Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls (Copycat)
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 cup milk, warmed to 115°F
- 2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup salted butter, melted and cooled below 110°F
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 1/2 cups bread flour, divided
For the filling
- 1/2 cup salted butter, very soft
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Before baking
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed
For the frosting
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup salted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon maple extract (or vanilla)
Equipment
- Stand mixer with beater blade and dough hook
- Large bowl
- Medium bowl
- Rubber spatula
- Pastry mat or work surface
- Rolling pin
- 9x13 baking pan
- Hand mixer
- Instant-read thermometer
Instructions
- 1
Pour the warm milk (about 115°F) into the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast over it. Wait 3 to 4 minutes, until it looks a little foamy.
- 2
Add the eggs, melted butter and sugar, and mix until combined.
- 3
Add the salt and 4 cups of the flour, keeping the last 1/2 cup back. Mix with the paddle until it just comes together, then let it sit for 5 minutes so the flour can soak up the liquid.
- 4
Switch to the dough hook and knead on medium for 5 to 7 minutes. Only add the reserved flour, a little at a time, if the dough won't come together. It's ready when it's smooth, stretchy and a little tacky, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Most batches use about 4 1/4 cups in total.
- 5
Move the dough to a greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise somewhere warm until puffy and nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Much longer and the rolls come out too airy.
- 6
While it rises, stir the soft butter, brown sugar and cinnamon together for the filling.
- 7
Flour the counter and the top of the dough, then roll it out to roughly 24 by 15 inches. It doesn't need to be exact.
- 8
Spread the filling all the way to the edges, then roll the dough up tightly, starting from a long side.
- 9
Cut it into 12 rolls and set them in a greased 9x13 pan. Cover and let them rise for 20 minutes while the oven heats to 375°F.
- 10
Warm the cream just enough to take the chill off, then pour it over the risen rolls so it soaks down between them.
- 11
Bake for about 25 minutes, checking from 20, until the tops are golden and the middle roll reads about 190°F inside. Lay foil loosely over the pan if the tops brown too fast.
- 12
For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth, then beat in the powdered sugar and maple extract.
- 13
Let the rolls cool for a few minutes, then spread the frosting over them.
Recipe notes
- A packet of yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons) works fine in place of the 2 1/2 teaspoons.
- For softer rolls, use 1/2 cup of butter in the dough instead of 1/3 cup.
- No heavy cream? Half and half, evaporated milk or whole milk all work.
- All-purpose flour works too. Bread flour gives a fluffier, slightly chewier roll.
- To bake in the morning, cover the cut rolls in the pan and refrigerate overnight. If they have doubled, let them sit out for 30 minutes; if not, let them rise at room temperature for about an hour. Then add the cream and bake.
- Adapted from Tastes of Lizzy T. This is a home version, not Cinnabon's recipe, and Culinary Card isn't affiliated with Cinnabon.