Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls
A Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls copycat recipe, originally adapted from Todd Wilbur’s “More Top Secret Recipes.” This is my fully tested version that’s become a reader favorite.
Servings: 12
Calories: 546kcal
Ingredients
Dough
- 2¼ teaspoon active dry yeast or instant yeast
- 1 cup milk lukewarm
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup butter unsalted, softened, or margarine
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
Filling
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 3 tablespoons cinnamon ground
- ⅓ cup butter unsalted, softened, or margarine
Cream cheese icing
- 6 tablespoons butter unsalted, softened, or margarine
- 1½ cups powdered sugar also known as icing sugar, or confectioner's sugar
- 8 ounces cream cheese (1 block) at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- For the rolls, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk with a teaspoon of sugar (you can take a teaspoon out of the ½ 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. Next, pour in the yeast mixture and mix well until well incorporated and the dough comes clean from the side of the bowl.
- 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.
- Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface, until it is approximately 16 inches long by 12 inches wide. It should be approximately ¼ inch in thickness. Spread the ⅓ 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 of the other edge tightly. It should look like a long log when you are done rolling.
- Cut the roll into 1½ 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°F.
- 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.
Video
Notes
- Yeast check is non-negotiable: If your yeast doesn’t foam in warm milk after 5–10 minutes, it’s dead. Don’t waste your ingredients, grab a fresh packet and try again.
- Room temp matters: Cold eggs and butter can slow your rise. Pull them out of the fridge early so the dough behaves.
- Flour can vary: Start with 4 cups, but depending on humidity and brand, you might need a touch more or less. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky, but not sticky.
- Don’t rush the rise: If your kitchen’s chilly, your dough might need more time. Be patient, it’s worth it. I've had days where it was ready in 45 minutes, other days 2 hours.
- Yes, this is the doubled icing: Because life’s too short for skimpy frosting. You can halve it if you must, but I wouldn’t.
- Freezes beautifully: Both unbaked and baked rolls freeze like a dream. Instructions for both are in the post above!
Nutrition
Serving: 1roll | Calories: 546kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 306mg | Potassium: 151mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 809IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 2mg
