Cinnamon Rolls
Warm cinnamon rolls are available at every airport, every mall, and many fast-food outlets. So why make your own? Because YOU control what's in them, using your own butter, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and other natural (not chemical-laden) ingredients. And besides, there's nothing like pulling warm rolls right out of your own oven!
Our guarantee: These buns will be soft right out of the oven, and will firm up as they cool. Moderately scented with cinnamon, they'll rise to about 2" high.
Dough
- 1 packet "highly active" active dry yeast; or 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast; or 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 7/8 to 1 1/8 cups lukewarm water*
- 3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
- 1/2 cup instant mashed potato flakes
- *Use the lesser amount in summer (or in a humid environment), the greater amount in winter (or in a dry climate), and somewhere in between the rest of the year, or if your house is climate controlled.
Cinnamon Filling
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoons milk, to brush on dough
Vanilla Glaze
- 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 to 5 tablespoons heavy cream or 2 to 3 tablespoons milk, enough to make a soft, spreadable icing
Directions
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1) First, make the dough. If you're using active dry yeast, dissolve it with a pinch of sugar in 2 tablespoons in the lukewarm water. Let the yeast and water sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, until the mixture has bubbled and expanded. If you're using instant yeast, you can skip this step. |
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3) Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise, at room temperature, till it's nearly doubled in bulk, about 1 to 2 hours. Rising may take longer, especially if you've kneaded by hand. Give it enough time to become quite puffy. |
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4) While the dough is rising, lightly grease two 9" round cake pans. |
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5) Transfer the risen dough to a lightly greased work surface, and pat or roll it into a 16" x 12" rectangle. It’s a nice, soft dough, and pats out easily. |
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6) To make the filling, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, and flour. |
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7) Brush the dough lightly with milk. |
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8) Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough, covering the entire surface. |
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10) Using a serrated knife, slice the log into 16 slices. In order to cut down on drag, it helps to rinse the blade in hot water, and wipe it off, between slices. |
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13) While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 375°F. |
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14) Bake the rolls till they're brown around the edges and beginning to turn golden brown across the center, about 20 minutes. |
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15) If you're going to serve the rolls immediately, make the icing while the rolls are baking. Combine the sugar, vanilla, and enough cream or milk to make a spreadable icing. If you're not serving the rolls immediately, don't make the icing yet. |
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17) To serve the rolls later, allow them to cool completely, then wrap in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Fifteen minutes before you're ready to serve, preheat the oven to 350°F. Unwrap the rolls, place them on an ungreased baking sheet, and tent lightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until they're nicely warmed. |
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18) While the rolls are reheating, make the icing. |
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19) Remove the rolls from the oven, and spread with the icing. Serve immediately. |
Recipe summary
- Hands-on time:
- 25 mins.
- Baking time:
- 20 mins.
- Total time:
- 3 hrs 45 mins.
- Yield:
- 16 cinnamon rolls
- Recipe comments (20) »
Tips from our bakers
- Why do you brush the dough with milk before spreading on the cinnamon-sugar? The protein in the milk acts like glue as the rolls bake, keeping the filling from oozing out.
- When making anything with yeast, including these rolls, let the dough rise to the point the recipe says it should, e.g., "Let the dough rise till it's doubled in bulk." Rising times are only a guide; there are so many variables in yeast baking (how you knead the dough; what kind of yeast you use) that it's impossible to say that bread dough will ALWAYS double in bulk in a specific amount of time.
| Nutrition Facts | |
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| Serving Size 1 roll (64g)
Servings Per Batch 16 |
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| Amount Per Serving | |
| Calories 200 | Calories from Fat 50 |
| Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat | 6g |
| Saturated Fat | 3.5g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 15mg |
| Sodium | 190mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 34g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1g |
| Sugars | 16g |
| Protein | 4g |
| * The nutrition information provided for each recipe is determined by the ESHA Genesis R&D software program. Substituting any ingredients may change the posted nutrition information. | |
Reviews
10/16/2009
My family loves the pillowy soft texture of these rolls. One suggestion: I add 1 tsp of pure cinnamon extract (not artificial flavor) to the filling before it's spread on the dough. Natural cinnamon extract is sold around Christmas in grocery and craft stores for making flavored hard candy. The cinnamon extract really brightens the flavor with an extra spicy kick! I also add just a little bit (about 1/4 tsp to my taste) of lemon juice to the icing, just enough to balance the sweetness. You can't even taste the lemon, and it somehow brightens the flavor so that no one will complain that the rolls are too sweet. I mix up the dough and put it in the fridge the night before I plan to bake (roll the dough in flat discs so that the dough will warm up more quickly the next morning). I also "pound" on the dough with the heel of my hands as I shape it before spreading the filling. This seems to make a more tender crumb, I think because "pounding" the dough into shape rather than kneading and stretching it doesn't develop the gluten as much.
09/08/2009
I just made these Sunday for my parents and they were a great hit! The rolls were perfectly soft and airy! I am more of a cream cheese gal (more so than confectioners sugar). We could not stop eating them! I used SAF yeast. Just great! I plan to attempt freezing the dough so I can make ahead for the holidays!
09/07/2009
I made the recipe by colume. Followed the directions exactly and used dry yeast. Had to proof it like the recipe said. Turned out perfectly. Not as sweet as those you buy in stores, but that is a GOOD thing. I will definitely make these again!
08/14/2009
Ok well i'm in the process of making these now and they did not get as puffy as the picture. As I look over the recipe the only thing I didn't do was press them into the pan before letting them rise. Could this have been the reason they did not rise as high? Other then that little mix up the recipe was very easy to follow and I always have excellent results with KAF Guarenteed recipes. I give this recipe a 5 stars for preparation and presentation but I'll have to get back to you on taste.
06/01/2009
These were like eating sweet clouds! The end result was so light and delicate! Didn't have potato flakes, so was advised to use mashed small potato and a little less than the flakes called for since the grain of actual potato is smaller than the flakes. Micro the potato after sticking with fork for about 5 min, peel and mash with a bit of water- added it to the rest after a little cool. No one ever knows its there! Icing is perfect and everyone felt spoiled!
04/24/2009
I've made this recipe few times now, once as directed, once with non-dairy substitutions, and once with some of KAF's white whole wheat flour subbed for all purpose. Each time they came out wonderfully. For us, the icing is really sweet but to each their own. We usually add more filling and go easy on the icing.
These never last long at our house and we all risk burned fingers because we just can't wait. They are preschooler approved to boot!
Excellent work! Thanks for sharing your substitutions with others here. We are pleased to know they worked! Irene at KAF
04/14/2009
This recipe was wonderful the first time I made it. I have tried it on two more occasions and it does not rise. The dough became just like glue and very heavy even though I very carefully measured the ingredients. I was very disappointed.
We are sorry to hear you are having trouble with this recipe. Please contact our baker's hotline and we will be happy to help troubleshoot. MJR @ KAF
02/27/2009
Great directions, especially for the new baker who has never made cinnamon rolls. I made 32 for my wife's fellow teachers (and an English Muffin Toaster Bread for those poor souls who don't like sweets). Good reviews!! I used 1/2 the icing and they were still pretty sweet. Also, I might cut the salt to 1 tsp (as we don't use it at all in our cooking). (Is the salt only for taste?) Only issue - 3 of 4 pans were aluminum. These rose well and cooked uniformly. I tried the 4th in a silicon cake pan. These did not rise as well and cooked more on the bottom than the others. Note: the English Muffin Bread has done great in a silicon bread pan. Any advice for the newbie (other than use the metal/foil cake pan for all of them)?
02/23/2009
Made this using dough cycle in Zo machine. Added 1 egg to recipe, otherwise followed dough recipe as written. Filling I used was butter, sugar, cinnamon and raisins. Came out wonderfully light, but also had the richness an egg contributes. Excellent recipe, great dough texture before shaping and after baking.
02/19/2009
This recipe was my first yeast cinnamon roll! I had NO trouble at all! I made a couple minor changes, but the results were delicious! I used a little brown sugar and nutmeg in the filling, and after I rolled out the dough, I rubbed butter over the entire sheet before sprinkling on the filling. I also added a tiny drop of almond extract to the icing.
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