Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon rolls need no introduction. They are the ultimate sweet treat for breakfast or dessert, drizzled with sweet cream and loaded with cinnamon and brown sugar. The irresistible and sinful aroma of the rolls can turn any day into pure bliss. At the moment I am personally intoxicated on cinnamon rolls and I must warn you that anyone who even dares touch my rolls much less steal them will unleash the fury of a cinnamon roll addict.

I can remember waking up to the smell of cinnamon rolls on Sunday morning before church and thinking, Oh Glorious Day! I would literally jump out of bed so I could be the first one to the table. You see, I don’t know if you have a favorite position of your roll or biscuit in the pan but my favorite one’s are those in the middle of the circle. They never get crusty and are always just a tad bit chewier and gooey than the rest. So you see each Sunday morning I got my exercise in by dashing to the table so that I could then scarf down anywhere from 3-5 cinnamon rolls. Yes- 3-5 rolls all by myself. Thank God my metabolism was good and that I had a wonderful mom who made plenty of them to go around!

Honestly, I am a Pillsbury freak when it comes to cinnamon rolls. Don’t give me Cinnabon or those rolls you find in the mall- give me Pillsbury Dang It! Now, I know how to make cinnamon rolls and I have my tried and true recipes for them but seriously, I would take a Pillsbury cinnamon roll with that cream cheese over any homemade version any day- Well… that is until now! At one point in my life my day merely consisted of trying to find and make the best cinnamon roll ever. One that surpassed Pillsbury and was preferably easy. Through countless tries I had yet to fall in love with that special one and I eventually gave up for a year or so. That is when I heard about the Pioneer Woman’s version. It was that one lonely recipe out in the world that I had yet to accomplish. This past weekend I thought if anyone can do a cinnamon roll it would be this woman and once again, I was right! (That is right about the Pioneer Woman- not about myself! LOL).

The rolls are big and chewy and just bursting with butter, cinnamon and brown sugar! They are light and sweet and the dough is so much easier to make than most I have done. Seriously, the best rolls in the entire world. To add to the package- the recipe makes enough for you to have a pan for breakfast and still freeze 2 more pans for a rainy day or any day for that matter! Top them off with a rich decadent vanilla glaze (she used maple and coffee in hers but Come On! That wouldn’t be a true cinnamon roll now would it?).

If you are in the market for a hands down mouth-watering sweet and delicious cinnamon roll then look no further my friends. After dozens of recipes I can attest that these are BY FAR the best things in the world! Go For It! Prove me Wrong! 🙂

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Homemade Cinnamon Rolls with a Sweet Vanilla Cream Glaze

Rolls from Pioneer Woman and Glaze from yours truly!
  • 1 quart Whole Milk
  • 1 cup Vegetable Oil
  • 1 cup Sugar
  • 2 packages Active Dry Yeast, 0.25 Ounce Packets
  • 8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder
  • 1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda
  • 1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt
  • Plenty Of Melted Butter
  • 2 cups Sugar
  • Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon

Sweet Vanilla Cream Glaze:

  • 1 bag Powdered Sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup Milk

Directions:

Mix the milk, vegetable oil and sugar in a pan. Scald the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point). Turn off heat and leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour. When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in both packages of Active Dry Yeast. Let this sit for a minute. Then add 8 cups of all-purpose flour. Stir mixture together. Cover and let rise for at least an hour.

After rising for at least an hour, add 1 more cup of flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir mixture together. (At this point, you could cover the dough and put it in the fridge until you need it – overnight or even a day or two, if necessary. Just keep your eye on it and if it starts to overflow out of the pan, just punch it down).

When ready to prepare rolls: Sprinkle rolling surface generously with flour. Take half the dough and form a rough rectangle. Then roll the dough thin, maintaining a general rectangular shape. Drizzle 1/2 to 1 cup melted butter over the dough. Now sprinkle 1 cup of sugar over the butter followed by a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.

Now, starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you. Keep the roll relatively tight as you go. Next, pinch the seam of the roll to seal it.

Spread 1 tablespoon of melted butter in a seven inch round foil cake or pie pan. Then begin cutting the rolls approximately ¾ to 1 inch thick and laying them in the buttered pans.

Repeat this process with the other half of the dough. Let the rolls rise for 20 to 30 minutes, then bake at 400 degrees (see note below) until light golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.

For the frosting, mix together all ingredients listed and stir well until smooth. It should be thick but pourable. Taste and adjust as needed. Generously drizzle over the warm rolls. Go crazy and don’t skimp on the frosting.

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70 comments

  1. Ashley

    Wow, those look amazing! I want one right now! Thanks for the great recipe. 🙂

  2. Maris(In Good Taste)

    These would make me jump out of bed too and I would have to fight you for the middle piece!

  3. Scientific Housewife

    Looks amazing! I want one now 🙂

  4. Bonnie

    I intend to completely ignore your post today. I WILL NOT copy the recipe. I WILL NOT make the cinnamon rolls. I WILL NOT eat the cinnamon rolls! Fortunately, however, I have enough will power to overcome my will power!!

    Best,
    Bonnie

  5. Melynda@Moms Sunday Cafe

    I agree, cinnamon rolls might help with world peace! Yours look delicious!

  6. Linda

    If I ate cinnamon rolls every Sunday…oh my, look out! I totally agree on the middle ones being the best! And I agree that this is the best indulgent breakfast treat ever! Your rolls raised and baked up perfectly…I think I can smell them right now!

  7. Suzy

    Yum…love a good cinnamon roll!! My husband always goes for that middle one too! 🙂

  8. dadá flavors

    Ummmm, delicious! I love cinnamon.

  9. Tara @ Chip Chip Hooray

    Oh MY these are the definition of decadence!! Now I am craving ooey gooey cinnamon-y goodness…but I promise I’ll listen to you, and I won’t settle for Cinnabon!!

  10. Kelli

    O no u didnt!!!! but O yes you did…..OMG girl this is one of those finger licking good recipes that will make you slap ya Momma! Yum. I know my family is all in for this one. Active dry yeast is on the grocery list, if I hadnt known I was out I would be making them now. Thanks for sharing. Im loving you craving right now by the way! Hope you are feeling well and everything is going great.

  11. Three-Cookies

    Looks awesome, the recipe is little different from what I am familiar with. I would be curious to try this.

  12. kitchen flavours

    Wow! These look so good! Would be wonderful if someone could make these for me and I’ll wake up to the fabulous smell! Hehe! Looks so delicious and would be great with a cup of hot black coffee!

  13. lena

    wow, your cinnamon rolls look so good! you’re really funny, i have never thought there’s a favourite spot in the baking pan ..i dont think i have one!

  14. Shawn

    I’d just love to have a piece of one of these…Who am I kidding?! I’d love to have the whole pan 🙂

  15. Rachel

    Those look HEAVENLY! I am SO starving right now 🙂

  16. Jihane @Sinful Sundays

    Seriously—those look out of this world delicious. I am a sucker for cinnamon rolls. I mean, they’re just so good! Good job on this because they look fantastically good! 🙂

  17. Rivki Locker (Ordinary Blogger)

    Of course I’m in the market for a mouth watering sweet like this. WHO ISN’T???

  18. Candace

    My absolute favorite pastry! I sure wish I had one right now with my coffee. They look delicious!

  19. Erica

    I’ve never made cinnamon rolls from scratch! The smell they bring to the house…..just amazing. And your dough looks fantastic. I must try these next time we have guests over the weekend

  20. Amelia

    I love cinnamon bread but haven’t try with vanilla glaze. Yours look delicious, yummy.
    Thanks for the follow, I’m following you too.

  21. Greg

    I still have never made these, not a huge sweet tooth. I really need to one morning for Katherine though, she’d just love them. I probably would too, just tough having something like that in a house of two!

  22. Alea Milham

    You found my weakness! I absolutely love cinnamon rolls and Ree’s are incredible. You did a beautiful job with them – your rolls look as lovely as they are tasty! Thanks for sharing this recipe with the Hearth and Soul Hop.

  23. Alea Milham

    I wanted to let you know that April of the 21rst Century Housewife has a Brunch linky: http://www.21stcenturyhousewife.com/index/Blog/Entries/2011/7/13_Lets_Do_Brunch.html

    Your cinnamon rolls would make a great addition to her party!

  24. Food Glorious food

    I am melting… They look so gorgeous! Thanks for the lovely recipe that I am going to share with my sister in law!

  25. Melissa

    Yum! These are my favorite 🙂

  26. Alli

    I think I may be the only person who likes the crusty edge pieces. We would be a perfect match. My husband LOVES cinnamon rolls and he would take Pillsbury out of a tube any day but, I would love to top them. Thank you my friend!

  27. Foodness Gracious

    It’s lucky I’m the only person around right now because I just licked my monitor just to see if I could taste the bun…sadly I could not and now I will have to make these glorious cinnamon bun olympic gold medalists!!

  28. The Slow Roasted Italian

    Oh, these are sooooo wrong! In such a fabulously delicious way. Oh my heavens, I am in love with your cinnamon rolls. YUM!

  29. Roz

    Jessica, this is such a “WOW” recipe for cinnamon rolls. My husband said that if I don’t make these, he’s going to be so ticked off! He’s a sweets addict and we’re always preparing what we both think are super recipes. This is a super, dooper winner that we’ll save and try (when the heat dies down a little!) I hope that you share this on this week’s Fresh Food Friday! Hugs!

  30. Jody Brettkelly

    Cinnamon anything I adore and these look just so tasty.Just incredible!

  31. Tiff @ Love, Sweat, and Beers

    My mom didn’t bake, so we never had those at home. However, the place up the street had the best sticky buns ever. I still dream about them… 🙂

  32. The Food Hunter

    If I could lick the screen I would…yum!

  33. val

    Did someone say homemade cinnamon rolls??? Looking for my invite. haha

  34. Allison @ Alli m Son

    How on earth did you know that I’m craving cinnamon rolls at this exact moment? Oh what I would do to live near you so I could just pop in and steal one. Or five.

  35. peachkins

    I am crazy about cinnamon rolls and your looks fantastic!

  36. kankana

    Oh boy! I am droolling at this now. The texture.. the color everything looks so perfect. I wish i was your neighbor 😉

  37. Sarah (Bee-Vine)

    Okay, you have officially tapped in to my ultimate weakness… these look fab. My brother, sister, and me used to fight over the center one, so my poor mama started using an extra large cake pan so there would be atleast 4 or 5 in the middle section. You know, our school cafeteria, in Goodwill, makes some pretty decent ones, I must say. I could easily eat 5 or 10 of these things at this moment.

  38. thatssoron

    can i please have 1! thanks

  39. Betty @ scrambled hen fruit

    I have made these cinnamon rolls, and yes they are delicious! I did make the maple/coffee frosting and it was awesome. 🙂 Yours with the vanilla frosting look equally tempting. They do freeze well! 🙂

  40. Baking Serendipity

    I love this recipe! There is nothing better than homemade cinnamon rolls in the morning 🙂

  41. yummychunklet

    Those look so good with that thick frosting! My elementary school used to serve them on chili day. Now I want these rolls and chili!

  42. Veronica's Kitchen

    Wow, I love cinnamon rolls. Every roll you make is the same size and so neat. I’ve never freeze them, good idea to leave for rainy days!

  43. Blond Duck

    I want to make these so bad! Why is everyone on a diet around me?

  44. Torrie @ a place to share...

    Jessica… You & I are clearly in the same frame-of-mind. This is yet another recipe that I’ve seen before, and have recently been dyyyyyying to make. I’d love to provide my kids with the same memory as you experienced… waking up to the cinnamon-ny aroma… dashing to the table. Ahhhh… BLISS.

    I’m starring this so that I can also make it within the next couple of days… Thank you!

  45. Shea

    Well I have to try these–a combined recipe from my two favorite food bloggers? Awesome! And I’m a middle cinnamon roll kind of girl myself 😉

  46. My Carolina Kitchen

    What a decadent and yummy way to start a day with a nice cup of coffee.
    Sam

  47. Kate (What Kate is Cooking)

    I’m so intimidated by the idea of making my own cinnamon rolls, but these are seriously impressive looking! My parents love them, so this is going to be my project one weekend morning 🙂

  48. To the Kitchen

    Love cinnamon rolls. Have to be the lat meal I would request. Yes, i realize it is not a meal to most but to me it is:) can’t wait to try this version

  49. Decadence

    YUM! I am in love with your recipe. It looks amazing

  50. Nicole-Lynn

    Why do you do this to me??? 🙂 j/k They look so delicious! I definitely want to try this recipe out on a Saturday evening so my hubby and I can enjoy them before church Sunday morning! Thanks!

  51. Denine M. Anderson-Regan

    So Jessica, you’re bringing some over to my house? I’d rather serve those than pancakes for dinner tonight!

  52. Sandy

    This has to be my favorite breakfast food or treat in the world. I have yet to make a homemade version though so I can’t wait to try out your recipe

  53. Raquel @ Erecipe

    this is really great, looks so delicious and so creamy…love it!

  54. Joanne

    Chewy gooey is the way cinnamon rolls were meant to be. I swear it. these look amazing!

  55. Kristy

    These look incredible!!! I wish I had some right now. My grandma used to make a wonderful cinnamon roll. I’m going to have to get that recipe from my mom and try it with your glaze. (Not that Pioneer Woman’s rolls wouldn’t be awesome – just haven’t had my grandma’s recipe in a while. 🙂 )

  56. Kim Sisto Robinson

    ““`middle of the circle.
    That’s my Fave, too. I remember I got into lots of trouble because
    my mom made cinn rolls and I ate the middles out of ALL of them!
    about 2 dozen!!!—we still make them together….we shall try these. xxx

  57. Maureen

    I gained 5 pounds just reading the recipe. These look fabulous!

  58. The Harried Cook

    I love the middle pieces too! Fabulous looking cinnamon rolls! That glaze looks soooo good! How I wish I had these for breakfast today… Great post 🙂

  59. Anna and Liz Recipes

    HI Jessica!

    I LOVE cinnamon rolls ! And I will have to make these when my relatives come over from Italy this August!
    They love American breakfast with espresso! Thanks… you make wonderful dishes!!
    Anna 🙂

  60. You Go Girl!

    These look absolutely heavenly. I have made homemade cinnamon rolls but it has been a while. I may have to give it a try again soon. So I have a question for all of you pros – when do you freeze? before you slice, bake and before glaze or after glaze? just curious….

  61. Jane Kirn

    Just in time for me to finally catch up with your blog! Tuesday I am going to a tea and chat party with the gals. I will be brave and make these to take. However I still can’t eat the fun stuff like this yet. But I can give them to others. Will share your blog with the ladies. Thank you.

  62. Swathi

    who can say no to cinnamon rolls that to homemade. fabulous. Thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul hop.

  63. April@The 21st Century Housewife

    I haven’t had a cinnamon roll in so long, I’m just about drooling over your photographs! Wow, those look wonderful! Thank you for sharing the recipe, and your memories, with Let’s Do Brunch. I’ll have to give these a try, they look so good!

  64. Roz

    I still believe, that hands down, these are the most beautiful cinnamon buns I’ve seen on the web. I’m so glad that they were featured on one of the foodie blog hops…..they beat me to it, cuz boy, I sure wanted to feature them (and you) this week. Thank you for your kindness in linking this up last week on Fresh Food Friday! Your weekly participation is so appreciated! Hugs!

  65. anickh

    wow this is funny cuz earlier today I went to the grocery store and bought Pillsbury Grands Cinnamon Rolls and thought to myself “I like these better than any homemade, bakery, or Cinnabon cinnamon rolls.” And I really DO. I LOVE Pillsbury cinnamon rolls. Whats Ironic about this is I had this whole “pillsbury cinnamon rolls r the best” thought prosses TODAY just before coming across this blog entry of yours. Now im really curious about these…So do U promise these are really better than pillsbury???

  66. Couscous & Consciousness

    Goodness, I have had Pioneer Woman’s cinnamon rolls recipe bookmarked to make for ages. You’ve now convinced me I need to move them to the top of the list. Yours look gorgeous!!
    Sue xo

  67. Uniflame

    This looks so lovely, I just have to try it myself!

    Here is my contribution for Cookbook Sundays:
    http://shelikesbento.blogspot.com/2011/10/weekend-cooking-quick-fix-vegan-by.html

  68. Melynda@Moms Sunday Cafe

    YUM! Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe with Cookbook Sunday @ Moms Sunday Cafe. Hope to see you again in November!

  69. Jamie

    How much is “1 bag of powder sugar”??

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