QUICK & HEAVENLY CINNAMON ROLLS

Published Date: August 12, 2020 | Last Updated: January 8, 2024
I have a winner! Somebody, prove me wrong! These cinnamon rolls are so delicious, so soft, and the best part is that they only take 70-90 minutes from start to finish. And the cream cheese frosting?! Unreal! This recipe makes 32 rolls. Half it or give some away.
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I have a winner! There is a reason that these cinnamon rolls have a cult following! These cinnamon rolls are so delicious, so soft, and the best part is that they only take 70-90 minutes from start to finish. And the cream cheese frosting?! Unreal! This recipe makes 32 rolls. Either take these to a party, half the recipe, or plan on giving some away! 

SEE THE PROCESS!

NOTES…

MAKE AHEAD

You can make these ahead of time and refrigerate them before baking!

To do this, do steps 1-8, then cover with plastic and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When you are ready to pull them out of the fridge, let them come to room temp, rise (if needed) and bake.

SOURDOUGH ADAPTION

And yes, these are wonderfully sourdough friendly!

See my SOURDOUGH CINNAMON ROLLS POST for the sourdough adaption!

For more detailed instructions about maintaining and using your own sourdough see my
NATURAL YEAST SOURDOUGH SANDWICH BREAD POST.

MORE ABOUT INGREDIENTS

FLOUR

This recipe can be made from many flour options, such as bread flour, all purpose flour, whole wheat flour or Kamut flour.

BREAD FLOUR: Bread flour always tends to be my favorite for sourdough. The result just can’t be beat! This option contains more gluten in it than All-purpose flour, so the finished product results in a tall buoyant rise, and bread that is soft with a beautiful stretch. Many grocery stores sell bread flour. I most often make this recipe with organic bread flour that I get from a local mill, LEHI MILLS.*  (Affiliate coupon code is AMBERSKITCHEN for 10% off) I prefer their products because they source their wheat from farmers who do not use glyphosate on their wheat crop. 

ALL PURPOSE FLOUR:
This can be used as a straight across substitute for bread flour.

WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR:
This can be used in place of bread flour, however generally you will need slightly less flour because of the weight and absorbency of whole wheat flour. Whole wheat flour is a very thirsty flour! Instead of using 8.5 cups of flour, you may only need 7.5 or  7.75 cups. (Just an example, but be sure to check by texture when you are adding flour to see if you have the correct amount of flour).
When using sourdough and whole wheat, the rising time takes considerably longer, and it won’t rise quite as high. Just be prepared as far as timing goes if you go that route. I think a wonderful compromise is to use half whole wheat and half bread flour. It will still take longer to rise but not as long as 100% whole wheat and you will still get the health benefits of using a whole grain.

KAMUT:
Kamut, or Khorasan,  is an ancient type of wheat that hasn’t been genetically altered as much as many of the common types of wheat we use today. It is very tasty and has a slight nutty flavor. For the most part, it can be substituted for all purpose flour- but not straight across. It is more absorbent than all purpose flour, so if you use kamut, reduce the total amount of flour by about 10%-15%. In my experience I notice that Kamut doesn’t rise quite as high and it can tend to be a tad more crumbly. I buy my regeneratively grown  Khorasan locally from KHORASANMILLS.COM (not sponsored)  I believe they ship all over the United States! 

*This is an affiliate link and I may receive a commission on your purchase. Thank you for shopping through this link.

SALT

I am very picky about Salt! I love to use fine sea salt from Redmond Real Salt. It’s the only salt I ever use! I love it because it is full of naturally-occurring trace minerals, it is pure, unprocessed, has no fillers, no anti-caking agents, no additives or unhealthy pollutants. Sadly most commercial table salt has a lot of not great things added to it, is processed, and has no trace minerals. Redmond real salt has been mined from an ancient sea bed in central Utah- making it true sea salt! I get my salt HERE*. To make it more cost effective, I buy in bulk and order a 25 POUND BAG OF SALT* every few years. I store it in mason jars and it lasts me a few years.

My affiliate Coupon code “AMBERSKITCHEN” saves you 15% on any Redmond products. 

*This is an affiliate link and I may receive a commission on your purchase. Thank you for shopping through this link.

WATER

Use room temperature to slightly warm water. The temperature matters! If it is too cold then the dough will not rise quick enough and if it is too hot it could aggravate or even kill the natural yeast. The slight warmth of the water will help the yeast do its job most effectively.

SUGAR

Granulated sugar is my sweetener of choice for this dough, however you could use honey or even coconut sugar. When using honey or coconut sugar, feel free to substitute straight across.

I recommend using the brown sugar called for in the cinnamon roll filling. Brown sugar contains molasses which gives it a deeper caramel-like taste that really makes the filling what it is. 

The frosting uses powdered sugar which I also strongly recommend! Any other sweetener would produce a grainy and less-creamy frosting. 

EGGS

The eggs soften the texture of the rolls and help stabilize the product.

If you can not use egg, there are some great egg replacement options out there.

#1 Use 1/4 cup of Aquafabainstead of each egg. Aquafaba is water in which chickpeas have been cooked. Surprisingly, this liquid very closely mimics egg in baked goods. It is used widely in the vegan and egg-allergy community. To use it, simply open a can of chickpeas and drain 1/4 cup of the liquid and use that liquid in place of each egg. 

#2 Use Flax egg  replacement instead of eggs. For flax egg substitute, simply combine 1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed meal, (ground raw flaxseed)  and 2 1/2 Tablespoons water. Mix together and let sit for 5  minutes to thicken. This can be used as a substitute for one Egg.

If you half this recipe feel free to use 1 egg or 2 eggs instead of 1.5 eggs if you don’t want to waste half an egg.

COCONUT OIL

Years ago, I used to make all my breads with vegetable oil. When I learned how *not awesome* vegetable oil is for my health, I decided to use melted coconut oil instead. I didn’t know if it would work, but to my surprise, it not only worked but it made the bread taste EVEN MORE INCREDIBLE. It didn’t make the bread taste like coconut at all. It was softer and had the most delicate crumb. Coconut oil is magic for bread and bakes goods. I have never seen anyone ever use coconut oil in bread recipes until I started teaching that in my recipes. Now it’s catching on everywhere like wildfire. You heard it here first! 

For the best texture I prefer coconut oil in all my doughs, including cinnamon rolls!

If you cannot do coconut oil, my next recommendation would be to substitute it straight across for avocado oil or melted butter. If you don’t mind using vegetable oil, you can go ahead and use that. 

BUTTER

The butter will give the filling and frosting a nice rich flavor and also helps keep the frosting stiff. Do not use anything other than butter. Sorry, it’s a non-negotiable. 

CREAM CHEESE

Cream cheese plays a big role in the delicious frosting for these cinnamon rolls! 

ALMOND AND VANILLA EXTRACT

The almond extract is optional in the frosting but it really adds a nice nutty flavor if that’s something you like. A little goes a long way. Feel Free to omit it if it’s not your jam.

The vanilla extract is also for flavor. Vanilla is mild and subtle, just adds a perfect depth of flavor. I don’t recommend skipping it. 

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING

ORANGE ROLL ADAPTION

Good News! This recipe can be adapted to orange rolls! in the words of my sister Brooke, the orange version of this recipe is “ABSOLUTELY AMAZING”!

Simply make the following changes:

1. Make the dough as directed below.

2. For the filling, replace the cinnamon with the zest of 3-4 oranges. Instead of brown sugar, use white sugar.

3. For the orange frosting combine: 

  • 2 sticks of softened butter (1 cup) 
  • 5 to 6 cups powdered sugar
  • zest of 3-4 oranges, or about 1.5 Tablespoons of orange zest
  • Juice of 3-4 oranges (just squeeze the juice from the zested oranges!) 

Whip the frosting ingredients together until it is light and smooth. When your orange rolls come out of the oven, spread the orange glaze all over the rolls! Enjoy!

MORE SCRUMPTIOUS DESSERTS…

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Chocolate Cream Pie

Pecan Pie Bars

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Kate’s Lemon Cookies

Snickerdoodle Blondies

Coconut Tres Leches Cake

Biscoff Cheesecake Cups

 

Quick and Heavenly Cinnamon Rolls

Quick and heavenly. That's really all you need to know. You will not regret making these!
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Rising time: 10 minutes
Servings: 32

Ingredients

Dough

  • 3 1/2 cups warm water
  • 3/4 cups sugar
  • 2 T active dry yeast
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
  • 1 T salt
  • 10-11 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour

Filling

  • 10 T butter, divided
  • 1 1/3 cup brown sugar, divided
  • 2 tsp cinnamon

Frosting

  • 1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
  • 8 oz softened cream cheese
  • 1 T milk
  • 4 to 5 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract (if you like it)
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

  • In a stand mixer/large bowl, combine sugar, warm water, and yeast. Give it a quick mix, cover, and let yeast dissolve for 10 minutes.
  • Add eggs, oil, and salt. Mix together. Then add the flour cup by cup while mixing in between. You have enough flour when 1- the dough doesn’t stick to the side of the bowl 2- the dough is tacky but doesn’t stick to your fingers. (Be careful not to add too much flour!)
  • Knead for five minutes. If using a mixer- cover the dough while kneading to keep the heat inside.
  • Cover the dough and let it rise 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375° F.
  • Dump dough onto a floured surface. Divide in half and roll out each half into a large rectangle.
  • On each half, spread 1/2 of the butter, and evenly sprinkle half of the cinnamon/brown sugar mixture.
  • Tightly roll dough up into one long snake. Using cinnamon dental floss, thread, or a very sharp knife, cut the dough (as shown in video) into 16 even slices per dough snake. (Discard the ends)
  • Onto two greased jelly roll pans, evenly lay out all cinnamon roll dough rounds, 16 per cookie sheet. Cover and let rise 10-30 minutes.
  • Bake at 375° F for 14-15 minutes.
  • For frosting: Using a stand mixer or hand mixer combine butter and cream cheese. Beat together for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Then add milk, vanilla, almond extract, salt and powdered sugar.

Notes

Watch the Process:

https://amberskitchencooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/CINNAMON-ROLLS-VIDEO.mov#t=73
Good News! This recipe can be adapted to orange rolls! in the words of my sister Brooke, the orange version of this recipe is “ABSOLUTELY AMAZING”!
Simply make the following changes:
1. Make the dough as directed below.
2. For the filling, replace the cinnamon with the zest of 3-4 oranges. Instead of brown sugar, use white sugar.
3. For the orange frosting combine: 
  • 2 sticks of softened butter (1 cup) 
  • 5 to 6 cups powdered sugar
  • zest of 3-4 oranges, or about 1.5 Tablespoons of orange zest
  • Juice of 3-4 oranges (just squeeze the juice from the zested oranges!) 
Whip the frosting ingredients together until it is light and smooth. When your orange rolls come out of the oven, spread the orange glaze all over the rolls! Enjoy!

Leave a Reply

Recipe Rating




  1. Have you ever made these a day or two in advance and either frozen them or refrigerated them? I need some but won’t have time to make them the morning I need them and wonder if I can do that somehow.

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      Hi Molly! Yes you can totally freeze them! I would put them in the freezer immediately after forming them. Just make sure they are in an airtight container. Then pull them out, let them rise, and then bake them. If you refrigerate them, let them rise before you bake them as well. I wouldn’t let them be in the refrigerator for more than 12 hours.

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  2. I made these today for the first time, but I did half orange rolls/half cinnamon rolls and I couldn’t be more thrilled with the results! I’ve always been intimidated by dough recipes but these were easy and they taste delicious!

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      Denise,
      Great idea to do half orange rolls and half cinnamon! It means a lot for you to come back and tell me that you liked them! Thanks!

  3. I would like to make these for a retreat I am having at our local quilt shop but the kitchen is small so no room to roll out, etc. Can I get everything ready the day before at home and then bake them at the quilt shop the next morning and ice them?

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      Janet, absolutely! Just put them in the refrigerator with plastic wrap over them. Then in the morning, let them come to room temperature and rise, and then bake them. Enjoy your retreat!

  4. OH MY GOD. I just made these and they are divine! Thank goodness I halved the recipe to be on the safe side. These are perfect.

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      Lucy-Ann, so glad to hear the you enjoyed these! And you are so nice for coming back and telling me! Haha yes they do make a lot of rolls!

      1. I also used this recipe minus the majority of the sugar and added a little extra flour to make up the volume of the sugar when I made Vegemite and cheese rolls. My boys went NUTS for them.

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      Kimberly. You absolutely can, but that will effect the amount of flour that is needed. Just watch the dough as you are adding the flour to be careful not to add too much.:)

  5. I was wanting to make mini cinnamon rolls. Would I just divide the dough again? These are my family’s favorite cinnamon rolls, but wanted to do smaller versions for a birthday party.

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      Good question! Thank you for bringing this to my attention I should edit the recipe, but I generally go for about 1/2 inch thick.

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      Hi Jami, yes you can use vegetable oil, melted butter, or avocado oil. I just recommend coconut oil because it tends to do the best with rolls/bread. But you can use whatever oil you would like!

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      Hi Shannon. This is a good question, the amount of flour you add can be slightly different each time you make the bread. If you touch the dough and it is a little sticky, but doesn’t stick too much to your fingers then that is a good sign of the perfect amount of flour. If the dough is dry and crumbly then there is too much flour and you may have to knead it a few extra minutes to hydrate it. Hope this helps!

  6. If using starter, you say to increase rise time. Is that for both of the rises or just when they are rising on the pans?

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      Good question! When using sourdough, the rise times need to be considerably increased, but instead of giving a specific time, its best to wait until the dough has doubled in size. This might take 4-8 hours for the first rise, and 2-7 hours for the second rise.

Ambers-Kitchen-Sourdough-Bread-2

Hi! I'm Amber

I'm obsessed with all things food and a mom to five. Baking bread and using my instant pot are my favorite things to do in the kitchen, and I can't wait to bring all that I have learned to you! Connect with me on Instagram because there's where I basically live these days.