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 for greasing pie plate
- 2 ¾ cups (345 + 45 g) all purpose flour plus additional ⅓ cup flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch cornflour in UK, shake the jar or box before scooping and leveling your cornstarch
- 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 unsalted butter cut into 8 pieces
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk lightly beaten, room temperature preferred
FILLING
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar tightly 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)
ICING
- 2 oz cream cheese softened
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted or salted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (125 g) powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon milk or heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°F and prepare a 9 ½” pie plate by melting 1 ½ Tablespoons of butter in your pie plate. Set aside.1 ½ Tablespoons of butter for greasing pie plate
- Combine flour, sugar, cornstarch, yeast, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and stir until well combined.2 ¾ cups (345 + 45 g) all purpose flour, ¼ cup sugar, 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, 2 ½ teaspoons rapid rise/instant yeast, 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- In a small saucepan* combine milk, water, and butter over low heat. Stir occasionally until butter is melted and mixture reaches between 110-115°F (if your mixture gets too hot, just remove it from the heat and allow it to cool back down to the indicated temperature range).½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, ¼ cup (60 ml) water, 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- Turn your stand mixer to low speed and slowly pour heated milk mixture into the bowl, stirring until just combined. Add your 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 if you have one and continue to stir on medium low speed. Gradually add up to ⅓ cup (45g) additional flour as needed until dough clings together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It should develop a soft, elastic texture and will be slightly sticky/tacky to the touch.
- Transfer your 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” rectangle. Spread softened ¼ cup butter evenly over the dough and then sprinkle evenly with brown sugar mixture, leaving about ½” 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 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. Preheat your oven to 350°F and leave rolls covered, allowing them to continue to rise while your oven preheats.
- Once oven is preheated, remove foil and bake rolls for 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden brown on top.
- 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 cream cheese, 2 Tablespoons 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
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.
Austin Jackson
I just made these and they was the best cinnamon rolls we have ever eaten! Delicious!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed them, Austin! 🙂
Kristen
I made these this morning for Mother’s Day and WOW! I usually hate baking with yeast but these were so easy and turned out perfect!! So light and fluffy and moist. And the frosting, so delicious! These will be a repeat for sure. Thank you for helping me make scratch cinnamon rolls for the first time in my life!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Kristen! 🙂
Jacqueline
Made these tonight and WOW! They were a huge hit for the whole fam. I LOVE your recipes <333 They always turn out perfect. Your hard work to get them just perfect is very appreciated!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Jacqueline! I am so glad that they were a hit and that you have enjoyed my recipes. Thank you for commenting. 🙂
Cali Ruck
Hi my dough isn’t tacky I think I added to much additional flour is there any way to quickly repair
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Cali! The dough should be slightly tacky. If too much flour was added it would be crumbly and dry. You SHOULD be ok. This recipe post includes a video that you can use as a reference and as a comparison. I hope that it helps. Keep me posted on how it turns out. 🙂
Lillian
Very good. I didn’t have fast rise yeast and no mixer, so it took a bit longer, but worth the wait. Light and fluffy. I doubled frosting recipe, because I like alot on mine. Overall, easy and delicious. Thank you for the recipe. Definitely will be making again!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you have enjoyed this recipe, Lillian! I am happy that you found it worth the effort, easy and delicious. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Kate
Hi Sam, followed your recipe and it was amazing! Simple and straightforward. Love it and thank you!
Sam
I’m so happy to hear this! Thank you for trying my recipe and letting me know how it turned out, I appreciate it 🙂
Ivonne
Very easy to make, only a few ingredients, mixed all by hand.. Came out very delicious!
Thank you..
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed them, Ivonne! Thank you for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Cynthia
Ok, these are AMAZING!!! I just made these using active yeast. It was my first time using active yeast and first time making cinnamon rolls. I’ll be sure to have instant rise yeast next time just to make them faster. I’m sticking to this recipe!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the cinnamon rolls, Cynthia! 🙂
Emily
I think the cinnamon rolls are delicious and my whole family liked 🙂 them but they took 3 hours to make 🙁
Sam
I’m glad you enjoyed them! Why did they take 3 hours?
Emily
I think it was because I doubled it and it took extra long, SORRY
Jen
Are these easy to double or triple batch?
Sam
They should double just fine. I haven’t tripled, but so long as you have a bowl that’s large enough I don’t think that would be a problem. Enjoy!
Cynthia
How would this work with active yeast? I don’t have instant rise yeast and it’s hard to find right now.
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Cynthia! Active Dry Yeast will work fine. Another user who used active dry yeast proofed the yeast in 1/4 cup warm water + 1 tsp sugar. I also have a cinnamon roll recipe that is just as good and does not require yeast at all that you could try instead. 🙂
Kim Baird
This is the most incredible cinnamon bun I have ever tasted let alone made! It is so moist and fluffy and my son and husband could not stop eating them. My son named the Demonic Cinnamon Buns! Haha! They only lasted the day and I can’t believe what a crazy good recipe this is. Love what you’re doing!!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Kim! I am so glad that you and your family loved them! Thank you for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
Tehani
Do I have to have a stand mixer to use this recipe?
Sugar Spun Run
You can use a hand mixer, it just might take longer to combine the ingredients than what is listed. I hope that you enjoy the cinnamon rolls, Tehani! 🙂
Yani
Hi..I’m a newbie. Can this be made by hand? I have no mixer.. thank you
Sam
Hi Yani! You can make it by hand, but it will be quite the arm workout. Good luck! 🙂
Marie-Ange
OMG, these cinnamon rolls are just awesome! So fluffly and tasty! I think you must be a magician, because, each time I try one of your recipes, it is just WOW and I just want to eat all by myself! Thank you Sam, you are the best!
Sugar Spun Run
What an amazing compliment to receive, Marie-Ange, THANK YOU! I appreciate your support and I am so glad that you have enjoyed my recipes. 🙂
Andi
I am pretty lame when it comes to working with yeast so when I say these are stupid easy to make, I mean it. I made a batch for Christmas morning and am about to make another. These are soft, fluffy, buttery and amazing.
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Andi! I am so glad that you enjoyed the cinnamon rolls. Good luck with your next batch! 🙂