sheet. Then place them in a plastic bag. When you’re ready to use the frosting, place one piece on each cinnamon roll when it is warm from the oven.
  • Add 3 oz. of softened cream cheese to cannedor homemade frosting for the taste of cinnamon rolls from the mall.

More tasty toppings for homemade cinnamon rolls!

The best homemade cinnamon rolls recipe calls for buttercream frosting and buttercream is also perfect for the 90 minute cinnamon rolls recipe, but if you’re looking for something different, here are some other tasty cinnamon roll frosting recipes!

All of these frosting recipes can also be used to amp up the store-bought kind and give them the taste of homemade cinnamon rolls! This cream cheese frosting is richer and more decadent than the buttercream frosting.

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Cinnamon Roll Cream Cheese Frosting

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  • Author: Jill Cooper

Ingredients

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt

Instructions

  1. Beat all of the ingredients together.
  2. Frost the cinnamon rolls.

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Caramel or Sticky Bun Topping

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You can take any homemade cinnamon roll recipe and turn it into sticky buns with this recipe.

  • Author: Jill Cooper

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup heavy cream

Instructions

  1. Melt the ingredients together. DON’T BOIL!
  2. Pour into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking pan.
  3. Place cut cinnamon rolls on top of the caramel sauce.
  4. Then let the cinnamon rolls do their last rising.
  5. Bake the cinnamon rolls as called for in the cinnamon roll recipe.

Notes

For sticky buns, add toasted crushed pecans.

I love the caramel topping recipe above but I often don’t have heavy cream on hand. Heavy cream can also get expensive. Here is another recipe that also tastes great and you will probably have all of the ingredients on hand.

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Caramel Sauce Recipe

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  • Author: Jill Cooper

Ingredients

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup vanilla ice cream

Instructions

  1. Mix all of the ingredients in a saucepan and cook until thick and bubbly.
  2. Pour the caramel sauce mixture into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking pan.
  3. Place the cut cinnamon rolls on top of the caramel sauce.
  4. Then let the cinnamon rolls do their last rising.
  5. Bake the cinnamon rolls as called for in the cinnamon roll recipe.

Different Twist on Cinnamon Rolls

Submitted by a reader, Sue:

Regarding your 90 minute cinnamon roll recipe made with the “Ninety Minute Rolls” dough– here’s a tip when you use the dough for cinnamon rolls:

Use peanut butter (smooth or chunky) instead of margarineto spread over the dough. Be generous! It makes a wonderful nutty flavor. If you make an icing from powdered sugar to drizzle over the top, use a drop of vanilla flavoring and a drop of almond flavoring in the icing. You will think these came from the gourmet bakery. Yum yum!

Ok, I’m not so sure about this one but it just sounded too interesting for me not to post it. :-) What can I say I’m pregnant! hehehe

(Note: We aren’t announcing anything. This cinnamon roll tip was originally posted in 2009.)

-Tawra

If you like these homemade cinnamon roll recipes:

These recipes, including our best homemade cinnamon rolls recipe and our easy 90 minute cinnamon rolls recipe are both in volume 1 of our cookbook! All of our cookbooks are packed with quick, easy and delicious recipes that will save you lots of money on your food bill!

You can make EASY and delicious meals at home in less time than eating out! You’ll save a ton of money on food and your family will thank you!

Click here to get our Dining On A Dime Cookbooks 25% Off NOW! They’re filled with tasty recipes and tips to make your life easier!

The BEST Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to use brown sugar or white sugar for cinnamon rolls? ›

Brown Sugar: Using brown sugar in the filling gives these cinnamon rolls an extra-delicious depth of flavor.

What is the secret ingredient in Cinnabon? ›

Cinnabon's Secret Ingredient

This special Indonesian cinnamon, called Makara, is trademarked by Cinnabon. And because of that trademark, you won't find this product in your local grocery store spice aisle.

Is bread flour or all purpose better for cinnamon rolls? ›

Bread flour has more protein than all-purpose flour, making it a better option for pastries. Most people recommend baking cinnamon rolls with bread flour, as this creates a fluffier and softer cinnamon roll. Though all-purpose flour will also work to create tasty cinnamon rolls.

What does brown sugar vs white sugar do in baking? ›

In that role, white sugar aerates the dough when creamed with butter for thick and puffy cookies. Brown sugar, meanwhile, is dense and compacts easily, creating fewer air pockets during creaming—that means that there's less opportunity to entrap gas, creating cookies that rise less and spread more.

What is the most unhealthy Cinnabon? ›

Classic Cinnabon cinnamon rolls are large and dense, rich in fat and carbs and contain 880 calories each (15). But these are not even the most unhealthy item on the menu. That honor is reserved for the Caramel Pecanbon.

What is the difference between a cinnamon roll and cinnamon bun? ›

Structurally, cinnamon buns share the same spiral shape. They are sometimes thinner and more delicate. The most significant difference between cinnamon rolls and cinnamon buns is the inclusion of nuts. Cinnamon buns often have pecans, walnuts, or even raisins in the filling.

Do you roll cinnamon rolls tight or loose? ›

3) Don't roll the dough too tightly

It also ensures the rolls proof properly (they have enough room to expand!) and bake evenly, all the way through to the center.

Can I use evaporated milk instead of heavy cream? ›

Evaporated milk can be used as a substitute in recipes in which heavy cream is used as a liquid ingredient, such as in baked goods, but it doesn't whip well. Substitute the heavy cream in your recipes with an equal amount of evaporated milk.

Is heavy whipping cream the same as heavy cream? ›

Is Heavy Cream the Same as Heavy Whipping Cream? Yes, heavy cream and heavy whipping cream are the exact same thing. The confusion lies in the fact that they're sold by different brands under two different names.

Why are my cinnamon rolls not fluffy? ›

For the fluffiest cinnamon rolls, make sure you allow your dough to rise for at least 90 minutes for the first rise. For the second rise, a good 30 minutes works. I see a lot of recipes - including a few of mine - say 60 minutes minimum for the first rise.

Why are my homemade cinnamon rolls tough? ›

Don't Overmix the Dough

When making cinnamon rolls, mix the dough just until the ingredients are incorporated and the dough is smooth and soft. Overmixed dough leads to tough cinnamon rolls. The dough is ready when it pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl and feels tacky but doesn't stick to your fingers.

Can you substitute brown sugar for white sugar in cinnamon roll dough? ›

In most baking recipes, you can substitute brown sugar for white sugar in a one-to-one ratio. So, if your recipe calls for one cup of white sugar, swap one cup of brown sugar. The sweetness level will be the same, but the brown sugar may change the texture of your baked goods.

Is white or brown sugar better for cooking? ›

White and brown sugar can be used in different ways in baking and cooking. While they can sometimes be used interchangeably, doing so may affect the color, flavor, or texture of your final product. The molasses in brown sugar retains moisture, so using it will result in baked goods that are softer yet denser.

Why use white sugar instead of brown? ›

Taste Differences

White sugar is sweeter than brown sugar so it's possible to use less of this product to attain the same levels of sweetness in cooking and baking.

What is the benefit of brown sugar in baking? ›

Brown sugar holds moisture. Goods baked without it may dry out faster and not stay fresh as long. Some substitutes may have more or less sweetness than brown sugar. You may have to adjust their quantity for the desired sweetness in your recipe.

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