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Cinnabons Cinnamon Rolls

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Last updated on May 13th, 2019 at 08:03 pm

Cinnabons Cinnamon Rolls – a cinnabon copycat recipe, about the closest you’ll get to the real thing. These truly are the best cinnamon rolls ever! Everyone raves about these rolls!

Cinnabons Cinnamon Roll on a plate with a fork

Cinnabons

Who doesn’t love the cinnabons at the malls? Just walking by their stores and smelling these cinnabons baking, drives me up the walls. It’s very hard to keep on walking and not stop and spend $5 on a cinnabon.

Not to worry my friends! I have found the precious cinnabon recipe. I came across this book, More Top Secret Recipes: More Fabulous Kitchen Clones of America’s Favorite Brand-Name Foods, and inside it I found the copycat recipe for cinnabons. This book is great, it has a lot of copycat recipes of popular food items and this recipe for cinnabons was one of them.

I have to admit I was a bit skeptical at first, but as I was making them they were looking like the real thing. I have to tell you, they are about as close to the real thing as you’re going to get.

Oh My Goodness!! These are the best homemade Cinnamon Buns

cinnamon brown sugar

Cinnamon Rolls

The cinnamon rolls are out of this world, and they cost a whole lot less. They’re huge, and they taste exactly the same. I felt like I hit the jackpot.

Although they’re not as big as the ones you buy because I wanted to make a dozen with this recipe, so I cut each roll so that’ it’s 1 1/2 inch in height whereas the original ones are 2 1/2 inches.

As these cinnabons were baking, the house smelled amazing, just like it does at the mall when you walk by the cinnabon store. I was so excited. And of course, you cannot have cinnabons without the yummy cream cheese icing.

Amazing recipe!! I’ve made it a couple of times at home, and the buns have been absolutely delicious every time!

photo collage of rolling out cinnamon rolls

Ingredients In Cinnabons

There are 3 parts to this recipe. The dough, the filling the that delicious cream cheese icing. Make sure to scroll down for the complete printable recipe. Here’s what you’ll need:

Dough:

  • Active dry yeast – You can use instant yeast if that’s what you have. If you use instant, you won’t need to bloom it first, but it’s a good idea to test if it’s still alive. If your yeast doesn’t foam up your yeast is dead and the bread won’t turn out.
  • Milk – make sure the milk is lukewarm. Lukewarm basically means the milk is between 98 and 105 degrees Fahrenheit (36.5 to 40.5 C). I used whole milk (3.25%) but you can use whatever is in your fridge.
  • Sugar – granulated sugar is fine, we just need a bit to sweeten the dough.
  • Butter – unsalted as always. Unsalted butter gives us control on how much sodium is in our food.
  • Salt – we always need to add a bit of salt to our baked goods, to bring out all the flavors. Salt basically makes everything taste better.
  • Eggs – Use large eggs for this recipe.
  • Flour – I used all-purpose flour for this.

Filling:

  • Brown sugar – I prefer to use dark brown sugar. Make sure it’s packed.
  • Cinnamon – the key ingredient in cinnamon rolls!
  • Butter – unsalted again. You’ll want to make sure this is softened. Margarine can be used as well.

Cream Cheese Icing:

  • Butter – unsalted butter is what you’ll want to use.
  • Powdered sugar – this is also known as icing sugar or confectioner’s sugar.
  • Cream cheese – at room temperature. I always use Philadelphia cream cheese.
  • Vanilla extract – just a bit to add a touch of vanilla in the icing.
  • Salt – a little bit is all you need to bring out all the flavors.

photo collage of cutting cinnamon roll and placing it in baking pan

How To Make Cinnamon Rolls

Bloom the yeast: Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk. You can add a tsp of sugar from the sugar needed for the dough to help activate the yeast. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until it has foamed up nicely. If your yeast doesn’t get foamy, don’t move forward. Buy a new jar and store it in the freezer so it lasts longer.

Make the dough: To the bowl of your mixer add the sugar, butter or margarine, salt, eggs, and flour and mix until well incorporated. Pour the milk/yeast mixture over the flour mixture and using the dough hook, mix well until well incorporated. Place the dough into an oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

Prepare filling: Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.

How To Roll Cinnamon Rolls

Assemble cinnamon rolls: Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface, until it is approximately 16 inches long by 12 inches wide. It should be approximately 1/4 inch in thickness. Spread the 1/3 cup of butter evenly over the dough, then sprinkle with the sugar evenly over the surface of the dough. Working carefully, from the long edge, roll the dough down to the bottom edge. Cut the dough into 1 1/2 inch slices, and place in a lightly greased baking pan. You can also use floss to cut into slices, as seen in the video. Place the cut rolls in buttered pan. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let them rise for another 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Bake the cinnamon rolls: Bake them in a preheated 350 F degree oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Make icing: While the rolls are baking make the icing by mixing all the icing ingredients and beat well with an electric mixer until fluffy and smooth. When the rolls are done, spread generously with icing.

cinnabon cinnamon rolls freshly baked in a baking pan

Tips For Making The Best Cinnabons

  • Make sure your yeast has not expired. The number 1 question I get from my readers is “Why didn’t my dough rise?”. The answer always lies with your yeast. Test the yeast first before wasting ingredients. Try and bloom it and if it doesn’t get foamy, your yeast is no good.
  • Don’t overheat your milk! Using milk that is too hot will kill your yeast and this will also prevent your dough from rising. Make sure your  milk is between 98 and 105 degrees Fahrenheit (36.5 to 40.5 C).
  • Use room temperature butter. This is for both the dough and the filling. To do this, take the butter out of the fridge a few hours before you plan to make the dough. Give it enough time to soften.

cinnabon with lots of icing on a white plate with a fork

Make Ahead Cinnamon Rolls

These cinnamon rolls are great because they could be made ahead. Prepare everything as stated in the recipe up until step 10 where you place the rolls in the baking pan. Simply cover them up tightly with plastic wrap and store them in the fridge overnight.

The rolls should continue to rise in the fridge but if by morning they have not doubled in size, turn your oven on to 200 F degrees until it warms up, then turn it off. Place the pan in the oven for about 30 to 45 minutes until the rolls double in size. Then you can bake them as instructed.

Can You Freeze Cinnamon Rolls

Absolutely! Prepare everything as stated in the recipe up until step 10 where you place the rolls in the baking pan. Wrap the pan in two layers of plastic wrap. Freeze for 8 hours up to 6 weeks. The night before you want to bake the rolls, thaw them out in the refrigerator, still wrapped. They will thaw overnight. Finish the rest of the steps to bake them.

Cinnabons Cinnamon Roll on a white plate with a fork

Craving More Cinnamon Roll Recipes? Try These

Cinnabons Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnabons Cinnamon Rolls – a cinnabon copycat recipe, about the closest you’ll get to the real thing. Super easy to make.
4.9 from 391 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cinnabon, cinnamon roll recipe, cinnamon rolls
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 493kcal
Author: Joanna Cismaru

Ingredients

Dough

  • 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast or instant yeast
  • 1 cup milk lukewarm
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup butter unsalted, softened, or margarine
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour

Filling

Cream cheese icing

  • 6 tbsp butter unsalted, softened, or margarine
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar also known as icing sugar, or confectioner's sugar
  • 1/4 cup cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp salt
US Customary - Metric
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Instructions

  • For the rolls, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk with a tsp of sugar (you can take a tsp out of the 1/2 cup of sugar) in a large bowl. Let it sit for about 5 minutes. If the yeast is good, it will start to froth up.
  • To the bowl of your mixer add the sugar, butter or margarine, salt, eggs, and flour and mix until well incorporated.
  • Pour the milk/yeast mixture over the flour mixture and using the dough hook, mix well until well incorporated.
  • Place the dough into an oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
  • Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
  • Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
  • Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface, until it is approximately 16 inches long by 12 inches wide. It should be approximately 1/4 inch in thickness.
  • Spread the 1/3 cup of butter evenly over the dough, then sprinkle with the sugar evenly over the surface of the dough.
  • Working carefully, from the long edge, roll the dough down to the bottom edge.
  • Cut the dough into 1 1/2 inch slices, and place in a lightly greased baking pan. You can also use floss to cut into slices, as seen in the video. Place the cut rolls in the prepared pan. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let them rise for another 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
  • Place the baking pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cooking time can vary greatly!
  • While the rolls are baking make the icing by mixing all the icing ingredients and beat well with an electric mixer until fluffy and smooth.
  • When the rolls are done, spread generously with icing.

Watch How To Make It

Notes

Prep time does not include time to let the dough rise.
Always check the expiration date on your yeast and make sure it hasn't expired. All your yeast products whether it’s in a jar or a package should be stamped with a “Best if Used by” date. Always make sure you check this date, even when you purchase the yeast, who knows it could have been on the shelf past its expiry date.
To keep your yeast fresh and longer lasting, unopened yeast packages or jars should be stored in a cool or dry place such as your cupboard. However, you can also store your yeast in the fridge or freezer. If you do store it in the freezer and need to use yeast for your baking, make sure you take out the amount you need and let it sit at room temperature for at least half hour before using.
Once your yeast package or jar has been opened, you must refrigerate the yeast or freeze it in an airtight container.
One thing to remember about your yeast, is that it is a living organism and over time it will lose activity, even if you’ve never opened the jar or package. So if you don’t bake often, buy the smaller yeast packages rather than a big jar of yeast.
Make sure your milk is not too hot or it could kill the yeast which will cause your dough not to rise at all. The ideal temperature for the milk should be between 105 F degrees and 110 F for proofing. While 95 F degrees is the best temperature for yeast to multiply, that's not warm enough for proofing active dry yeast.
If after dissolving the yeast in the warm milk, the yeast didn't start to froth up, do not continue with the rolls, your dough will not rise.
TIP: To speed up the dough rising process, heat your oven to 200 F degrees. Turn off the oven and place your dough as specified in step 4 in the oven with the door closed. This will ensure a warm environment for your dough and the dough will rise fairly quickly, assuming the yeast was good.
You could prepare this the day before up until step 10. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge overnight. The rolls should continue to rise in the fridge but if by morning they have not doubled in size, turn your oven on to 200 F degrees until it warms up, then turn it off. Place the pan in the oven for about 30 to 45 minutes until the rolls double in size. Then you can bake them as instructed.
To freeze unbaked rolls, complete everything up to and including step 10, then wrap the pan in two layers of plastic wrap. Freeze for 8 hours up to 6 weeks. The night before you want to bake the rolls, thaw them out in the refrigerator, still wrapped. They will thaw overnight. Finish the rest of the steps to bake them. 
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition

Serving: 1roll | Calories: 493kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 269mg | Potassium: 133mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 12% | Vitamin C: 0.1% | Calcium: 8% | Iron: 13.2%
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Have you tried my NO KNEAD 1 HOUR CINNAMON ROLLS recipe? You can find it on my other blog Craving Home Cooked and watch the video below:

How to Make No Knead 1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls:

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Comments

  1. Barb Motsinger says

    May 12, 2019 at 3:04 pm

    It is all in the filling. When they are baked, and still hot then opened the filling should flow from the crevices. I Ha never had them with ‘gobs of icing on top. They have always beeen served with individual cups of warm iicing that you can dip your bun pieces into – as little or as much as you desire. Too much sugar is overkill.

    Reply

  2. Sara says

    May 11, 2019 at 6:40 am

    I’m not known for baking success but these cinnamon rolls changed everything! The family was in awe. These cinnamon rolls were amazing. Making them again for mothers day weekend. Thank you for sharing this great recipe!

    Reply

  3. Marissa says

    May 7, 2019 at 10:53 am

    Can i use buttermilk instead of regular milk in the dough? Do you think that would make these better or worse? I have some extra buttermilk laying around that I want to use but I want these cinnamon rolls to turn out perfect and sweet!

    Reply

    • Nicole Beaulieu says

      May 8, 2019 at 2:34 pm

      Buttermilk will give your rolls a tangier flavor! The big note here is that you can’t bloom yeast in buttermilk. You can use 1/2 cup buttermilk and 1/2 cup lukewarm water or regular milk to bloom the yeast in the first step.

      Reply

  4. Kate says

    May 4, 2019 at 6:42 pm

    This is hands down my go to recipe for cinnamon rolls!! They turn out perfect everytime! Thank you so much for sharing. They never last longer than a night!! 🙂

    Reply

  5. Jeff says

    April 27, 2019 at 8:00 pm

    These are great. I make the dough on the dough setting on my Black and Decker bread maker (adding liquid at bottom and dry on top) and run it. I have a timer,so having the dough ready when I wake up is great. Suggest not leaving brown sugar out on the countertop the night before as it dries up and hardens (silly me). Love this recipe, and so do my friends and church.

    Reply

  6. Gitu says

    April 23, 2019 at 7:13 am

    These are the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever had. I halved the recipe and it’s amazing. I’ve been craving Cinnabon’s and the one in London closed down so I’m thrilled to have found this recipe! Thank you!

    Reply

  9. C says

    April 15, 2019 at 7:23 am

    Ok, some backstory… 1) I’ve never baked with yeast (to be honest, I’m not the best baker). 2) I use a toaster oven (just decrease the heat by about 10° C). 3) I used almond milk and plant based butter for the batter, coconut oil to spread before the sugar and lactose free cream cheese for the frosting. 4) I halved the recipe. And lastly, I don’t own a stand mixer. I attempted to use my blender, but … that was a fail😆. I scooped it out and used my hand (for all of 3 minutes. I’d given up by that point). Anyways, I continued, and it came out AMAZINGLY. I’m actually still in shock as I’m typing this. It was light and fluffy. Perfect sweetness. I can go on and on. My confidence as a baker has increased solely because of this recipe. Try it! I can’t wait to make again

    Reply

    • Nicole Beaulieu says

      April 15, 2019 at 9:53 am

      That’s so amazing to! We’re glad you’re entering the baking world with so much confidence 🙂 Kneading by hand is definitely the best alternative to a stand mixer, plus it’ll give you a little workout 😉 Enjoy!

      Reply

  10. Hannah Corona says

    April 11, 2019 at 1:06 pm

    I’ve made these three times so far and they only get better and better! Thank you so much for sharing! I have a question – can I double the recipe to make two batches or would I need to make two separate batches?

    Reply

  11. Erin says

    April 10, 2019 at 10:32 am

    I bought the ingredients to make these tomorrow. I don’t have a standup mixer. Will it work if I kneed the dough?

    Reply

  12. Jade says

    April 10, 2019 at 3:08 am

    Amazing recipe!! I’ve made it a couple of times at home, and the buns have been absolutely delicious every time!

    I do have a question, though, that I hope you can help with – I find that the dough ends up being really sticky, and so it’s really hard to lift off the surface (even though it is floured). Do you have any tips on how to help this? I’m quite new to baking, so don’t want to add too much flour and ruin the perfect recipe!

    Thank you so much! 🙂

    Reply

  13. Julie says

    April 9, 2019 at 10:24 am

    I just made these and it was my first time making homemade cinnamon rolls. My god were they good. I rarely leave recipe ratings but I had to say something. Thanks for this!

    Reply

  14. Jessica Lewis says

    April 8, 2019 at 3:13 am

    Turned out absolutely perfect! Letting the dough rise twice in the oven (not hot but light on) helped them get nice and big. The dough is super easy to work with (i kneaded by hand) and it rolled super easily. I probably didn’t roll the dough enough as I still had leftover butter and sugar to put on it, but better more than not having enough! They baked to perfection in the oven and got absolutely HUGE! they taste beautiful especially when warm. I highly recommend!

    Reply

  15. Mary Ann says

    April 7, 2019 at 11:56 am

    I have been making cinnamon rolls for years and have not had a trouble with the dough rising until lately. I do what the recipe says , I use the instant yeast, but they don’t rise, they still taste good but I like the high rise buns. Do you know what my problem might be.

    Reply

      • Stephanie says

        April 6, 2019 at 7:48 pm

        One small suggestion I forgot to mention… In your website publishing tools, is it possible to change the total time? I should know better, but I was in a rush and thought the 40 minute total time was seriously the total time it took to make these. I work with yeast all the time, so I should have realized right away that the 40 minute total time didn’t include rising, but I didn’t stop to realize that.

        I think it would be helpful to all, and especially to those who don’t work with yeast often, to include the rising in the total time calculation. 🙂

        Other than that, these were so good I’m making them again tomorrow to take to church for our snack time.

      • Nicole Beaulieu says

        April 8, 2019 at 10:12 am

        The recipe maker plugin automatically separates these times, so we can’t change that unfortunately! We’ve written lots of info in the post and in the recipe card so for anyone who is new to yeast bread making I would definitely suggest giving the post a read-through before heading into the kitchen 🙂

  17. Fiz says

    April 4, 2019 at 10:00 pm

    Hello! What if I don’t feel comfortable rolling this out on my counter? What other alternatives are there? Can I just make a shorter thicker log on a cutting board?

    Reply

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