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These Gooey Cinnamon Rolls are my all-time favorite breakfast.
In my family, special occasions were always marked with cinnamon rolls. But since neither of my parents are bakers, that usually meant prepared cinnamon roll dough from those crazy tubes at the grocery store.
My goal for this recipe was to get a similar ooey-gooey, doughy, and rich texture like the tubed cinnamon rolls. However, I aimed to do this with much better flavor and without the artificial ingredients and overwhelming sweetness.
I also wanted a flood of icing that melts into the rolls in the most mouthwatering way.
These cinnamon rolls nailed the brief.
The best part of any cinnamon roll is the middle of the spiral, where it’s super soft and gooey – but these Gooey Cinnamon Rolls have that beautifully soft consistency throughout the whole roll. Every bite is like that middle piece!
This Gooey Cinnamon Rolls recipe is perfect for Christmas morning, or any time you want to celebrate with some cozy deliciousness that makes the whole house smell incredible. Plus, they can be made in advance!
After all, is there anything more delightful and comforting than homemade cinnamon rolls baking in the oven?
How to Make Gooey Cinnamon Rolls
Can I Knead Cinnamon Roll Dough by Hand?
Yes! You can knead this dough by hand without a stand mixer and dough hook – but it will take more time and some upper body strength! Check out my full tutorial on how to knead dough by hand here.
Tips for Kneading Cinnamon Rolls by Hand:
- This is a very rich dough, so it will take longer to knead than some yeasted doughs.
- ONLY add as much flour as needed to handle the dough. It’s better for the dough to be sticky at the start than to add too much flour and wind up with dense rolls, instead of light and fluffy ones.
Is Active Dry Yeast the Same as Instant Yeast?
Active Dry Yeast and Instant Yeast, also called ‘quick rising’ or ‘fast rising’ yeast, can be used interchangeably in most recipes. Active dry yeast simply works a little more slowly than instant yeast.
Here’s how to use active dry yeast in these cinnamon rolls:
- Use active dry yeast in place of instant yeast at a 1:1 ratio.
- To do so, add it to the warm (not hot!) milk and butter mixture with a teaspoon of the sugar.
- Allow it to proof for 5 to 10 minutes, or until foamy.
- Expect the rising time to be on the longer end.
- Learn more about the differences between different types of yeast here.
How Long Does Homemade Cinnamon Roll Dough Take to Rise?
This Gooey Cinnamon Roll recipe is an enriched dough, meaning it has ingredients like milk, butter, sour cream, sugar, and eggs to make it rich, super soft, and tender once baked. These ingredients can also slow down rising time. Rising times will depend on the warmth and humidity of your kitchen, so keep that in mind. Speed up rising by placing the dough in a warm place, such as near a warm oven or stove, near a sunny window, near a heater vent or radiator, or even inside your oven if it has a proofing setting. Don’t place it anywhere warmer than about 80°F.
How to Tell When the Cinnamon Roll Dough Has Risen Enough:
- Volume: The dough should double in volume for the first rise. I always like to use a glass mixing bowl to rise my dough in so I can see how much it’s risen more easily.
- Ripe Test: The best way to tell if the dough has risen enough to shape is to perform the ‘ripe test’. Press two fingers in the risen dough up to the second knuckle and then take them out. If the indentations remain, the dough is “ripe” and ready to punch down. If not, cover and let the dough rise until the indentations do remain.
- Shape and rise again: Now the dough is ready to be rolled out and shaped into rolls! Allow the shaped rolls to rise again until about doubled in size and a gentle indentation from your finger remains.
How to Shape Perfect Cinnamon Rolls Spirals
Rolling up your cinnamon roll dough nice and tight is the key to beautiful round rolls and visible spirals. Here’s how to achieve perfect cinnamon roll swirls:
- Make sure your work surface and log of dough are lightly dusted with flour.
- As you roll the dough up, stretch it towards you and then over, so it stays tight instead of floppy.
- Finish off the spiral with the seam side down, to seal in the filling.
- Push the ends into the center slightly with your palms to create an even log shape, then cut off the ends to even out.
How to Slice Cinnamon Roll Dough
To get picture-perfect cinnamon rolls and show off that perfect spiral, it’s important to slice the log of dough without squashing it. Here are some of my best tips to ensure perfect slices:
- The best tool for that is a very sharp chef’s knife and use sweeping motions, not sawing motions, to slice.
- If you don’t have a super sharp knife, you can also use a serrated knife and sweeping motions.
- Alternatively, you can use dental floss to slice the dough – but be sure it’s unflavored.
- To get evenly-sized pieces, cut the log exactly in half so you have two equal-sized logs. Then cut each log in half again so you have four equal-sized logs. Finally, cut each of the four logs into 3 pieces, for a total of 12 cinnamon rolls.
What Pan Should I Bake Cinnamon Rolls in?
While I usually prefer metal baking pans over glass or ceramic (metal conducts heat more efficiently – learn more about that here), I actually prefer the table presentation ceramic pans offer when making cinnamon rolls. Also, because ceramic (and glass) conduct heat more slowly than metal, it allows these rolls to stay slightly gooey in the centers. This is my go-to baking pan for this recipe.
Easy Cinnamon Rolls Icing
I opted for a simple powdered sugar icing for this recipe. I love the way the icing floods the warm cinnamon rolls and melts into them, for the ultimate gooey bite. You want the icing to have a pourable consistency – not too thick and not too watery. Adjust the powdered sugar-to-milk ratio if needed.
Can I Use Cream Cheese Frosting Instead?
Yes! Just combine the below ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high for 2 minutes, or until super smooth.
- 8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 cup (125 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
Check out the full Best Cream Cheese Icing recipe here.
How to Make Gooey Cinnamon Rolls Ahead of Time
- Refrigerate the shaped but unbaked cinnamon rolls in the pan you plan to bake them in. To give them a jump start on rising, I like to let them rise at room temperature for about 30 minutes before placing them in the refrigerator – especially in the winter when the cold air slows rise times.
- Cover the rolls tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. The dough should continue to rise slowly in the fridge.
- When getting ready to bake, remove the pan from the fridge and loosen the plastic wrap. Let the cinnamon rolls rise at room temperature until doubled in size. The time this takes will depend entirely on how much they rose in the fridge and how warm/humid your kitchen is. It may take just 20 to 30 minutes or it may take over an hour.
- Proceed with baking the recipe as written.
How to Store Gooey Cinnamon Rolls
Homemade cinnamon rolls are best served fresh and warm – right out of the oven if possible! You can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for a day. Rewarm in the oven or microwave before serving.
How to Freeze Cinnamon Rolls
You can also freeze the shaped but unbaked Gooey Cinnamon Rolls in the pan, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 1 month. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then allow to rise again at room temperature. Once doubled in size, proceed with the recipe as written.
More Breakfast & Brunch Recipes:
For the dough:
-
1
cup
(227 grams) whole milk
-
1
stick (113 grams) unsalted butter
-
1/4
cup
(57 grams) sour cream or plain yogurt,
at room temperature
-
1
envelope (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast*
-
1/4
cup
(50 grams) granulated sugar
-
1
large egg,
at room temperature
-
2
egg yolks,
at room temperature
-
1/2
teaspoon
vanilla extract
-
4
cup
to 4 1/4 cups (508 to 540 grams) all-purpose flour,
plus more for dusting
-
1 1/2
teaspoons
fine salt
For the filling:
-
1
stick (113 grams) unsalted butter,
completely softened to room temperature
-
3/4
cup
(150 grams) packed light brown sugar
-
2
tablespoons
ground cinnamon
-
1/8
teaspoon
fine salt
For the icing:
-
2
cups
(250 grams) powdered sugar
-
1/4
cup
(57 grams) whole milk
-
2
tablespoons
(28 grams) unsalted butter,
melted
-
1
teaspoon
vanilla extract
Make the dough:
-
In a small saucepan, heat the milk and butter until the butter is melted. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream until smooth. Let cool until lukewarm** (about 110°F).
-
In the bowl of an electric mixer, use a spatula to combine the milk mixture with the yeast, sugar, egg, egg yolks, and vanilla until well combined. Add in half of the flour and the salt and stir until combined. Place on a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and gradually add the remaining flour until a dough begins to form. Only add as much flour as you need to form the dough. Knead at medium speed until the dough is very soft, smooth, pliable, elastic, and doesn’t stick to the sides of the bowl, about 8 to 10 minutes. If the dough is unbearably sticky, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Only add as much flour as needed to create a smooth dough.
-
Lightly grease a large bowl. Shape the dough into a ball and place in the greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Make the filling:
-
Once the dough has risen, add filling ingredients to a medium mixing bowl. Beat with a hand-held electric mixer on medium-high until well combined and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
To shape the dough:
-
Punch down the risen dough and turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. Use a rolling pin to shape the dough into a 16x12-inch rectangle, long side facing you.
-
Spread the filling mixture all over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border at the far edge. Brush the border with water to help seal. Roll the dough up, pulling with your hands to keep it tightly rolled until it’s an even log shape. Press the border to seal. Trim the edges. Lightly flour the roll.
-
Grease a 13x9-inch baking dish or two 9-inch pie pans. Cut the roll into 12 equal pieces using a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss. Place the rolls cut side up in the prepared baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
-
MAKE AHEAD: Allow the shaped rolls to rise until they’ve grown in size by about a quarter. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Allow to come completely to room temperature and continue to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours, before baking as directed below.
-
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the rolls until lightly golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes.
For the icing:
-
While the rolls bake, combine the icing ingredients in a small mixing bowl until a smooth pourable icing forms.
-
Spread over hot rolls immediately after they come out of the oven. Serve warm the day they’re baked.
*You can use active dry yeast in place of the instant yeast. Add it in with the warm (110°F) milk and butter mixture and a teaspoon of the sugar and allow it to proof for 5 to 10 minutes, or until foamy.
** Be sure to allow the milk/butter mixture to cool until it's only just warm. Mixing this with the yeast when it's too hot will kill the yeast, and your cinnamon rolls won't be able to rise. Ensure the mixture is 110°F or below with an instant-read thermometer before proceeding.
Cream cheese frosting can be used instead of this icing. Find my Best Cream Cheese Icing recipe here.
This recipe was written in 2019 and has been updated with additional recipe tips. Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
September Baking Challenge
These Gooey Cinnamon Rolls were the recipe selection for the September 2019 baking challenge! Learn more about my monthly baking challenges here. Check the entries below:
Do you this this would be ok in the refrigerator for closer to 36 hours instead of 24? I was hoping to make them on Wed afternoon and then bake them on Friday morning. Thoughts?
Hi Christina! It’s honestly super tricky to say for sure. It depends on your fridge’s temperature – the warmer it is, the more the cinnamon rolls will continue to rise, whereas if it’s really cold, it’ll stunt their growth a bit more and prevent them from continuing to rise. While 36-ish hours should be okay, there’s a chance they’ll overproof. I recommend shaping the rolls and covering and chilling them almost right away, and skipping the part of the make-ahead instructions where we tell you to allow them to rise by about a quarter; hopefully, cutting back on this second rise at this time will prevent them from overproofing in the fridge. Fingers crossed it’ll go well!! Let us know how it goes 🙂
Thank you!!
In the directions and recipe ingredients for the dough, it states to add a cup of milk to the butter in the saucepan. In the video, it says to add only 1/2 cup of milk. Can you please clarify?
Hi Alexandra! Apologies for any misunderstanding. We are currently in the process of updating the video, so please follow the written instructions for the best, most deliciously gooey cinnamon rolls ever! Let us know what you think once you have given these cinnamon buns a try!
When remaking this video can a close up be made of the cross section of the final product so we can have an idea of the texture that bakers need to aim for?
Will do, Trish! 🙂
The best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever had! They are ooey gooey, but not doughy or undercooked. The rolls are so tender and soft and flavorful. They are not too sweet and the icing is just the way I like it. The recipe directions are clear and simple, and I love make ahead directions.
So thrilled to hear how much you love this recipe, Chery!
I always have trouble rolling out yeast dough. It’s very difficult to roll out and it keeps contracting. Results being I handle to dough too much. Any help resolving this problem would be appreciated,
Thank you,
Hi Leslee! It depends on the recipe you’re making, but if you experience “tension” in your dough, which is what you’re describing, let it rest on your counter for about 10 minutes before attempting to roll it out again. This will help to relax/loosen the gluten a bit, allowing it to be handled more easily.
You also want to make sure that your dough has risen properly before rolling it out, which can also affect the dough’s texture. Take a peek at Tessa’s explanation in the pink tip box above this recipe on the tells (indication) of whether your dough has risen enough. I hope this helps!
Just PERFECT
Soft, tender and the sweetness is Not too much even for my european taste
I make them every year at the Salzburg festival and they are a Hit EVERY TIME. I get so many compliments for them
Music to our ears, Miriam! Thanks so much for your lovely comment 🙂
The search is over! This is officially the best cinnamon roll recipe. Lots (but not overwhelming) of cinnamon filling – in every bite.
I split the recipe between two 9-inch pie plates (six rolls each) to bake one and freeze one. A few weeks later, I defrosted the frozen pan overnight in the fridge, then let it sit out for a few hours to almost double in size before baking. Those rolls were equally as stellar in every way as the ones I baked on the original day. Everyone loved these cinnamon rolls.
The instructions are easy to follow, which really makes the entire experience so fun!
Can you pour heavy cream over these before baking? Will it affect the bake time?
Hi Dushyanthi! We haven’t tried that, so I can’t say for sure whether that will work. These cinnamon rolls are incredibly soft and moist without it, though. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
I have made countless cinnamon roll recipes for decades and I think I finally found my favorite. You are a genius thank you for these life-changing rolls. They are so soft and have so much flavor. As someone else said, truly like the middle role in the whole pan!
My family and I love these!!! They are a new favorite. My adult children ask for these to be served more then just the usual holidays!! Thank you, I had know idea these were so easy to make!!
Ps they were made Thanksgiving, Christmas, and 2 times in January because it was cold and snowy♡
what type of pan do I bake these in? glass,ceramic, or metal?
Hi Angel Marie! We recommend using metal for pretty much any baking – learn why here! (that article also contains links to Tessa’s favorite pans!) Happy baking!
I made these for Christmas Day and New Year’s Day! Absolutely fantastic and delicious. I love all of your recipes I have made.
I make cinnamon rolls every year for Christmas breakfast and this year I decided I wanted to try a new recipe. I’m so glad to have found this one! They were hands down the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever had. Soft, lightly sweet dough with gooey cinnamon sugar inside. Every bite was a good as the center! This will be my go to recipe every Christmas from now on.
Okay so it has always been my dream to make cinnamon rolls from scratch on Christmas morning. I followed a recipe before from some food blog and it was a disaster but I really wanted to try again. I’m not the most talented when it comes to doughs so I was really intimidated but gave it my all anyway because I saw Tess’s Instagram post about the rolls and the comments convinced me to try it.
I followed the instructions and was surprised at how EASY this recipe is and not intimidating at all! My partner and our friend said these are the best cinnamon rolls they’ve ever had and I have to agree. They are ABSURDLY soft and just perfect in every way. Like the whole roll is like the middle of a roll you’d get at Cinnabon. These cinnamon rolls are like black magic. Everyone is impressed with me after I made these rolls and now I’ll probably have to make them every year!
The only adjustments I made were not adding vanilla to the dough and then I melted all the frosting ingredients in a sauce pot together to take the edge off the powdered sugar flavor.
Thank you for this recipe!!!!
Yayy! So thrilled to hear these were such a hit for you, Lizzy!!
I’ve been making this for the past 2 Christmas holidays. Amazing and my go to recipe from now on! 10/10!
These are absolutely delicious!
In case anyone is like me, I used 2% milk because I didn’t have whole milk and it turned out just fine!
So glad you enjoyed these cinnamon rolls, Liz!!
Best cinnamon roll recipe I’ve found. They come out perfectly golden yet fluffy and gooey every single time. The first time I made these for my family there were only 5 of us but we got through all 12 rolls as people couldn’t stop going back for more!
OMG! I read the review that said you get the middle part (the best part) of the roll in every bite- and I thought how can that be? We’ll, I’m still not sure how Tessa did it, but it’s true! There is cinnamon goodness in every bite! This was my very first attempt at home made cinnamon rolls, and I will not be looking for any others. The dough is very forgiving. I forgot to put in the vanilla extract, so after the first rise, I added some and lightly folded it into the dough with just a little flour, and it was perfectly fine. Thanks for another great recipe!
Yay!! So happy to hear this, Anne!! So glad you enjoyed these cinnamon rolls so much 🙂
Love this recipe! Have made it many times and always comes out great.
Question- can I cut them into 24 mini rolls? If so- what would be the baking time.
Thank you
Hi Renee! I’m sorry, but as we have not tried that, I cannot tell you exactly how long the bake time would be – but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work! You might need to roll the dough out a little longer, so you can more easily cut into smaller rolls. Watch the rise time carefully, as that might be shorter with the smaller size (but not necessarily; it all depends on your kitchen environment at the time!). Start the rolls at 15 minutes in the oven and just monitor carefully, and bake as the recipe states (until lightly golden brown). Let us know how they turn out!!
Literally…. The best cinnamon roll I’ve ever had. It was SO SOFT!!! So soft. You know how in canned cinnamon rolls the only REALLY good part is the center? Okay… well… with this recipe, the ENTIRE CINNAMON ROLL WAS THE CENTER!!!!!!!! Outrageously good. I wish it was a really easy simple thing to make because I’d make these every day. Lol. Did take a while but SOOOOO WORTH IT. and it was so much fun 🙂
Wow, what a review, Miranda!! We are so thrilled you loved these cinnamon rolls so much!! Thanks so much for letting us know 🙂
Hey guys n gals! I made your recipe on Friday and baked it on Saturday morning. I followed everything to a T but traded AP flour for KA bread flour and did a little more stretch and folding. I was NOT disappointed! It was still amazingly pillowy soft, but a little bit of pull in the bread part and did the cream cheese frosting from your other recipes for this one, made it totally divine. This was only my first time but killed Cinnabon , Costco or anywhere I have bought cinnamon rolls 😀
1 Question: What do u use to spread cream cheese frosting? I totally had the wrong tool (plastic butter knife) and was not too ideal.
2 Question: The sides were brown, and the bottom, but the top was pale but it was thoroughly cooked. How can I get the tops browner? Thankfully , it was only aeshetic and were among the top 5 things I’ve ever made lol. I’ll be posting this on Instagram too 🙂
10/10 for this recipe!
https://imgur.com/a/pl79uw5
PICS of the rolls I made!
Hi Danny! Our HTH Team saw your photo on Instagram – your cinnamon rolls looked fantastic! We find using something like this offset spatula to be the ideal tool for spreading the frosting, or icing any smaller cake/cupcake/etc – I use mine allllllll the time! As for your other question, what type of pan did you bake the rolls in? Perhaps your pan is a little dark, so the sides and bottom caught before the tops were done browning? A light-colored metal pan is ideal (this pan is Tessa’s favourite – I have the same one, and I LOVE mine too!), so the sides and bottom can bake evenly, along with the top! As long as the centers were baked and not undercooked, I honestly wouldn’t worry too much. They looked great, and it sounds like they tasted fantastic, and the frosting covers the tops anyway!! If you do wish to troubleshoot this more, though, please feel free to reach back out and we can try to troubleshoot further!! Happy baking 🙂
Ah, yes! Other’s were also telling me that is normal for the tops to not really brown, and other stores might be glazing theirs as some optional step.
Oh and I did mean to type “pretty brown” not “very brown.” They were brown enough but not overly so! Yea I’m using a light aluminum non stick WILTON pan, which seems to be working great.
I will take your suggestion in case I need a 2nd pan, that one looks great! And yes, I will definitely buy that spatula. I will have a cleaner looking roll next time. I am glad they were so delicious, absolutely the best!
Sounds like a plan, Danny! So happy you enjoyed them so much 🙂 Happy baking!!
If I wanna freeze, I’m suppose to rise first for 2 hours and then roll with filling and after you freeze. Or you freeze the raw dough. Not understanding exactly the process when I wanna freeze. Can you please explain exact steps what I do? Thanks
Hi Chaya! Tessa talks about this in the pink box, right above the recipe 🙂 Finish the first rise, fill the dough, shape them into rolls, and place the shaped (but unbaked) cinnamon rolls in the pans you plan to bake them in. Cover the rolls tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost overnight in the fridge.
When getting ready to bake, loosen the plastic wrap and let the rolls rise at room temperature until doubled in size. The length of time this will take will depend entirely on how much they rose before freezing, and how warm / humid your kitchen is. It may take just 20 to 30 minutes, or it may take over an hour. Proceed with baking as the recipe is written.
I hope this answers your questions! Happy baking! 🙂
I have made these numerous times as my husband keeps requesting them! They are better than store bought ones and pretty easy to make. Thank you for this recipe!
So excited that you and your husband love this recipe, Maha! Happy baking 🙂
The first time I ate a cinnamon roll, was when I was on holiday at a Swedish patisserie. Since tasting Kanellbullar (right spelling?), as the Swedes call it, I have hankered after these. The frozen ones from Iceland are cold comfort. They also have an ingredients list consisting of alarmingly long and unfamiliar ingredients. Ever since I found out that the carmine in my sausages was made of beetles (and had a minor fainting fit in the process) I have become increasingly careful about the back of my shop-bought items. I made this recipe using honey instead of sugar ( I am trying, for the most part, unsuccessfully to be a little bit healthier by decreasing my refined sugar intake is one of my new year resolutions). I took these out of the oven and added creme fraiche frosting. (I know from experience icing MUST contain icing sugar). They looked perfect. I took a bite and… ugh! The thing was harder and more rubbery than the first short-crust pastry I baked at 8! I am soooo disappointed! What went wrong? Could the honey have caused any problems? The filling and frosting, licked off the bowls, were scrumptious but the pastry certainly was not.
Hi Beatrice, sorry to hear your rolls turned out hard and rubbery! Substituting the sugar could very well have been the issue. Sugar isn’t in recipes just to add sweetness, substituting it can actually affect the outcome as it helps to create a tender and moist texture, it assists in leavening your baked good (lift and rise for a taller shape and lighter texture), provides food for yeast fermentation in bread baking, along with so much more. Tessa actually goes into detail of the importance of sugar and other common ingredients in our Magic of Baking course, which you might find helpful. I completely understand your attempts to make healthier recipes, but to guarantee a better outcome, I’d suggest searching for a cinnamon roll recipe that contains the healthier ingredients you’re looking for. And come to us for full-fat, indulgent and very satisfying dessert recipes (with no substitutions) 🙂 Please let me know if you give this recipe another try!
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe! It produced amazing Gooey Cinnamon Rolls! Followed your recipe notes for using rapid rise yeast instead of instant yeast. Kneaded by hand. (Therapeutic, no stand mixer.) Topped with cream cheese frosting. Amazing! Looking forward to enjoying these again!
**Hoping to be a little more familiar with this recipe, and have the timing down better the second time around. Never having made these before, I found myself rereading the recipe again and again. But the results were so worth the effort!
Kneading by hand is so good for the soul! I’m glad your rolls turned out perfectly, thanks for letting us know! 🙂