Delicious and fluffy Homemade Cinnamon Rolls topped with a cream cheese frosting, then filled with a cinnamon, brown sugar, and pecan filling. This quick and easy recipe will become your favorite dessert after the first bite!
If you enjoy fluffy yeast bread with a sweet filling, then you will love this Nutella Brioche and Brioche hot cross buns!
Table Of Contents
Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Recipe Details
A lot of people love Cinnabon, but I think this recipe is even better! These homemade Cinnamon Rolls are absolutely scrumptious.
- TASTE: These pastries have a delicious mix of sweet brown sugar, nutty pecans, and rich cream cheese frosting.
- TEXTURE: Layers of flaky pastry topped with creamy, thick frosting, these rolls are soft and fluffy.
- TIME: This recipe takes about 2 1/2 hours to make.
- EASE: Making delicious homemade Cinnamon Rolls takes some time, but this recipe has easy to follow directions and images so they’re made perfect every time.
What You’ll Need
For the Cinnamon Rolls
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredient Notes
- Yeast- This is what gives these rolls their fluffy, flaky layers. Yeast provides the air that keeps baked goods from being dense.
- Pecans- For a nutty crunch, this ingredient gives your Cinnamon Rolls an extra bit of texture and flavor that complements the fluffy dough and creamy frosting.
- Cream cheese- This is what makes the frosting so creamy and delicious. It acts as a thickener, but also adds lots of richness, too.
- Powdered sugar- For a sweet, smooth finish, this fine grain sugar is perfect for icing.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Substitute a different icing- You can also make these Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls topped with vanilla icing, caramel sauce, maple syrup, or a fruit compote.
- Add maple syrup- For added flavor, add pure maple syrup into the filling or icing. It tastes so good with the vanilla, brown sugar, and pecan flavors.
- Make them gluten-free- Use gluten-free flour 1:1 in this recipe to make it a gluten-free dessert.
- Substitute instant yeast- If you don’t have active dry yeast, you can use the instant kind instead. Just be aware it usually takes less time.
How to Make the Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
This is a quick recipe rundown. For the full detailed recipe, scroll down to the printable recipe card.
- Froth the yeast. Warm the milk in a large measuring cup to 110 degrees Fahrenheit and then add the sugar. Stir, add the yeast, and then let it sit in a warm place until it becomes frothy (about 12 minutes).
- Mix dough ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, salt, sugar, eggs, yeast mixture, and melted butter. Mix on low for a few seconds, then add the vanilla extract.
- Pick up the speed. Using the hook attachment, set the speed to medium-high until all of the dough is combined and it is no longer sticking to the sides of the mixing bowl.
- Let it rise. Transfer the dough to a large greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it sit in a warm palace for 1 hour, until the dough is soft and slightly sticky.
- Make the filling. Meanwhile, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together with an electric mixer. Set aside.
- Roll out the dough. Once the dough is done rising, transfer it to a lightly floured surface and roll it out to a 24 x 16-inch rectangle. Add a little flour on top to keep the rolling pin from sticking to the dough.
- Spread the filling. Evenly spread the filling onto the dough. Then add the chopped pecans on top of the filling. Roll up the dough into a log shape beginning with the longer side.
- Cut the rolls. Slice the log into 2-inch pieces using either a knife or thread.
Pro Tip: When it comes to cutting the rolls, I prefer a thread over a knife since it gives a cleaner cut. Slide the string or thread under the roll, then wrap around and pull and cut through the dough.
- Let the cinnamon rolls rise. Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with greased parchment paper and place the rolls inside. Let the dough rise in a warm place until the dough doubles in size (about 30 minutes). You can place any extra pieces that won’t fit into the baking dish in a loaf pan.
- Bake. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned.
- Make the icing. While the rolls are baking, blend the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, Half & Half, and vanilla in a bowl.
- Ice the rolls. Once the rolls are baked, generously spread the cream cheese icing on top.
Recipe Tips
- Let the dough rise to add fluffiness- The dough will be soft and slightly sticky after an hour of rising, which is good. That will produce a nice fluffy roll.
- Use softened butter for the filling- To help the filling remain creamy and not runny, use softened butter instead of melted. This will give it more structure.
- Chop the pecans small- To keep your homemade Cinnamon Rolls from being lumpy, chop the pecans into small pieces so you get a little nutty crunch in each bite.
- Use higher fat milks- The milk and Half & Half in this recipe add richness to the dough and creaminess to the frosting. Lower fat milks will be too watery here.
FAQs
Make the dough the day before you need them. After you spread on the cinnamon and pecan filling, roll the dough and cut them into individual pieces. Then place them into a baking dish and refrigerate until the next morning. Let them come to room temperature before you bake them.
Yes, the icing can be frozen for up to 3 months. Just allow it to thaw in the refrigerator, then let it sit out until it comes to room temperature before spreading it on the Cinnamon Rolls.
Serving Suggestions
These Cinnamon Rolls make a great dessert, snack, or breakfast. Here are some ways you can serve them.
- Breakfast: If you’re setting these out for breakfast, pair them with Brioche French Toast, Bacon and Hash Brown Quiche, Blueberry Breakfast Crepe, and Crispy Air Fryer Bacon.
- Coffee: These Cinnamon Rolls would be delicious with a Pumpkin Spice Latte or Iced Caramel Macchiato.
- Milk: A glass of cold mix is also a great way to serve these!
Make These Homemade Cinnamon Rolls in Advance
Make ahead: Yes. You can make these rolls the day before but don’t bake them. Place them in the fridge overnight and bake the next day. You don’t want to have them sit longer than that. The dough will continue to rise and the yeast can go bad.
Storing: Store leftover Homemade Cinnamon Rolls covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, and up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Freeze: Make sure to cover your Homemade Cinnamon Rolls really well. They can last up to 2 months in the freezer. Prior to baking them, you will want to allow them to thaw in the fridge. Then once they are thawed out, you can bake them.
More Tasty Pastries!
Watch Recipe VIDEO here
Full Recipe Instructions
Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
The dough
- 1 1/2 cups milk (whole or 2%)
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp dry active yeast
- 4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Brown sugar cinnamon filling
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cup pecans chopped
Cream cheese icing
- 16 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Warm the milk in a large measuring cup to 110 degrees Fahrenheit and add 2 tablespoons of sugar. Give it a quick stir then add the yeast. Let it sit in a warm place until it becomes frothy (about 12 minutes)
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add flour, salt, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 eggs, yeast mixture, and melted butter. Set the speed to low, just for a few seconds, then add 1 tsp vanilla extract.
- Using the hook attachment, set the speed to medium-high until all of the dough is combined. A good way to know the dough is done is when it no longer sticks to the sides of the mixer bowl.
- Transfer the dough to a large greased bowl (I used olive oil) and cover with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm palace for 1 hour. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky, that's what you want to see if you want super fluffy rolls.
- Meanwhile, beat together 3/4 cup softened unsalted butter, 1 cup brown sugar, and 1 tbsp cinnamon using an electric mixer. This will be the filling.
- Once the dough is done rising. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and roll it out to a 24 x 16-inch rectangle. Add a little flour on top as needed so the rolling pin doesn't stick to the dough.
- Evenly spread the filling onto the dough. Chop the pecans and spread them on top of the filling. Roll up the dough into a log shape beginning with the longer side.
- Slice the log into 2-inch pieces. You can either use a knife or thin thread. I prefer to use thread, as it gives a cleaner cut.
- Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with greased parchment paper and place the rolls inside. Let the dough rise in a warm place one last time until the dough doubles in size (about 30 minutes depending on temperature). You may have a few extra pieces that won't fit into the baking dish, just place them in a loaf pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.
- While the rolls are baking, in a bowl blend cream cheese, 1/2 cup butter, powdered sugar, half & half, and 1 tsp vanilla.
- Once the rolls are baked, generously spread the cream cheese spread on top.
Notes
- MAKE AHEAD: If you want to make these in advance, you can refrigerate them overnight before the last rise (so right after you place them in the baking dish). The next morning, let them come to room temperature for about 1 hour. Then bake as instructed in the recipe.
- The Frosting can also be made days in advance and kept in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Baking after freezing: Make sure to cover your unbaked cinnamon rolls really well (plastic wrap and foil). They can last up to 2 months in the freezer. Prior to baking them, you will want to allow them to thaw in the fridge overnight. Then once they are thawed out, you can bake them the same way as instructed above.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on Nov 9, 2015, we have tweaked it a bit since.
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ana says
i have read so many wonderful comments about this recipe that I cant wait to try it, hopefully this afternoon, wish me luck 🥰🥰🥰
simplyhomecooked says
Good luck Ana! I hope you absolutely love these cinnamon rolls! Please let me know how it turns out 🙂
Ana says
They are absolutely the best cinammon rolls I have ever tried, the kids love them, the husband loves them and I am just crazy about them, thanks for the recipe, its simply amazing!!
simplyhomecooked says
Wow Ana! That is so awesome! You have no idea how much that means to me 🙂
Karen says
My Daughter is a Cinnamon roll junkie it took a lot of fails with other recipes 😳 but this one is a hit she loves it and I’m a baker in a small town they all love this recipe Thank you Thank you 😋😊❤️
simplyhomecooked says
I am so happy to hear that Karen! Thank you so much for your sweet words! 🙂
Michelle says
Very yummy!! I would be making these again 🤤
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you so much! I’m so glad to hear you loved them! 🙂
Maria socorro Verania says
To the creator just want to ask what is halaf and half that is on the cheese icing?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Maria, half and half is a combination of light cream and milk. Its fat content is at about 10-12 %.
Abby says
My family and I loved these cinnamon rolls! I was told by everyone to keep this recipe on hand for future use. I made these dairy free (so I could eat them too) by substituting in almond milk and Earth Balance butter. I made the cream cheese frosting for my family and they thought it was delicious. I made a simple icing for me. The cinnamon rolls were nice and fluffy, very delicious! Would highly recommend this recipe!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you for the awesome feedback Abby! I am so glad to hear that you and your family enjoyed these cinnamon rolls. And thank you for sharing your dairy-free option!
Angie says
These are the best cinnamon buns I have made! Was a little skeptical as my dough was really sticky, thinking it was because I used bread flour but it rolled out nicely. I love that are not too sweet.
simplyhomecooked says
That’s amazing Angie! I know the sticky dough can be a bit deceiving at first, but the texture you get when they’re baked is just melted in your mouth perfection!
Ruth McLean says
This is by far the best dough ever! It is pillowy and soft and the buns are light as air! I have found my forever recipe! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
simplyhomecooked says
OMG! that is quite the compliment! Thank you so much Ruth, I am happy to hear that you enjoyed these cinnamon rolls so much 🙂
Marge says
Can I use wheat flour with this recipe? It looks so good!
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Marge, I have never used wheat flour for these cinnamon rolls so I am not too sure how it would turn out.
Carla minea says
Hi!
Whats happens if i dont have the kind of mixer tool, is there any way to do it by hand and still get that soft consistency at the end? Thank you!
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Carla, you can make it by hand, but it will take a lot longer. The key is to look for that smooth elastic consistency in the dough. I hope that helps 🙂
Lystra mohammed says
This is definitely the best cinnamon buns I’ve ever had, it’s super soft and melt in ur mouth. Having the video really helped. I’ve shared ur recipe with kites of my friends and neighbors, thank u for this excellent recipe
simplyhomecooked says
I am so happy to hear you enjoyed the cinnamon rolls Lystra! Thank you for leaving such sweet feedback!
Lb says
What if i dont have a stand mixer?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi, you can technically make the cinnamon roll dough by hand, but it will take a lot longer than a stand mixer.
Jannette says
I made the dough and put it the microwave to keep warm so it can double in size. I had in there for 1 hour but it has not doubled in size. What did I do wrong? I’m leaving in the microwave for more time to see if it needs it.
Thank you, I’m excited to try these!
Waiting for some yummy rolls,
Jannette
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Jannette. That’s odd, it should have proofed. The only reason I think it might have done this is maybe the yeast was old?
Pam Bryson says
Do you let the cinnamon rolls rise before you freeze them or after you take them out of the freezer?
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you for the question Pam. You would freeze them before the last proof/rise. Then while they thaw out they would rise slowly at that time. However, this may take a few hours. Ultimately you want the dough to double in size. I hope this helped clarify 🙂 and I really hope you love these cinnamon rolls! 🙂
Geneva says
Hi,
i am a little bit disappointed with this recipe because first of all dough is really really sticky, so rolling was a great effort and i got 10 pieces because of it and they didn’t fill whole baking dish but 3/4. In video you’re telling that u added 2 tbsp of cinnamon and in the recipe above you’ve written 1. Which is the correct version? Also it would be nice if you could add an amount of ingredients in ml or grams because i’ve spent almost 10 minutes to count it.
To be honest i won’t do this recipe again 🙁
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Geneva, I’m sorry to hear that you were disappointed with this recipe. The dough should be quite sticky (that’s why it’s so fluffy and not dry or dense), but if it is unmanageable you can always add a tablespoon of flour at a time. In regards to the measurement, did you roll the dough out to 24×16 inches? Mathematically if you cut along the 24-inch side, you should come out with at least 12 rolls. I think you might have along the 16-inch side instead. In regards to the cinnamon, it should be 1 tablespoon, my mistake. Thanks for catching that. Lastly, since this is an American recipe, I write the recipe it cups/tablespoons since that is the type of measurement most people prefer to use when baking this recipe. I hope the rolls at least tasted good.
Codie says
Your video says to add 3 and 3/4 cup flour to make the dough, but the recipe says 4 and 3/4 cups flour. Which is correct? Thanks!
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Codie, the correct measurement should be 4 3/4 cup flour. The video had a slight mess up, so sorry 🙁 thank you for checking the blog and clarifying with me. I hope your cinnamon rolls turn out amazing!
Codie says
Thanks for getting back to me! I’ll let you know how they turn out. We’re snowed in here in Salt Lake City. It’s a perfect day for making cinnamon rolls. 😀
simplyhomecooked says
Oh, that sounds so wonderful Codie! I love the feeling of a fresh snowfall outside and a warm baked dessert at home. Slightly jealous since our snow here in Washington has been a joke lol.
Codie says
These cinnamon rolls turned out great! I’ve never made anything with yeast dough before so I was a bit nervous. The directions were awesome and I must have watched the video 6 or 7 times to get me through. 😀. My hubby says they look and taste like a professional made them. I’ll definitely be making them again! Thanks for such a great recipe.
simplyhomecooked says
I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for the wonderful feedback 🙂
Pa Bryson says
I had the same question. Thanks for the Q/A
simplyhomecooked says
Thanks for reading the Q/A about the measurements. I noticed the mistake after I posted the video and you can’t change it now. I added a small correction at the top of the video but I’m not sure if much people can see it.
BobbiJo says
Hello,
After making the dough can I leave the dough out and leave it overnight till morning then make the filling ? or do I put the dough in the fridge after an hour of setting ? this is my first time making this and I’m not much a baker but I am trying.
Thanks .
BobbiJo
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Bobbi, are you are asking if you can refrigerate the dough alone without the filling? If so, I wouldn’t recommend it. Roll the dough with the filling, slice it, and chill overnight. Then let the rolls rise one last time before baking in the morning. I hope that helps.
CAROL BAUMGARTE says
Can you double or triple this recipe at once or do you do the recipe once at a time?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Carol, yes you can double or triple this recipe. I hope you enjoy this recipe 🙂
Viktoriya says
Great recipe! They turn out perfect every time!!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you for the kind feedback Viktoriya! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed my cinnamon rolls recipe.
Luda says
Love love these , came back for the recipe again . Going to make them tomorrow 😋😋
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Luda, I am very happy to hear that you enjoyed these cinnamon rolls! Thank you so much for your kind feedback 🙂
Ina says
Amazing recipe!! Very easy to make and turns out delicious!! My family loved them!! Thank you so much for sharing this!!!!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you for the wonderfully kind review, Ina! I’m so happy your family loved these cinnamon rolls!
jessica says
Also it took about 30 min for them to be ready instead of 12. But i really liked how they turned out:) Thank you for the recipe!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you for the great review, Jessica 🙂 I’m happy to hear you enjoyed my cinnamon rolls recipe!
jessica says
How can you fit 20 rolls into 9×13 dish? i did cut the roll into 2 inch pieces as you said in the instructions and only got 10 rolls. And your picture shows 12 rolls in the baking dish. So I am confused now…
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Jessica, I usually get 12 or even a few over 12 rolls from this cinnamon rolls recipe. I am not too sure how you ended up with less.