The ultimate Cinnamon Buns recipe is right here, and you’re going to love it! Yeast-risen cinnamon rolls, made from scratch, topped with sweet cream cheese glaze. The ultimate cinnamon buns are definitely worth getting up for on a weekend morning.
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Forget the canned stuff and show off your mad baking skills with these homemade Cinnamon Buns! We’ve tried pretty much every single way to make cinnamon rolls, from Nutella Cinnamon Rolls to Bacon Topped Chocolate Stuffed Cinnamon Buns. Now, we’re going back to basics with this Cinnamon Buns recipe. It’s super simple, tastes delicious, and is another breakfast treat that will take you back to simpler times!
What Are Cinnamon Buns
These Cinnamon Buns are very similar to regular cinnamon rolls, except we’re using instant yeast to make the dough rise faster. Also, we’re using cornstarch in the dough, which might seem a little odd, but it actually helps reduce the protein in all-purpose flour, lending to fluffier rolls.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Fluffy dough filled with a dreamy cinnamon sugar filling and drizzled with a decadent cream cheese frosting is the best way to wake up in the morning. All you need are a few simple ingredients, and you can make these perfect cinnamon rolls right at home! Want more delicious cinnamon roll recipes? Try these Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls, Pecan Cinnamon Rolls, and Quick Cinnamon Rolls!
Ingredients
For the Dough
- Whole milk
- Rapid-rise yeast or instant yeast
- Eggs
- Unbleached all-purpose flour
- Cornstarch
- Granulated sugar
- Table salt
- Unsalted butter
For the Filling
- Light brown sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Salt
- Unsalted butter
For the Glaze
- Cream cheese
- Whole milk
- Vanilla extract
- Confectioners’ sugar
How to Make These Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Preparing the Dough
First, we’re going to make the cinnamon roll dough. First, move the rack to the middle and preheat your oven to 200 degrees F. Once it reaches that temperature, turn it off. Then, take a 13×9-inch baking pan and line it with foil, making sure there’s extra foil hanging over the edges. Don’t forget to spray the foil and a medium bowl with nonstick cooking spray.
Now, in a liquid measuring cup, whisk together some milk and yeast until the yeast dissolves. After that, whisk in the eggs. In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook, combine some flour, cornstarch, sugar, and salt. With the mixer on low, pour in the warm milk mixture in a steady stream.
Let it mix until the dough comes together, which should take about a minute. Then, increase the speed to medium and add pieces of butter, one at a time, until everything is well mixed. Continue mixing until the dough becomes smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. This process should take about 10 minutes.
Once it’s ready, transfer the dough onto a clean surface and knead it into a smooth, round ball. Put this dough into the prepared bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and place it in the warm oven for the first rise. We’re going to let the dough rise there until it doubles in size, which should take around 2 hours.
Preparing the Filling
While the dough is rising, let’s make the cinnamon filling. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
Rolling and Rising
Now, once your dough has doubled in size, take it out onto a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll it into an 18-inch square. After that, spread some softened butter all over it and evenly sprinkle the filling mixture on top of the dough. Starting from the edge closest to you, roll the dough into a tight cylinder.
Lightly pinch the seam to seal it, and then cut it into 8 pieces. Place these pieces, cut side up, in the prepared pan. For the second rise, cover them with plastic wrap and let them rise in a warm place until they double in size again, which should take about 1 hour.
Making the Glaze and Baking
Now, it’s time to make the glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together cream cheese, milk, vanilla, and confectioners’ sugar until it’s nice and smooth.
Remove the plastic wrap from the buns and preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the buns until they turn a deep golden brown and you notice that the filling has melted, which should take about 35 to 40 minutes. Once the warm rolls are out of the oven, transfer them to a wire rack and spread ½ cup of the glaze on top.
Let them cool for about 30 minutes. To get the buns out of the pan, use the foil overhang. Finally, top them with the remaining glaze, and they’re ready to enjoy!
What to Serve With These Delicious Cinnamon Rolls
You can eat these Cinnamon Buns on their own or pair them with some protein like this Breakfast Pizza, Prime Rib Omelet, or these Tex-Mex Hash Browns!
Expert Recipe Tips
- Use a very sharp knife or unflavored dental floss to cut the dough for clean cuts.
- Swap out the instant yeast for active dry yeast if you don’t have instant. The rise time may be longer, though.
- Make sure the milk is 110 degrees F in order for the yeast to activate. If it’s too hot or too cold, the yeast won’t activate, and you’ll have to start over. You’ll notice the yeast activating when tiny bubbles rise to the surface.
Leftovers and Reheating
Store any leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature. If you haven’t devoured your cinnamon rolls in 2 days, kudos to you. You can keep them in the fridge for up to 1 week. After one week, place individual rolls in containers in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Just prep the cinnamon roll dough like normal before letting the dough rise. Then, pop it into the fridge overnight. The next morning, take the dough out to rise two times and bake as directed.
Yes! Make the dough like normal and freeze it before the first rise. If you know you’re going to freeze the dough, add 50% more yeast to the recipe to prevent it from dying during the freezing process.
Freeze the dough for up to 2 weeks before baking. When you’re ready to bake the buns, let them thaw in the fridge overnight and let them come to room temperature before baking.
More Sweet Breakfast Recipes
The next time you get a craving to make some fluffy cinnamon rolls, whip out this recipe! If you try this recipe, please rate the recipe card and let us know if you liked it!
Ultimate Cinnamon Buns
Cook’s Illustrated Holiday Baking – Winter 2010
Ingredients:
For the Dough:
- 3/4 cup whole milk, heated to 110 degrees
- 1 envelope (2 1/4 teas) rapid-rise yeast or instant yeast
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 4 1/4 cups (21 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teas table salt
- 12 tbs (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened
For the Filling:
- 1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) packed light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tbs ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teas table salt
- 4 tbs (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
For the Glaze:
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 tbs whole milk
- 1 teas vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) confectioners sugar
Preparation:
Note: If the dough is still wet and sticky after mixing for 10 minutes in step 2, add up to 1/4 cup flour (a tbs at a time) until the dough releases from the bowl. For smaller cinnamon buns, cut the dough into 12 pieces in step 3. The buns can be made ahead of time; After transferring the pieces to the prepared pan in step 3, the buns can be covered tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, let the buns sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Remove the plastic wrap and continue with the recipe from step 4 as directed.
For the dough: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. When oven reaches 200 degrees, shut off. Line 13×9 inch baking pan with foil, allowing excess foil to hang over pan edges. Spray foil and medium bowl with nonstick cooking spray.
Whisk milk and yeast in liquid measuring cup until yeast dissolves, then whisk in eggs. In bowl, of stand mixer fitter with dough hook, mix flour, cornstarch, sugar and salt until combined. With mixer on low, add warm milk mixture in steady stream and mix until dough comes together, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium and add butter, one piece at a time, until incorporated. Continue to mix until dough is smooth and comes away from sides of bowl, about 10 minutes. Turn dough out onto clean surface and knead to form smooth, round ball. Transfer dough to prepared bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in warm oven. Let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
For the Filling: Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Roll dough into an 18-inch square, spread with butter, and sprinkle evenly with filling. Starting with the edge nearest you, roll dough into tight cylinder, pinch lightly to seal seam, and cut into 8 pieces. Transfer pieces, cut side up, to prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
For the glaze and to bake: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk cream cheese, milk vanilla and confectioners’ sugar in medium bowl until smooth. Discard plastic wrap and bake buns until deep golden brown and filling is melted, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and top buns with 1/2 cup glaze; cool 30 minutes. Using foil overhang, lift buns from pan and top with remaining glaze. Serve.
Lauren at Keep It Sweet says
Oh wow, these look incredible! Makes me think of the days when I would get Cinnabon at the mall… a LONG time ago!
Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen says
oh my goodness – I can’t believe you had to do all of that just for a fender bender. People are…people. Ugh. Anyway – yay for cinnamon rolls 🙂
Vicki @ Wilde in the Kitchen says
Seriously, they called you for that? I’m so surprised at the weird hour of the court meeting too! Can’t some people just admit they were in the wrong? I can totally see eating a whole bunch of these to end the day on a bright note!
Erin says
I love being a fat kid sometimes 🙂
Dionne Baldwin says
I just licked my screen. I craved cinnamon buns when I was pregnant with my daughter and I still have a wicked crush on them. You should move to my neighborhood, seriously. You won’t be sorry! 🙂
Mary at n00bcakes says
Wow, that sucks about you getting dragged out on a Friday night…especially for something as inane as failing to yield. Still, you get props for doing the right thing! As incredibly depressing as it is to realize our law enforcement is required to spend time on little stuff like that, it’s still cool to stick it to the nincompoop who refused to just pay her dues. Go you for making her pay up (at least, I hope that’s how it ended)!
Plus, you then had an excuse to eat cinnamon bunz. Rock.
Sandra's Easy Cooking says
I think that I am new on your blog..just hopped from Katrina’s to see your cooking adventures..This looks wonderful! Perfect for breakfast, desserts and after midnight snacks:)) Thanks for sharing!!!
Kita says
Thanks for dropping by 🙂
Maggie @ Vittles and Bits says
Ohh GOODNESS! These look fabulous! What a funny story too, I guess it’s true that no good deed goes unpunished right? : /
Erin says
My 6 year old loves all things cinnamon! These look like the perfect Sat morning breakfast. Thanks! People are amazing – my husband was sitting in a parking lot on Christmas Eve, and a lady backed into him. She tried to claim it was his fault (sitting still in the parking stall). A witness came forward to support my husband, and she FINALLY backed down. So…if it weren’t for people like you, who knows what could happen!
Kita says
That’s craziness! If you hit a parked car its 100% your fault. Large objects don’t just materialize. Wow…
The Harried Cook says
I love your fat kid recipes… 🙂 this one looks great, especially with the glaze on top… yum!
Angela@RecipesFromMyMom says
Breakfast week is making me so hungry every morning. Your cinny rolls are gorgeous. They rose so high and that inside curl is my favorite bite.
Dana Salvo says
Wow I can almost taste it. Those pictures are fabulous! I’m sitting here in a hospital waiting room for a friend starving! lol
Kita says
I hope everything is ok!
RavieNomNoms says
Haha how stupid is that?! Wow…that is just unreal huh? I bet these cinnamon buns made you feel better though. Certainly, the ultimate by looking at it. Gooey and terrific!
Kate@Diethood.com says
Were you compensated for your time/gas?!?! Mother of … this is why people don’t help…unfortunately.
I can smell the cinnamon buns …. I wish!!! They look amazing!
Belinda @zomppa says
You really are a good samaritan. Truely. Especially for making these buns. I can’t stop staring.
Carolyn says
These look fabulous, Kita, just fabulous!
Inga´s Haven says
mmmmm… I love cinnamon buns and these look just perfect !!
Christina @ Sweet Pea's Kitchen says
Oh. my. god. I need one of these right now!! 😀 Bookmarked! Can’t wait to give them a try!
briarrose says
Heaven…and a great way to recover from the civic duty experience. Amazing looking buns.
Kita says
hehe. Why thank you 🙂
kitchenarian says
Those cinnamon buns would make anything better. I think the woman that failed to yield could probably use one of these! Great post and good for you for doing your civic duty.
the constant hunger says
I haven’t had a cinnamon bun in ages. I love walking by a bakery or even a mall food court and smelling the sweet aroma of cinnamon rolls. This is going on my list of things I need to bake!
Roxana GreenGirl says
I once witnessed a car accident and kinda promised myself I pretend I don’t see a thing next time it happens. They called me couple of times, even lost one day to the court as I was called in to testify. Oh boy, so many things to go though, more than when I was in a car accident. well, obviously it was my fault then LOL
these rolls are the perfect solution to start the weekend :))
thanks for sharing Kita
Suesan says
No! No! No! The 1/2 cup cornstarch absolutely ruins this recipe. While the dough is lovely to work with and the buns bake up beautifully, the texture to the taste is slightly starchy, almost scratchy to the teeth. My husband loved the first two or three bites, then said the same thing. My neighbor — a San Francisco Culinary Institute graduate(baking focus) — had the same reaction. Sadly, I threw the batch out.
Sorry. Dump recipe — or, at least, drastically reduce the cornstarch.