What if I told you I had a from-scratch cinnamon roll recipe that was effortlessly veganized, required no kneading, and could be coming out of your oven in just over two hours? And what if I told you’d I’d been making it for years and didn’t tell you about it because I thought, for some bizarre reason, that the site didn’t need another breakfast bun recipe? Yes, I’d throw a jar of cinnamon at my head too. Good news, though, you can stop yelling now because I’ve come to my senses.
A few years ago I started veganizing Ree Drummond’s famous cinnamon rolls whenever family or friends were coming over who’d appreciate it. As they’re already egg-free, the remaining swaps were a cinch, but they work equally deliciously with melted butter and dairy milk. Doughs without eggs rise much faster, which came in handy last week when I decided at 10:30pm (when all kid birthday prep is executed) the night before a certain cinnamon swirl-headed kid’s 15th birthday that it would be really nice for him to wake up to freshly baked cinnamon buns, but didn’t want to stay up hours to make them.
And that’s the magic here: What started as a special diet recipe has morphed into our house cinnamon rolls because they’re so quick and fuss-free, they seem to implicitly understand a life truth: when you want cinnamon rolls, you want them as soon as humanly possible.
Staub x Smitten Kitchen Braiser It’s been six months since I announced that announced that I was partnering with Staub to get them to bring back one of my favorite pans, a squat 4-quart Dutch oven I first bought in 2014 and have since cooked so many things in, it barely leaves my stove. Unfortunately, it sold out in a few hours, and so did the next restock, but we’ve finally got them back in the warehouse and I hope you get a chance to snag one — or nudge a friend or family member about the perfect holiday gift for you. You can order yours here. I hope you love it as much as I love mine.
Podcast! A new episode of my podcast with J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, The Recipe with Kenji and Deb, is out and I had so much fun getting ready for the Caesar salad episode. We’re going to learn so much! You can listen to it anywhere you get your podcasts and catch up on any episodes you’ve missed right here. New episodes drop every other Monday. I hope you enjoy listening as much as we’re enjoying the conversation.
Video
Easiest Cinnamon Rolls
- 2 cups (475 ml) milk, dairy or non-dairy (i.e. oat, almond, soy, etc.), warmed
- 1/2 cup (115 grams) butter, dairy or non-dairy (i.e. margarine), melted and warm
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 packet or 2.25 teaspoons (7 grams) active dry or instant yeast
- 5 cups (650 grams) all-purpose flour, divided
- 1/2 cup (115 grams) butter, dairy or non-dairy (i.e. margarine), softened
- 3/4 cup (160 grams) dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons (15 grams) ground cinnamon
- 1 8-ounce (225-gram) block cream cheese or 1 8-ounce tub non-dairy cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup (120 grams) powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Dough
Filling
Glaze
While dough rises, get everything else ready: Cut butter or margarine into cubes and place on a plate so it’s softened by the time the dough has risen. Combine dark brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside. Prepare your baking pan(s), either one 9×13-inch pan, 2 9-inch round cake pans, or 2 8-inch square cake pans by coating the sides and corners with butter or nonstick spray. Line the bottom of each pan with a piece of parchment.
Assemble rolls: Once dough has doubled, stir in remaining 1/2 cup (65 grams) flour and turn dough out onto a well-floured counter. Flour the top of the dough and roll into a large rectangle, about 20 inches wide (the side in front of you) and as deep as you can comfortably stretch it, keeping it about 1/2-inch thick.
Spread dough with softened butter. Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar mixture. Roll the dough away from you into a tight coil. I find that the dough always stretches longer as I roll it but if yours hasn’t, you can gently stretch it closer to a 24″ log.
Cut log into 12 or 16 even segments. 12 will make classic, generously-sized buns, as shown here. 16 will make more of a muffin-sized bun, and for some reason, smaller pans always look better to me with 8 buns in each.
If you’re baking the buns now: Let buns rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to finish proofing. Heat oven to 350°F.
If you’re baking the buns tomorrow morning: Lightly coat a piece (or pieces) of plastic with nonstick spray, cover your pan(s), and transfer them to the fridge to chill overnight. You can bake them directly from the fridge in the morning.
Bake the buns: For 25 minutes, or until golden at edges and a toothpick inserted into the center of a few buns will come out with cinnamon goo on it, but not stretchy, uncooked dough.
While the buns bake, make your glaze: In a large bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
Finish and eat: When buns come out of the oven, cool on a rack for 5 minutes, then spoon cream cheese glaze on each. Eat right away, which I hope nobody was waiting for my permission to do.
Previously
6 months ago: Turkey Meatloaf for Skeptics
1 year ago: Chicken Rice with Buttered Onions
2 years ago: Apple Dumplings
3 years ago: Big Apple Crumb Cake
4 years ago: Whole Wheat Chocolate Oat Cookies and Simple Cauliflower Tacos
5 years ago: Chickpea and Kale Shakshuka
6 years ago: Crispy Spinach Pizza
7 years ago: Pizza Beans and Chocolate Tahini Challah Buns
8 years ago: Homemade Merguez with Herby Yogurt and Magic Apple Plum Cobbler
9 years ago: The Perfect Manhattan, Broccoli Cheddar Soup and S’more Cupcakes
10 years ago: Latke Waffles and The Crispy Egg
11 years ago: Frico Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
12 years ago: Crackly Banana Bread and Spaghetti with Broccoli Cream Pesto
13 years ago: Apple Pie Cookies
14 years ago: Single-Crust Apple and Plum Pie
15 years ago: Date Spice Loaf and Lebanese-Style Stuffed Eggplant
16 years ago: Summer’s Last Hurrah Panzanella, Sweet and Sour Glazed Cippoline, Majestic and Moist Honey Cake, and Best Challah (Egg Bread)
17 years ago: Red Velvet Cake, Noodle Kugel, Spaghetti Fideos with Chorizo and Almonds and Couscous and Feta-Stuffed Peppers
18 years ago: Acorn Squash with Chile-Lime Vinaigrette
Will be making these this weekend!
Making these now
Hi Deb, maybe an odd question here but what is the texture of these rolls like? I was thrilled to find Ree’s rolls years ago due to their ease but when you take a bite, it just isn’t right. The taste is there but something feels off and I wondered if you noted that and if you think your adjustments address this. Maybe I just need to try again :)
I wonder if it’s the oil in the dough. I have the same thought. I want to like them but they aren’t as fluffy as I want them to be and I so rarely make cinnamon rolls that I want them to be perfect when I do.
I made them up the night before and baked in the morning. Turned out beautifully. Very tender. Your recipes are so well vetted. Thank you.
Lactose intolerant folks rejoice! I made these with soy milk and margarine. They were delicious! Soft and fluffy, too! I used dairy free cream cheese. Next time, I will use Trader Joe’s lactose free cream cheese instead.
can’t believe i made this at 10pm on a MONDAY night, and have such fluffy rolls for breakfast on a TUESDAY morning! freshly baked bread on a weekday?! amazing. i think this will go into the weekly rotation. thank you so much, Deb :)
I think they’re worth trying again. If I’m not making them dairy-free, I use melted butter in the dough. Dark brown sugar in the filling (the original uses granulated) is key, for me. Plus, they’re just so fluffy but moist. I find that they keep better than my usual egg-enriched dough for a few days.
Thank you – I see the differences that you are pointing out and will give it a go!
One other thing that might affect the texture is that the Drummond version is raised with baking powder as well as yeast–I don’t know what effect that might have but I bet it might affect the way the gluten behaves?
I had the same issue when I made Ree’s rolls before! I’m happy to learn it wasn’t just me!! Hoping its the baking powder like Julia says below.
So thrilled with these soft fluffy rolls! Can’t believe I made them this good! Thanks so much –
FIFTEEN?! How???
Exactly my thought. It seems like she just had him!
This was exactly what I came here to say! He was just born!
My response exactly. I started with ‘maybe she’s talking about a nephew or something??’ but clicked the link bc I am preeeety certain her son is only like 9 and I wanted to know who she was talking about. I’m not sure I have ever been so stunned about the passage of time. How did this happen?
So true! Wasn’t he just that tiny baby?
These turned out great. I weighted the ingredients. I put a little bit of maple syrup in my icing ( I think it gives it depth and more richness) other than that I made made them exactly as the recipes instructed.
Hi Deb!
These look great!
Question about this step “Once dough has doubled, stir in remaining 1/2 cup (65 grams) flour”. Do you mean fold in? How well do you incorporate the extra flour?
Thanks!
No, you stir it in. It’s fine; it’s a soft dough at that point. You stir it until you don’t see loose flour; won’t take long.
Hi Deb! Could you explain why this step needs to be done? Could all the flour be added at once instead? Thanks!
The dough rises faster with less flour in it.
I made these this morning and when tested with a toothpick, it came out clean after 30 minutes (per the recipe) so I took them out of the oven. I let them cool for 5 minutes and iced them. About an hour later I tried one, and the texture was quite soft, almost as if I underbaked them. Is this what the texture is supposed to be like?
Made these sevl times, always yields a soft texture
I just realized I forgot the extra 1/2 cup when i read this… fingers crossed it works out, they’re rising now in their lil pan!
All’s well that ends well, and they turned out yum! Unrelated, I subbed coconut sugar for brown (sh*t crunchy moms say) and it was still very yum. Not so melty, but kinda giving the pecan swirls of my youth.
thank you for bothering to post your tweaked recipe, and the veg version is definitely welcome, so thank you!
Made these today and oh. My. God. So incredibly good! My kids said “100% make these again!” 👏👏👏
Do you advise against the use of the dough hook on a kitchen aid stand mixer? Should I mix by hand?
No need to use the Kitchen Aid. It mixes easily by hand.
I would like to know how long they can be chilled in the refrigerator before baking? Also, should I let them sit out to rest before baking?
Can they stay in the fridge an extra day before baking? Or is overnight the max?
I’d not keep them too long in the fridge. It’s a fast-rising dough. They won’t taste bad but could be puffier than you’d enjoy.
will gf flour work
Hi Deb, can these be frozen? before or after baking?
thanks
Phyllis
I have the same question!
I also want to know if the rolls could be cut up, frozen & then bake as needed?
They can be frozen either way, but I’d ice them later if you can.
Last time I tried vegan cream cheeses, they tasted weirdly unpleasant to me. (I’ve been putting mayo or margarine between bagel and lox.) Has the state of the craft improved generally? Or are the nut-based type better than the soy-based?
I know exactly what you mean about the vegan cream cheeses. I’ve only tried a few, and a couple of them were not good. But if you have a Trader Joe’s nearby, they have a cream cheese alternative that tastes delicious and very closely resembles the real deal.
hoping to know how to freeze these?
thanks
Miyoko’s is excellent, it’s nut based
I am making this now and I used Miyoko’s cream cheese, which is cashew based. I am not vegan – making for a friend. I thought the frosting tasted disgusting with just the cream cheese and powdered sugar, it was both overly tangy and weirdly burned tasting? I happened to have an extra pack of Miyoko’s butter (which tastes bland but fine to me) so I ended up adding the entire thing of that plus 2x more powdered sugar, along with vanilla paste and some maple syrup, which turned the frosting into something palatable. Not as good as the “real thing” IMO, but tasty enough to keep licking the spatula (my husband agreed too). Not sure about other brands of dairy free cream cheese, but taste and proceed with caution and a back up plan, lol.
Thanks for the warning! I will be cautious. Miyoko’s reformulated their basic butter last year or the year before, and started putting mushroom extract in it. (My fiance’s allergic, and margarine is not one of the places we expect it to hide.) I might try mixing earth balance, which is our go-to vegan butter, with some apple butter.
I’d recommend Violife cream cheese. I’ve been vegan for 10 years, and it’s good in cream cheese frostings! The Myoko’s reformulations really did change their products for the worse, imho. Good luck!
I used tofutti brand here. It’s not perfect but I find it tastes closer to classic cream cheese. However, if you don’t like the taste of non-dairy cream cheese, you can also just make a classic powdered sugar + milk glaze flavored with vanilla or coffee or even maple syrup or extract.
In a pinch I used powdered sugar + milk glaze flavored with both coffee and ground cinnamon and I died and went to heaven. I’m pretty sure I’m only back here on Earth to proselytize this combination.
You’re in good company there: the inimitable Beatrice Ojakangas’ “juicy buns” uses coffee in the glaze. Here’s an interview: https://mspmag.com/arts-and-culture/a-legend-in-the-baking/
I loved Beattrice K! Thanks for the throw back!
Can’t wait to try these!
Question, if baking directly from the fridge the next morning, how long should I increase the cooking time?
Or should I let them sit out for a bit and then bake for 25 minutes?
Thanks!
Mine still baked in 25 minutes, but my gut says normally you’d need 5 minutes longer.
Can you freeze these before the second rise? Other recipes I’ve seen seem to suggest this works and then you just let them thaw in the fridge overnight. I’m a small household don’t want anything to go to waste if I can help it And I can’t imagine anything better than being able to pull the second half of the recipe out of the freezer for a special treat another weekend.
That’s my question too!
Yes, it should be just fine.
These turned out perfect! I did the overnight method so I could pop them in the oven this morning. Best decision ever. I followed the recipe exactly and used a scale to measure everything. The only part that tripped me up a little was adding that last bit of flour in. I ended up having to incorporate with my hands vs stirring. I think next time I will try baking without the parchment in the bottom of the pan too. It was tricky getting them out without tearing the paper. I will definitely be baking these again!
I may be missing something but in the ingredients list you say 5 cups of flour but then in your instructions you say to add 4 1/2 cups of flour and then and additional 1/2 cup later so wouldn’t that total 2.5 cups all together? Or are the 1/2 cups supposed to be cups? Thank you!
Wait never mind I’m so dumb LOL you meant add 4 and 1/2 cups and then an additional 1/2 cup later to total 5 cups OMG sorry. I’m pregnant and the pregnancy brain is hitting me HARD. SMH
Yes — 4.5 cups then .5 cup at the end.
Do these freeze? If so, would you do before baking and icing or after? And can you bake from frozen? My gut says yes but you never know!
I haven’t frozen them but would expect them to freeze fine. I’d ice them later.
Hi Deb,
Did you know that most margarines have dairy in them? I discovered this since I am often cooking for Kosher family members and started looking at ingredients. The only regular, supermarket (Boston area) margarine, in sticks, that I can find is one of the Fleischman margarines, and only one.
I was very surprised to find this since I know I used to be able to buy many brands with no dairy.
Thanks for this great recipe!
I was going to make the same comment–excluding the products such as Earth Balance specifically marketed as plant-based, the only “margarine” to my knowledge that contains no dairy is Fleischmann’s unsalted.
Irene, they still make plenty of margarine without dairy. They just label them differently. I’ve been living in the Boston area for more than 20 years, and it’s gotten so much easier to find baking ingredients without dairy…it’s all just labeled “plant based.” (Country Crock used to have dairy. Now there are 4 kinds of “Country Crock Plant Butter” with no dairy. I don’t know if they’re certified simply pareve or “dairy equipment.”)
PS: I don’t know why they don’t shelve the stuff for vegans next to the stuff for kosher-pareve together more often.
Violife unsalted dairy free butter is excellent!
Taste is way better than earths balance or any other products I’ve tried.
Miyoko’s is even better!
No way, I had no idea. I used to call for “non-dairy butter” in vegan recipes but it seemed to annoy people, lol. Growing up, margarine was what you used to make things paerve.
Just beware if your vegan substitutes contain cashews. Cashews have been a migraine trigger for me for 50 years, and for my 36 year old daughter since she was 6. I’m pretty sure it must be a genetic issue, and I’m also sure that we can’t be the only ones who have this reaction. So check with your eaters before using vegan products!
Hi! Unfortunately the dough stayed really soft and sticky, almost impossible to work. I used metric measurements and made them vegan, could that be the issue? will still try to put the finished product in the oven, but is there a way to save a very very, like VERY, soft dough after the first proofing? Add more flour? Hope you’ll reply :)
Sara from Sardinia
I noticed you are writing from Sardinia. European flour is different from N. American flour. I have to adapt and add more flour to non-European recipes otherwise dough is too sticky. Hope this helps.
Thanks for your feedback. The thing is, I never had an issue with other US recipes, from smitten, joy, king arthur, even cinnamon roll ones, and never had to adjust ingredients the way you say. I want to try again asap with half batch to see whether I might have mismeasured liquids or something else. Thanks again 😉
That’s really interesting, thank you! I’ve made Ree Drummonds’ cinnamon rolls many times and always have to include much more flour. Now I have the explanation.
From what I have read (and experienced) German flour 550 is closer to American “All purpose” flour than the more typical 405 flour. 550 supposedly has the ability to absorb more liquid.
Amy from MN Oh my god you just saved me and my cinnamon rolls! I live and teach in Germany and am going to make these for my students next week– I was going to use 405, but I will take the recommendation and use the 550 instead!
This was my experience, too. They were so sticky, I could barely roll them up, and they hung from fingers as I tried to get them into the pan. The taste wasn’t bad, but they were so ugly and difficult to work with. (King Arthur all-purpose flour, used a scale to measure)
I used warm butter and warm milk, reg flour with no scale.
My dough took a very long time, during both risings.
But altho my dough was soft and tender, I could gently handle it.
Maybe you needed a pinch more flour?
Just adding my feedback-
Made these for Easter brunch – prepared the night before, and straight from the fridge to throw oven in the morning.
Added maybe a minute to bake time, but otherwise followed directions exactly. High quality butter and cinnamon really stood out – turned out absolutely perfect!!
I couldn’t resist making these immediately and they came out so good! It’s just two of us, so I made a quarter batch (3 rolls) in a 6″ cake pan. I used oat milk and regular butter because that’s what we had in the house. I swapped an egg yolk for half the milk, reduced the flour by ~1 tablespoon, and added cardamom to the filling. They were delicious! Thank you Deb :D
Out of curiosity, why do eggs make dough rise more slowly?
“Why do eggs make dough rise more slowly” — when you add ingredients to a dough that yeast can’t consume or consume as easily, those ingredients (butter, milk, eggs, etc.) will cause a dough to rise more slowly. The process of yeast consuming sugars and starches and producing CO2 is what causes a yeasted dough to rise.
I loved the ease of this recipe and I really loved the less-sweet flavour and bread texture. HOWEVER—I found 25 min baking time was wholly inadequate. At 25 min, I could see that the buns were completely raw in the middle and not at all brown. (And yes, I take my oven temp seriously and it’s been recently checked.) I had two pans of buns going, so it wasn’t because I’d crammed everything in to a big tin.
I added another 10 min, then another 10 mins, then another 3 mins, so it look me a whopping 48 mins to get them cooked properly. They are definitely not overbaked and still perfectly squodgy.
Anyone else got raw buns? Keep ’em in a bit longer, is my advice.
We live at 5000 feet and I almost always increase baking times for Deb’s recipes (and other internet recipes). If you live at altitude that may be what is happening.
That’s not it — I live 76m above sea level.
It’s possible because I made these in a cake pan, not a shallow 9×13 dish at Deb does, that they received less heat on their tops. (But I would still say they were massively underbaked, not just underbrowned, after 25 min.)
Just made these, and they’re amazing! Grated a little nutmeg over the filling too.
I know in Ree’s original recipe, adding the flour later helped mix in the baking powder/soda better, but since those aren’t in this recipe, is there any reason why we can’t just mix in all of the flour at the start?
I’m guessing it was the pan. If you bake any sweet bun in a deep dish it can take a lot longer and it’s not as even, the edges go faster, and some particular baking dishes and pans really take a long time to heat and bake.
I’m not sure that’s it either. I live on the coast and made a batch in a 9×13 disposable foil pan, as I made them for a friend. Until i saw all these comments, i assumed that my oven was the problem.
I am actively having this issue here on Christmas morning! Thanks for assuring me i hadnt ruined breakfast. Hopefully only 10 or so min to go!
I had the same issue – brown and toasty on top, but very doughy on the bottom. I also used an instant read thermometer (per an old ATK bread-baking tip: bread that’s finished should read about 200F); the dough was not nearly done below the top surface. I kept putting them back in for a few more minutes and a few more minutes, and finally I inverted the batch onto a cookie sheet so that the less done side was exposed directly to the oven’s heat. For reference, I made 16 rolls in a 9×13 Pyrex dish. I live in the Philadelphia area, not affected by high altitude.
I avoid making baked goods in Pyrex since they take so long to heat up, unlike a metal pan. The tops will be done long before the parts that are covered by the dish.
I’m thinking of using this dough to make the twisty cinnamon rolls. What do you think?
I’d do it!
I did and it worked great. Thanks
Could I add raisins to this without changing the cooking time?
yes
Sure!
Deb, your cranberry orange breakfast buns are one of my favorite things! Could I sub in the cranberry and orange flavorings here? Or is this dough particularly calibrated to be best with cinnamon?
I definitely think you could.
Hi there! I’d love to try this but I have NO clue what this means: “Spread dough with softened butter.”
Do I scatter the butter on the rolled out dough and continue rolling? Do I smear it on? I’m lost.
Smear it on with a knife like you’re buttering a piece of toast.
Just spread it over like you’re buttered bread or frosting a cake.
I am a huge fan of cinnamon rolls and I’m really looking forward to trying this recipe, except….for the glaze/icing. I don’t believe I ever have seen icing used in France or in the best French bakeries in the US. It’s such an American, over-the-top, addition that to me really detracts from experience of a well-made cinnamon roll. Sorry, but I do encourage anyone making rolls who has not had one without glaze to try it :-)
I just mix some milk with powdered sugar and just brush it over the hot buns. I don’t understand the cream cheese spread
The tang of cream cheese, for many folks, is a pleasant contrast to the sweetness of the rolls. YMMV.
So…if that’s the kind of roll you like, I kind of doubt that you are going to like this recipe. I *love* Deb’s recipes, but she is clearly advertising up front here that this is a recipe for speed and immediate cinnamon happiness, and it’s not going to have the depth of flavor that a well-rested yeast enriched dough will have, and you are going to want the glaze to add some more richness or I really think they will be kind of dull. If you want a really magnificent roll that needs no glaze or icing whatsoever, you probably want a brioche based roll – perhaps take a look at this. I’ve adapted it with spelt flour and cardamom, and tbh I prefer sugar to honey here, since I don’t like honey to compete with other flavors in brioche. https://www.thevanillabeanblog.com/cinnamon-rolls/
Will. No one asked you. If you don’t like cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing, move on. I cannot imagine reading a recipe and then telling the author (Queen Deb) and the readers that this is the ‘wrong’ type of cinnamon roll. No one wants your dissertation on ‘ American excess’ and ‘wanton disregard of the superiority of glazed vs iced cinnamon rolls’.
I worry your going to find out about different styles of pizza and have a stroke. 🫤
autocorrect forced the wrong your on me and I am devastated. You’re you’re you’re.
what is or isn’t done to cinnamon buns in France (???) is completely irrelevant and it’s truly baffling that you took the time to insult the recipe creator’s nationality on top of it all. in the future, you are encouraged to omit components of recipes that don’t appeal to you, without also announcing it to strangers on the internet in such an unnecessarily derisive manner
Shut up! I’m 100% in!
Never enough cinnamon rolls.
I’m excited to make this! However I don’t understand why we add 1/2 cup flour later? Is there a point to that or can I just add it all together? Thanks for clarifying. I really appreciate it!
I have the same question!
The dough rises faster with less flour, and also doesn’t have to be kneaded.
Posting this the day before homecoming so I could have them ready for the gaggle of teens that slept over here last night after the dance? B’shert!
You are an absolute Queen! Thank you so much for the vegan option. I’m vegan and have done my best to veganize many of your delicious recipes, but it’s incredible to have your expert advice. I can’t wait to try these! :)
These are delicious. We refrigerated our rolls before baking and had to increase the bake time by 11 minutes to get them fully cooked. So, a totally bake time if 36 minutes, but well worth it!
These look great! Technical question: Does “Spread dough with softened butter” mean spread the softened, cubed butter on the rolled out dough?
Yup. I just use an offset spatula or rubber spatula.
Thank you! Even though I rolled them up with cubes of butter tossed about, they still turned out great. I will spread next time and will definitely make this recipe again.
I made these this weekend and they were a HIT!
I have the same questions as others…
Do you think I can take the second pan, already baked and frosted, and freeze for a week?
I hope she replies… I have the same question about freezing
thanks
Glad they were a hit. I’m sure they’ll freeze fine. The frosting might have a different or less shiny consistency once defrosted, but they should still taste great.
I love the short schedule and ease of this recipe, but as others have experienced, the bake time was too short for me. Unfortunately, both the visual and toothpick tests were deceptive and I didn’t realize how underbaked they were until we started digging in. I’d recommend adding at least 5-10 more minutes (which is more in line with other 9×13 breakfast roll recipes I’ve made) and taking internal temp (should be 185-190°F).
Made those last night, baked them this morning, and they’re fabulous! So soft and fluffy and everything I want a cinnamon roll to be! I just can’t get over how easy they are, especially when compared to how good they taste. I’ve made so many labor-intensive recipes that were just okay, but those are delicious and so, so easy! Definitely gonna make them again ♥️
These are delicious, made them as directed in the quicker time and the whole family are impressed!
I made these on a whim yesterday and they were stunning :)
The only change I made to them, was making them glutenfree and do half gluten free flour and half buckwheat. I’ve never had a cinnamon roll recipe work for me, but this one did extremely well. It will definitely be made again.
Thank you for this! I’m gluten free and have been dying for a great cinnamon bun for years!
First time commenter, long time recipe lover here. My question is unsalted or salted butter????? We want to make these today for Christmas morning breakfast and need to know if we have to run out for more unsalted butter. If I use salted butter should I omit the extra salt?
Thank you!
Ina Garten says always use salted butter and who am I to question the queen?
Easily veganized cinnamon rolls! –> Those four words that made me feel cozy and gave me a fun project for the weekend. Thanks, Deb!
I LOVE cinnamon rolls, but am gluten free, so I don’t get to enjoy them very often. Wondering if gluten free flour can be substituted in this recipe?
Did anyone get an answer about using a GF sub? Or has anyone tried one?
Yes! I found a helpful comment (as I, too, need to make them GF)
Comment was from Katt: I made these on a whim yesterday and they were stunning :)
The only change I made to them, was making them glutenfree and do half gluten free flour and half buckwheat. I’ve never had a cinnamon roll recipe work for me, but this one did extremely well. It will definitely be made again.
Why leave out baking soda and baking powder? I read Drummond’s recipe and wondered why those ingredients were even in the yeast dough???????
I don’t find it necessary here for a great dough/rise.
At least in the Bravetart recipe, baking soda is for better browning, not for the rise. I’ve never made the RD ones but the quantities seem consistent with that purpose.
Perhaps the need to add baking soda to increase browning in the Bravetart dough comes from her using yogurt in her dough which needs to be balanced for Ph. Here, less acid, so doesn’t need the balance?
I was waiting for this recipe and made it the day after it was posted. These rolls turned out phenomenally. They are soft and moist and delicious! Highly recommend and will make again and again.
Thank you! Even though I rolled them up with cubes of butter tossed about, they still turned out great. I will spread next time and will definitely make this recipe again.
I have a weird, but very sad question for anyone who can answer. Deb and Smitten Kitchen are my go-to’s for just about anything, but I recently got the saddest news that I need to cut my carbs by quite a lot (stupid a1c). Does anyone know of anyone who I could trust even remotely as much as I trust Deb who I could learn how to do this kind of recipe conversion from? Once I have a key, I can start uncarbing (so, so sad) some of these recipes some so I don’t have to give them up entirely.
Try this:
Hope it helps! https://haveyourcakelizprueitt.substack.com
Hi all… for the life of me, I cannot print these rolls or anything else from Smitten Kitchen… do I have to join a certain site to print? I am really baffled!!! Thanks
Phyllis
My apologies! I forgot to put the printing parameters in. All fixed now. You can hit Print from your browser or use the Print button at the end of the recipe and it will only print the recipe and headnote.
I love the video…
BUT… I press PRINT and it seems I have to sign up to SHIFT, and all I want to do is print the recipe… I see nothing at the bottom of the recipe that might be different from all the other attempts I have made… can you help and be more specific?
I am really sorry…
and thank you
The print functioning should be working. If it’s not, try rebooting your browser and coming back to this page. You can print from your browser, Control + P, or the Print recipe button in the recipe.
thanks, I will try
Nope. Nothing seems to work. I have even tried cutting and pasting and sending it to myself, but for some reason this particular recipe does not print if there’s any possibility and I know you are busy that you could send me the actual recipe not the link to my email, maybe I could get it I’m sorry for doing that but maybe you could cut and paste and send it to me at pbrealpro@aol.com. If not, I understand but if yes, I appreciate it. Happy new year.
Sure wish I could print this… others seem not fazed so I assume they are all able to print… am I the only one? but for some quirky reason, I cannot print..
any help form anyone will be much appreciated.
I’m way late to this conversation, but if you are still having issues I’d suggest clearing your browser’s cache. A quick Google search for your browser should give you instructions.
thanks, I will try.
Phyllis
Hello Deb! I have a request … the next time you make cinnamon rolls (or any of your delicious breakfast buns), will you please record a video? Every time I make them, the flavor is fine and the rise is fine… But then everything goes wrong. Maybe I stretch it out too much? Maybe I roll them too tight … or too loose? The buns always look too small before their second rise, plus all the filling oozes out before they bake. It’s a hot mess. Not the good kind. Thanks for your help!
Are you rising buns overnight? Unfortunately that really increases the risk of filling all going to the bottom – sugar pulls in moisture and it drips down into the pan. also, I hate to say this, but the only way I started getting predictably sized rolls is measuring the dough rectangle carefully, and once I figured out the right rectangle length and width that would make slices that fit perfectly in my muffin tin, I stuck to that exact size. Roll it up gently, don’t leave air pockets but definitely don’t apply firm pressure to it as you roll up. Brush a little water on the far edge so it seals when you roll up, and use sewing thread looped around it to cut the roll so it deforms less. i’m sure Deb will have ideas but those are mine! I’ve made a lot of spiral buns. This was my preferred Covid coping skill.
I’ll have a video for you within … wait, I forgot it’s ready. I’ll embed it now!
Thank you, Deb! And thanks, too, Amanda. Yes I’m usually putting them in the fridge overnight – your insight is helpful, maybe that is the (first) problem. I think I am also applying too much firm pressure – I don’t squish it, but now that I’ve watched Deb’s video, I think that I am pulling and stretching too much to make a tight spiral (in at attempt to prevent the leakage). Very helpful tips, Amanda. Thank you!
ah, great! I hope your next batch goes beautifully!
Yay!! They were easy! They were delicious! Doubled the recipe (ended up using my Ankarsrum bowl to mix by hand). I did the tiniest amount of tinkering (not improvements, just some me things) – in my doubled recipe, used 100g of whole wheat flour and 50g quick oats because I like the taste, with the rest regular white flour; used 3.75 cups whole milk and .25 cups low-fat buttermilk to encourage browning (that’s what the baking soda in other recipes is for). Fit 24 on a half sheet pan that went into the fridge and will space out further in the morning before baking; baked 8 as a test batch. Might be down to 7 now :D
OK for some reason I thought buttermilk would help with browning even though it’s acidic, but further reading shows that was wrong. Either way, they browned perfectly and I might just have a constant urge to use buttermilk whenever possible!
These are delicious, soft, fluffy, relatively quick to make, and fuss-free (no kneading!!). I will most certainly be making them again.
Oh! And 25min was the perfect bake-time for me.
Oh jeez, I have some serious trepidations about these rolls! I have just cut placed the rolls into my prepared pan, but they are incredibly soft and are literally collapsing into one another! I have followed the ingredients list and directions exactly, so I am hopeful that they come together in the end but so far they look nothing like your photos Deb, or like any other cinnamon rolls I have made before so I will be sitting in my anxiety spiral the entire time they bake…wish me luck! I will write again to let you know how they turned out.
Hi, My experience was the same, just a soft mess. I managed a cinnamon roll cakey thing that I cut in slices. But the dough was a slimy soft mess!
Don’t be afraid to add flour when bread dough is too soft! Especially when you can tell it’s nothing like how the recipe should look. Humidity, altitude, brand of flour, type of flour and so on can all affect flour absorption. Try adding a tablespoon at a time until you have a workable dough.
Made these yesterday amid a slightly mad late morning of sunday brunch prep. Verdict on fluffy – and overall deliciousness from 4 adults & 4 kids (6-14 all with VERY strong opinions) is out: THE BEST! Full marks! I m not the person to get petty over what the dough should do where and when, so my verdict is this (and i dont know what sealevel i am on so i know it‘s a two hour drive to the sea from my house or what my flour‘s number was before it was dumped into a container…, it looked like ‚normal‘ flour..): Go with the recipe, dont be daft, if you had enough cin-buns or made yeasty doughs you know what you are looking for. On separate sticky points: my dough looked wet to once it hit the flour so for my good feeling i added a bit more flour straight away before the initial 1 hr rise so it looked familiar to a dough that was given it‘s initial rise. The mix rose well in a warm place (aka on underfloor heated tiles in tiny bathroom, it‘s autumn here and nowhere else is consistingly warm/draught free) although i doubt it had doubled. But it had puffed up so was showing activity and that will do. Turned out the dough felt silky and very soft, so we quite a few handfuls more aka until enough flour = until it could be handled and rolled out/stretched and then rolled up, cut into slices and lifted without tears. My cut buns in their pan nothing as neat as in Deb‘s pix but who cares – at this point i was in a rush as guest had arrived so they sat unattended for not quite half an hour and had a change to puff up. Oven was preheated to 180 C which struck me as slightly low of yeasty stuff but that was my online converter said so in they wentZ After 25 mins in the oven they still looked pale so stayed another 5, then another 5, came out beautifully browned, fully cooked. We made a glaze out whatever amount of creamcheese, butter & icing sugar was left in the fridge (shops are closed here on sunday) – guessed ratios, added a squeeze of lemon juice for a bit of zing. Slapped it on once it had cooled for 5 mins on the rack. The end product: Nothing ceremonial, more rustic-gorgous like from an expensive farm style hipster bakert – they are delicious with a capital D like in Deb. I m a convert! All hail the no-knead cinnamon bun – which I knew i needed 🤍
Or I could print with WAVE which I do not want to do..
what am I DOING WRONG???
my printer is new, never a problem, and poof!!! not printing…
any help is appreciated…
maybe sent it to my email..
thanks
Phyllis
Phyllis, have you tried copying the recipe text, pasting it into a Word document or email draft, and printing that?
Hi.. have tried all of this… For whatever reason, this recipe does not want to print…. and I am very proficient w/ the computer, copy/paste/everything else.
thanks for the advice… I believe if maybe a recent baker out there could send me the entire recipe by email (pbrealpro@aol.com,) not the link, but the entire recipe, I might get it….
ay ay.. thanks all.
Phyllis
Thanks so much for this! I’m always on the lookout for tasty non-dairy recipes to make for a lactose intolerant grandchild. I’ll be trying this one this weekend!
These were so soft, fluffy and delicious! The family loved them, will definitely be making this recipe again.
Perfect. I made no changes, full dairy version ( butter!). I baked for 30 minutes @ 325 convection. This is yet another new Smitten recipe keeper that I will make regularly. Thanks, Deb!
I sure wish the rolls recipe was gluten free. So hard to make GF baked goods sometimes.
Looks great though.
These look great! May I ask what is the purpose of mixing in some of the flour after the dough has proved? I have never seen this technique before and am wondering if I could add the last amount of flour at the beginning, and if not, why?
The dough rises faster when it’s wetter.
I don’t know if you’re aware of the impeccable timing of this recipe or not, but I’ll tell you- it’s uncanny. This weekend is General Conference weekend for the LDS church. It’s where everyone meets together across the globe to listen to speeches from leaders of the church. In the U.S., a lot of families have the tradition of making homemade cinnamon rolls every time general conference happens. SO. Your post. Perfection. I’ll be using your recipe this weekend! Thank you!
I made these on Sunday and my roommate shortly commanded that I am only allowed to make them on special occasions now because she doesn’t have the will to completely inhale the whole tray – A+ business as ever!
How is that cinnamon swirl nugget already 15?! ❤️
Happy birthday!
And related, I need to make these for my 12 year old, who was only just born a minute ago, too.
I love all things Smitten Kitchen and was so excited to try this recipe. The advice to keep the dough 1/2-inch thick I think is not quite right. I did so and the buns did not cook through in 40 minutes. Perhaps it should be 1/4-inch thick?
Wow, these look amazing!
I’m making them right now, and I wonder why not to use parchment paper for the whole pan. Can anyone explain the logic behind it so I would be convinced to take this extra step? :D
Generally, it gives the baked good a clean release from the pan and reduces the chances that the pan will need to be scrubbed clean of stubborn bits of sugar or dough.
Any suggestions on how to incorporate fresh bits of apple to create a twist on a classic combination of cinnamon-apple? Would you add small diced apple to the bottom of the pan before last proof and let it get soft and gooey while it bakes? Or would you make it separately as a topping and add to the baked buns? Would anyone dare add it to the filling and compromise proofing?
My first inclination is possibly also the least risk to proofing: I’d put diced, sauteed apples over the baked rolls. Icing then optional.
To answer my own question, I put diced apples tossed in a few tbsp of brown sugar and cinnamon in the pan, then rolls on top. The proof was not compromised and the apples created their own syrup as they baked. I even used half whole wheat flour and the rise was fine. Now if you can tell me what I can do with an overweight spouse you’ll be a hero amongst heroes. Thanks, Deb.
Not sure what the fourth sentence has to do with the buns, but thanks for reporting back about the apples!
I’d need to test it to be sure, but the method will either be to add small-diced apples to the cinnamon mixture or add small-diced apples you’ve cooked a little first, either sauteed with some butter and sugar to soften or perhaps microwaved.
These ARE easy to make and they turned out better than my go-to Pioneer Woman cinnamon rolls. I used light brown sugar and didn’t use cream cheese. Perfect sweetness level.
Made 12 huge rolls and cooked for 30 minutes.
I’m so pleased with these , I used half bread flour and half plain as it’s all I had. I also halved the glaze and it was enough for us (for 12 rolls baked in 1 tin). I added lemon juice instead of vanilla, just my personal preference. Mine baked up nicely in less than 30 mins. Thanks for another great recipe Deb!
I made these today with my six-year-old. He was very happy with how they turned out. Mine took a little longer to rise (about an hour and a half to double) even though I used instant yeast and it’s an unseasonably hot day today. The rest pretty much when according to the recipe I did bake them for about 28 minutes and I did 12 rolls. I love when I don’t have to pull out the stand mixer. Will make again.
Just made these, and I think they will become my new go-to cinnamon roll. Love that the flexibility of making right away or making the night before and baking in the morning is included in the recipe, love that I don’t have to use a stand mixer, and love that it works with different milks. I used soy milk and regular butter. I found the dough a dream to work with. Ended up letting it rise for an hour and 20 minutes or so because my kitchen was cooler. I had never used a recipe calling for stirring additional flour into a dough post-rise, but it was easy to incorporate. I also cut into 12 rolls and baked in a 9×13 for about 28 minutes. Perfection!
Question….my dough was so soft that it didn’t really hold a roll shape. It kind of had a flat bottom and an oval top. The. When I went to cut they didn’t keep the defined layers like in your pictures. They kind of pinched instead. I’ve placed them in the pan and they’re slouchy blobs with no classic shape. What did I do wrong? Did I not add enough flour? I used a scale and everything.
Some people use unflavored dentail floss to cut the log into individual buns without compressing the shape — you could try it. I just use a sharp serrated knife and saw gently.
THANK YOU TO MY NEW COOKING FRIENDS WHO SENT ME THE ORIGINAL RECIPE IN FULL
I am so appreciative… I could not PRINT this recipe, and tried every which way.. but now I have it…
thank you all
Phyllis B
Has anyone tried subbing the butter for coconut oil with success?
It will work just fine.
These were wonderful and the dough was so much easier to work with than other recipes I’ve tried! Thank you!
We’ve eaten them all and I’m already trying to decide when I can make more.
And coconut oil works fine as a vegan butter sub!
This is why you’re the OG. Thank you.
Gabe you tried making these as sticky buns? I generally do the melted butter brown sugar in the pan first, add dough and then turn out vs glaze but haven’t tried this recipe obviously.
These were a cinch to make, thank you! I had to make them dairy-free but not vegetarian so I used oat milk and lard instead of regular milk and butter and the dough was a dream. I also messed up and put all the flour in at once and they still worked. I adore a forgiving dough recipe!
In this moment, Im disappointed. Dough has been rising for 65 min and no where near doubled. Will give it another 30 min and say a prayer….
Bowl is sitting inside oven with light on for a bit of warmth
Was truly hoping they’d be fully risen in 60 min. Now, im already half hour behind…. Yeast was fresh, just not sure what the heck went wrong
Ann, I have experienced that same thing when I accidentally killed the yeast with too-hot liquid. Is there any chance you might have done that?
If I were you, I would dissolve some yeast in a very small amount of water, then carefully knead it into the dough. It may well respond yet!
K,
Thx for kind reply. Like you,I have overheated and killed yeast in the past.
Nowadays I try to be careful- Ive learned it is better to UNDER heat than overheat!
Well- afterngiving the bowl of dough an extra 35 min, it is risen! I rolled it out and set pan of rolls aside for final rising. I checked at 30 min and its just starting to rise. Im giving this rising an extra 30 min as well. But I like the texture and taste of the raw dough. So I think these will be fine- the extra rising time is what worried me. It may be that it is a kooler morning here, or not enuff humidity in the kitchen, I dont know. Im glad Indidnt have to pitch the whole batch!
Will post again when final product comes from the oven. Thanks again…
A
For anyone debating making these rolls, get thee to the kitchen and make them! They’re delicate, fluffy and oh so delicious. The perfect cinnamon roll texture and flavor.
My rolls came out v good, in the end.
BUT these were NOT ready in 2 hr 15 min!
My first rise required almost 2.5 hours. Once buns were in pan, Deb says let proof for 30 min. Mine needed 1.5 hours to finish proofing. I used reg yeast, not rapid rise yeast. Needed ALOT of extra time for each rest period.
Happy with end result- soft, tender and v tasty. Used skim milk, regular butter. Didnt realize how much extra time would be needed for each rise! I followed recipe to a tee- warm milk, warm butter, etc.
These were wonderful. I love that they don’t need a stand mixer. I made an apple
filling, following cloudykitchen’s recipe from their soft baked apple cinnamon rolls, and added it on top of the brown sugar/cinnamon filling. This didn’t seem to impact the rise.
I didn’t add the full half cup of flour to the dough after the first rise, as I was afraid it would make it too dry (measured ingredients by volume, which may have impacted this). The texture was great.
I thank my two lovely friends one from Switzerland. Anne. And cdd for sending me the actual written recipe. For some crazy reason, my printer did not print it. And so I made it today. They are delicious easy. But I did not roll them tightly enough. Nevertheless I got 16. There were a little messy. but wonderful. Thank you, Deb
Can confirm these also work well with mostly whole-wheat flour, as I ran out of all-purpose and didn’t realize. In a half-batch, I used 90g of white flour and the rest whole wheat. “Vegan whole wheat cinnamon rolls” sounds way too healthy for something that tastes so nice!
Made these yesterday and they are as easy and delicious as you say! Perfect recipe! Thank you!
I am loyal to PW when it comes to cinnamon rolls and strawberry shortcake cake but I always had a hunch that SK has her own streamlined version of a quick and awesome cinnamon rolls ( seeing all the babka recipes on this site). I felt so giddy when this recipe came into light. I tried it, it’s more of bread side compared to PW which gives a bit brioche-cake vibe to me. The butter used in the dough makes them smell so so good. I always wanted to try PW cinnamon rolls with all bread flour, but the egg, baking soda and baking powder was confusing to me – this time I used all bread flour and the texture was heaven, I did not roll the dough with the rolling pin but patted it on a half sheet floured baking pan, the dough spread and covered the pan without any resistance. From photo it looks like SK may have started rolling the cinnamon rolls on the short side of the rectangle which yields more twist/swirls inside the roll, maybe that’s why baking time for some previous commenters may got longer. I tried to roll from the longer side of the rectangle that yields few swirls in the bun and baking time was just 25 min as the recipe suggested. Thank you Debb, I knew this recipe was there, thank you for sharing with us!
Sorry Deb*
What in the world is PW?
Oh sorry! PW means Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond. I guess that’s what Deb meant when she referred to world famous recipe.
I saw your post and my first reaction was, what nonsense, Jacob is just 3 months older than my Ash and he should be 14… Then I realised it is october and Ash will be 15 in 2 months! This year has simply flown past me. Wish him a glorious year on my behalf!
PS: I have an older one, studying Physics in Germany. I kinda dread birthdays because now they mean they are getting ready to fly the coup.
PS: THanks so much for the sudden vegan bent of your recipes. Ash is vegan and I struggle to make him things. Next stop: Vegan Brownie, ideally vegan cocoa brownie
I have a full circle comment… when my oldest kid Netty was a baby, your son Jacob was just a little older, and I made the banana monkey cake for her first birthday and it was completely darling and so delicious. And fast forward for her 15th birthday she is now “part time” (aka five days a week vegan) and I’m doing my best to be supportive. I made these cinnamon rolls with oat milk and she LOVED (we all did!) them for her birthday treat this week. All these years of “sharing” dinner and many other celebrations with your family, this one felt worthy a very special THANK YOU. Thank you Deb.
I’ve never made cinnamon rolls and have just assumed that they were a ton of work and out of reach of my skills— but these came together quickly and easily with ingredients I already had in my house. I killed the first bit of yeast with the milk being too hot, but it wasn’t a problem, after an hour I just added some more yeast. Then it still wasn’t really rising, but I had to proceeded, but that too turned out to not be a problem, they popped up fine in the oven. I didn’t want to go and search a vegan cream cheese so I just made the PW maple frosting after reading comments here, though I’ll try it again the way you wrote it. All in all, I’m just thrilled, thank you. I am in the process of trying to have a child, a 10 year slow and at times painful medical and surrogacy journey, and I appreciate now feeling like, well this is still slow but at least I’ll be prepared to make a kiddo cinnamon rolls!
15?! That curly haired baby with his little subway themed birthday party is 15?! Geez. I’m getting old.
I’ve made these twice without success – operator error I assume. I love cinammon buns and I know Deb’s recipes always work and so I will try again. I have a question about the rolling step. It says to keep the dough 1/2″ thick but the photos would indicate that is completely not the case. What thickness are you rolling the dough to?
This recipe is easy and forgiving. I roll it out to approx 1/2” thick. Dont need to be exact. Not sure what trbl youre having? I find that sometimes it takes exxtra time for each rising period. Depends on humidity and temp variables in my kitchen…..
I love looking back through your previous recipes and recognizing so many that I have made over the years. I hate to say it Deb, but you are the reason I keep going up in pant sizes, But I’m not complaining, every bite of one of your recipes is worth it.
Hi Deb! i’ve been following your blog for years. It’s my daughters 15th birthday today and she asked for Cinnamon Rolls so I came to my favorite site to get a fool proof recipe! I didn’t realize that we had been pregnant at the same time. Hugs ps i’ll let you know how they came out.
THIS IS A REPLY TO GRACE’S POST…
I fully agree- my rolals took nearly 3 hrs to rise first rising, and then extra time again for second rise while in the pan. So do not panic if yours do not rise timely- I guess my kitchen was kool on that day?
LESS SUGAR ! YES! We likwly all consume too much sugar; i do have a sweet tooth, but with sugar in the dough and in filling, and then adding a sweet glaze, it was way too much. I will reduce sugar next time.
Overall, this is an easy and tasty recipe!
Hi Deb! I made them and they were super easy and a SUPER HIT!!! The rolls took about 5/8 min more to cook. thanks for always having perfect fool proof recipes.
Like some others, these took far, far longer to rise than expected (if you’re making these in the winter, I’d count on 2.5 hours). I’d also suggest melting the butter in the filling. In winter, even softened butter will just tear the dough if you try to spread it.
The dough has a nice texture overall, and I like the idea of a no-knead sweet bread. But I did find this too sweet for my taste. I’d personally change the cinnamon/sugar to half and half — the icing is plenty sweet already, and there’s no bite from the cinnamon at just two tablespoons.
I am so glad I made these! I was originally going to make a different recipe that was more complicated, and then when it got to 8pm the night before and hadn’t started yet, I knew I had to pivot. This recipe is easy, and I did all the prep efficiently last night. Baked this AM and there were delicious and a huge hit!
I only used 100g of confectioners sugar for the icing .
These were great! I decided to try them for Thanksgiving morning instead of my usual go to. I’ve used Stella Parks’ overnight cinnamon roll recipe previously and while I love them, the dough process has always been finicky and driven me a little nuts. These were SUPER easy, came together and rose in no time at all, and tasted great with excellent texture. I love the glaze too- it’s cream cheese heavy which I prefer. I will say the dough is super soft- I was able to work with it but I’m fairly bread dough experienced, so beginners may have a tougher time. Since I’m usually only making cinnamon rolls on holidays where ease is top of mind, I will probably use this as my go to recipe going forward, thanks Deb!
Do you think you could sub in leftover cranberry sauce in these, or too wet? Looking for ways to get at the Thanksgiving bonanza…
I would never add cranberry sauce here. Too wet and doesnt even sound good
W this recipe for Cinn Rolls.
Save it for something else, or give it to your neighbor.
I have made this recipe several times, and my favorite thing about it (although I know not many may do this) is that the recipe can be halved because it does not contain eggs. It’s so easy and quick. I just made it again last night in preparation for today. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Deb, at what point would you freeze these? As a log? After you’ve cut them? After baking?
Thank you!
I’d say any of those would work. For freezer space, as a log might be easier. Otherwise, sliced and already in their pans, but before the final rise.
These turned out perfectly and I am not a baker. My only change was subbing half a tablespoon of cinnamon out for cardamom. The buns were a big hit and easy enough that I look forward to making them more often! Thanks SK!
For those wondering about freezing:
After the first rise, I filled and shaped the dough into rolls according to the recipe, placed half of them into a 9×9 baking pan, then covered and froze them. The morning I wanted to bake them, I pulled them straight out of the freezer into a 350 degree oven, no defrosting needed. The second rise happened in the oven. I baked the rolls almost twice as long—an additional 20 mins (45 mins total)—but they came out perfectly, just as good as the batch I had cooked from freshly made dough the week before. I don’t have much experience with yeasted doughs, but these were so simple anyone can do it. This is a great recipe!
Thank you for the tip, Rebecca! Was hoping to freeze a couple days ahead of time and I appreciate the info :)
Thanks for your comment of “freezing”. I notice there were several people wanting to know this and that concerning “freezing” and smaller portions. I would think an 8×8 would work and freeze the other 8 buns for later (if one has an extra 8×8 or after the others come out of the oven and cool off). Your comment is greatly appreciated.
I want to let these rise while we’re out to dinner, but it’ll be more like two hours – is that ok if I leave them in a cooler spot rather than warm? Or still do warm? Or find another plan?
I have made these only once, in Nov. in my Minnesota kitchen. I set them inside gas oven, with light on, to rise. Took over 2 hrs!! I did everything right.
Apparently the lo humidity and cooler outside temp had an effect?
Not sure where u l8ve, but Id say you shd be safe going out to dinner while these rest.
Switched from our usual Christmas SK cranberry-orange breakfast buns to these and they were delightful. I followed the recipe exactly and I have one note and one question:
1. I got 21 buns from this recipe and used a 9×13 pan and an 8×8 pan. FYI if you’re baking after refrigerating overnight: I needed closer to 35 minutes. I had to tent with foil to prevent the rolls from burning/drying out. Everything was delicious and they were moist and perfect, and they’re great on Day 2.
2. My question: Why not paint the dough with melted butter? Is there a structural reason for this? I found it difficult to spread the softened butter evenly and just scattered chunks of it over the dough before adding the sugar/cinnamon.
Merry everything, Deb! You make life sweeter every day.
First time cinnamon roller here. Turned out quite nicely! I did sub in white whole wheat flour for half of the flour and worked well enough. I usually skip icing (with commercial tube ones) but these are def not too sweet so the cc icing was a great compliment. My dad also says thank you – reminded him of his Baba!
HELP wCINNAMON ROLLS. Ive made these quick and easy Cinn rolls a few times and they are good. But, they arent the ones Im after- Can you help me? I seek the old fashioned giant cinn rolls, served in our grade school cafeteria. Some farm ladies came in a few times a week to make these and they were Superb! These rolls were like the dough from grandma’s homemade white bread- not overly sweet but a finer texture, and good balance with the cinn filling and crm cheese glaze. Thats as best as I can describe. My guess is they take more kneading and longer rising, but that’s ok. Any ideas here?
THANKS!
Could the ladies have used sourdough for the rolls?
No, NOT sourdough. But thanks for the comment. These rolls were like really good white bread from an old fashioned bakery. Or grandmas house, in the 1960s. Not like most bakeries today. The “bread” dough was rolled and filled
Then after rising and baking, a good crm cheese frosting. The frosting is the only part I can get right…. Someone has to remember these, if you wre in gradeschool in the 1950-60s,
Thanks!
So first things first – amazing easy recipe even with my oopsy. I have been working with bread dough for over 50 years and I have never come across a recipe that adds more flour after the first proof so needless to say I missed that step. I did work my dough for 5 minutes in my stand mixer and when I removed it I thought that it was one of the nicest textured doughs I had ever made. Everything went well and the buns turned out so tender. I did make sure the dough reached 190 degrees just to be on the safe side. One change I made was I chopped an apple into small pieces, chopped 1/2 cup of pecans and sprinkled them both over the cinnamon sugar. This is now in my recipe file with 5 huge stars beside the title and your name. My hats off to you and my husband seconds that with icing on his nose and a very large smile.
Here’s a great tip for cutting soft rolled dough. Score your rolled dough into the amount of portions you require. Now take a long piece of floss (yes dental floss), slide it under the roll at your first score line, cross the ends over the top and pull tight. Voila you now have a neatly cut bun
NOT minted floss
I’m normally pretty bad with doughs that need to rise due to lack of practice, but these came out looking like actual real cinnamon buns! Now I just have to stop my kids from sneaking into the kitchen and sticking their grubby little fingers into them…
PSA re: cinnamon
Consumer Reports recently published a study of lead in cinnamon. I am not posting to be alarmist, only to share info as there are some they tested that are safer to use than others. And I’m going to make these for New Year’s–with safe cinnamon, of course!
https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-contaminants/high-lead-levels-in-cinnamon-powders-and-spice-mixtures-a4542246475/
Prepped at night and baked in the morning, and they were absolutely perfect. I had unsweetened soy milk on hand as the milk component, and that seemed to work fine. These were soft, buttery, sweet…my husband could barely talk after taking a bite.
I cut the recipe in half for 4 people and made a non-cream cheese icing. It was super easy and delicious. I look forward to trying the overnight method next time.
Simply outstanding. So quick and easy. I had made a recipe from a different source for Christmas and they were disappointing so I set out for redemption and should have known to start here in the first place. Lovely texture, and delicious.
Wanted to share my forgetful/extended baking timeline in case anyone was curious about the flexibility here :) made the dough, popped it in the fridge after an hour, forgot about the dough, 5 hours later added the 0.5 c flour, rolled and sliced, back into the fridge overnight and baked off this morning. Delicious and not over proofed. My sleep deprived postpartum self is thrilled to have a morning treat with my coffee and will likely have a midnight snack later on… Thank you deb!!
Very simple and insanely delicious! I was worried because the butter wasn’t soft enough to spread on the dough; it was pretty lumpy and when they came out the melted butter was bubbling in the bottom of the pan, but they are incredibly delicious. My first time making cinnamon rolls was a success! Thanks!
I made these for Christmas morning and twice lately for visiting family. They were so easy and fantastic every time!! I’ve used lactose free milk and regular milk, also lactose free cream cheese and regular cream cheese – all versions worked fabulously. I’ve avoided making cinnamon rolls for years because the time commitment for a breakfast food seemed too much for me. With the ease of the night before prep and being able to pull them out of the fridge and straight into the oven, I’m hooked! Thanks Deb!
These are by far the best—and more importantly easiest cinnamon rolls ever!
The dough came together beautifully and the end product is outrageous. They are everything you want in a cinnamon roll….the texture and flavor are intoxicating! What’s better than being awoken on a cold February morning by the scent of these right out of the oven.
My only question-why are rapid rise and regular yeast interchangeable? I used rapid rise and the end result was perfection.
I had my concerns about these cinnamon rolls – when I rolled out the dough to add the filling, it was ::lumpy:: which I’ve never experienced. Not pockets of flour, but maybe cooled butter? It was a little sloppy to work with, but the rolls baked up delicious and soft! And without any kneading or getting out the stand mixer, pretty incredible. I made the recipe as directed with regular butter and 2% milk.
When you just say “butter,” do you mean salted or unsalted?
I’m using unsalted here. If you only have salted, just dial back the added salt a bit.
Tried these and accidentally ate all of them.
Hardly any difference from traditional recipes where you are proofing forever. These are so easy to make it’s dangerous
These were pretty perfect. Beautiful dough to work with and I love that I can bake up a yeasted bun in such a short time.
I LOVE this recipe! My only question is — Is there a point at which I can freeze some of the rolls for later? We are empty nesters so really don’t need to eat 16 cinnamon rolls. I usually wait until some type of event to make the rolls and always share with neighbors but would love to be able to freeze half to bake later. Thank you for the amazing recipe!
I’d freeze them after rolling and slicing them, i.e. in the pan. Defrost before baking and they’ll be warm and fresh when you want them.
Deb thanks for answering the “freezing” question. I noticed you have quite a lot of freezing questions. At one time people relied heavily on making meals ahead and freezing them–for later. I think I’m going to make 8 and freeze the other 8 for later. thanks so much. ✌️
I’m giving this a try and appreciate the (i.e. margarine) because that butter has gotten super expensive—and let’s face we used that heavily at one point in our lives–so here we go again. Best.
I made these exactly as written and they were fantastic. I’m trying my hand at sourdough bread and have a small amount of discard starter. Could I add this to the existing dough or will it change the texture and rise time?