Mom’s Famous Cinnamon Rolls (Best Cinnamon Rolls Ever)

This easy homemade cinnamon roll recipe is made 100% from scratch (and we happen to think they’re the best cinnamon rolls ever).  Anyone who knew my Mom also knew her locally-famous cinnamon rolls. These buttery, fluffy-soft, ooey-gooey cinnamon-swirled sweet rolls were some of the first items to be snatched up at local bake sales and fundraisers (and often she had pre-orders). They’re as tender on days two and three as they are the day that they’re baked and they freeze really well, making them a great recipe for the holidays or a special brunch. 

One of my earliest childhood memories is helping my Mom make these cinnamon rolls. She’d let me punch down the dough after the first rise, then she’d tell me to “Pinch off a piece and taste it so you know it’s good!”, before letting me smear the butter all over the rolled-out dough and plaster my hands in it after she’d added the cinnamon and sugar. This recipe is a keeper.

(MJ & J, if you’re wondering what made Mom’s cinnamon rolls better than the rest, it started with her generous hand-kneading and ended with more butter, sugar, and love wrapped up into this fluffy sweet roll dough than seems humanly possible. This post is for you — I love you both♡.)

Why We Love These Cinnamon Rolls

• You only need 9 basic pantry ingredients to make them (10 if you include salt)
• They’re super soft and fluffy (even days after being baked)
• You can freeze them for an easy weekday breakfast
• They’re perfectly buttery and cinnamon-sugary spiced
• They taste great dipped into hot coffee
• Every bite of these is as good as the last (not just the center part)

How Do I Know When Cinnamon Roll Dough (Sweet Roll Dough) Is Properly Kneaded?

When working with yeast dough, it’s important to make sure it’s been properly kneaded in order to form a good gluten network (structure). This is what gives bread its light, soft, and stretchy texture instead of being dense and heavy. When hand-kneading, I typically put all of my weight into each “turn” and knead for 10 to 15 minutes depending on the dough I’m making (15 minutes in this case). I’ve included a few tips for beginners as well as photos (below) of how the dough will look from the beginning stages of kneading until it’s been kneaded properly.  

• The dough should be pliable and soft when it’s properly kneaded.
• It should look smooth and no longer have a shaggy appearance.
• The dough should not be sticking to your hands.  
• When you press your finger gently into the dough, it should leave a slight indentation. 

Mom’s Famous Cinnamon Rolls Ingredients

Here are the only 9 ingredients (10 if you count salt) needed to make the best cinnamon rolls of your life. 

• all-purpose flour or 00 flour
• instant yeast (or active dry yeast)
• eggs
• milk 
• butter 
• sugar
• cinnamon
• powdered sugar
• vanilla
• salt

How to Make Mom’s Famous Cinnamon Rolls From Scratch

As with most great family recipes, my Mom’s instructions are to use 3 1/2 cups of flour and then “gradually add more flour until the dough no longer sticks to your hands”. And for first-timers or new bakers, instructions without exact measurements can be frustrating, and difficult to understand whether or not you’re using the correct amounts. I wanted to take as much guesswork out of this for you as I could, so, I weighed and measured everything to make it easier to replicate these cinnamon rolls and get them just right. Use the following as a guide.

I added exactly 1 1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons (195g) of extra flour in addition to the 3 1/2 cups (490g) of flour called for in the recipe. Making the total flour I used in this recipe, 4 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons. Please keep in mind, depending on the humidity of your environment and the absorption potential of the flour you’re working work, you may need to use a little more or less than this total amount.

I recommend measuring 3 1/2 cups (490g) of flour into a bowl with the yeast and the remaining 1 1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons of flour in a separate bowl (using the scoop and level method). Once you have removed the sludgy dough to a work surface, gradually add only the amount of additional flour needed until it no longer sticks to your hands. Use the photos for reference so you know what the dough should actually look like. 

1. Measure the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 1/2 cups (490g) flour, and instant yeast, and set aside. *If using active dry yeast, skip this step and add the yeast to the warm milk in step 2 below and allow it to bloom for 5 to 10 minutes before adding the remaining egg, sugar, and butter to the milk and yeast. 
2. Warm up the milk & combine the wet ingredients. Warm the milk and add butter, sugar, and salt and whisk just until combined. *The milk should be just warm, not hot, or it will kill the yeast. 
3. Combine the wet & dry ingredients. Add the warm milk mixture to a large mixing bowl and gradually add the flour-yeast mixture mixing to combine using a fork or your hands. Pour the mixture (which will have a sludge-like consistency at this point) onto a lightly floured countertop, Add extra flour as needed until the dough no longer sticks to your hands. *See photos for reference
4. Knead the dough & let it rise. Knead the dough for 12 to 15 minutes or until soft and supple and when you press your finger into it lightly the indention stays (see step-by-step recipe photos). Allow the dough to rise covered at room temperature in a lightly buttered mixing bowl until doubled in size (about 1 1/2 to 2 hours).
5. Roll out the dough and fill it. When the dough has doubled in size, remove it to a well-floured countertop and lightly punch it down pressing it with your hands to flatten it and start shaping it into a rectangle. Make sure you have enough flour underneath the dough so that it doesn’t stick when you start rolling it out. Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out the dough into a large rectangle approximately 25×15 inches (70cm x40cm). Using your hand, slather on one stick of butter covering all but 1/4 inch around the perimeter of the dough. Sprinkle the cinnamon evenly over the dough, and add the sugar being sure to cover the entire surface. Sprinkle the dough with a tiny bit of salt.
6. Roll up, seal, and slice the dough into cinnamon rolls. Starting with the shorter left side (see step-by-step photos) roll the dough as tightly as you can by pulling it gently each time as you roll it over onto itself. This will help give you maximum rings in your finished cinnamon rolls. Continue rolling and gently pulling as you go and try to keep the rectangle as straight as possible after each new fold. This will help give you a more uniform final cinnamon roll “log” that can easily be cut into evenly sized rolls.
7. Slice the cinnamon rolls and let them rise. Using a strand of dental floss (or a very sharp knife), slice each roll as evenly as possible into 2 1/2 to 3-inches pieces. Place each roll cut side down into a buttered baking pan about 2 inches (5cm) apart. Cover the rolls loosely with lightly buttered recyclable plastic wrap and allow them to rise in a warm place for about 40 minutes, or until they have risen, become puffy, and no space remains between the rolls. 
8. Make the vanilla icing. Mix the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until well combined. Set aside until ready to glaze the hot cinnamon rolls.
9. Bake the cinnamon rolls & add the icing. Just before the cinnamon rolls have finished their second rise, preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Remove the plastic wrap, and pop them into the oven to bake for approximately 25 to 27 minutes, or until golden brown on top and cooked through (or a digital thermometer reads 195–200°F (91–93°C). If you notice them browning too quickly, tent them loosely with aluminum foil about halfway through baking time. Remove them from the oven and drizzle the glaze all over the tops while they’re still warm. For the best flavor, allow the cinnamon rolls to cool completely (or eat them hot and fresh out of the oven), Enjoy!

How To Make The Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls step-by-step recipe photos

Ways to Customize Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Although these cinnamon rolls don’t need anything to make them better, we added some toasted pecans to the glaze which is delicious. Here are a few other ways you can customize cinnamon rolls.

• • Sprinkle 1/2 cup of chocolate chips over the dough before rolling it up (milk, dark, or white)
  • Sprinkle 1/2 cup of toasted nuts over the dough before rolling it up (pecans, walnuts, pine nuts, macadamia nuts)
  • Make mini cinnamon rolls to feed a larger group (or for portion control because these are so good you may need it♡)

Here Are a Few Other Good Quick Bread & Muffin Recipes to Try

Whether you’re looking for a quick bread to make for weekend brunch or muffins for your workday commute, here are a few other easy recipes to try.

• Best Ever Strawberry Banana Bread Bread Cake
• Very Berry Frutti di Bosco Muffins w/Crackle Top
• Best Ever Classic Banana Bread Bread Cake
• Best-Ever Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Cake
• Easy and Moist Pistachio-Pecan Banana Nut Bread
• Bakery Style Pumpkin Spice Pumpkin Bread (w/Toasted Walnuts)
• Bakery Style Pumpkin Spice Muffins (No-Mixer Needed)
• Bakery Style Pumpkin Spice Blueberry Muffins (No-Mixer Needed)
• Granny’s Perfect Pumpkin Bread w/Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
• Strawberry Shortcake Scones w/Jam + Clotted Cream

Let’s get started!

Mom’s Famous Cinnamon Rolls (Best Cinnamon Rolls Ever)

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• Author: Kelly
• Total Time: 3 hours 35 minutes
• Yield: 16 Cinnamon Rolls 1x
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

Anyone who knew my Mom also knew about her famous cinnamon rolls. These super fluffy delicious, buttery, cinnamon-filled sticky buns were some of the first to be snatched up at local bake sales and fundraisers. Not only are these rolls incredibly soft, but as you’ll see by all the photos, they’re just as tender on days two and three as they are the day that they’re baked. 

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Sweet Roll Dough

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or 00 flour plus up to 1 1/2 cups more flour (490g + up to 195g more)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast (or active dry yeast) (10g)
• 1 1/4 cups warmed milk (305g)
• 4 tablespoons butter (65g)
• 2 large eggs, room temperature (100g)
• 1/2 cup sugar (100g)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt (6.5g)

Cinnamon Roll Filling

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of butter, room temperature (113g)
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon, or more or less to taste (16g)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar (300g)
• a couple of pinches of salt

For the Cinnamon Roll Icing

• 3/4 cup powdered sugar (85g)
• 2 tablespoons milk (30g)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (8g)
• pinch of salt

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Instructions

As with most great family recipes, my Mom’s instructions are to use 3 1/2 cups of flour and then “gradually add more flour until the dough no longer sticks to your hands”. And for first-timers or new bakers, instructions without exact measurements can be frustrating, and difficult to understand whether or not you’re using the correct amounts. I wanted to take as much guesswork out of this for you as I could, so, I weighed and measured everything to make it easier to replicate these cinnamon rolls and get them just right. Use the following as a guide.

I added exactly 1 1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons (195g) of extra flour in addition to the 3 1/2 cups (490g) of flour called for in the recipe. Making the total flour I used in this recipe, 4 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons. Please keep in mind, depending on the humidity of your environment and the absorption potential of the flour you’re working work, you may need to use a little more or less than this total amount.

I recommend measuring 3 1/2 cups (490g) of flour into a bowl with the yeast and the remaining 1 1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons of flour in a separate bowl (using the scoop and level method). Once you have removed the sludgy dough to a work surface, gradually add only the amount of additional flour needed until it no longer sticks to your hands. Use the photos for reference so you know what the dough should actually look like. 

1. Measure the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 1/2 cups (490g) flour, and instant yeast, and set aside. *If using active dry yeast, skip this step and add the yeast to the warm milk in step 2 below and allow it to bloom for 5 to 10 minutes before adding the remaining egg, sugar, and butter to the milk and yeast. 
2. Warm up the milk & combine the wet ingredients. Warm the milk and add butter, sugar, and salt and whisk just until combined. *The milk should be just warm, not hot, or it will kill the yeast. 
3. Combine the wet & dry ingredients. Add the warm milk mixture to a large mixing bowl and gradually add the flour-yeast mixture mixing to combine using a fork or your hands. Pour the mixture (which will have a sludge-like consistency at this point) onto a lightly floured countertop, Add extra flour as needed until the dough no longer sticks to your hands. *See photos for reference
4. Knead the dough & let it rise. Knead the dough for 12 to 15 minutes or until soft and supple and when you press your finger into it lightly the indention stays (see step-by-step recipe photos). Allow the dough to rise covered at room temperature in a lightly buttered mixing bowl until doubled in size (about 1 1/2 to 2 hours).
5. Roll out the dough and fill it. When the dough has doubled in size, remove it to a well-floured countertop and lightly punch it down pressing it with your hands to flatten it and start shaping it into a rectangle. Make sure you have enough flour underneath the dough so that it doesn’t stick when you start rolling it out. Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out the dough into a large rectangle approximately 25×15 inches (70cm x40cm). Using your hand, slather on one stick of butter covering all but 1/4 inch around the perimeter of the dough. Sprinkle the cinnamon evenly over the dough, and add the sugar being sure to cover the entire surface. Sprinkle the dough with a tiny bit of salt.
6. Roll up, seal, and slice the dough into cinnamon rolls. Starting with the shorter left side (see step-by-step photos) roll the dough as tightly as you can by pulling it gently each time as you roll it over onto itself. This will help give you maximum rings in your finished cinnamon rolls. Continue rolling and gently pulling as you go and try to keep the rectangle as straight as possible after each new fold. This will help give you a more uniform final cinnamon roll “log” that can easily be cut into evenly sized rolls.
7. Slice the cinnamon rolls and let them rise. Using a strand of dental floss (or a very sharp knife), slice each roll as evenly as possible into 2 1/2 to 3-inches pieces. Place each roll cut side down into a buttered baking pan about 2 inches (5cm) apart. Cover the rolls loosely with lightly buttered recyclable plastic wrap and allow them to rise in a warm place for about 40 minutes, or until they have risen, become puffy, and no space remains between the rolls. 
8. Make the vanilla icing. Mix the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until well combined. Set aside until ready to glaze the hot cinnamon rolls.
9. Bake the cinnamon rolls & add the icing. Just before the cinnamon rolls have finished their second rise, preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Remove the plastic wrap, and pop them into the oven to bake for approximately 25 to 27 minutes, or until golden brown on top and cooked through (or a digital thermometer reads 195–200°F (91–93°C). If you notice them browning too quickly, tent them loosely with aluminum foil about halfway through baking time. Remove them from the oven and drizzle the glaze all over the tops while they’re still warm. For the best flavor, allow the cinnamon rolls to cool completely (or eat them hot and fresh out of the oven), Enjoy!

Notes

• For anyone new to baking, use the recipe step-by-step photos to help you know when the dough has enough added flour and you can begin kneading. The dough should no longer stick to your hand when you poke it.
• Make sure the milk mixture is warm, not hot when you add the flour-yeast mixture, or it could kill the yeast.
• You can use a stand mixer to knead this dough, but I don’t because this dough climbs the hook and it I don’t feel it gets the proper kneading this way. If you do use a mixer with the dough hook, just be sure to frequently stop the machine to pull the dough back down off of the hook.
• You may use more or less cinnamon than the 2 tablespoons called for. My Mom never measured and I wouldn’t have either if I wasn’t creating a post about it. I’m not a huge cinnamon fanatic, but I loved this amount in these sweet rolls. Up to you.

ALTERNATIVE TEMPERATURES FOR BAKING CINNAMON ROLLS:

I’ve outlined an alternative baking temperature for the cinnamon rolls below which you may want to use especially if you have an older oven or one that runs a little too hot. We prefer to bake according to Mom’s original recipe (at 400°F/200°C for the full 25-27 minutes) tenting the cinnamon rolls with aluminum foil about halfway through the baking time to keep them from browning too much. For us, this produces just the right amount of sturdy edges with super fluffy interior layers. But you can split the times and temps as I’ve outlined below and the rolls are even softer.  Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Remove the plastic wrap, and pop the cinnamon rolls into the oven to bake for 15 minutes, reduce the heat to 375°F/190°C and continue baking for about 10 to 15 more minutes, or until golden brown on top and cooked through. Tent them loosely with aluminum foil halfway through baking if you see them browning too quickly. 

• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Rise or Proofing Time: 145 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Bread
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Southern

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 Cinnamon Roll

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