A quick yeast-made Cinnamon roll recipe (with a “secret ingredient”). These soft, fluffy, cinnamon rolls are loaded with gooey cinnamon-y interiors and topped off with a simple cream cheese frosting. Less than an hour needed to rise! Recipe includes a how-to video at the bottom of the post!
We love enjoying these cinnamon rolls any time of the day, but they make an especially indulgent breakfast option. Just like my buttermilk pancakes, and sausage gravy, having my favorite cinnamon roll recipe on the Christmas morning breakfast table is non-negotiable.
Cinnamon Rolls
Whew, we made it through a whole week of candy recipes. I don’t know about you but I am exhausted. Hopefully by now you are ready for something a little different, and I’m pretty excited to be sharing this well-tested recipe for fluffy, perfect cinnamon rolls!
In the past, my most popular cinnamon roll recipe was a yeast-free version. While I still love that one for how simple and quick it is, I’ve been working on overcoming my long-running aversion to working with yeast. I started earlier this year with my easy pizza dough and then threw myself into developing a true, yeast-y cinnamon roll recipe.
Because yeast recipes are a newer territory for me, I had to make sure this recipe worked inside and outside of my kitchen. I had many, many fails (maybe you saw them on my Instagram stories), and when I finally landed on this recipe I was almost shocked by how incredibly perfect it was. The first bite was light and fluffy, the centers were just perfectly gooey, the taste was everything you could ever want in a cinnamon roll.
I then proceeded to test this recipe 5 more times just to be sure and even made my mom try it at home in her own kitchen. This cinnamon roll recipe is a winner.
The “Secret Ingredient” for Perfect Cinnamon Rolls
When you read through the recipe, you’ll notice that I use cornstarch. Cornstarch has been my “secret ingredient” in so many of my recipes (most popularly my chocolate chip cookies) that I can hardly call it a secret anymore. After dozens of recipe fails where I couldn’t manage to achieve the perfect fluffy texture I wanted in my cinnamon rolls, I decided to try adding it to my cinnamon rolls.
Bingo. Once I added the cornstarch, recipe development finally started to move in the right direction. The cornstarch gives these cinnamon rolls a softer texture, helping to give you a tender, light and fluffy roll.
Tips for Making Cinnamon Rolls – Flour & Judging by Feel
You’ll notice in the recipe that these cinnamon rolls call for a range of flour and there isn’t a specified amount of kneading time listed. This is because the specifics will vary in every kitchen, and the best way to know your dough is right is by watching and feeling it.
Your cinnamon roll dough should cling together and form a ball that pulls away from the sides of your mixer bowl. Most likely you’ll need to add more flour to achieve this, but you also don’t want to add too much or you’ll end up with dense and dry cinnamon rolls. I call for up to ⅓ cup in the recipe, but you may need even more, or even less! Add additional flour slowly until it’s clinging together but still slightly tacky to the touch. Watching my video is a good visual if you’ve never made cinnamon rolls before or have any questions about what your dough should look like.
You also don’t need to knead (haha) the dough for a certain amount of time. Some recipes call for 5 minutes of kneading or 10 minutes etc., but all mixers vary so, again, we are going by feel. Over-working this dough can make your cinnamon rolls tough, so once the correct texture is reached, your dough is good to go.
Can I make these Cinnamon Rolls in Advance?
Unfortunately, I found that the quality of the cinnamon rolls degraded after the dough sat for a night in my fridge. For best results, I recommend using the dough as soon as you make it (and it’s had time to rest properly, as per the instructions).
However, I have found that they keep their fluffy texture and soft interiors when stored after baking. I store mine in an airtight container at room temperature. Enjoy within 2 days of baking, and I definitely recommend reheating them before eating. Just popping one in the microwave for a few seconds is sufficient!
I am so excited to hear what you think of these cinnamon rolls once you try them for yourself! Please leave me a comment, tag me on Instagram, or share a pic in my free Facebook Baker’s Club!
Enjoy!
Other Breakfast Recipes You May Enjoy
How do You Make the Best Cinnamon Rolls?
1 Hour Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
CINNAMON ROLLS
- 1 ½ Tablespoons of butter melted (for greasing pie plate)
- 2 ¾ cups (345 g (+ additional as needed)) all-purpose flour plus additional flour as needed
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch (cornflour in UK) see note
- 2 ½ teaspoons rapid rise/instant yeast I use Hodgson mill fast rise yeast
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
- ¼ cup (60 ml) water
- 4 Tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter melted
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk lightly beaten, room temperature preferred
FILLING
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened (it needs to be soft enough to easily spread, so pop it in the microwave for a few seconds if it’s still firm at room temperature)
- ¼ cup heavy cream OPTIONAL INGREDIENT (see note)
ICING
- 2 oz (57 g) cream cheese softened
- 2 Tablespoons (28 g) unsalted or salted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (125 g) powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon milk or heavy cream
Recommended Equipment
- Stand Mixer (recommended, but this recipe can be made by hand)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°F (95C) and prepare a 9 ½” (24cm) pie plate by pouring 1 ½ Tablespoons of butter in your pie plate. Set aside.1 ½ Tablespoons of butter
- Combine flour, sugar, cornstarch, yeast, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or stir by hand with a wooden spoon in a large bowl) and stir until well combined.2 ¾ cups (345 g (+ additional as needed)) all-purpose flour, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, 2 ½ teaspoons rapid rise/instant yeast, 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- Combine milk and water and heat (in a saucepan over low heat or in a microwave-safe dish) until mixture reaches 115F (45C).½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, ¼ cup (60 ml) water
- Turn your stand mixer to low speed and slowly pour heated milk mixture into the bowl followed by the melted butter, stirring until just combined (or stir in by hand, dough will be stiff).4 Tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter
- Add lightly beaten eggs and increase speed to medium, continue to stir until completely combined (if needed, pause to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl so all flour is absorbed).1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk
- Switch your paddle attachment out for a dough hook and continue to stir on medium low speed (or continue to stir with wooden spoon). Gradually add additional flour as needed until dough clings to itself and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Continue to knead dough with dough hook for about 5 minutes longer on medium speed, until dough develops a soft, elastic texture (it will be slightly sticky/tacky to the touch still). If kneading by hand, transfer to a clean, lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes).
- Transfer dough to a lightly oiled, heatproof bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to rest in a warm place (I usually place mine on top of my preheating oven) for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare your filling.
Filling & Assembly
- Whisk together brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Once your dough has finished resting (it may not have risen very much, this is fine) transfer to a clean, lightly floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll out to a 15x9” (38x22cm) rectangle. Spread softened butter evenly over the dough and then sprinkle evenly with brown sugar mixture, leaving about ½” (1.25cm) of dough uncovered around the perimeter.¼ cup unsalted butter
- Starting with the long end, roll your cinnamon rolls into a tight roll. Cut into 9 slices (about 1 ¾” width per slice) and arrange into prepared pie plate.
- Cover with foil and place in your 200°F (95C) oven and turn off the oven. Allow dough to rise for 15 minutes.
- Once 15 minutes has passed, remove covered pie plate and place on top of your oven (or somewhere else warm). Preheat your oven to 350°F and leave rolls covered, allowing them to continue to rise while your oven preheats (at least 10-15 minutes).
- OPTIONAL STEP: Just before baking, evenly drizzle heavy cream over cinnamon rolls (and the spaces between them).
- Once oven is preheated, remove foil and bake rolls for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden brown on top and cooked through (you can use an instant read thermometer, test the thickest part of an outer cinnamon roll and it should reach 185-190F/87C.
- While your cinnamon rolls are baking, prepare your icing.
ICING
- Use an electric mixer to beat together softened cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract until creamy. Gradually add sugar until completely combined. Add milk or cream, and stir well until creamy and smooth.2 oz (57 g) cream cheese, 2 Tablespoons (28 g) unsalted or salted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup (125 g) powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon milk or heavy cream
- Once rolls have finished baking, allow them to cool for 10 minutes before covering evenly with frosting. Enjoy!
Notes
Flour
You may substitute bread flour for the all-purpose flour.Corn starch
I love the effect the corn starch has on the cinnamon rolls, making them extra fluffy. However, if you'd like you can omit this ingredient -- just replace it with an equal amount of flour.Heavy cream
This is an optional ingredient. Drizzling this over the cinnamon rolls before baking will make them richer and more gooey.Storing
Cover rolls tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. I recommend reheating in the microwave before enjoying, they are best warm!Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Del
Love this recipe the cinnamon rolls turned out amazing! I would like to make a batch of 12 cinnamon rolls, how would I adjust the measurements? TIA
Sam
Hmmm that’s a good question! You could increase all of the ingredients by 33% to get the extra 3 rolls.
Nancy
I’m looking forward to making these. Would adding raisins destroy the recipe? Thank you.
Sam
Hi Nancy! You can add some raisins if you’d like. I would sprinkle them over the dough before rolling it up. 🙂
Nancy Tully
I made them with raisins and they were absolutely delicious. Great recipe.
Debra Ulrich
Sam- when you make this recipe do you add the heavy cream?
Sam
Recently I have been, but it’s a newer addition to the recipe. It makes them gooier (and make sure you don’t concentrate too much on the center cinnamon roll or it will be a bit under-baked (not that I mind reserving that one for myself 😉). I feel like they stay softer longer this way too. You can’t go wrong either way, though! I just this week did a side-by-side comparison and they were both amazing!
Rhonda
Sam,
Hello. Happy New Year! Can you use the puff pastry dough with this cinnamon roll recipe? Or should I use this cinnamon roll recipe for better results. Trying to think out of the box
Sam
Hi Rhonda! I’m not sure how using puff pastry would work here. 🙁
Emma
An excellent recipe! Fluffy, airy and very tasty cinnamon rolls. I’ll be using this dough recipe for other things now 🙂
Geraldine
Hi, Sam.
I made this rolls for my little sister´s birthday and they were delicious. Everyone loved them!
Thank you. 😊
michelle M
your recipes are always so easy to follow and these were soo good. everything I ever could want from a cinnamon roll!
Kelsey
These are my family’s favorite cinnamon rolls! I’ve also made these for my husband’s coworkers, and they are gone within a few hours. Super easy to make and quick without the long rise time. There are dairy allergies in our daily, so I substitute with almond milk and margarine (and I use a different icing with no cream cheese) and they’ve always turned out just perfectly. These are a hit for every occasion and will be a staple in my recipe binder. Anytime I need a new recipe, I always check to see if Sam has made it first because her recipes are cool proof!
Karen
Incredibly light, fluffy and perfectly delicious! My husband said these are WAY better than Cinnabon. He couldn’t stop raving about how perfect they are. Thank you for another perfect recipe!
Sam
I am so happy to hear this, Karen! Thank you so much for trying my recipe, and for the feedback, I really appreciate it! 🙂
CLAUDIA DAVIS
Hey Grim (such an appropriate name). Maybe your yeast wasn’t ‘good’, the yeast was expired or you ‘killed’ the yeast with a ‘too hot’ butter mixture. lastly, and most importantly, instant yeast does not need proofing,
I know this can be shocking but it isn’t always the recipe creator’s fault when a recipe fails.
Grim
my yeast didn’t work. I think your recipe is at fault. the yeast should have been bloomed in the warm water for 10 minutes before adding it to the dry ingredients. your not my go-to anymore. I put a lot of time and work into it, followed your instructions to a T. You let me down.
Sam
Hi Grim! This recipe calls for instant yeast which does not need to be proofed in warm liquid before being used. If you used active dry yeast instead, you would have run into a problem and that’s why your yeast didn’t work. It is also possible the yeast was just bad. I hope that helps!
Grim
thanks Sam. Your right. I gives you 5 stars. after rising the rolls for about a hour in low heat oven, I baked them. they finally almost doubled in size. they were tasty. thanks again.
Georgene Girouard
If you plan on making more than just one batch, would you double the ingredients or would you make the batches separately?
Sam
Hi Georgene! You honestly could do either, there are pros and cons to both so I would do whichever you prefer. I’d probably do two separate batches personally because it just makes it easier for me dividing them later and gives more control over each batch, but if you have sufficient oven space and are comfortable with larger quantity of dough you can save time by making a double batch. I hope that helps!
Melissa
wow, are these delicious! I don’t even want to try other cinnamon roll recipes, these are so addicting, the filling is perfect & gooey & even the roll without the icing or cinnamon is sweet & soft. These are my cinnamon rolls forever. every holiday we need an easy breakfast. thank you!
Lisa
Absolutely amazing cinnamon rolls they are really easy to put together and so light and fluffy. My youngest informed me that I need to make them again next weekend.