Copycat Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

Looking for the perfect cinnamon roll recipe? These gooey rolls are incredibly simple and perfect for beginners, needing only a short 15-minute first rise. Each roll has a delicious cinnamon swirl and fluffy Cinnabon-style frosting. They can be made overnight or frozen, making them ideal for holidays or special breakfasts. Try them once, and you’ll never go back to any other recipe!

One Reader Said: “Literally is the best cinnamon roll recipe EVER. I have been using your recipe for the last few years now, and it never fails to turn out perfectly. It is definitely a staple in our household. I always mix the cinnamon, brown sugar and butter together for the filling, to me it is easier and I like that the sugar mixture doesn’t move as much when you mix it with the butter. If you are like me, and reading the reviews before trying a recipe, you can stop reading and go make the recipe. You won’t be disappointed!!” – Erin

You will love this Giant Fluffy Cinnamon Roll Recipe!

My grandma, an amazing baker, taught me how to make these yummy rolls when I was a girl, and I’ve been making them ever since. Her original recipe was for overnight cinnamon rolls, but I’ve tweaked it so you can make them the morning of as well.

When my now-husband proposed, I was more worried about not bringing these cinnamon rolls than the engagement itself – not really, but almost! Baking them reminds me of family, love, and cherished memories. This recipe has been tried, tested, and loved by thousands—saved over 18,000 times for a reason!

You can trust this recipe to be foolproof, whether you make them ahead, start them the night before, or whip them up in the morning. These rolls appear on special occasions like Christmas morning, Easter, or whenever I want to spoil my family. They’re really easy—just follow my step-by-step instructions! Trust in a recipe that’s been cherished and perfected over the years.

I enjoy giving precise details in my recipe posts to lead my readers through any questions. If you’re just here for the printable recipe, use the Jump to Recipe to head straight there!

Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls ingredients

• WHOLE MILK | You can use other percentages, but I love whole milk.
• BUTTER | no substitutions here, the real deal.
• SUGAR | I use all-natural cane sugar in almost all of my baking
• BREAD FLOUR | In a pinch, you can make with all-purpose flour, but bread flour will yield the most chewy, tender homemade cinnamon buns.
• YEAST | Doesn’t matter if it’s fast acting or regular, package or jarred!
• EGGS | If you need to quickly bring them to room temperature, submerge them in warm (not hot) water for 5-8 minutes.
• Cinnamon Bun Filling: Brown sugar, Cinnamon, Butter — all the good stuff.
• Cinnabon Frosting: Butter, Cream Cheese, Powdered Sugar, Vanilla extract, pinch of salt and a little milk if needed.

Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.

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How to make the frosting for Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

Step 1 | Heat Milk Base

Place the milk, room-temperature butter, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan and heat on very low, stirring occasionally.

Heating to 120° F (49°C), careful it gets hot really fast, your butter might not be fully melted, that’s okay. If you get it too hot (greater than 130°F/54°C), just give it a couple minutes to cool down, you don’t want to scald your yeast.

Step 2 | Make Dough

While your milk, sugar, butter mixture is heating, measure out 2 cups of the flour into the bowl of your mixer, add the yeast and mix gently.

Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the flour and yeast mixture, mixing on low. Add room-temperature eggs*  to the flour and milk mixture and the rest of your flour.

Once your dough is mixed thoroughly, replace your paddle attachment with the “J” hook and let it knead the dough for you, about 5-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Don’t have a kneading hook? Place the dough on a floured surface and get your upper body workout in for the morning, kneading the dough for the same amount of time, tossing in a little more flour if it gets too sticky.

Step 3 | Rest Dough

Grease a bowl with a teaspoon of oil, using a paper towel spread oil around bowl, plop dough in and turn over covering dough with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot for about 15 minutes to rest.

Step 4 | Make Filling

Meanwhile in a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon with a fork and set aside.

Once the dough has rested for about 15 minutes, place on a floured surface and roll out into roughly an 18 x 21 inch rectangle.

Next spread the ½ cup softened butter, evenly onto the dough, I like using an offset spatula.

Spread cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the top of the butter within about ½ inch of the edges.

Starting with the long edge, roll tightly into a log.

Using a little water, rub along the edge of the dough and pinch edges together to get a good seal.

• Slice into 10-16 even rolls, if you want to get all perfectionistic you can measure your log.
• I usually eyeball it and adjust if needed.

Place in greased (buttered or non-stick spray) 9×13 pan or line with parchment paper, with space between each roll.

Cover with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and return to that warm place to rise until nearly doubled, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400° (375 if using a dark or glass pan), remove rolls before preheating. They have now doubled in size!

Bake for about 12-15 minutes. Don’t overbake; if anything, underbake slightly until risen and slightly golden.

How to make Cinnabon Frosting

1. In a large mixing bowl whip together butter, cream cheese until smooth, add powdered sugar, vanilla and pinch of sea salt; beating until smooth and fluffy, if needed add a teaspoon or so of milk or cream.
2. Smother over the tops of warm rolls, serve immediately. Or spread on rolls individually.

Tips for Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

• Fresh Yeast! To check if your yeast is still good, dissolve a little in warm water with a pinch of sugar. If it bubbles up after a few minutes, it’s ready to use.
• Scoop and level your flour. Bread flour works best because it has more protein, making the rolls softer. But if you prefer, you can still use all-purpose flour. Just make sure to scoop and level it to get the right amount.
• Ovens vary. Check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer to make sure it’s accurate. And be patient—baking times can vary slightly, so keep an eye on your rolls.
• Kitchen temperature matters. If your kitchen is too cold, your dough might take longer to rise. If it’s too warm, it could rise too quickly. Try to keep your kitchen at a consistent, comfortable temperature for the best results.
• Don’t rush the rising process. Let your dough rise until it’s doubled in size. This can take longer on colder days, but the wait is worth it for soft, fluffy rolls.
• Watch Ingredient Temps: If you overheat your butter, sugar, milk mixture, cool it off to 120-130° F.
• Use room temperature eggs. Your dough will mix more smoothly with room temperature eggs. If you forget to take them out in advance, simply submerge them in warm (not hot) water for 5-7 minutes.
• Roll the dough evenly. When rolling out your dough, try to keep it an even thickness throughout. This helps ensure all your rolls bake evenly.
• Don’t skimp on the filling. Be generous with your cinnamon-sugar filling. It’s what makes each bite deliciously gooey and flavorful.
• Cut the rolls evenly. Use a sharp knife or dental floss to cut your rolls. This keeps them from squishing and ensures they bake evenly.
• Properly space your rolls. When placing your rolls in the baking pan, leave a little space between each one. They’ll expand as they bake and fill in the gaps.

Cinnamon Bun Recipe FAQs

These super easy, light, and fluffy yeast rolls are also great for Easter! Give them a whirl!

Looking for more great breakfast treats?

Breakfast is champion in our house, especially during the holidays or on a lazy weekend. Check out all of our breakfast recipes, below are a few of our favorites.

• Crock Pot Cinnamon Roll Casserole (so gooey and a great, quick alternative to regular cinnamon rolls.
• Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake – Easy and so good! Starts with a cake mix!
• Cinnamon Crunch Scones or try these Cinnamon Chip Scones, drool!
• Overnight Cinnamon French Toast
• Chocolate Croissant French Toast
• Copycat Panera Pumpkin Muffin Recipe or these Orange Scones (super popular!)

I hope you loved this incredible recipe for Gooey Cinnamon Rolls, it will become your favorite too!

Recipe Card

Easy Homemade Cinnamon Rolls (Cinnabon Copycat)

4.91 from 40 readers

Author: Kathleen Pope

Prep Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 -16 rolls

Print Pin SaveSaved!

Looking for the best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Recipe? These gooey rolls are incredibly simple and perfect for beginners, needing only a short 15-minute first rise. This copycat Cinnabon recipe can be made overnight or frozen, making them ideal for holidays or special breakfasts. Try them once, and you’ll never go back to any other recipe!

Video

Equipment

• ▢
  USA Pan Bakeware Rectangular Cake Pan, 9 x 13 inch, Nonstick
• ▢
  OXO Good Grips Offset Icing Spatula
• ▢
  Parchment Paper Baking Sheets by Baker’s Signature | 12×16

Ingredients 

US Customary – Metric

DOUGH

• ▢ 1 cup milk whole is best
• ▢ ⅓ cup butter room temperature (don’t substitute)
• ▢ ½ cup all-natural cane sugar or white sugar
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 4 ¼ cups bread flour plus extra for rolling (may use AP Flour if necessary)
• ▢ 2 ¼ teaspoons Instant dry yeast or one package, see notes about Instant vs. Active dry yeast.
• ▢ 2 large eggs room temperature*

FILLING

• ▢ 1 cup brown sugar packed, or combination of granulated and brown sugar
• ▢ 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• ▢ ½ cup butter softened (don’t substitute)

FROSTING

• ▢ ½ cup butter softened
• ▢ 8 oz cream cheese regular or neufatchel is fine (room temperature)
• ▢ 2-3 cups powdered sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ▢ pinch of salt
• ▢ 1-2 teaspoons of milk or cream if needed optional

Instructions

MAKING THE CINNAMON ROLLS

• Remove butter, eggs and cream cheese from fridge, allow to come to room temp for recipe.
• Combine milk, butter, sugar and salt in small saucepan and on low, bring to about 120°. Careful it can go from warm to hot fast. If too hot (greater than 130 degrees), let sit until cools slightly. Butter may not be completely melted, that's okay.
• While milk is warming, place 2 cups of bread flour and yeast into bowl of mixer and gently mix to combine.
• Slowly pour in milk, butter, sugar mixture into flour and yeast mixture, mixing on low.
• Add room temperature eggs and the remaining 2 ¼ cups of flour, mixing well to combine.

  *Forget to take your eggs out, place in bowl of warm (not hot) water for 5-7 minutes)
• After mixing the eggs and all flour in well, replace paddle attachment with J hook for kneading, knead for 5-10 minutes on a low setting, until dough is smooth and elastic. If the dough is too sticky (sticking to the sides of the bowl) after a few minutes, then add a tablespoon more of flour at a time, util it's tacky, but not sticky. The dough should be soft and smooth.
• Don't have a kneading attachment, turn dough onto floured surface and knead for same amount of time.
• Put a teaspoon of oil into a medium bowl and using a paper towel spread it all over the bowl. Plop your dough into bowl and turn to "grease" top and bottom, seal with plastic wrap and set in warm place for 15 minutes to rest (about 30-45 minutes if using active dry yeast). I set my oven on the proof setting at about 75° F. If there is no proof setting, turn your oven on to 100, let it preheat, then TURN OFF, then place the dough inside for first resting.
• Meanwhile, mix together packed brown sugar and cinnamon well in a small bowl, set aside. Or if desired, mix together very soft butter, sugar and cinnamon until it makes a spreadable paste. Sometimes I microwave for 20 seconds to make it easier to spread.
• Once dough has rested, turn onto floured surface and roll out into 18×21 inch rectangle, roughly. Spread with ½ cup softened butter. Spread brown sugar and cinnamon mixture evenly, spreading to within ½ inch of the edges. Or if you combined cinnamon, sugar and butter, spread evenly over the dough.
• Roll, from long side tightly and pinch edges to seal, using a little water on seams if needed. Cut into 10-16 evenly sized rolls and place in greased or parchment lined 9×13 pan. Cover with clean, damp tea towel (or plastic wrap) and allow to rise in warm place for about 45 minutes, until almost double.
• Preheat oven to 400°, 375 if using a dark or glass pan. Bake rolls about 12-15 minutes until slightly golden. While baking or during rising time, make frosting.

FROSTING

• Place butter, cream cheese in mixing bowl, blend until smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar beating on low until incorporated, add vanilla and salt, blend until smooth. If needed add a teaspoon of milk or cream if too thick. Amount of powdered sugar depends on taste.
• Smother warm rolls with frosting and allow to sit for a few minutes before serving.

Last step! Leave a RatingRate this recipe here. This helps other readers and helps support this website.

Notes

Instant yeast vs Active Dry Yeast: I used Instant dry yeast, but you can use Active dry yeast too 1:1. If using Active yeast, allow it to rise a bit longer on the first rise, around 30-40 minutes total. 

TIP: Forgot to take your butter out, try putting it in microwave for 8-10 seconds to soften. 

Need a warm place for the dough to rise? Preheat your oven on lowest temp and turn off before placing rolls in to rise, or if you have a proof setting on your oven use that. Be sure to remove your rolls before preheating your oven.

OVERNIGHT INSTRUCTIONS

Make the recipe up to the second rise after slicing the rolls. Place a piece of plastic wrap over pan tightly, place in fridge overnight until morning. When ready to bake, while the oven is preheating, remove rolls from the fridge for 30-60 minutes, allowing them to come to room temp and double in size. Bake as directed.

Freezing Rolls

Sometimes I don’t make up the entire pan. Place unused cinnamon rolls (dough) onto a parchment lined sheet and flash freeze for 1-2 hours. Remove and place in tightly sealed container or baggie, squeezing out as much air as possible.

When ready to bake, remove from freezer, placing in pan overnight (or at least 8 hours) in fridge, covered with sprayed plastic wrap. Remove from fridge and allow to sit at room temperature while preheating the oven. Remove plastic wrap and bake as directed. 

OR place in pan of frozen rolls in warm place (70-80° F) and allow to thaw and rise until doubled on counter, will take 6-8 hours. Bake as directed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1roll | Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 215mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 32g

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