Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll Recipe You Can Make at Home

Okay friends, we need to talk. I have been chasing that mall food court cinnamon smell my entire adult life, and I am FINALLY ready to hand over my cinnabon cinnamon roll recipe so you can make them in your own kitchen, in your pajamas, without ever putting on real pants. This is my copycat cinnabon recipe that I’ve tweaked about a thousand times until it tasted like the real thing. We’re talking gooey, fluffy cinnamon rolls with that iconic cream cheese frosting melting into every crevice. Be still my heart, I literally can’t even thinking about it right now. Grab your bread flour and your patience (just a little) because this one is worth every single minute.

Why This Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll Recipe Works

So here’s the thing about copycat cinnabon cinnamon rolls — most recipes online are either way too fussy or they just don’t taste like the original recipe. This one splits the difference. We’re using a mix of bread flour and all purpose flour for that soft texture that still holds its shape, plus a secret ingredient (hello, instant pudding mix, don’t judge me) that keeps these rolls impossibly soft for days. I promise you, this is the best cinnamon roll recipe I’ve ever made, and I’ve made a LOT of cinnamon rolls in my day — just ask my Weight Watchers points tracker, who has officially given up on me every December.

The dough comes together easily in the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, so there’s no crazy kneading workout required. You’ll get that classic cinnamon-sugar filling, a generous swirl of butter mixture, and a frosting so creamy you’ll want to eat it with a spoon. No shame if you do.

Gathering Your Ingredients

Let’s talk ingredients, because this easy homemade cinnamon rolls situation doesn’t require anything wild. You’ll need active dry yeast, warm milk mixture, a little sugar, eggs, and of course a full cup of butter because we are not here to skimp, people. For the filling, you want softened butter, dark brown sugar, and tablespoons of cinnamon (yes, plural, yes, generous). The cream cheese frosting needs cream cheese, unsalted butter, powdered sugar, a splash of heavy cream, and vanilla.

I always recommend measuring your flour mixture carefully — too much flour is the number one reason cinnamon rolls turn out dense instead of pillowy. Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off, don’t just scoop straight from the bag like a maniac (I’ve done this, we’ve all done this). If you’re a bread machine person, you can absolutely use it for the dough cycle here, but I usually go the stand mixer route because I like to watch the dough rise right in front of me like a proud parent.

Making The Dough From Scratch

First things first: bloom your yeast. Combine your active dry yeast with warm water and a pinch of sugar in a small bowl and let it sit until foamy — this tells you your yeast mixture is alive and ready to party. In your large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine warm milk, melted butter, sugar, eggs, and teaspoon salt, then add your yeast mixture. Mix in the bread flour and purpose flour gradually using the paddle attachment, then switch to the dough hook attachment and knead on medium speed until the dough is smooth and only slightly sticky.

This step genuinely feels like magic every single time — watching shaggy, messy ingredients turn into a smooth, stretchy ball of dough. If you’ve ever made my quick bread dough recipe, you already know how satisfying this transformation is. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed so everything incorporates evenly.

The First Rise And Second Rise

Now comes the amount of time that tests everyone’s patience: the rise. Transfer your dough to a large bowl, I mean a greased bowl (also totally fine to call it an oiled bowl, we’re not picky around here), cover it with a kitchen towel, and set it in a warm place for the first rise. You’re looking for the dough to double in size, which usually takes about an hour depending on how warm your warm spot actually is. For best results, I like to use my oven with just the light on — it creates the perfect cozy little greenhouse for dough rise.

Once it’s doubled, punch it down (so satisfying, very therapeutic) and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle. This is where the magic cinnamon-sugar filling happens, so don’t rush it. After rolling and filling, you’ll do a second rise once the rolls are cut and placed in your baking dish — this is what gives you those perfect cinnamon rolls with that impossibly soft, pillowy crumb we’re all chasing.

Rolling, Filling, And Cutting

Okay, this is the fun part! Once your dough has finished its first rise, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and use a rolling pin to roll it into a large rectangle, about a quarter inch thick. Spread your softened butter all the way to the edges, then sprinkle your cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the surface of the dough. Don’t be shy with it — this is not the time for restraint, friends.

Starting at the long edge (some people say long side, tomato tomahto), roll the dough into a tight log. This is also the step where unflavored dental floss comes in clutch — slide a piece underneath the rolled dough, cross the ends over the top, and pull to slice through cleanly. It sounds ridiculous, but it beats a squished roll from a serrated knife any day. Arrange your rolls in a greased baking dish, cover with a kitchen towel, and let them do their second rise until puffy.

If you love playing with cinnamon roll shapes and flavors, you’ll probably also love my hot cocoa cinnamon rolls — a fun chocolatey twist on the classic.

Baking To Golden Brown Perfection

Once your unbaked rolls have puffed up nicely during their second rise, pop them into a preheated oven. You’ll know they’re done when they’re golden brown on top and your whole house smells like a Cinnabon store exploded in the best possible way. This is genuinely the moment I live for — pulling a tray of warm rolls out of the oven, steam rising, cinnamon-sugar filling bubbling at the edges. Chef’s kiss. Mall food court, eat your heart out.

While they cool for just a few minutes (just a few, don’t wait too long or the frosting will slide right off instead of melting in), whip up your cream cheese frosting using a medium bowl and a wooden spoon or hand mixer. Spread it generously over the warm rolls using an offset spatula so it gets into every nook and cranny. If you’re into pull-apart baked goods in general, you’ll want to check out my Rolo monkey bread too — totally different vibe, same level of obsession.

Make Ahead Tips And Storage

This is hands down the best make ahead cinnamon roll recipe for busy mornings, holidays, or basically any excuse to not stress before 9am. Assemble the rolls completely, cover the baking dish tightly, and pop them in the fridge overnight instead of doing the second rise on the counter. The next morning, just let them sit at room temperature while your oven preheats, then bake as directed. This trick is an absolute lifesaver on Christmas morning when nobody wants to do math about rise times before coffee.

Leftovers (if you have any, which, bold of you to assume) keep beautifully in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of days, or in the fridge for up to a week. You can also freeze unbaked rolls on parchment paper, then transfer to a freezer bag once solid. Honestly, once you’ve mastered this copycat cinnabon recipe, you’ll never look at store-bought cinnamon buns the same way again — and if you’re craving even more cinnamon-everything, my Cinnabon donuts recipe is calling your name next.

Copycat Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Yield: 12 Servings

30 minutes: 30 minutes

1 hour 30 minutes: 1 hour 30 minutes

25 minutes: 25 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes

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There's nothing quite like walking past a Cinnabon in the mall and getting hit with that warm, buttery cinnamon smell. This homemade version brings that same gooey, melt-in-your-mouth experience straight to your kitchen, complete with a luscious cream cheese frosting that melts into every crevice.

Perfect for lazy weekend mornings or holiday breakfasts, these rolls can even be prepped the night before and baked fresh the next day.

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Ingredients

For the Dough

• 1 cup warm whole milk (110°F)
• 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour

For the Filling

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon
• ⅓ cup unsalted butter, very soft

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl, combine the warm milk and yeast. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
2. Add the sugar, melted butter, eggs, and salt. Mix to combine.
3. Add the flour one cup at a time, mixing until a soft dough forms. Knead by hand for 8-10 minutes, or with a stand mixer dough hook for 5-6 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
4. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
5. Punch down the dough and roll it out on a floured surface into a 16x21-inch rectangle.
6. Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
7. Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together, then sprinkle evenly over the buttered dough, pressing gently to adhere.
8. Starting from the long edge, roll the dough tightly into a log. Pinch the seam to seal.
9. Cut into 12 equal rolls (a piece of unflavored dental floss works great for clean slices).
10. Arrange the rolls in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover and let rise again for 30-45 minutes, until puffy.
11. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
12. Bake for 22-25 minutes, until golden brown on top and cooked through in the center.
13. While the rolls bake, beat together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth and fluffy.
14. Spread the frosting generously over the warm rolls as soon as they come out of the oven, letting it melt into all the crevices.

Notes

For overnight rolls, assemble through step 9, cover tightly, and refrigerate. The next morning, let them sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before baking. Make sure your milk isn't too hot or it will kill the yeast, as this can prevent the dough from rising properly.