The Best Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

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These Cinnamon Rolls are the ultimate Cinnabon clone. Chewy, soft, and completely homemade. Throw out your old recipes because you’ll never need another Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll recipe again! These rolls are soft, buttery, and topped with a luscious Cinnamon Roll Icing that will have everyone literally drooling. Can you believe I wrote this recipe way back in 2013 and it’s still one of my most popular recipes?

Ingredient Notes + Variations

This recipe uses pantry staples plus a few secret weapons to get that soft texture and gooey center. Here’s what makes these cinnamon rolls special:

• Active Dry Yeast – Gives the dough a good rise. I like using Red Star Platinum yeast for consistent results.
• Buttermilk – Adds flavor and tenderness. Room temperature is best.
• Canola or Vegetable Oil – Keeps the dough soft and easy to work with.
• Brown Sugar – Creates that gooey filling we all love.
• Cornstarch – Helps thicken the filling so it doesn’t all leak out.
• Cream Cheese – The key to that rich, tangy frosting.
• Vanilla Extract & Lemon Juice – Brighten the frosting and balance the sweetness.

A Note About Enriched Dough

This Cinnamon Roll Recipe uses a highly enriched dough. What is enriched dough? Basically a bread dough that is made with more than just the basic water, yeast, salt and flour. The additions of butter, buttermilk, sugar and eggs make this an enriched dough. Why is that important to know? Enriched doughs inhibit yeast growth which means this dough will take longer to rise than a typical bread dough. It will grow! It will just take longer. I recommend either using rapid rise yeast or doubling your active dry yeast to get things going.

How to Make Cinnamon Rolls

The biggest thing you need to remember when making homemade Cinnamon Rolls is to have patience. Nothing about this recipe is hard per se, but there are a lot of steps. Keep with it! You can absolutely follow this recipe and end up with a pan of Cinnamon Rolls just as beautiful as mine! For full recipe details, including ingredients and measurements needed, see the printable recipe card down below.

Step 1. Proof the Yeast

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, pour in water, yeast and 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar. Stir and proof 5 minutes. 

Step 2. Make the Dough

Once the mixture looks bubbly and frothy, pour in remaining sugar. Stir on low for 15-20 seconds. In a small bowl, measure buttermilk, oil, and egg. Whisk ingredients together until egg is incorporated to other two ingredients. Pour contents into the water and yeast mixture. Stir another 20 seconds in the mixer. 

Pour 2 cups of flour and salt into mixer and stir on low until incorporated. Sprinkle flour in by 1/4 cup increments until dough cleans the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Pro Tip: You may not use the entire amount of flour to get to this stage. THAT’S OK! When the dough is tacky but not sticky enough to stick to your hands when touched, it’s perfect. Once it has reached this stage, knead for 5 minutes. 

Step 3. First Rise

Remove dough from bowl, grease and replace back into same mixing bowl {since it’s practically clean anyways.} Cover with plastic wrap and a dish towel. Rise 1-2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size. It is a very enriched dough, so it might take longer for it to rise. That is fine and normal!

Step 4. Make the Filling

In a medium-size bowl, stir brown sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch together until combined. Set aside. 

Step 5. Roll out Dough

Punch down dough. Flour a large clean table liberally with flour. Lightly flour dough as well. Roll dough out to be a 20×30 large rectangle {or as close to that as possible} while moving dough around to ensure it’s not sticking to your work surface. If it’s a little short or uneven, feel free to cut off the edges to even it all out.

Step 6. Fill + Roll

Spread softened butter over dough, being sure to go right to the edges leaving a 1-inch strip untouched on one of the longer sides of dough. Dump brown sugar mixture onto the middle of the dough and spread with your hands, creating an even layer over top of the butter, still leaving that 1-inch strip of dough untouched. If you have any filling that falls off the sides of the dough, use a bench scraper to replace. Lightly press the sugar mixture into the butter using a rolling pin.

Roll the dough up into a tight log, finishing with the plain dough on the bottom to seal the entire thing together. Cut off the uneven ends to even out the log.

Score log every 2 inches and then slice your rolls using those marks. Place onto parchment paper lined, butter greased pans. 12 fit into a 9×13, 3 remaining fit into a loaf pan, or 8×8 with the small ends. Cover pans with plastic wrap and dish towels. 

Step 7. Second Rise

Let rolls rise another 1-2 hours or until they are touching and have risen almost double. If you are not using quick rise yeast, have added too much flour or are working in a chilly kitchen, it may take 3-4 hours for your rolls to rise. My rolls always spread out more than up, so just be aware that they will most likely spread out more than up.

Step 8. Bake

Bake in a preheated oven at 350° F for 17-20 minutes, or until tops start to turn golden brown. Watch them carefully!!

Step 9. Make Cream Cheese Icing

While the rolls are baking, whip cream cheese and butter together. Stir in vanilla, corn syrup and lemon juice. Scrape sides and mix again. Pour in powdered sugar and stir slowly until it starts to incorporate. Then mix on high for 5 minutes or until frosting starts to lighten in color. Scrape sides and mix again briefly. 

Pro tip: If you want your frosting to look more like Cinnabon, whip it 5-7 minutes or until it lightens in color.

Step 10. Frost Cinnamon Rolls

Once rolls have been removed from the oven, frost using half the amount made. Then after they have cooled a few more minutes, frost again with remaining frosting. The first frosting will melt down into the rolls and the second layer should stay put. Serve warm.

Recipe Tips for Success

• Use room-temperature buttermilk and egg for a smoother dough.
• If your kitchen is cold, place the bowl in your oven with just the light on to speed up rising.
• Don’t add too much flour… slightly tacky dough bakes softer.
• Roll tightly so the filling stays inside.

What to Serve with Cinnamon Rolls

• Breakfast Casserole – A hearty make-ahead option for a bigger brunch spread.
• Fruit Salad – Light and refreshing with the richness of the rolls.
• Homemade Hot Chocolate – Cozy drink to pair with warm rolls.
• Bacon in the Oven – Because salty + sweet is always a win.
• Chili – Have you heard about this midwest classic pairing?

These homemade cinnamon rolls are soft, gooey, and exactly what you need for the ultimate breakfast treat. Once you make them, you’ll never go back to store-bought. The printable recipe card is below. Have a great day! 🙂

Variations

• Use whole wheat flour for a heartier roll
• Swap heavy cream for buttermilk if that’s what you have
• Add a handful of chopped nuts, berries, or mini chocolate chips to the filling
• Try orange zest in the frosting for a bright twist
• Use melted butter in the filling instead of softened… either works

Cinnamon Roll FAQ

More Recipes to Try

• Apple Fritters – Crisp edges, soft centers, and full of apple flavor.
• Monkey Bread – Gooey pull-apart bread everyone loves.
• Banana Nut Muffins – Quick and simple for weekday mornings.
• French Toast Casserole – A great overnight option for brunch.
• Orange Rolls – a citrus twist on this recipe, perfect for winter mornings.

If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.