Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls (Copycat Recipe)

These Copycat Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls are about the closest you’ll get to the real thing without spending $5 a pop!

Plus, they make the whole house smell heavenly.

And seriously? Who can say no to an ooey-gooey Cinnabon cinnamon roll?

Soft, chewy cinnamon rolls topped with a cream cheese icing that melts in your mouth. Yeah, these are truly irresistible.

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Cinnabon® Classic Roll

I remember going to the mall when I was young and being tantalized by the delicious smells pouring out of the Cinnabon shop.

The problem is, Cinnabon rolls are quite pricey, and I always want a whole box!

Thankfully, with this copycat recipe, you can enjoy the goodness of a Cinnabon roll at a fraction of the price.

Plus, if you decide to share these delectable treats with family and friends, you’re going to be their new favorite person.

Of course, sharing is always optional 🙂

Cinnabon Ingredients

For the Dough

• Bread machine yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons) – yeast is a crucial element in any bread recipe, as it makes the dough rise. You can use instant yeast for this recipe, but test whether it’s still active. To do so, add 2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar to a quarter cup of warm water. After ten minutes, check if the mixture foams up and forms a yeasty scent. If so, the yeast is still active.

• Warm milk (1 cup) – the key to this recipe is lukewarm milk. Make sure your milk’s temperature is at 110 degrees Fahrenheit. If it’s way too warm, it will kill the yeast. If it’s too cold, it won’t activate the yeast. Either way, you will end up with flat bread. 

• Large eggs – Take the eggs out of the fridge an hour before you use them. Room temperature eggs will give your bread an airy consistency.

• Melted margarine (1/3 cup) – You might wonder why we’re not using butter. There’s a simple explanation though: this is how Cinnabon does it. But you can use butter for this recipe if you prefer. Use unsalted, though, so you get to control how much salt goes into your bread.

• Bread flour (4 1/2 cups) – Use bread flour as much as possible because it will yield chewy and tender bread. If you don’t have this on hand, the next best option is all-purpose flour.

• Sugar (½ cup) – Half a cup will do, as you don’t need a lot to sweeten the dough. 

• Salt (1 teaspoon) – A necessary element in all baked goods. It may only be a teaspoon, but it’s crucial in bringing out the flavors of your ingredients.

For the Filling

• Brown sugar (1 cup, packed) – I use dark brown sugar in this recipe, but you can use light brown if you prefer.

• Ground cinnamon (2 1/2 tablespoons) – The star ingredient that gives cinnamon rolls their signature flavor.

• Softened butter (1/3 cup) – Again, use the unsalted kind. Margarine works fine as well.

For the Icing

• Softened cream cheese (3 ounces/1 package) – Philadelphia cream cheese is the best brand for this recipe. Use room temperature cream cheese.

• Softened butter (1/4 cup) – Unsalted room temperature butter, please.

• Confectioners’ sugar (1 1/2 cups) – Often referred to as powdered sugar or icing sugar. 

• Vanilla extract (1/2 teaspoon) – Notice almost all desserts call for this ingredient? It’s because it brings out all the flavors of the other ingredients.

• Salt (1/8 teaspoon) – To balance out the sweetness of the sugar.

How to Make Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

Step 1: Make the Dough

The dough serves as the base of your cinnamon roll, so you need to make sure it’s nice and tender.

Start by putting the dough ingredients on the bread machine’s pan. Follow the order recommended by the machine’s manufacturer.

Then, select the dough cycle and click on the Start button.

Once the dough has doubled in size, place it on a lightly floured surface. Cover and allow it to rest for 10 minutes to rise.

Step 2: The Cinnamon Sugar Mixture

This one’s easy – just mix cinnamon and brown sugar in a bowl until incorporated.

Once your dough has risen, knead to form a 16×21-inch rectangle. Spread butter on the dough and sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Then, roll up the dough and cut it into 12 rolls. Place the rolls in a greased baking pan.

Cover for 30 minutes to allow the dough to rise. Once it has doubled in size, it’s ready for baking. 

Step 3: Bake the Cinnamon Rolls

Bake the rolls at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Once they’re out of the oven, transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool.

Step 4: The Frosting

The key to a Cinnabon roll is its cream cheese frosting. While your Cinnabon rolls are in the oven, cream butter, cream cheese, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract.

Spread generous frosting on the rolls while warm. Served best with homemade lemonade!

Tips & Tricks

• Use the icing strategically. If you want the icing to ooze down the cracks of your cinnamon roll, use half to frost the rolls fresh out of the oven. Spread the other half once they’ve cooled a little.

• Save time by making the dough beforehand. You can prepare your dough beforehand and let it rise overnight so that the following morning you’ll have a dough that’s completely risen.

• Don’t over-knead the dough. If you do, chances are your bread will lack flavor. To avoid this, use your hands instead of a stand mixer. That way, you don’t accidentally add too much flour. 

• Work on a flat and floured surface when kneading. The flour will stop the dough from getting too sticky. Flour your hands and rolling pin, too.

• Add yeast to counteract flour. If you make the mistake of adding too much flour, add a teaspoon of rapid rise yeast to your dough. 

• Speed up the rising time. If you want your dough to rise a lot faster, double the amount of yeast.

• Try flavor variations. Add nutmeg or pumpkin spice to your cinnamon sugar mixture for a fall-flavored roll. Others also prefer raisins in their bread as well.

• Add nuts. Top your cinnamon rolls with chopped pecans for that extra crunch.

• Use high-quality cinnamon. The best brand for cinnamon is Saigon. It’s a little pricier than others, but you’ll definitely taste the difference. 

• Roll your dough thinly. That way, you’ll have more room to spread your filling. This results in chewy rolls oozing with cinnamon sugar filling.

• Use flour to aid in cleaning. When cleaning up the kneading surface, dust it with flour to loosen up the leftover dough.

Can You Freeze Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls?

If you refrigerate your cinnamon rolls in an airtight container, they can last for up to 5 days.

But, if you need them to last longer, you can freeze them. Seal them in an airtight container and freeze. This will keep your rolls good for 3 months.

Then, learn how to reheat cinnamon rolls the right way, so they taste just like freshly baked!

More Cinnamon Roll Recipes You’ll Love

Caramel Pecan Cinnamon Rolls
Paula Deen’s Cinnamon Rolls
Bisquick Cinnamon Rolls Recipe