Here’s a detailed, reliable cinnamon rolls recipe so you can get that soft, gooey center and golden, “fresh-from-the-oven” smell.
I’ll break it into parts: dough, filling, shaping, baking, and icing.
🍞 Cinnamon Rolls (Soft & Fluffy)
Cinnamon roll are basically soft enriched dough spirals filled with cinnamon sugar and baked until fluffy and golden.
🧂 Ingredients
Dough:
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
- 1 packet (2 ¼ tsp) instant yeast
- ½ cup warm milk (not hot)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 1 large egg
- ½ tsp salt
Filling:
- ½ cup brown sugar (packed)
- 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup softened butter
Icing (optional but recommended):
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 tbsp milk or cream
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
👨🍳 Step 1: Make the dough
- In a large bowl, mix warm milk + sugar + yeast.
- Let it sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy (this means yeast is active).
- Add melted butter, egg, and salt.
- Slowly add flour and mix until a soft dough forms.
- Knead for 8–10 minutes (by hand or mixer) until smooth and elastic.
👉 Tip: Dough should be soft but not sticky.
- Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1–1.5 hours until doubled.
🍯 Step 2: Make filling
Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
🍥 Step 3: Shape the rolls
- Roll dough into a rectangle (about 12×16 inches).
- Spread softened butter evenly.
- Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture all over.
- Roll tightly from the long side into a log.
- Cut into 10–12 even pieces using a sharp knife or dental floss.
🔥 Step 4: Second rise
- Place rolls in a greased baking dish.
- Cover and let rise again for 30–45 minutes until puffy.
🍪 Step 5: Baking (important part)
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Bake for 20–25 minutes until:
- Tops are golden brown
- Centers are cooked but still soft
👉 Tip: If they brown too fast, cover loosely with foil.
🍯 Step 6: Icing
- Mix powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Pour over warm rolls (not hot, or it melts too much).
⭐ Extra Tips for bakery-style cinnamon rolls
- Use room-temperature butter for filling spread
- Don’t overbake (this keeps them soft)
- Add a pinch of nutmeg for deeper flavor
- For extra gooey rolls, add a splash of cream in the pan before baking
If you want, I can also give you:
- No-yeast quick cinnamon rolls
- Eggless version
- Overnight fridge dough method (bakery-style morning rolls)