Cinnabon's secret: they proof dough at exactly 81°F and use margarine, not butter, for those impossibly soft layers.
Copycat Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls
Indulge in the ultimate breakfast treat with these mouthwatering cinnamon rolls that capture the warm, gooey essence of Cinnabon! With a rich dough that's perfectly slathered in buttery cinnamon filling and topped with a luscious cream cheese glaze, these rolls are sure to become your new weekend favorite. Get ready to elevate your mornings with this irresistible homemade delight!
Prep
45
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
12
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
These sticky spirals are actually Swedish immigrants' revenge on American breakfast—in 1985, Seattle's Cinnabon founders reverse-engineered traditional Swedish kanelbullar but cranked the sugar content to American excess levels, swapped cardamom for pure cinnamon, and slathered on cream cheese frosting that would make Stockholm's bakers weep into their coffee cups.
Regional Twist
In Quebec's Montreal bakeries, they replace the maple extract with actual maple syrup and fold toasted pecans into the brown sugar filling, creating proper Canadian decadence.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 brick cream cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (118 ml) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon (2 ml) maple extract
- 1 cup (237 ml) milk
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 4 cups (480 g) bread flour
- 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar
- butter (to taste)
- cinnamon (to taste)
- 2 cups (400 g) powdered sugar
- salt (to taste)
- 1 cup (100 g) sugar
- vanilla extract (to taste)
- yeast (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Warm the milk to about 110 degrees Fahrenheit and mix in the yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until foamy.
- 2
Add melted and cooled butter, sugar, eggs, salt, and bread flour to the yeast mixture. Mix until crumbly.
- 3
Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes, then knead with a dough hook on low for about 5 minutes until stretchy and soft.
- 4
Oil a bowl, place the dough inside, cover with a towel, and let it rise until doubled in size.
- 5
For the filling, mix softened butter, cinnamon, and packed brown sugar until combined.
- 6
Roll out the dough into a large rectangle, spread the filling evenly, and roll it tightly into a log.
- 7
Cut the log into 12 rolls and place them swirl side up in a buttered 9x13 dish.
- 8
Cover and let rise while preheating the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 9
Bake for 25 minutes, pouring heavy cream over the rolls before baking.
- 10
For the frosting, beat softened butter and cream cheese, then add maple extract, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar.
- 11
Frost the rolls after they have cooled slightly.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Heat milk to exactly 105-110°F using a thermometer because yeast dies above 120°F and won't activate below 95°F, killing your rise.technique105-110°F
- ✓Use bread flour instead of all-purpose for 12-14% protein content, which develops stronger gluten networks that trap CO2 better for fluffier rolls.ingredient12-14% protein
- ✓Let dough rise in 75-80°F environment (slightly warm oven with light on) because yeast activity doubles every 18°F increase until 95°F.timing75-80°F
- ✓Roll dough to exactly ¼-inch thickness using guides because thinner creates tough rolls while thicker prevents even baking and proper spiral formation.technique¼-inch thickness
- ✓Use unflavored dental floss to cut rolls instead of a knife because knives compress and seal the dough layers, preventing proper rise and spiral separation.equipment
Share this recipe
Prep
45
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
12
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Cinnabon's secret: they proof dough at exactly 81°F and use margarine, not butter, for those impossibly soft layers.
Copycat Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls
Indulge in the ultimate breakfast treat with these mouthwatering cinnamon rolls that capture the warm, gooey essence of Cinnabon! With a rich dough that's perfectly slathered in buttery cinnamon filling and topped with a luscious cream cheese glaze, these rolls are sure to become your new weekend favorite. Get ready to elevate your mornings with this irresistible homemade delight!
The Story
These sticky spirals are actually Swedish immigrants' revenge on American breakfast—in 1985, Seattle's Cinnabon founders reverse-engineered traditional Swedish kanelbullar but cranked the sugar content to American excess levels, swapped cardamom for pure cinnamon, and slathered on cream cheese frosting that would make Stockholm's bakers weep into their coffee cups.
Regional Twist
In Quebec's Montreal bakeries, they replace the maple extract with actual maple syrup and fold toasted pecans into the brown sugar filling, creating proper Canadian decadence.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 brick cream cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (118 ml) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon (2 ml) maple extract
- 1 cup (237 ml) milk
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 4 cups (480 g) bread flour
- 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar
- butter (to taste)
- cinnamon (to taste)
- 2 cups (400 g) powdered sugar
- salt (to taste)
- 1 cup (100 g) sugar
- vanilla extract (to taste)
- yeast (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Warm the milk to about 110 degrees Fahrenheit and mix in the yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until foamy.
- 2
Add melted and cooled butter, sugar, eggs, salt, and bread flour to the yeast mixture. Mix until crumbly.
- 3
Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes, then knead with a dough hook on low for about 5 minutes until stretchy and soft.
- 4
Oil a bowl, place the dough inside, cover with a towel, and let it rise until doubled in size.
- 5
For the filling, mix softened butter, cinnamon, and packed brown sugar until combined.
- 6
Roll out the dough into a large rectangle, spread the filling evenly, and roll it tightly into a log.
- 7
Cut the log into 12 rolls and place them swirl side up in a buttered 9x13 dish.
- 8
Cover and let rise while preheating the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 9
Bake for 25 minutes, pouring heavy cream over the rolls before baking.
- 10
For the frosting, beat softened butter and cream cheese, then add maple extract, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar.
- 11
Frost the rolls after they have cooled slightly.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Heat milk to exactly 105-110°F using a thermometer because yeast dies above 120°F and won't activate below 95°F, killing your rise.technique105-110°F
- ✓Use bread flour instead of all-purpose for 12-14% protein content, which develops stronger gluten networks that trap CO2 better for fluffier rolls.ingredient12-14% protein
- ✓Let dough rise in 75-80°F environment (slightly warm oven with light on) because yeast activity doubles every 18°F increase until 95°F.timing75-80°F
- ✓Roll dough to exactly ¼-inch thickness using guides because thinner creates tough rolls while thicker prevents even baking and proper spiral formation.technique¼-inch thickness
- ✓Use unflavored dental floss to cut rolls instead of a knife because knives compress and seal the dough layers, preventing proper rise and spiral separation.equipment