Every once in a while, I decide that it’s been way too long since I treated my family to warm, homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast. Saturday was one of those days. As I sat there relishing in the sweet, gooey goodness, I realized how selfish I am. Because I have this wonderful homemade cinnamon roll recipe with you before now! One bite of these and I assure you that you’ll be angry that I haven’t shared these sooner. Please accept my most sincere apologies in advance!!
Hands down, these are the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever eaten! They have just the right amount of sweetness and spicy cinnamon and an AMAZINGLY soft center. They couldn’t be easier to make. I simply throw the ingredients into my bread machine the night before, set to the dough cycle and timer for when I intend to awake. In the morning, a few simple steps, a second rise while the oven preheats and 10-15 minutes later, et voila! Better than bakery cinnamon rolls!
Since I typically choose simpler recipes (like Whole Wheat Scones with Chocolate Chips and Strawberries) for our special breakfasts, if we are going to eat homemade cinnamon rolls, they MUST be the best!
I have tried some make-ahead options before. I believe that the best way is to make sure that the cinnamon rolls have a nice rise. (Which is hard when you refrigerate or freeze the raw dough) Or that they aren’t overcooked. (Which is hard when they’re fully cooked and reheated when serving.) You can make that happen by partially cooking them until the outside of the cinnamon rolls are cooked. Then finish cooking when ready to serve. So what you want to do is bake them for about 7 minutes. Cool them down to room temperature before freezing. Then thaw them before the morning you’ll finish baking. When it’s time to bake them up, do so for another 5-8 minutes until they are fully baked.
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
~Homemade Cinnamon Rolls~
Ingredients
- Dough:
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup butter, melted
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons yeast
- Filling:
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 ½ Tablespoon cinnamon
- ⅓ cup butter, softened
- Glaze:
- 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 Tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Add the ingredients to the bread machine in order indicated by the manufacturer. Set to dough cycle.
- Once finished, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and allow to rest while you prepare the filling by mixing the cinnamon and brown sugar.
- Roll dough to a 16″X21″ rectangle.
- Spread softened butter over the entire surface of the dough and then sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
- Roll the dough up jelly roll style then cut off uneven ends to just where the cinnamon center is visibly abundant.
- Cut the roll into 12 even pieces (I use my bread knife) and place on a lightly greased baking sheet or pan.
- Cover and rise until they have doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Once risen, bake until they are golden brown about 12-15 minutes (although I begin checking at 10 minutes.)
- Prepare the glaze with the rolls are baking by blending all ingredients well with a mixer, adding more milk or sugar to reach desired consistency.
- Spread over warm rolls.
Enjoy!
Quinn,
These look wonderful! I will have to make them sometime! Thank you for sharing the recipe! 🙂
Many Blessings,
Jenna
These are drool-worthy! YUM
xoxo Pattie
wow… those are very tempting! yum.
Ummm! I can almost smell them from here!
Gina
I have been wanting a great cinnamon roll recipe. Tahnks for sharing! And thanks from all my children and husband in advance, too! They are gonna love me even more! LOL!
These recipes make me want a bread machine. I know I could make it without it, but it looks like its easier with the machine.
I’ve been wanting to try the Clone of a Cinnabon recipe for over a year. Is it really as good as the ones at Cinnabon? Someday I hope to give it a try in my Kitchen Aid Mixer.
Morgan,
Would you believe it? I’ve never eaten a Cinnabon!! So I wouldn’t know 🙂 But I do know it’s the best cinnamon roll I’ve ever eaten (And I’m sure they’re a lot cheaper than Cinnabon’s!)
sound so delicious
Oh my goodness. Those look so yummy. Thanks for linking your post to Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.
ok, this is going to sound like a stupid question, but I don’t own a bread machine and walk away from MANY recipes because of that fact. But MAN these look good and I’ve been working towards the “best” cinnamon roll recipe I could find and EVERYTHING I’ve tried from your recipes has been splendid (had your hot cocoa last night, hubby says we’re never getting instant again)
Anyway, any suggestions on how I’d make this without the machine?
Mosey,
That’s not a stupid question- I had to think about if for a minute first.
Based upon how I used to make bread by hand, I’d dissolve the yeast in warm milk (110-115) and proof it for 5-10 minutes until it’s foamy.
Then I’d whisk the eggs up to break them up a bit and add them along with the melted butter, salt, sugar, and a cup of the flour stirring it until it’s smooth.
Add in the rest of the flour, stirring as long as possible and then knead it all together until it’s smooth and elastic. (Probably 8-10 minutes) Place in a large bowl, cover and rise until it’s double the size.
I have no idea how long that would take. If I was doing it, I would preheat my oven to the lowest setting to warm it up, turn it off when it’s reached temp., then set the bowl in the turned-off, warm oven to rise. It’ll rise much faster! 1/2 hour- 45 minutes maybe? Just guessing.
Hope that helps and I hope you enjoy them. My boys are sitting around me drooling over the picture asking me to make them again this weekend!
I’m so very glad that you’ve been enjoying the recipes posts!! 😀 You made my day!
thanks! May have to try these tomorrow.
These look great….so delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipe, for sure I’m going to make it this weekend.
Ahhh …now there’s a COMFORT food!
I started making cinnamon bread/rolls when I discovered Betty Crocker’s Swedish Tea Ring… (old original cookbook :o)
love all kinds of breads ~ Maria
ps. I can smell the cinnamon from here!
I think I need to fire up the bread machine and treat my family–after a morning with homemade cinnamon rolls, life my never be the same at the Kroeker house!
Your previous commenter, Maria, mentioned the Swedish Tea Ring recipe–I think I’ve made that exact recipe from the original cookbook for Christmas a few years ago.
We love bread.
Thanks for joining us for Food on Fridays and giving us not only a delicious recipe but beautiful, tempting photos, as well!
The dough is in the machine.
I thought you should know.
I’m so hoping that you enjoy them Ann!!!
You are the current HERO of our household!! Thank you for this delicious recipe that we all enjoyed on Sunday afternoon.
Oh I’m so glad to hear that Anne! Thanks for coming back to let me know you guys enjoyed the recipe 😀