For best results, use an instant-read thermometer for the milk and have all your other ingredients at room temperature. And be sure to aerate your flour before measuring. - Jenny Jones
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Makes: 8
Ingredients:
- Dough:
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 packet (2 tsp/7 gms/1/4 oz) yeast - instant or active dry yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup milk (low fat or whole milk) heated to 120-130° F for instant yeast (or 110-120°F for active dry)
- 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- about 1/4 cup additional flour
- Filling:
- 2 Tablespoons softened butter or trans-fat free margarine
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- Frosting:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- about 2 Tablespoons milk
Instructions:
- Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Stir in milk followed by oil & egg. Beat on high for 3 minutes.
- Add additional flour until dough forms a mass.
- On a floured surface, knead 150 turns (about 4-5 minutes).
- Cover with plastic or a bowl & let rest 10 minutes.
- Meantime, grease an 8-inch round pan and combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
- On a floured surface, roll dough into 12” x 9”.
- Spread with butter/margarine followed by brown sugar mixture.
- Roll up the dough (not too tightly) starting at the 9” end.
- Cut 1/2-inch off either end. With a serrated knife or using dental floss, cut log into 8 even slices and arrange in pan.
- Cover with plastic & rise in a warm spot until doubled, 1 - 1 1/2 hours.
- Bake in preheated oven at 350° F for about 15 minutes.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then frost. To make frosting, combine powdered sugar & vanilla and slowly add milk for a spreading consistency.
Notes: To make overnight rolls, follow steps 1 thru 10. Cover pan with plastic and refrigerate overnight. Remove from fridge in the morning and let rise in a warm spot for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours until rolls are doubled in size. Continue at step #12. (For more on my cinnamon rolls in my blog, click here).
No MIxer? You can combine the ingredients by hand and follow the rest of the recipe as written. I just tried it and they turned out great.
Problems with this recipe? Click here.
By far the BEST cinnamon roll recipe EVER!! It’s so easy, a non-baker can do it.
Thank you for sharing this! We love it just as it is 🙂
Love all your recipes, I added orange zest and vanilla extract to dough, then added golden raisins to filling, we love them, dough is soft and fluffy.
Jenny, this weekend I made your flat breads and cinnamon buns. I haven’t baked the buns yet, but in all my years of cooking/baking, I have never had doughs that turned out so well and were so easy to work with. The flats were divine, I will not buy flatbreads again. The buns are sitting happily in the fridge until tomorrow, but such a beautiful dough. Thank you!
I’ve made these more times than i can remember. Everyone in my family loves them. I always do a double batch- with 4 cups of flour. i find it easier to mix the softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon together and then spread it over the rolled out dough. Recently i’ve been cutting them into 12 portions and baking in a 9×13 pan. Perfect. I also find that one batch of icing is usually enough for a double batch of rolls baked in one large pan. Excellent rolls. I will never look for another recipe!
Jenny, we need some new recipes and cooking videos. Pleeeeaaase!!!
How long do these last after baking?
Two days, three is still good but pushing it.
Honestly I don’t think these have ever lasted more than 24 hours in my home. If your wrapped them well and froze them, they would stay good for a couple weeks. To thaw simply leave on the counter for 20-30 minutes or in the fridge overnight. If u wanted to warm them up- put them in the microwave for a few seconds, or loosely wrap with foil and warm in a preheated oven for a few minutes. Most homemade goods don’t stay fresh for days and days because they aren’t pumped full of chemicals and preservatives. I’ll take that any day 😉
Lol. I took that as asking how long before they were eaten. Oh about 5 min, LOL.
I apologize for being critical but I am surprised this recipe was introduced as “healthy”. Sugar is a very unhealthy ingredient. White flour also. May I suggest finding means to make it tasty w/o refined sugar and w/o white flour only whole grains and sweetened w/ xylitol etc. or raw honey instead. I have the highest regard for you otherwise. – Best
I appreciate your note, although I don’t promote this recipe as “healthy,” only “healthier.” If you can find such a recipe for cinnamon rolls using only whole grains and no refined sugar, I would be very happy to share it here with a link to the creator. Thank you.
Hi, Jenny…Just made your cinnamon rolls. Was quite easy as have been baking , cooking 70 years..Was so excited to find your recipe, forgot to warm the milk lol Also why the kneading 150 times..Can the kneading be shortened? Probably wouldn’t have minded so much but sprained left hand, but still seems like a lot of kneading…Anyway, in spite of it all, they turned out great! Loved your video and you are quite adorable!
I use my kitchenaid stand mixer. Does all the kneading for me…so i can save my hands for rolling!! I wouldn’t make them half as often as i do if i didn’t use my kitchenaid!
Followed the recipe closely but had ro add more flour to thicken up the dough, I used a machine with a bread hook, no problem, kneaded for 5 minutes by hand and dough was perfect. Instead of the icing I made a goo, with butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup. Was surprised they were still soft and fresh rhe next day. Definitely a keeper.
Would you mind sharing the ingredients and process? i’ve used brown sugar butter “goo” under the buns before baking, but never on top, and after the buns are baked….you’ve got me intrigued.
I made these in a 9” pan because that’s what I had. I also for some reason ended up with a very thick dough and had to add more liquid unlike others. I did use a farm fresh egg from our farm and it may have been on the smaller side compared to store bought. I made the adjustment and they turned out just fine. Sometimes you just have to improvise. I’ve made many things from Jenny including the cabbage rolls, breads and more. I loved watching her in action from daytime television and love her even more with the Jenny can cook. I will try other things from her kitchen. Please Jenny, keep sharing tips and recipes from your kitchen. Your videos are a joy to watch with your humor, wit and lovely personality.
I have made these for my friends and family and ourselves, they turned out great and are so yummy 😋. Oh and one batch, I forgot to heat the milk, but I was surprised because they rose up beautifully.
Thanks Jenny for all your great recipes and I hope you will continue.
So easy, my Grandson loves them and we don’t find them hard to take either. Yum.
There is a big difference in baking when you use parchment paper vs not using it. They are much more moist with parchment paper! Just thought I’d share
Try the no knead bread, I watched the video too. I added everything bagel seasoning on top and it’s delicious. I weighed the flour too. The buns I mixed by hand and they came out perfect.
Great recipe I agree I think I needed more than an additional 1/4 cup of flour at the end. I’ve made these cinnamon rolls several times it’s a great video and recipe. ThanksJenny
I don’t know what I’m doing wrong but I’ve made these three times (today being one of them) and each time I have had to use about a cup extra flour (I use organic unbleached) and the dough is very wet and sticky. Terrible to work with and doesn’t roll up right because the dough is too soft (even with the extra flour). I gave it the one last shot but doesn’t ever turn out like Jenny’s. I think it’s the oil and whole egg. Most others use butter and only a yolk. Think that makes it less sticky and wet. In my opinion, anyway.
It could be from either using fat-free milk or possibly from sifting the flour before you measure. Sometimes, people change the recipe without realizing it.
I make all your recipes.. I love them. I understand why more flour is needed due to humidly.
Absolutely the easiest to follow and prepare recipe I’ve used in a long time. Concise, and fun to use. Results were perfect, at least to us. The icing was a treat and per my lack of will power, made lots
I’ve made several of Jenny’s recipes. I make her faster no-knead bread every week – sometimes twice in one week because it goes so fast. Everything of hers I’ve made has turned out great, until now. In view of other reviews, I’ve done something wrong, but don’t know what. The buns were tasty, but gummy. I used bread flour. I’ll try again with all-purpose, but don’t see how that could be the problem.
Maybe we had a similar problem? I noticed in the beating phase. The amount of flour Jenny made us set aside was not enough to make my dough truly firm; I ended up adding about 1/2 a cup of additional flour, maybe more. Maybe our eggs were larger? I don’t know. You could also have had trouble with yeast, maybe you didn’t use the right level in the oven. All these problems have made by bakes gummy before; I hope this helps!
Hmmm I think she said 1/4 cup ADDITIONAL flour which means you don’t set it aside out of the 1 1/2 cups of flour 🙂
I hadn’t baked anything other than some bread before, but this recipe turned out spectacular. This recipe was easy to follow, and after a couple trips to the dollar store, I had all the utensils required. The only part that worried me was the initial stickiness of the dough. A little more flour and all seemed good.
I am floored by the results. Maybe it was beginners luck, but they came out of the oven picture perfect.
Cannot wait to try another one of your recipes.
Good for you! I mix by hand and they come out great. I also bake them in a cast iron pan I have because I don’t have the one specified.
I have not tried this recipe yet,but fully intend to soon!!!!! This looks fantastic!!
Just wanted to thank you Jenny for taking the time to video your great recipes 😋.
I have been cooking since I was 6 years old,am 66 now. Love finding good “down home” recipes.
I multiplied the recipe x6 to have enough to serve a group that meets for coffee on Saturday mornings. I mixed up the dough the night before, placed it in a very large bowl and covered it well, shaped in the morning, let rise and baked. SPECTACULAR results. Jenny’s recipes are the best!!
My second time making this (just took 2 batches out of the oven). We love this as a treat! So yummy and moist. Delish. Please keep making more videos. You are inspiration!
I second the motion requesting Jenny to continue making her videos! Truly inspirational! And they turn out as good as they look!
So good Jenny!
I loved the recipe!!! The dough itself was fluffy and very nice to work with!!!
the glaze was nice to, but usually when I make cinnamon rolls I use a cream cheese frosting, one that was passed down from my grandmother, to my mother then to me. Unfortunately I lost that recipe and NEED a new one!
So Jenny if you have any cream cheese frosting recipe please post it!
Thank You!!! For all the DELICIOUS recipes!!!!
Just add some cream cheese to the glaze recipe, thin as as desired…no recipe needed
Thank you so much I tried that and it was delicious!!
My go to recipe for now on!
I have tried this recipe 4 times and I can’t get them to rise at all. I have checked the yeast, bought new yeast and the expiration date is good. Also the temp of the milk is at 110° I can not figure out what I could be doing wrong. Do you have any suggestions on getting them to rise? Really appreciate any tips you can give me. I have been baking for many years and haven’t had this problem before. Therefore I am puzzled as to what could be going on. Thank you!
The recipe calls for yeast at 120-130°F so I suspect that having it at 110° might be the problem. Good Luck!
Throw away your thermometer and use your little finger to test milk or water. If it’s comfortably warm and not burning your finger, it won’t kill your yeast. Never used one and never had a problem. Always buy a pound of yeast and keep it in the freezer. Fill up a small jar that I keep in the fridge to use and just keep refilling it as needed. Mine turned out great. Sorry but don’t know how to attach a picture. Also, depending on the size of egg, or flour used, you may have to adjust how much flour you’ll need. I had to use a bit more than recipes called for.
Just to note: I used yeast that I keep in my freezer and I used milk and eggs cold from the fridge. I did not heat anything. I had EXCELLENT results with Jenny’s recipe. Award winning cinnamon rolls that earned so many compliments! (I multiplied the recipe x6 and mixed in my Bosch Mixer to yield 40 rolls.) I hope you can figure out what went wrong for you. It is an AMAZING recipe!
I’m making this recipe now and my dough isn’t rising at all. I tested my yeast and its blooming fine separately. I am following the recipe exactly. I will try again another time and bloom my yeast separately I think and see if it works out for me.
Ok. When they baked they did rise. Enough to be delicious but not as much as they should. I will be trying again. 😋
We made the cinnamon roll recipe this morning for an afternoon snack. It was pretty forgiving. I had my family helping me and “we” (read “they”) did not read their section of the recipe, but it was still delicious. I used a favorite light maple cream cheese icing; our preference.
I left space in the pan so they would touch after the rise, but not crowd. It took an hour and 45 mins. to rise nicely. I put one of those heat therapy wraps (filled with buckwheat hulls or rice or something) in the microwave to turn it into a proofing box. Once the wrap was warm (not hot), I left it in the microwave and put the covered pan in to rise. Midway, I gently pulled them out and nuked the wrap again so it re-warmed my proofing box. Then I put the rolls back in. The microwave is OFF when the rolls are in-the residual heat from the heat wrap is what keeps it a warm environment. Another person has put clean towels in the dryer and when warm, puts them in the microwave with whatever needs to rise.
NOTE: I took the two cut ends and turned them into a modified 9th “roll” and put it in the corner of a square glass baking dish – my cinnamon rolls were thus 3 x 3 and the weird one in the corner was the sampler. They did not dome in the middle since they had plenty of space to grow.
Will make it as written next time to correct the little lack of attention error.
Love Jenny’s recipes.
I love this recipe. Not being a big fan of cinnamon, I substituted ground ginger and they came out great. I call then Ging-a-Bons.
This cinnamon roll recipe is the absolute best!
A “calorie reduced” recipe for cinnamon rolls
that yields a lot, with half the flour of most
cinnamon roll recipes, that require double the
amount. These cinnamon rolls, at best yield,
fill a large square casserole dish. A little
extra rising time and results were higher in
volume, with a cloud like softness.
Thank you very much, Jenny. I have made
this cinnamon roll recipe several times as
it turns out perfect each time, plus, with the
calorie count being less than most recipes,
it makes this recipe all the more enjoyable,
the favorite!
Hi Jenny these are the easiest cinnamon buns I have ever made. I actually made the dough on Saturday and then baked them on Sunday and they were deliciously fluffy and the icing was just right. Thanks again for sharing all your fantastic recipes. To share without any remuneration is unheard of in this day and age and it truly speaks to your true character. Thanks again.
Hi if I double this recipe will it make 16 cinnamon rolls ?
Yes, it sure would! i always double the recipe and cut into 12 and bake in a 9×13. the rolls a bit larger, but no less yummy! and i add a few minutes to the bake time.
Amazing cinnamon roll recipe. Thank you very much for this and all your recipes. I appreciate you taking the time to teach us all!! Peace and blessings, Vicki
WOW!!! I made these today my wife said that they were the best she had ever had, I use a high-end cinnamon from Penseys which I think really kicks up the flavor. Great recipe and not only learned from your video I enjoyed watching it
I made these yesterday, but they did not rise when I left them on the counter before baking. I kneaded them pretty well, I thought. Any suggestions?
Please see the FAQs.
Was your milk warm to 110 deg and the house warm mine are perfect every time if you follow exactly how she says
What a blessing you are Jenny! I’ve made an array of your recipes and all are wonderful. But this one takes FIRST PLACE. I replaced cinnamon with anise flavoring, anise seeds and a handful of raisins.
They to take on an Italian twist.
Thank you for your inspiration.
Can I lay some apple on top of the cinnamon mixture
!1you are the most great baker i know ever
Can you explain a little bit more how you would prep these the day before you bake them?
I have made them and placed the pan in the fridge to slow the rising process. When ready to bake, I take it out of the fridge 2-3 hrs prior so it can rise at room temp and then bake at 350 for 15 min.
Notes: To make overnight rolls, follow steps 1 thru 10. Cover pan with plastic and refrigerate overnight. Remove from fridge in the morning and let rise in a warm spot for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours until rolls are doubled in size. Continue at step #12. (For more on my cinnamon rolls in my blog, click here: https://www.jennycancook.com/homemade-cinnamon-rolls/
update before it cooked i used half of this and gave me exactly four looks sooooooo good putting it to cook!
turned out great! i like this i dont really like cream cheese so i made my own icing if your like me or just dont have it heres how
-powdered sugar
-milk or heavy milk
-vanilla extract
-a pinch of salt (if you want)
Thanks im learning how to cook cake and sweets sadly i have no butter but i saw this i didnt make it yet ill reply when im done ;>
I been baking with yeast for many years. These taste great, but I have trouble with the rise. They never rise to the top of the pan like in the video. I’m using an 8 inch pan. I’m sure my yeast is good as I’ve used different yeasts and do not have trouble with other breads I’ve made. I set them in a warm place for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. They rise some, and rise a little further while baking. I’ve made the recipe several times with the same result. They taste fine. Don’t know why the problem is. But, they are yummy and good, so I will keep using this recipe.
Jenny, I know you don’t ‘knead’ me to tell you this is a wonderful recipe – it would take me all day to read all the comments left prior to mine. I’ve made quite a few cinnamon rolls in my time, but these…WOW! There is nothing better than one of these buns warm, goozing with icing, and a hot cup of good black coffee.
One recurring problem I seem to have of late is that while my rolls bake, the filling seems to seep to the bottom of the pan to varying degrees. Even with your recipe, which does include much less butter and sugar than others, I find that even though there was less seepage, I still had to pry the buns off the bottom of the pan with an offset spatula.I tried adding some flour to the filling, which may have helped a bit.
Anyone have suggestions for prevention of this, which at worst case can result in an awful layer of caramel-colored adhesive which could realistically be considered DIY Krazy Glue?
P.S. They reheat a dream…3 minutes in my Ninja toaster oven set to ‘Reheat’ is the sweet spot for me. Microwaving ruins them- NO BUENO.
I keep the frosting separate if I know there will be leftovers, so no problems with burning while reheating. YUM
I too have had the problem with the cinnamon/sugar/butter oozing out to the the rolls and onto the bottom of the pan with all cinnamon roll recipes I’ve made. One thing I tried that did help a little was to use both brown and white sugar in the filling (about 2:1 ratio) and now I also ALWAYS put parchment paper in the pan bottom and up the sides. It helps with clean up and makes it easier to lift the rolls out of the pan. You can also turn them upside down and let all the good goo ends up on top.
Hi, Glenna. Thanks for the tip – I have been lining my pan with parchment as of late, and while it doesn’t solve the problem of leakage, I totally agree it is worth it in terms of ease of cleanup. No more chiseling burnt sugar off of my pan.
I don’t seem to have success with making these, or any other cinnamon rolls for that matter, hold onto their filling overnight in the refrigerator. Not really sure why, but I guess for now I’ll just bake the same day. At any rate, nobody’s complaining!
I always put parchment paper in the pan instead of greasing- I find that as the are rising the filling begins the seeping process haha, never have they stuck to the parchment!
Try using a piece of parchment paper cut to fit in the bottom of your pan, Still butter the sides. Though they may not brown quite as well you won’t have the sticking issue and easy clean up too.
Try mixing your butter/sugar/cinnamon together into a paste and then spreading over rolled dough. Don’t roll too tightly. Also make sure your oven isn’t running too hot. Try lowering the temp 25 degrees if you suspect it is.
These are easy, freeze well, and are a show stopper!
Jenny could I double this recipe to make 2 pans?
Yes absolutely. We are a family of 5 and I refuse to labor over cinnamon buns that will be gone in 5 minutes…so I always do a double batch. Roll out the dough accordingly to get 16 buns. I’m rising a don’t blue batch as I type. These buns have never failed me!
Love this recipe – have made 3 or 4 times with overnight method.
How would I alter this to use orange juice/zest & cream cheese?
Hi, Martha. As a fellow home baker, I would just add the zest and cream cheese to the frosting, to taste, adding slowly until I achieve the result I like. Enjoy!
In the frosting would be awesome! Also u can sprinkle a bit of zest over the brownsugar/butter filling before rolling
This was truly amazing ! I had made these wonderful sweet soft creations at about 11 pm, dancing to classic music and drinking a little brandy and maybe a little bit more I’m not sure as when I woke up omgosh they were in my refrigerator waiting to be baked My husband said they were the best he’s ever had! I agree!! but Im still wondering was the Brandy used in the dough instead of the vanilla? Either way This is truly a perfect sweet roll recipe!
Love your recipes Jenny! I do alter some for even healthier version. For this one, I use Truvia Baking Blend instead of white sugar for the dough. I use coconut palm in place of brown sugar for the cinnamon filling and smart balance in place of butter. I add chopped, toasted pecans on top of the cinnamon mix before rolling up. Keep those recipes coming when you think of new! Would share the photo after making the recipe, but don’t see the option. Thanks!
You can share using this link: YourPhotos@JennyCanCook.com
Amazing and so easy to make !!!!!!
I didn’t think 2 teaspoons of cinnamon was too much though and 1 teaspoon wouldn’t taste like true cinnamon rolls🤷♀️
We love cinnamon, so I always use a tablespoon per batch!
Can I use bread flour. I made these once so far with all purpose flour and they were awesome. My hubby wants them again.
Yes you can use bread flour since I have successfully!
Jenny, made these cinnamon buns and they were to die for. Very easy to make and so delicious. Thank you!
Hi Jenny! I love you’re cinnamon roll recipe it’s divine! Also I love all your other recipes they are so easy and delicious. My daughters watch your videos with me so they can learn to bake as well! Thank you for your delicious recipes!!!
Love your enthusiasm. I’m still cooking/baking at 81yrs young. Im the designated family cook. Have a wide range of recipes (Caribbean, So American, Mediterranean and European. But always looking for new ways and new ideas in the culinary world. You make my day with your smile and ease of bringing forth a good recipe. Keep it up .
That’s a lucky family to have you. I plan to follow in your footsteps and keep cooking at 81 and beyond. All the best to you. ❤️
Hi Jenny….I’ve made your cinnamon buns a few times now and they’re sooooo good ! I love all your recipes !!
A Christmas Morning Miracle! I added more cinnamon. I wish I had rolled the dough thinner, but taste and texture was amazing.
Thanks, Jenny, for this reduced fat version of cinnamon rolls ! I adapted your recipe to my bread machine to make the dough. I used Smart Balance instead of butter to decrease some of the calories and fat…and did something I never did before…refrigerated them overnight for a morning treat ! I did my second rise this morning and then baked them filling the house with such a wonderful aroma..the buns are DELICIOUS ! For me, I think they are sweet enough without the icing ! Thank you again for this recipe and your detailed video !
Hi Marilyn
I want to use my Kitchen Aid to make the dough
Can you tell me what speed and how long you kneaded it using your machine
I’m a first time baker
Thanks
Hi, Jackie. I used my Kitchenaid to knead the dough, and here’s how: I followed the recipe exactly for the first few ingredients, mixed them thoroughly, then added flour by tablespoons until the dough clung to the dough hook and cleaned the sides of the bowl, only slightly sticking to the bottom. Then I finished by kneading for 5 minutes, and proceeded as directed. Hope this helps!
Oh my God jenny you’re right about these Amazing cinnamon buns they are to die for.
Wow they are good warm with milk!!!!
Hi Jenny! Love your recipes, I am going to make my family each a pan of these lovely cinnamon rolls to take home Christmas Eve for their Christmas morning Breakfast! YUM!
Thank you!
Wendy, that is a brilliant idea! I am going to do the same for my family next year. Thank you!
The cinnamon rolls are good but WAY too much cinnamon! Maybe 1 teaspoon…..
I don’t think one tsp would be nearly enough! I use a tablespoon, and I love it that way!
ur receipr was very easy to follow after many other fails succues with yours ty sm
I have made this recipe four times now…and I absolutely love it! Easy and delicious! Thank you, Jenny! Merry Christmas! I’ll be sure to have these in the house throughout the holidays!
Hi Jenny thank you for always making recipes so easy and fun!! I think its your soothing voice and your witty sense of humor that makes it all come together effortlessly??.
Again thankx a bunch
Just want to thank you for sharing your cooking talents and online cookbook to all of us. Your site is my go to for healthy cooking and baking recipes. You’re a good person, God bless you Jenny!