Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

My little girl Nevaeh loves Cinnamon Rolls. If it were up to her, she’d eat them every morning for breakfast and every night for dinner. Obviously we can’t do that, but when I do want to reward her for a job well done, I make her a big fat cinnamon roll with lots of frosting. She is in kindergarten this year and is trying so hard! She is learning to read and has put forth a lot of effort. She has been diligent to keep her room tidy, the cat box clean, and the dishwasher empty. So I made her a big batch of her favorite tasty treat and watched her eyes light up! The dough recipe is my favorite, from The Pioneer Woman, and the frosting recipe is a traditional drizzle I have been using for years.

The Cinnamon Rolls

Start with 1 cup of 2% milk, 1/4 cup of sugar, and 1/4 cup of oil. Heat it over low heat in a saucepan. When it is warm (not hot!), add in 1 package of yeast or 2 teaspoons worth. Make sure not to let the milk get too hot because it will kill the yeast and then the dough won’t rise.

Slowly stir in 2 cups of flour and mix it until it forms a ball.

Take the sticky ball of dough and let it rise in a covered bowl for at least 1 hour. I put my dough in a glass bowl covered with plastic wrap so I can keep an eye on it while it is rising.

While the cinnamon roll dough is rising, you can make the sugary filling. You’ll need a stick (1/2 cup or 4 oz) of softened butter, 2 tablespoons of cinnamon, and 2 cups of brown sugar.

Mash it up with a fork so that it is blended but still crumbly.

Once the dough has risen, add in 1/4 cup more of flour and 1 teaspoon of salt. Then sprinkle in 1/4 teaspoon each of baking soda and baking powder. Knead this in really well. Your hands will be the best tools!

Using a floured surface and a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough until it resembles a rectangular shape. If possible, make it about a foot and a half long (18 inches or the length of the rolling pin) and one foot wide.

Take that yummy cinnamon roll filling and spread it evenly over the dough.

Starting at one side and with a little extra flour, roll the dough tightly into a long, thin loaf shape. Pinch the ends and side shut.

Cut the dough into 1-1.5 inch pieces. You can actually make these as thick as you want, but I prefer this size because I can fill up two pie pans and the cinnamon rolls still have nice height.

Place the cinnamon rolls into a greased pie pan. I put 7 in a pan and try to fill up 2 pans.

Bake the cinnamon rolls at 375 degrees for 15-17 minutes.

The Frosting

The frosting is a simple glaze that you can make as thick or as thin as you like. I usually use 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream. If you like the taste of vanilla, sometimes I add a teaspoon of vanilla extract. But it is totally fine to leave it out. I whisk it together until it is the consistency that I like. Adding more powdered sugar will thicken it up and more cream will thin it out. So play around with it until it is the texture you want.

While the cinnamon rolls are still warm, drizzle some of the frosting on top so that it will melt into the cracks. Reserve a bit of frosting to drizzle on again when you serve the cinnamon rolls.

Here’s my cinnamon roll queen now. She’s also an animal lover and terrific artist.

Cinnamon rolls signify a special occasion in our house, so I usually serve them with bacon and eggs. My kids prefer “wobbly” eggs (aka scrambled, lol) and crispy bacon. I don’t even bother making bacon in a skillet anymore after falling in love with Easy Clean-up Oven Cooked Bacon. It comes out perfect every time and I don’t have to worry about slimy grease.

Do you have a favorite breakfast item you make for your family? If you need some more ideas you might like to try my Cheesy Ham and Spinach Quiche or my Extra Fluffy Blueberry Muffins. There are even more ideas on my Bright-Eyed Breakfast Pinterest Board. I hope you have a great weekend. Happy cooking y’all!

Cinnamon Rolls

Heidi Davison

These cinnamon rolls are soft and doughy, full of gooey frosting! They are perfect for a weekend treat or a holiday breakfast.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hr 20 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 1 hr 35 mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings 14 rolls

Ingredients

  

• For the dough:
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons 1 package yeast
• 2 cups and 1/4 cup flour divided
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• For the filling:
• 1 stick 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 Tbsp cinnamon
• 2 cups brown sugar
• For the frosting:
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 3 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
• Optional: 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• Heat the milk, sugar, and oil over low heat just until it is warm.
• Stir in the yeast and the flour.
• Mix the flour until it forms a ball.
• Transfer the dough to a glass bowl and cover.
• Let it rise for at least 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, mix together filling ingredients with a fork until crumbly.
• When the dough is risen, add in 1/4 cup flour and the baking soda and baking powder.
• Mix it well. Using your hands works best.
• Roll it out into a rectangular shape about 18 x 12 inches.
• Smear the filling over the dough.
• Roll the dough tightly into a log shape and pinch the ends and sides shut.
• Cut 1-1.5 inch slices and place in a greased pie pan. About 7 rolls will fit in a pan.
• Bake cinnamon rolls at 375 degrees for 15-17 mins.
• Mix frosting ingredients and pour over cinnamon rolls while cooling. Reserve some for later.
• Drizzle remaining glaze over the cinnamon rolls when served.