Perfect Cinnamon Roll Ratio
5 : 1 : 1.5
Flour : Butter (filling) : Brown Sugar
500g + 100g + 150g + 3 tbsp cinnamon
= 12 soft, gooey cinnamon rolls
Classic Cinnamon Roll Recipe
Sweet Dough
- All-purpose flour 500g (4 cups)
- Warm milk 240ml (1 cup)
- Unsalted butter (melted) 60g (4 tbsp)
- Granulated sugar 60g (¼ cup + 1 tbsp)
- Large eggs 1 egg
- Instant yeast 7g (2¼ tsp)
- Salt 1 tsp
Cinnamon Filling
- Unsalted butter (softened) 100g (7 tbsp)
- Brown sugar (packed) 150g (¾ cup)
- Ground cinnamon 3 tbsp
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream cheese (softened) 115g (4 oz)
- Butter (softened) 60g (4 tbsp)
- Powdered sugar 120g (1 cup)
- Vanilla extract 1 tsp
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Make Dough
- 1. Mix warm milk + yeast + 1 tsp sugar. Let bloom 5 min.
- 2. Add flour + remaining sugar + salt + egg + melted butter.
- 3. Knead 8-10 min until smooth, elastic.
- 4. Rise in oiled bowl 1-2 hours (doubled).
2. Fill & Shape
- 5. Roll dough to 16x12" rectangle.
- 6. Spread softened butter edge to edge.
- 7. Mix brown sugar + cinnamon, sprinkle evenly.
- 8. Roll tightly from long edge. Seal seam.
- 9. Cut into 12 equal rolls (use floss or sharp knife).
3. Bake & Frost
- 10. Place in greased 9x13" pan. Rise 45 min.
- 11. Bake 350°F 25-30 min until golden.
- 12. Cool 10 min.
- 13. Beat cream cheese + butter + sugar + vanilla.
- 14. Spread frosting on warm rolls. Serve!
🍯 Don't Overbake!
Remove when just golden and slightly underdone in center. They continue cooking in the hot pan. Overbaking = dry rolls!
Filling Variations
| Variation | Filling | Topping |
|---|---|---|
| Classic Cinnamon | Brown sugar + cinnamon | Cream cheese frosting |
| Pecan Sticky Buns | Add 100g chopped pecans to filling | Caramel sauce + pecans on bottom |
| Apple Cinnamon | Add 1 cup diced apples + ¼ tsp nutmeg | Vanilla glaze |
| Pumpkin Spice | Replace cinnamon with pumpkin pie spice | Maple cream cheese frosting |
| Chocolate Cinnamon | Add ½ cup mini chocolate chips | Chocolate ganache drizzle |
| Orange Rolls | Replace cinnamon with orange zest | Orange cream cheese frosting |
Make-Ahead & Storage Tips
Overnight Method
- 1. Make dough, fill, and shape rolls as directed.
- 2. Place in greased pan. Cover tightly with plastic.
- 3. Refrigerate overnight (8-16 hours).
- 4. Next morning: Remove from fridge. Let sit 30-45 min at room temp.
- 5. Bake as directed. Fresher = better!
Freezing Instructions
- Before Baking: Shape rolls, freeze on tray. Transfer to bag. Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in fridge, rise 1 hour, bake.
- After Baking: Bake without frosting. Cool completely. Wrap individually. Freeze up to 3 months. Reheat 350°F 10-15 min, then frost.
Troubleshooting
Common Problems:
- Dry rolls: Overbaked or not enough butter in filling. Bake until just golden.
- Dense, heavy: Didn't rise long enough or killed yeast with hot milk.
- Filling leaks out: Rolled too loosely or didn't seal seam. Roll tight!
- Uneven baking: Rolls cut unevenly or pan too crowded. Use 9x13" pan.
- Too sweet: Reduce brown sugar to 120g or use half white sugar.
Pro Tips:
- • Warm milk = 105-110°F (not hot, or kills yeast)
- • Butter for filling must be softened (spreads easily)
- • Use unflavored dental floss to cut rolls (no squishing!)
- • Frost while warm (melts into rolls = gooey heaven)
- • Double the frosting recipe (never too much!)
- • Reheat leftovers: microwave 20-30 sec