Who needs buns of steel when you could have buns of cinnamon? These are the World’s Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls and once you try them you’ll never go back.
This post is going to be full of pictures, and not much else because who needs stories about Mom bribing us with cinnamon rolls to get us to eat the potato soup which later turned into a tradition? No one, because everyone really just wants the recipe so let’s get on with the world’s best cinnamon rolls. Boom!
Ingredients for Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
This ingredients list might look long at first glance, but several of the items overlap between the three different components and most of the items will be things you already have at home. Here is what you will need:
For the Dough
- Warm Water: helps activate the yeast, should be between 105° and 115°F
- Heavy Cream: adds to the squishiness of the rolls, whole can be substituted
- Instant Yeast: I prefer instant yeast over active dry yeast and would recommend not substituting it.
- Sugar: feeds the yeast to active it
- Buttermilk: adds to the fluffiness of the rolls
- Sea Salt: enhances all the flavors in the cinnamon rolls
- Eggs: provides structure to the rolls and helps binds all the ingredients
- Canola Oil: adds a little more fat while helping the cinnamon rolls stay tender
- Butter: adds richness to the dough
- All Purpose Flour: provides the structure for rolls
- Soy Lecithin: and emulsifying agent that helps fat and water stay together that helps create the most perfect rolls, can be omitted if needed but it really makes a difference!
For the Filling
- Unsalted Butter: don’t melt it, leave it at room temperature
- Brown Sugar: adds richness and pairs well with cinnamon
- White Sugar: adds additional sweetness
- Cinnamon: adds that signature warm flavor to cinnamon rolls
- Cornstarch: helps keep the filling thick and extra gooey
For the Frosting
- Cream Cheese: adds a delicious tang to the frosting
- Unsalted Butter: adds richness to the cream cheese icing
- Vanilla Extract: adds flavor
- Corn Syrup: helps the frosting looks glossy
- Powdered Sugar: adds the sweetness and structure to the frosting
The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.
Tips for the Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Alright, first a few tips. Make sure you know and understand what is the difference between instant yeast and dry active yeast.
Number 1: Instant yeast (or bread machine yeast) is best. Don’t substitute. And let it “proof”. That means let it get all foamy. You see, instant yeast works faster, but I’ll let you click our link above to read more about the difference.
Number 2: These babies want to give you fat pants, and that’s ok, so let’s go ahead and add a little heavy cream into the rolls. It will make them squishy, just like our thighs after eating these. You can use whole milk as a substitute if you need to.
Number 3: Soy Lecithin can be skipped if you must but I promise it creates the perfect roll.
And yes, the soy lecithin is like honey but totally gets added straight to the flour. I don’t know why, and I don’t really care as long as these keep turning out bomb.com.
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Filling Gooey
Number 4: I don’t melt the butter. My mom didn’t, so I don’t. I actually think it makes for a better filling too. When it’s at room temperature, you can smear it by hand or spatula all over the rolled dough. Press the cinnamon sugar filling into the dough as much as possible which is best done by working fast with the softened butter, even using a spatula if needed to ensure all the butter goes on the dough and isn’t stuck between your fingers.
Number 5: Yes, I do use brown sugar and white sugar, Maeser taught me and he is king of the cinnamon rolls so just do it all Nike style. We have tested recipes for a little over 6 years and while there are some I just plain don’t like, there are others that I think are fantastic. I add cornstarch. It really does make a difference.
How to Make Soft Cinnamon Rolls
Number 6: One thing I’ve learned is to not go tooooo thin when rolling out the dough because the layers end up too weak to hold in the filling and you end up not sinking your teeth into a big ol’ soft bite. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to about 1/4″ thick. I wouldn’t go any thinner than that.
Number 7: Now, this next part is totally up to you. I like our rolls soft, so while you have to be careful not to under bake I prefer to put them close together in a baking pan versus way spread apart so that the sides stay soft. Then I gently press the outer layers down a little so I create a more rounded top and can see all of the cinnamon goodness.
Which makes them turn out like this! Aren’t they beautiful? They really are The World’s Best Cinnamon Rolls!
Number 8: In testing I learned that all brown sugar recipes didn’t get that gooey cinnamon thing going on as well even when flour or cornstarch was added. When we pulled them out of the pan there was never any gooeyness left behind which became a sign to us that the recipe wasn’t just right. These rolls leave a little something in the pan, aka awesomeness.
See how beautiful and soft they turn out? And really, if the saying is true that you are what you eat then you will be beautiful for eating these. #Fatpants and all. 😉
How to Cut Cinnamon Rolls
My preferred method is to use dental floss or thread to cut cinnamon rolls. If you use dental floss, make sure that you use flavorless floss. You don’t want a little lingering minty flavor on your rolls!
Slide the floss carefully under the rolled up dough about 1-1.5 inches from the end of the roll, bring both ends of the floss up, cross them in an X over the top of the roll, switch both ends of the floss to the other hand and cross the floss through the dough roll. Using floss helps the cinnamon rolls stay round and not smashed.
If you don’t want to use floss, a sharp knife can also be used to cut the cinnamon rolls. Be very gentle when slicing through the dough, you don’t want to smash it!
What Can You Substitute For Buttermilk?
For each cup of buttermilk, use 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar and add enough milk to make 1 cup.
How Many Times Do Cinnamon Rolls Need to Rise?
Cinnamon roll dough will need to rise twice. Once the dough is made, it will rise for 1-2 hours. Then you form the cinnamon rolls and they will need to rise for another 1-2 hours. Each dough rise is critical to get the fluffiest cinnamon rolls.
How Long Will Cinnamon Rolls Keep?
Cinnamon rolls will keep for 2 days at room temperature.
They should be wrapped in plastic or foil so they don’t dry out.
Cinnamon rolls will keep for an additional week in the refrigerator.
Can You Freeze Frosted Cinnamon Rolls?
You can freeze cinnamon rolls unfrosted, thaw them and warm them and add frosting before eating. Or, you can freeze cinnamon rolls already iced.
Just freeze them and then wrap tightly in foil or plastic wrap and keep frozen till ready to eat. Uncover and thaw before serving.
Homemade cinnamon rolls are what dreams are made of and what fill my fat pants! Good gracious this is the best cinnamon roll recipe in the whole world and that cream cheese frosting is perfection!
More Sweet Breakfast Options:
- Buttermilk Pancakes
- Apple Pie Slow Cooker Oatmeal
- Dutch Baby Pancakes
- Orange Sweet Rolls
- Classic French Toast
- Waffles
- Cinnamon Rolls
- Blueberry French Toast Bake
- Homemade Yogurt
- Cinnamon Roll Pigs in a Blanket
- Peach Coffee Cake
- Liege Waffles
- Slow Cooker Overnight Steel Cut Oats
- All our BREAKFAST RECIPES!
World’s Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Description
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Warm Water
- 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream, *may substitute whole milk
- 4 1/2 teaspoons Instant Yeast
- 1 Cup Sugar, divided, plus 2 teaspoons
- 1/2 Cup Buttermilk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons Sea Salt, fine grain
- 1/3 Cup Canola Oil
- 1/3 Cup Butter, melted, we like Land O Lakes
- 2 Eggs, large, lightly whisked
- 7-8 Cups All Purpose Flour, We use Lehi Roller Mills or Gold Medal
- 2 Dime Sized Circles Soy Lecithin, NO MORE
For the Filling
- 12 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, softened
- 2 Cups Light Brown Sugar, packed, plus 2 Tablespoons
- 1/2 Cup White Sugar
- 5 Tablespoons Ground Cinnamon
- 4 Tablespoons Cornstarch
For the Frosting
- 6 oz. Cream Cheese, at room temperature
- 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, softened
- 1 1/2 Tablespoon Corn Syrup, light karo syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2- 2 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
Instructions
- In a glass measuring cup, add the water and cream.1 Cup Warm Water, 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
- Heat in the microwave until warm, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Make sure it’s warm and not hot.
- Add the yeast and 2 teaspoons of sugar.4 1/2 teaspoons Instant Yeast, 1 Cup Sugar
- Allow to foam for 5-10 minutes.
- In another measuring cup, add the buttermilk and warm as well. Making sure it’s luke warm, add it to the yeast mixture.1/2 Cup Buttermilk
- In another measuring cup, add the remaining sugar, salt, oil, butter and eggs, whisking to combine.2 teaspoons Sea Salt, 1/3 Cup Canola Oil, 1/3 Cup Butter, 2 Eggs
- Add to the yeast mixture in a standing mixer.
- Stir with a dough hook to combine.
- Add the flour over the top and the soy lecithin.7-8 Cups All Purpose Flour, 2 Dime Sized Circles Soy Lecithin
- Mix until the dough begins to form a ball then mix for 3 minutes, adding an additional 1/4 cup flour if you were too light handed with the first measurement and it needs more. I never do, but everyone measures differently.
- Remove the dough hook and place a towel over the bowl to rise for 1-2 hours in a warm spot.
- Very lightly flour the counter and roll the dough into a large, even rectangle.
- Spread the soft butter all the way to the edges.12 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, sugar and cinnamon with the corn starch.2 Cups Light Brown Sugar, 1/2 Cup White Sugar, 5 Tablespoons Ground Cinnamon, 4 Tablespoons Cornstarch
- Sprinkle liberally over the butter, all the way to the edges.
- Roll into a tight log and using floss, slice the rolls by sliding it under the dough, bring it up and make an “x”, pull it tight to cut through and set it in the lightly greased cookie sheet.
- Repeat until all of the rolls are in the pan and then drape with a towel to rise for 1-2 hours.
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 20-22 minutes, watching the tops because as soon as they are golden the rolls are done and you DO NOT want to over bake.
- Remove from the oven, cool for 2 minutes and top with frosting while hot.
- Sneak into another room to enjoy one all alone before the husband and kids find you.
For the Frosting
- In a bowl, with a handheld mixer, whip the cream cheese and butter together until softened.6 oz. Cream Cheese, 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- Add the corn syrup (karo syrup) and vanilla a beat again.1 1/2 Tablespoon Corn Syrup, 1 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Finally, slowly beat in the powdered sugar until desired consistency.2- 2 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
Notes
Nutrition
Recommended Products
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Denise
I can’t wait to make these rolls! How thick do you cut them to yield 20-24 rolls? Also, can I make these the night before and then bake in the morning?
Sweet Basil
Hi Denise! I cut them about 1″ to 1.5″ to get that many rolls. They can definitely be made the night before. You will just need to let them come to room temperature and complete their second rise a little before baking. Enjoy!
Heather
Just here to say that I’m a novice in the fresh bread department, tried your recipe (poured a little heavy cream over the rolls before baking), and they turned out absolutely divine. As good as any cinnamon roll I’ve ever had. Will definitely be making these again and again.
Sweet Basil
Yay!! Thank you so much Heather!!
Carolyn
I found your recipe a few years ago and have made them numerous times! I am very picky and had tried a number of cinnamon roll recipes, but when I found yours I looked no further. They are a huge hit every time! Thank you!
Sweet Basil
You’ve made my day Carolyn!! Thank you!
Ali
These are seriously the BEST cinnamon rolls I have ever had/made. I make them every year for Christmas morning breakfast and my family loves them! The middles are so super soft and the frosting is DELISH. I alway make a double batch of frosting so that my rolls are covered completely. 🙂 I also have never gotten the soy lecithin, and they come out just perfectly. And such a large batch…we enjoy for days!
Really love this recipe!
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much Ali! I love knowing that one of our recipes has become part of your Christmas traditions! Happy holidays!
Coleen hawkins
Can you use powdered soy lecithin…or does it have to be liquid…
Sweet Basil
Hi Coleen! It has to be the liquid. I tried the powdered and didn’t like it at all!
Bogdan
How mich flour you put 7 or 8 cups?
Sweet Basil
Hello! It honestly depends on the day! It depends on how humid it is. Start with 7 and if it seems too sticky then add a half cup more. And repeat until it’s not sticky.
Carrie
I just wanted to tell you that I’ve been making your recipe every Christmas for over 5 years and my family RAVES over them! I’ve been making cinnamon rolls since I was in high school, and this recipe blows every recipe I’ve ever tried out of the water!! So thank you and Merry Christmas! 😊
Sweet Basil
CARRIE!! You are my favorite person! Thank you so much and I love knowing that this recipe is a Christmas tradition for your family! Merry Christmas!
Elizabeth Brown
I made a batch of these and put them in the freezer. What is the best way to thaw and proof for the second time? I’ve read that I could place them in a pan the night before, cover and place on the counter over night and I have also read that I can refrigerate overnight and pull out in the morning to proof on the counter.
Sweet Basil
Hi Elizabeth! Either way will work. You can thaw them on the counter or the fridge. You just need to make sure they have time to thaw and get a good rise. Enjoy!
Jill
It says to put on a baking sheet but your’s show in a cake pan. Which do you prefer?
Sweet Basil
Hi Jill! Great question! I just thought they would photograph better in a cake pan, but you can honestly do either. It will make 20-24 rolls, so you would have to do two cake pans.
Megan
Will the recipe still work if making these with GF flour?
Sweet Basil
Hi Megan! I’ve never tried them with GF flour but I don’t see why they wouldn’t work. They might not be as fluffy.
Char
After my family saw a commercial for fast food cinnamon rolls delivered I KNEW we could do better. After researching and finding your site and recipe — and even though I’ve never made cinnamon rolls before — I rolled up my sleeves and made what turned out to be the BEST cinnamon rolls in the world!!! Seriously, they turned out beautifully. Sometimes you just gotta laugh your way through, have fun and take that leap of faith in the kitchen, right??? A second batch has already been requested. I can’t thank you enough for your dedication to home cooking and time shared in the kitchen with family.
Sweet Basil
Wow! Thank you so much Char! This just makes my day! So glad you enjoyed these cinnamon rolls and I love your enthusiasm and outlook on cooking!
Elizabeth Brown
How far in advance can I make the frosting?
Sweet Basil
Hi Elizabeth! You can make it up to 3-4 days ahead of time. Just keep it in an airtight container in the fridge and then let it sit out for about a half hour before frosting the cinnamon rolls. Enjoy!!
Libby
A fine recipe, but so very poorly written.
In the body of the post, under the heading “How to Make Cinnamon Roll Filling Gooey,” the author states: “I add cornstarch and a little buttermilk.” So, like another reader who commented below, I was confused – was there buttermilk in the dough AND the filling? How much? Do you mix it with the butter before spreading on the dough? Upon reading the comments, I discovered that there is not in fact any buttermilk in the filling, but the post is misleading.
“In another measuring cup, add the remaining sugar, salt, oil, butter and eggs, whisking to combine.
Add to the yeast mixture in a standing mixer.” No instructions were given for putting the yeast in the stand mixer prior to this point. I had to read these steps a few times to realize that the sugar/butter/egg should go into the stand mixture with the yeast mixture. If that’s the case, why not just mix the sugar/butter/egg mixture IN the bowl of the stand mixer instead of dirtying another measuring cup?
“Mix until the dough begins to form a ball then mix for 3 minutes, adding an additional 1/4 cup flour if you were too light handed with the first measurement and it needs more.” How would I know? What should the texture of the dough be like? Smooth and elastic? Is it sticky at all?
“[R]oll the dough into a large, even rectangle.” Ok. What size rectangle? How thick should it be?
“Roll into a tight log and using floss, slice the rolls by sliding it under the dough, bring it up and make an “x”, pull it tight to cut through and set it in the lightly greased cookie sheet.” How thick should they be? I realize that there’s some element of preference here, but give me a guideline. How thick were the ones that you cut when you made this recipe and photographed it for your post?
I guess I have the benefit/drawback of having worked in professional kitchens, where reproducability is key and recipes are written to produce consistent results every time, so that’s what I expect from a recipe. This is why I don’t usually make recipes from food blogs. If I were a benevolent dictator, I would make every food blogger take a recipe writing class before, you know, trying to make their living writing recipes.
The end result was good, but I wouldn’t make it again simply because the recipe was so maddeningly unclear.
Sweet Basil
Thank you for the feedback Libby and I apologize for the confusion!
Caitie
Hi! I am wondering about the answers to these questions before I make these today. What is the determination for if we need to add more flour to the dough – are we aiming for smooth dough or should it be sticky?
What is the rectangle size and do you roll it on the long edge or short? How thick do you recommend cutting them?
Thank you!! I can’t wait for these to get in my belly 😊
Sweet Basil
Hi Caitie! The dough should be smooth. The rectangle size is totally up to you. If you want more rolls that are smaller, roll it wider. If you want less rolls that are bigger, roll it less wide. Roll from the long edge. I usually cut them about 1-1.5 inches thick. Enjoy!! Now you have me craving a cinnamon roll!
Michelle
Do you think it is possible to make this dough in a bread maker?
Sweet Basil
I don’t see why not!
Curtis in Gilbert
Looks awesome. Please tell me how many rolls this makes. I’m making them tomorrow morning. Thanks so much! Merry Christmas!
Sweet Basil
So sorry for the late reply! It makes 20-24 roll depending on how thick you make them. Hope you had a Merry Christmas!
Gina
When the dough is done mixing, is it sticky to touch or will not stick to your hands?
What is the weight of the eggs? I notice that they come in such a wide range of size nowadays.
Sweet Basil
It should be sticky! If it’s not very sticky it potentially will be dry after baked. It depends on the size of egg. But usually large eggs are about 2 ounces.
Lynda B
Good morning! Making these today to bake tomorrow morning. In reviewing the recipe again you mention adding buttermilk to the filling mixture in your description but I don’t see it listed in ingredients for the filling. If you do add buttermilk to the filling – how much?
Thanks and Merry Christmas!
Sweet Basil
I’m so sorry for the confusion Lynda! The buttermilk just goes in the dough as listed in the ingredients. It does not go in the filling.
Donna G.
Amazing! First off, I would like to say that I usually don’t take the time to review recipes, but after the response these cinnamon rolls received, I just had to. The reason I made the recipe to begin with was the quantity it makes. I like to bring something to church with me for a group we are in, so I thought I’d give these a try. I should add, I have never had much luck with anything I’ve tried with yeast either. But, I do love a good cinnamon roll and haven’t had a good one for a long time. I had never made a recipe that called for Lecithin either. I couldn’t find it in a store and didn’t have time to order it on line, so I substituted Sunflower Lecithin and hoped for the best. I can’t imagine them coming out any better with the Soy Lecithin, either in workability or taste. I didn’t know what to expect but was blown away when I rolled it out. So amazingly smooth. It didn’t shrink back like most dough I’ve worked with and the taste was wonderful. So, I would like to say, “Yes”, you can substitute the Sunflower for the Soy Lecithin. Not a crumb remained! All I can say for my very first attempt at making cinnamon rolls is, Outstanding! I would love to see you do a video on the whole process, as I learn by watching and would especially love to see you rolling these up. Please consider a video with your lovely family. Thanks for sharing this great recipe and Merry Christmas
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much for your kind words and for taking time to leave us some feedback! That is great to know about the sunflower lecithin! And I love the idea of a video. I will add it to my list! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas!
Tammy
Have you tried doubling this recipe?
Sweet Basil
Yes, it can definitely be doubled. You’ll have a hard time mixing it in a standard size stand mixer though. That is a lot of dough!
Chris
I was wondering if Sunflower Liquid Lecithin would work as well?
Sweet Basil
I have never tested it so I’m not sure.
LaDawn A.
I made it with sunflower lecithin and they were delicious!
Sweet Basil
Yay! Love to hear that!
Mary
Have made these many times and they are ALWAYS a crowd favorite. My question- has anyone made them a smaller size? I am going to make them again for a potluck and I want smaller sized rolls (like half the size)
Sweet Basil
Hi Mary! So glad you enjoy them! You can absolutely make them any size you want.
Bec
I’ve just come across this recipe and your the first food blogger that’s made me laugh. I will definitely be trying these bad boys this weekend all the way over in Aussie land. It’s been a few years since posting, did you have any other adjustments since posting?
Sweet Basil
No adjustments at all…tried and true and delicious every time! Enjoy!
Rachel
Hi. I wanted to know why do u cut the buns using the floss and not a knife
Sweet Basil
The floss just slides right through the dough so easily and doesn’t squish it or pinch it down at all.
John Pontacolone
Sounds like a great recipe. However, under ingredients, you list the following: 2 Dime Sized circles (NO MORE) [url:1]Soy Lecithin[/url]
You completely lost me here. Does this have something to do with the lecithin?
Sweet Basil
It looks like my hyperlink broke. I have fixed it. Yes, two dime sized circles of soy lecithin. It can be skipped if you don’t have any, but it makes the most perfect cinnamon roll!
Vanessa Rivera
I have made these rolls three times with the most recent time being this Monday. They are so good. The dough is so soft. My mom and mother in law made me bake the ends that I cut off and that had less sugar filling and they were amazing! I think I may halve the sugar in the filling next time to see how they come out. This is a beautiful dough to work with! Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Sweet Basil
Hurray Vanessa! Thank you so much for the feedback! So glad you and your loved ones have been enjoying them!
nicole hemphill
Can I make them the day before and cook them the next day?
Sweet Basil
Yes absolutely! Stick the rolls in the fridge before their second rise, then pull them out and let them come to room temperature and rise before you bake them. Enjoy!
Tracee
I love these rolls! I have made them a couple times with great results! I have one problem that seems to happen with any cinnamon roll recipe I use, so I know it must be a technique I need to develop. It seems the gooey filling leaks out and carmelizes on the bottom of the pan. Once cooled it’s crunchy and hard. I put the rolls close together to try to hold it in but seems some always escapes. Any suggestions?
Sweet Basil
It is normal for cinnamon rolls to leak a little. I would just make sure you getting a nice tight roll on your dough.
Tracee
I love how clear your directions are ! I was wondering if I wanted to make them ahead of time could you keep the rolls before their second rise in the fridge or if you needed to make several days early in the freezer? Then take them out let them rise and bake per your instructions? I’ve done that with other cinnamon roll recipes but wanted to hear your suggestion please. Thanks
Sweet Basil
You absolutely can do that! You can keep them in the fridge overnight or freeze days ahead. 🙂
Nicci
Do you think Sunflower Lecithin would work just as well as the soy??
Sweet Basil
Hi Nicci, Unfortunately we haven’t worked with sunflower lecithin so we aren’t sure on the results.
Lenese
Hi do you happen to have a picture of the inside texture? I’m really excited about trying this recipe… just curious about that part.
Amy
Reading all these rave reviews makes me want to make these asap! I’ve never made cinnamon rolls before. They intimate me. :/ But I need to try this one! Is there a big difference if I skip the Soy Lecithin? It’s not available in my area but is available by Amazon. Let me know! 🙂 Thanks!
Sweet Basil
You can definitely leave it out, but it’s much better with it as it makes the rolls extra squishy. We bought our last one off of amazon and have had it for years. It makes the most amazing pizza dough and bread too!
Sherry Rice
I would say this recipe isn’t for a first time cinnamon roll baker. While I have no doubt that an experienced baker could pull this off, for a newbie there’s not enough detail on what to expect as far as results, appearance, etc to know if you are doing it right. I’ll try again with some less complicated recipes and then come back to this one after I know what to expect.
Sweet Basil
I’m so sorry Sherry! If you have specific points in the process that you would want more clarity, please let me know and I can try to add more assistance in the recipe instruction or maybe a video would be more helpful.
Sheila
These are absolutely the BEST cinnamon rolls I’ve ever made! I ended up with 20 rolls and they’re almost gone! I didn’t have any soy lecithin on hand, but I can’t wait to try the next batch with it. Thank you for posting this recipe!
Sweet Basil
Oh yay!! That’s wonderful news and we can’t wait to hear how you like them with that final ingredient.
Alexis
I like to put a little mashed potatoes in my dough to keep it tender. Would that work with thus recipe?
Sebastian
I followed the recipe exactly and the rolls never cooked in the center. I tried baking longer with a lower temp, still a droopy undercooked mess in the middle. The tops ended up getting too brown too. The parts that were baked tasted like generic grocery store or cafeteria cinnamon roll. The frosting is also very generic tasting. I feel betrayed, I don’t understand how this recipe has so many great reviews. Because everyone must have different tastes and I used a different brand yeast than normal, I give it 3 stars. But if just by what I think about them, they’re maybe a weak 2 star.
Sweet Basil
Hi Sebastian, any bread would bake up unless there was a step or ingredients measured incorrectly. It’s just not possible that using the exact instructions and ingredients it wouldn’t bake up. Is it possible too much liquid was added or the rolls were made far too big? We would love to help you troubleshoot anytime. Using high quality yeast also insures that it will rise and bake properly. When the dough was rising both times did it get a proper rise or ever over rise? Hope we can help!
Sebastian
The rolls compared to other recipes, in my opinion, were probably a bit over risen. I did eventually get the dough cooked, but it took way longer than 22 minutes. Everything looked the same as the pics and behaved the way the recipe said, other than rising a bit too much. I do believe the yeast was my variable that ruined this recipe for me, but I also didn’t care for way the rolls tasted. Obviously lots of people love this recipe, I just don’t prefer it.
Sweet Basil
I’m sorry. Best of luck finding one you prefer more. 🙂
Sebastian
Don’t be sorry! It’s a fine recipe loved by many. I had fun making them up til the doughy/yeast debacle and my neighbors loved them.
What does one do if the dough over rises? I will go back to the other yeast I was using, but I was curious if that’s something you can fix if it does occur.
Sweet Basil
Oh boy, we’ve had an over risen issue on regular bread a few times, you can try to reshape it, but most often it’s too late. 🙁 Yeast is such a funny thing to work with.
Sebastian
Gotcha. Ok, thanks. I’ll try out some of your other recipes sometime, with my usual yeast if called for.
Take care.
Sweet Basil
You too!! Happy Wednesday to you!
Sebastian
So my neighbor evidently ate all 8 of the rolls I gave him, I had to give him more so his daughters could have some. He said they were so great he woke up in the middle of the night to eat more.
I’m obviously going to have to update my rating!
Sweet Basil
hahaha! I love it! Thanks for sharing!
Stephanie
I made these today they are amazing thanks so much for the recipe all my family loved them!!!!!!
Sweet Basil
YAY!!!! So glad you liked them!
Beth
From one baker to another…this is truly a fantastic recipe. Thank you for sharing! It was a special treat for my very health conscious sons. They are Wright trainers but gave themselves permission to enjoy these during Christmas! Do you happen to have the nutrition information for them? We probably don’t want to know, ha! But we’d like to record it anyway!
Beth
*weight trainers 😉
Sweet Basil
Hi Beth!! Thank you for leaving such a sweet comment. I wish i had nutritional information for you, but I don’t. We will have to figure out how to get accurate counts and post those.
Katie
Hi from Utah! These are the best rolls I’ve ever made! I had an old home made recipe I was using until I came across this one. Amazing!! I’ve been using it for roughly a year now and my family can’t get enough of them!
Sweet Basil
Hi Katie! We live in Utah as well and love knowing where everyone is from! I’m so thrilled that you enjoyed the rolls! xoxo!
Kelsie
Hi there! I am hoping I can prepare these Christmas Eve night to bake Christmas morning. Can I leave them in the fridge overnight rolled and cut and ready to go into the oven? Thank you!
Sweet Basil
Hi Kelsie, I’m so sorry we missed this, we took the holidays off to be with family. You can definitely let them rest in the fridge if they have saran wrap over them.
Brenda Goll
Have you ever made these by par baking, then freezing to bake later? Would love to have instructions for that. Do you use a half sheet size pan? Looking forward to trying these for Christmas morning, but have too busy of a schedule on Christmas eve to make the night before. Hoping you can help me with the freezing instructions. THANK YOU!!
Sweet Basil
Hi Brenda,
Ok, if you want to make them early you have two options. You can roll them out and cut into the individual buns and then place on a pan and freeze them. Then just seal them in a ziploc until you’re ready to use, but you’ll want to defrost and then give them time to rise if you do this which could take a good 8 hours on your counter. Or you can bake them completely, cool and store in bags and then freeze. To serve them you’ll just defrost, warm slightly on a pan with foil over the top in the oven and then frost. I hope that helps!! I’m now craving cinnamon rolls at 2:00 in the afternoon, haha!
Kjerstine Loftus
I was also wondering if I could make Christmas EVe and save for the next morning because with a 3 year old and 10 mo old it is hard to do anything in a day 🙂 I’m happy to see that If I bake them let them cool and store they will be ok to re-heat and then frost the next morning! SO looking forward to trying these out! Thank you!
Sweet Basil
Yay! Enjoy!!
Theresa
Hello from Ohio Carrian,
I’ve made these awesome cinnamon rolls three times..just finished the fourth. My boyfriend’s family is crazy about them!! Couple questions: I have a hard time getting a tight roll. Thought with a few time under my belt I would improve but not the case. There is quite a bit of filling as you know! Very yummy but seems to keep me from making it a tight roll. Any tips would be appreciated.
Speaking of my boyfriend and his family..they are presently in Myrtle Beach and as a surprise I’m mailing a box of nut rolls and the cinnamon rolls. I want to wrap the rolls individually but I’m concerned that plastic wrap will remove all the icing…which I double because that’s how they like it. I’m going to overnight the box so they will be fresh but what would you suggest for wrapping them?
Thanks so much.
DiDi
I would suggest wrapping the entire batch in plastic wrap without separating the buns from each other. Do not frost them before shipping. I would include the frosting in a separate container so that they can warm the buns a little in the oven and then spread the frosting over them.
Yudia
Hi..I need your advice.. is it possible using yogurt instead of buttermilk? Buttermilk is not available in my place.. Thank you 🙂
Sweet Basil
Hi Yudia, you can do a little lemon juice (1 tablespoon to 1 cup) in milk or just use regular milk.
Wendi
I made these yesterday. I halved the recipe, it was just fine, I used 1/2 of all the ingredients, and for a change up used a can of peach pie filling instead of the regular filling. TO DIE FOR!!! The dough is the perfect soft, pillowy, yummy that I have been searching for! Thank you for this recipe! I can’t wait to try using the normal filling, and every other kind of filling! Divine!!
Sweet Basil
What?! I have never thought of adding peach pie filling. That is pure genius and I’m totally going to try it!
Chenier
Hi. How would you half this recipe? I wanna try it but I don’t want to many rolls leftover.
Sweet Basil
Hi! This recipe is a little tricky to half, but you certainly can do it. When it comes to the butter and oil just stick with the butter and skip the oil, or add half the butter to a measuring cup and then fill the other half with oil. We also like to either freeze the dough all rolled out and cut or the baked cinnamon rolls without the frosting so I don’t have to half the recipe and they freeze quite well.
Alexis
Hello!
Loved this recipe! I want to try doing them as orange rolls. Have you ever tried that? I’m trying to decide how I would do the filling for that. Just sugar and orange rind maybe? Would love to hear your thoughts on that!
Sweet Basil
Hi Alexis, we have an orange roll recipe we make but this would be a little different. You could fill with an orange marmalade or do a little zest in the filling which would be so nice!
Salma
how many hours or miniutes does it take to make these cinnamon roll?
Katie
Hi!! Best recipe I have tried so far!! I do have a few questions… 1) how thick are you cutting each roll?? 2) how big is your rectabgle?? It looks to be about 12 in length wise… I had issues with dough being too thin.. :(. Other than that, these were great! Tha k you so much!
Sweet Basil
Hi Katie, so glad you enjoyed them! Ours is probably more a 12×18″ sized rectangle though sometimes I go smaller. I also cut them both big and small. Sometimes we want big fluffy cinnamon rolls so I cut them thick and space them out more on the pan while other times we like a good 2″ cut and place them closer together. You kind of just have to play with it and see which you like better. I tend to prefer small and closer together in the pan because I like the sides to touch while baking so they stay soft. 🙂
Katie Buckley
Hi there, is it possible to make these in a bread maker or are they only suitable for a stand mixer? TIA. Katie (Australia)
Sweet Basil
Hi Katie, you can make them by hand but I don’t know that a bread maker would work. 🙁
morgan
Your instructions are awful!!!!! these do not make 18 rolls what the hell. learn how math works. 18cm cut into 1 1/2 does not = 24
it wont even let me rate this recipe 1 star
Sweet Basil
Hi Morgan, I’m not sure where those numbers are coming from but we don’t say anything about 18cm etc. It also does not say it will make 18 rolls… Sorry you’re having a rough go, but you’re always welcome to email us for help. Hope your day goes better. 🙂
blair
wow, you must be fun to be around. lol.
Sundae
Maybe you are new to baking so you don’t know that as far as yield goes, the numbers vary depending on how big or small YOU, as the baker and ruler of your kitchen, make them. I’m guessing that despite your tantrum and desire to give a 1-star rating, you and your family probably gobbled these up in no time. Because they are delicious.
Sweet Basil
So sweet of you and glad you enjoyed them. 😉
Lynda
New family FAVORITE – best cinnamon rolls EVER! Recipe was very clear and easy to follow -thanks for sharing!!
Sweet Basil
Lynda, Thank you so much!!! And thank you for taking the time to come back and comment. We are just thrilled you love them!
Lynda
Will be making these again for Christmas morning this year!
Sweet Basil
Yay!! I wish I was coming! Our younger daughter requested our liege waffles this year so I’ll be missing out. Thanks!
Carolyn
Seriously…best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever had. I brought them to work and they vanished SO fast! I had been looking for a great recipe…and will definitely make these over and over again! Thank you 🙂
Sweet Basil
Oh don’t you just feel so good when that happens?! Thank you so much for the sweet comment!
Rheinald
Hi. I made these rolls for the first time and they came absolutely PERFECT! I just couldn’t believe my eyes when they turned out the way it was shown here in the picture. Thanks for sharing it. We just ate the last piece today and we’re going to bake another batch tomorrow.
Sweet Basil
Oh I’m so, so glad! We are making them tomorrow and I just cannot wait!
Rheinald
Just a question though, can we substitute cocoa powder instead of cinnamon just to give it a choco variation?
Sweet Basil
The cocoa powder may need a little more sugar. I’ve been thinking of trying a chocolate version so I’ll have to experiment.
Ashley
Hi! I’m planning to make these soon but I have two questions. I read above that you said you roll the dough to be about 13×18″ and cut your rolls to be about 1.5-2.25″. How do you get 20-24 rolls doing this? Also, have you ever made these the night before? Is there a step at which you would suggest refrigerating them until morning? Thanks for your help!
Sweet Basil
I roll my rolls very tight and stretch the dough and generally end up with that amount, but you could make them bigger or smaller. I make them the night before often actually. I roll them out and place on a cookie sheet and cover well with saran wrap. Then in the morningn I pull them out, allow to come to room temp and then rise and bake!
Abigail
When you roll and cut, then put in the refrigerator overnight- generally how long does it take for them to come to room temp and rise? Trying to get an idea of when to pull them from the fridge!
Sweet Basil
about 2-3 hours depending on how warm your home is
connjohn
Are you sure you meant 5 Tablespoons and not 5 teaspoons of cinnamon? These turned out with excellent texture and “gooeyness” but they were a mix of bitterness from the cinnamon and overwhelming sweetness. You won’t have to worry about eating the whole pan of these because one will put you into a sugar coma.
ayomi
Thanks for sharing this. I would like to ask if i can eliminate the Soy Lecithin ?
Sweet Basil
Yes, you can skip that if needed
Jessica
Can you make the dough in a bread maker. If you can do you have to modify the recipe?
Faith
These came out AMAZING. I’m trying to work on my baking skills and I thought this would be the perfect recipe to learn how to actually make dough. I followed the recipe exactly, soy lecithin and all, and they came out simply PERFECT. Rich, soft, sweet and oh so yummy. Many diets were temporarily put on hold for my family to enjoy these bad boys hehe. 🙂 Thanks for this recipe!
Sweet Basil
Haha!! Diets can always be started again later, right? Thanks for the sweet comment!
Naomi Posthumus
I’m having a hard time tracking down liquid soy lecithin, is powder an option? If not where do you get yours from?
Sweet Basil
Hi Naomi, You can buy it at most organic stores or amazon.com
Barb
I go one step farther, and pour heavy cream on the bottom of the cookie sheet before I put the rolls on there. They soak up the creamy and make the rolls soft and sweet 🙂
Sweet Basil
Oh my goodness, I love that! Can’t wait to try it on the family!
Yamini
When you say dime size circle is it about 1 tsp of Soy Lecithin?
Thanks
Sweet Basil
About 1/2 teaspoon per circle. 🙂
Amanda
Hi 🙂 can you eat them the next day? How long do they keep?
Thanks 🙂
Sweet Basil
Absolutely! Just wrap them up with saran wrap or store in tupperware.
Lisa
Recipe looks lovely! My 6 yr old daughter wants Cinnamon rolls in lieu of cake for her bday on Wednesday! Can I make ahead and freeze before second rise; have you tried this before? I don’t have time midweek to make start to finish. TIA!!
Sweet Basil
Smart girl for sure! Our dough just just fine being rolled out and frozen then just bring to room temp, finish the final rise and bake!
Lisa Peterson
Thank you so much! They turned out beautifully!! I was going to post a pic. Who says cinnamon rolls can’t be cake?! ☺️
Sweet Basil
I’m so glad! I would take a cinnamon roll over cake any day!
Sean Lew
Hi my name is sean and i’m making it right now. Is the dough supposed to be really tough?
Sweet Basil
The dough should be very silky and soft.
Nikki
Hi from Vancouver!
I want to prepare this for my housewarming party, but the thing is I dont have a stand in mixer with a dough hook because tbh, I’m low on dough (pun intended). Would you suggest an alternative? I have a hand mixer but that’s it. please help! Thank you.
Sweet Basil
haha! I totally understand. A hand mixer can be a bit to underpowered for this dough, but it just depends on yours so I would give it a go. Stirring by hand always works too and I often do that because it’s how I learned to make them. And, Vancouver WA or BC? I’m from Vancouver, Washington!
Stefanie
Sooo I’m making these today, reading all the comments..and I’m from Vancouver, WA too! I never knew you were from here! ?
jia
the rolls are making me drool !
i have always been scared of making them but you have convinced me to give it a try.
some questions:
can the recipe be halved?
active dry yeast can be used?
i have a hand held mixer with a dough hook, would that work?
also can i make them a night before , cover with foil and then bake in the morning uncovered?
and can they be stored in the fridge and reheated ?
im sorry so many questions:/, would love your advice,
thank you in advance 🙂
Sweet Basil
Active dry yeast can definitely be used just give yourself some extra time for rising. You can certainly half the recipe. A handheld can be difficult so it just depends on how good it is. I’ve done it by hand which is a workout but it’s doable. Yes, we make them the night before alllll the time. Just let them sit on the counter a bit before baking.
They can be stored on the counter and reheated any time or in the fridge. 🙂 Good luck!
Rosalind Yarham
Just signed up for your website and feel I hit the jackpot!
Vanessa Garza
This recipe looks delicious, I’m going to try it out tomorrow but my question is can I use active dry yeast instead of instant? I heard there’s a difference but I’m not sure, thank you!
Sweet Basil
Hi Vanessa, Yes, you can use it equally however it needs more time to get bubbly and each rise needs 20 minutes to 1 hour extra time. I’d go with about an hour to be safe.
Nimi
Can the dough be refrigerated?
Sweet Basil
Yes, just give it time to rest on the counter before continuing the recipe.
Stacey Knowles
I tried this recipe last night and it was a complete success!!! My family loved it; my husband said they were good enough to sell. I wasn’t able to find the Soy lecithin, so I used honey as a substitute. But I will still look for it on Amazon, because if these came out so well without it, I’m anxious to see what the result would be with it. Thank you so much for posting this recipe.
Sweet Basil
YAY!!! I’m so glad! I feel like if a husband approves of baked goods you know they’re good! Thanks for the love!
Darlene Kiser
What exactly is Soy Lecithin? I do a lot of baking and never heard of it
Is there a substitute?
Elizabeth
It is similar to a dough enhancer. You don’t need it, but if a recipe calls for it, it usually is to make the dough the perfect consistency. You can add honey instead. I have also gone completely without, and it is fine.
Sweet Basil
Elizabeth answered correct. You can totally just skip it, but it really does help make a beautiful and soft roll.
Martin Cataldi-Rogers
For a Non GMO Version use https://clarksonsoy.com/organic-lecithins/
Vera Toves
made some and super great–family and friends loved it–now I’m told to make a each gathering. I just tell them “thanks to Sweet Basil”.
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much! I’m so happy you enjoyed them!!
Donna
What are the dimensions of the dough when it’s rolled out? And how many rolls do you usually cut? I’d like to make these but I want to do it right!
Sweet Basil
Donna,
It’s a little smaller than 13×18. It just depends on how big I want them. If I’m feeding a lot of people I may do 1 1/2″ or if I want big fat ones (which is generally the case)I do more like 2-2 1/4″
Anita
I made these rolls today but i had a problem…I rolled the dough 13×18 like you mentioned and your recipe said it makes 20/24 rolls… but in 18″ i can only get 18 rolls 1″ thick and if I use the entire filling recipe I end up with 2″ of filling….way too much I think. Maybe i did it wrong..how thick should the dough be? Thank you
Nabilla
I live in South Africa. The soy lecithin is it the oil that i need. Health stores here sell soy lecithin cold pressed oil and seeds.
Sweet Basil
Hi Nabilla,
You can always skip it if you need to. And South Africa! That’s so awesome! Is that where you grew up?
Kim MacFarlane
Perhaps I am missing something but I have read the recipe over several times. Where is the cup plus 2 teaspoons of sugar added in the recipe? I see that the 2 teaspoons goes in the yeast mixture but see no mention of incorporating the remaining cup of sugar in to the dough…only the sugar for the filling.
Jackie
I, too, can’t find where the additional sugar is added. Please clarify as I’d really like to try this recipe….looks great. Thanks!
Sweet Basil
Hi Jackie,
I made a separate paragraph so it’s easier to see now but it goes in with the salt. 🙂
linda smith
the white sugar is mixed with the brown sugar and the cinnamon.
linda smith
the white sugar is mixed with the brown sugar and cinnamon.
Kim MacFarlane
I don’t believe so as the filling ingredients only call for 1/2 sugar. Every section of the recipe appears to list ingredients by section…dough, filling and frosting.
pat
I would like to know about the sugar too. I do agree to it’s not the same that’s in the filling part.
Sweet Basil
Hi Kim,
I’ll be honest, I had to read it through a couple times and I kept missing it too, but it is there and I made it into a new paragraph so it will stand out now. 🙂 Thanks for calling my attention to that!
Donna Schlueter Weinzetl
Could you please add a photo of the rolls when they first come out of the oven, so we can see what you mean by “not brown”? And a photo of a plain roll fresh from the oven where you have taken a fork to open one up a bit, to give me a better idea of lightly baked and still soft, not crusty, vs under done and doughy?
Thank you!
Donna Schlueter Weinzetl
With no icing
Sweet Basil
Hi Donna,
The photo in the post of the batch of rolls, lightly golden is fresh from the oven. Unfortunately I don’t have time right now to make a new batch, photograph and edit photos of cutting into one, but I’ll try to remember to in the future. As long as you follow the baking times and they aren’t dark brown on top you should be good to go. All ovens are different so give yourself a couple tries to figure out exactly how long your oven needs to bake them perfectly. I hope you love them as much as we do!
Sarahsnana
Where can you get the soy lethicin?
Elizabeth
Most specialty food stores carry it, like Sprouts, Good Earth, Whole Foods, not typically found in a normal grocery store, but specialty stores tend to carry it. It is also great to use in any bread, roll, recipe.
Sweet Basil
Yes, we love it in our regular breads too!
Suzanne G.
Can I refrigerate rolls after step #5 and then pull out to bake in the morning? There’s nothing like a fresh baked roll in the morning!!!
Sweet Basil
Hi Suzanne,
As long as they are wrapped lightly so the dough doesn’t turn crispy in the fridge and you give yourself a good hour sitting on the counter in the morning I’m sure it would be fine. Just as long as they aren’t baked cold. 🙂
Suzanne G.
Great! I’ll report back!!!! Want to start Spring Break early tomorrow with a festive roll!!!
Sweet Basil
I love that idea!
Sanari
I had a hankering for cinnamon rolls this past weekend and was in search for a worthy recipe. It just happened that you posted this at the perfect time. I made them today! Regrettably, while the dough was riding, I realized that I completely forgot to add the soy lecithin. With my hopes for outstanding rolls mostly dashed, I carried on. But, do you know what, they were still very scrumptious. The baking time was right on (I also prefer a soft, “ungolden” texture),
This recipe is a winner and will be more so the next time as I will be sure not to forget the soy lecithin. Thank you!
Sweet Basil
I’m so thrilled!! Yes, those dark brown, crusty cinnamon rolls are not my thing at all.
Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen
These cinnamon rolls look perfect! Love how covered in glaze they are!
Sweet Basil
Thank you so much!
Debbie
Is the cornstarch add to the sugars to keep it from running all over the bottom of the pan when baking the rolls. In the past I have had that problem.
Sweet Basil
Hi Debbie,
Yes, it helps to thicken everything up!
Heather Giove
Can I substitute soy lecithin with something else and if so what would you suggest?
Sweet Basil
Hi Heather if you can’t find it anywhere you can always skip it. The rolls wont be as tender, but they will still be delicious. 🙂
Kayle (The Cooking Actress)
Omigoooodness these cinnamon rolls really do look perfect! Pinning!
Sweet Basil
Thanks girl!
Meg
Is the Soy Lecithin something easy to find in the grocery store? Never heard of it before, thanks 🙂
Sweet Basil
Hi Meg! All of our grocery stores here in Utah carry it, but organic stores nationwide should. Or you could always buy it on amazon or I’m sure that brand has a site. It’s so awesome to use in bread and pizza dough too so it’s totally worth it!
Natalie
What department would I look in to find Soy Lecithin? I’ve checked Wal-Mart and Smiths and didn’t find it.
Sweet Basil
Natalie, if you’re in Utah Macey’s sells it in the baking section or look at specialty stores like sprouts and whole foods.
Amanda
i went to both sprouts and whole foods in los angeles (quite a few) looking for soy lecithin and neither carry it. they carry the granules but not the liquid. seems like this is a tricky item to track down. called a few other local health stores and they don’t carry it either. they have sunflower lecithin, can i sub that instead? Thanks.
Sweet Basil
Oh shoot! How annoying! It must be Utah that loves to carry it everywhere. I haven’t used the sunflower lecithin so I can’t be sure of it’s results. If you need to you can try it or skip the lecithin and they will still be fantastic. 🙂
Susan
Wonderful, I have always wanted to make a sheet tray of cinnamon bun rolls. I don”t because I will eat them all, but I want to!