Best Cinnamon Rolls

1 hour

By: Julie Blanner49 Comments
Updated: 9/20/22

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This is the best cinnamon roll recipe, ready to enjoy in just an hour! These easy, amazing cinnamon rolls are surprisingly quick and easy – even though they require a little yeast.

Get the secret that makes them better than the rest! They are gooey, decadent, and feel so special for a weekend morning.

Homemade cinnamon rolls are a treat that no one can resist! Learn how to make these incredible, easy cinnamon rolls.

I’m always watching my weight, even if it’s just watching those tastes, drips and drizzles going into my mouth. If I’m going to “spend” calories on a sweet treat, it needs to be worth every calorie!

I love a good cinnamon roll, but it seems they’re few and far between. It’s just not worth it to waste those calories on one that isn’t worthwhile, friends.

I won’t name names, but I find that a lot of cinnamon rolls are dry and boring. I’ve been on a quest to bake the best cinnamon roll for a while and I’m happy to announce that I’ve nailed it!

I still like cinnamon rolls made from frozen bread dough, but they’re not quite as soft and fluffy and you truly don’t save that much time using the frozen bread dough.

More than once I’ve forgotten to start it the night before and had to come up with an alternate plan in the morning. That’s how these babies were born!

Don’t forget to pin and save this recipe for later! I can’t wait to show you what sets these apart from the rest.

yeast cinnamon rolls in cast iron skillet

Why these are the BEST Cinnamon Rolls

Adapted from an old recipe we had in a cookbook, these light and fluffy rolls are, dare I say… the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever had.

Yeast cinnamon rolls are easy with my simple step-by-step instructions. I’m all about being fuss-free, especially in the morning. (PS if you want a no yeast shortcut, you’ll love these Easy Cinnamon Rolls, too!)

Minimal Ingredients
Ready to Serve in an Hour
Favorite of Kids and Adults
Every Bite Tastes like the Center of the Roll!

Making cinnamon rolls is easy! There are a couple of “secrets” to these delectable yeast cinnamon rolls – the most important is covering them in cream before baking them.

You won’t regret it, I promise! While you can bake them in a traditional baking dish, I love them in the cast iron skillet. It cooks them evenly and feels like they’re fresh from my Grandma’s farm.

Cinnamon Rolls: Ingredients and Substitutions

For the Rolls:

Milk – Use at least a 2% milk, or Whole Milk if you have it.
Butter – Unsalted butter is generally recommended for baking.
All-purpose flour – For the fine texture of these rolls.
White granulated sugar – To perfectly sweeten them.
Salt – To balance out the sweet!
Active quick rise yeast – This is important! Read more about yeast below.
Egg – For binding.
Butter – Melted, for spreading across the dough once it’s stretched.
Brown sugar – Packed. I use light brown sugar but if you’ve got dark, that works too.
Cinnamon – Good quality ground cinnamon is imperative here!
Heavy cream – This is the secret of all secrets! Don’t skip it!

For the Icing:

Cream cheese – Softened. Learn how to soften cream cheese quickly!
Butter – Salted or unsalted (your choice based on preference) softened
Powdered sugar – this soft, fine sugar is always best for frostings. Learn how to make powdered sugar here, if you ever run out and have a baking emergency!
Heavy cream – Heavy whipping cream is delicious in this icing, but you can substitute milk if necessary.

Variations

Use buttermilk instead of Heavy Cream for the frosting if you’d like.
Switch up the frosting – this one is cream cheese based, but there are more ideas below!

How to Make Cinnamon Rolls

In a saucepan over medium heat, add milk and butter, stirring until melted.
In a mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients as directed. Add yeast and lukewarm milk mixture, combining with egg.
Knead the mixture while gradually adding in the remaining 1 cup of flour, until the dough forms.
Let dough rest. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
On a floured surface, roll out dough. Spread melted butter and sugar mixture as directed. Cut into strips, and roll and place in a baking dish.
Turn oven off, place the rolls in the warmed oven to rise. Remove from oven, preheat again. Cover rolls in cream and bake until golden.
Mix icing ingredients and drizzle over rolls.

Tips

I use this beautiful cast iron skillet for just about everything – it’s so versatile!
Don’t skip the heavy cream pour before baking. It makes every single bite taste like the very center of the cinnamon roll!
Pour icing over the cinnamon rolls directly out of the oven so it can seep into the rolls. Don’t skimp!
Switch up the icing if you’d like. See below for all the best options.

Scaling up, down or substituting? You’ll love this printable Measurement Conversion Chart!

Frosting Recipes

The Best Cinnamon Roll Icing, A Smooth Cinnamon Roll Glaze

Cream Cheese Icing for Cinnamon Rolls

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between cinnamon rolls and cinnamon buns?

They are very similar, with many overlapping ingredients! Cinnamon buns tend to contain nuts like pecans. Cinnamon rolls traditionally do not contain nuts.

Why are my homemade cinnamon rolls so dry?

They should never be dry! This is often caused by too much flour in your dough.

What’s the difference between active dry yeast and instant yeast?

Active dry yeast and instant yeast can be used interchangeably. Active dry yeast will be slower to rise, so if a recipe (like these amazing rolls) calls for instant yeast and active dry yeast is used instead, you may need to add an additional 10 – 15 minutes to the rise time.