No trip to the mall is complete without a visit to Cinnabon. The mouthwatering aroma of fresh-baked cinnamon rolls—dripping with spice, brown sugar and cream cheese frosting—can steal us away from shopping every time. It’s no wonder that more than 100 million Cinnabon buns are sold each year.
Good news: You can recreate the experience at home, thanks to our copycat Cinnabon recipe.
How to Make a Copycat Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls
The signature flavor comes from the company’s trademarked Makara cinnamon, yeasty dough and brown sugar-sprinkled center, and. our homemade Cinnabon recipe duplicates those notes. If you’re a purist to the Cinnabon experience, Cinnabon sells its frosting by the pint. But we think our Cinnabon frosting recipe is a solid dupe—and it’s easy to make.
This copycat Cinnabon recipe makes approximately 16 rolls.
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm whole milk (110° to 115°F)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 to 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Filling:
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup butter, melted, divided
Frosting:
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Here’s a pro tip for the best cinnamon rolls: Use room temperature ingredients.
Directions
Step 1: Prepare the dough
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The foundation of your cinnamon bun is a tender, yeast-puffed dough. To get started, dissolve the yeast in warm milk. After a few minutes, it should be frothy and ready to use.
In a stand mixer bowl, combine sugar, butter, eggs and salt with the yeast mixture and 2 cups flour; beat on medium speed until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (the dough will be sticky).
Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes.
Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled; it will take about an hour.
Here’s what happens when the dough is rising!
Step 2: Roll out and add the filling
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Mix brown sugar and cinnamon. Punch down the dough and divide it in half.
On a lightly floured surface, roll one portion of dough into an 11×8-inch rectangle. Brush with 2 tablespoons of butter, then sprinkle with half of the brown sugar mixture to within 1/2 inch of the edges.
Step 3: Roll and slice
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Roll up the dough up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side, to create the signature Cinnabon swirl. Pinch seam to seal. Cut into eight slices.
Editor’s Tip: Using unflavored dental floss to slice the rolled dough makes a clean cut that doesn’t squish or pinch the edges.
Place each slice in a greased 13×9-inch pan, cut side down. Cover with a kitchen towel.
Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 4: Bake until golden brown
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It’s time to let the magic happen. Bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Remove and cool on wire racks.
It’s important not to eat the hot buns—they won’t have the proper texture until they cool and set a while. (Maybe clean your kitchen while you wait.)
Step 5: Slather with frosting
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It’s not a Cinnabon copycat recipe unless you add cream cheese frosting. Beat butter, cream cheese, vanilla and salt until blended. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar.
Use a spatula to spread the frosting over the Cinnabon buns. Be generous! For the best Cinnabon copycat recipe, the frosting should soak into the whorls of the bun, pour down the side and puddle onto your plate.
You can refrigerate leftovers, although we doubt there will be any.
Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll Tips
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Make-Ahead Tips
You can make cinnamon rolls the night before baking, and store them in the fridge overnight. Simply prepare the rolls through step 3. Then, instead of allowing the dough to rise at room temperature, cover the baking pan with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours. (In the cold, the yeasted dough will rise more slowly, but if you leave them much longer than a half-day, the dough can overprove and become sour and flat.) Set the pan on the counter while your oven preheats, then bake and frost as usual.
How to Freeze Cinnamon Rolls
Another way to make cinnamon rolls ahead is to freeze the unbaked rolls. Prepare the dough through step 3, allowing them to rise slightly at room temperature. Then wrap the pan tightly and freeze for up to one month.
When you’re ready to bake, thaw the dough in the fridge overnight, and then set out on the counter for an hour or two before baking and frosting.
You can also freeze leftover baked and frosted cinnamon rolls. Let the rolls cool, then pop them into a freezer bag and stash for up to 2 months. Reheat each roll in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes.
How to Store Cinnamon Rolls
Because cinnamon roll dough is so rich, the rolls do keep fairly well. Store cinnamon rolls at room temperature, preferably in an airtight container. The rolls will keep in the fridge for a week, though the dough might get a little dry; zap them in the microwave to revive.
Can I Make Jumbo or Mini Rolls?
Of course! But you’ll need to adjust your timing. Larger rolls will take longer to bake, and may darken on the outside before the middle is cooked, so check the centers with a knife, and cover the tray with foil if the exterior is browning too quickly. On the flip side, mini rolls will cook more quickly, so check them often so they don’t dry out.
Can I Make Them in a Different Pan or Dish?
Don’t have a 13×9-inch pan? You can also make this recipe in a square or round baking pan, or even a couple of pie pans; if your pan is smaller you may need to bake in two vessels. The main concern is that the rolls touch, so they don’t crisp as they bake, and that they’re not too crowded, so they have room to rise.
Our Best Recipes for Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Skillet Cinnamon RollsI love using cast iron to get a nice crust on these skillet
cinnamon rolls. The pan also makes an impressive serving dish on the table without it looking as if you tried too hard. —Danielle Williams, Newport, Rhode Island
Mini Maple Cinnamon RollsMaple syrup sweetens these lovely little cinnamon buns. I make the dough in my bread machine before popping the rolls in the oven. My husband prefers them warm. —Juanita Carlsen, North Bend, Oregon
Can't-Eat-Just-One Cinnamon RollsMy cinnamon rolls have been known to vanish quickly. Once I dropped off a dozen rolls for my brothers, and they emptied the pan in 10 minutes. —Regina Farmwald, West Farmington, Ohio
Chocolate Chip Caramel RollsAs a teenager, I keep active with sports and friends, but baking is my favorite hobby. My five older brothers eat these delicious breakfast rolls right out of the oven! —Julia Holm, Northfield, Minnesota
Caramel-Pecan Cinnamon RollsThese irresistible rolls are perfect as an
Easter brunch idea! - Louis Jacobsen, Dallas, Wisconsin
Overnight Cinnamon RollsI like to try different fun fillings in these soft rolls, and each one is packed with cinnamon flavor. They are definitely worth the overnight wait. —Chris O'Connell, San Antonio, Texas
Gingerbread Cinnamon RollsThese cinnamon rolls are sure to please anyone who has a sweet tooth. They're just the thing for a Christmas morning treat. Be sure to eat them while they're still warm—they're best that way! The dough for these rolls is sticky, so don't worry if your fingers get messy. —Andrea Price, Grafton, Wisconsin
Pretty Pumpkin Cinnamon BunsI make sticky buns and cinnamon rolls quite often because my husband loves them. One day I had some fresh pumpkin on hand and decided to try pumpkin cinnamon buns. We loved the results! —Glenda Joseph, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
Giant Cinnamon RollThis must-try cinnamon roll is all about the pillowy texture, the sweet spices and the homemade caramel drizzle. —
Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Air-Fryer Bourbon Bacon Cinnamon RollsThis recipe is the perfect combination of savory and sweet. The bourbon-soaked bacon adds a smoky, savory, bold taste to the cinnamon rolls. The ginger and pecan topping makes for a crunchy, spicy finish. —Shannen Casey, Citrus Heights, California
Sticky BunsIt's impossible to eat just one of these soft, yummy sticky buns—they have wonderful old-fashioned goodness. Use the conventional method or your bread machine to make the dough. —Dorothy Showalter, Broadway, Virginia
Toffee Apple Cinnamon BunsThis recipe was my dad’s favorite growing up. He would sit and watch his mom sprinkle the dough with sweet filling, carefully roll it up and cut it into rounds. The anticipation waiting for them to come out of the oven was almost more than he could bear. —Jeanne Holt, Mendota Heights, Minnesota
Cappuccino Cinnamon RollsDistinctive coffee flavor accents the filling of these ooey, gooey rolls. The glaze goes on while they are still warm—they won’t last long!.
—Sherri Cox, Lucasville, Ohio
Pumpkin Eggnog RollsI needed to use up some eggnog, so I swapped it for milk in my sweet roll
recipe. Even people who usually don’t go for eggnog go back for seconds of these yummy frosted treats. —Rebecca Soske, Douglas, Wyoming
Red Velvet Cinnamon RollsTurn a box of red velvet cake mix into this easy dessert—or breakfast! The icing tastes good and makes a pretty contrast with the rolls. —Erin Wright, Wallace, Kansas
Sweet and Spicy Chocolate Chip Cinnamon RollsThe addition of spicy chocolate cinnamon cane sugar adds a little bit of heat and an extra punch of cinnamon and chocolate to the filling of these cinnamon rolls originally shared by Patty Wynn of Pardeeville, Wisconsin. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Caramel Pecan RollsSoft and sweet, these rolls will get a lip-smacking smile from everyone. They rise nice and high, hold their shape and have a gooey caramel sauce that's scrumptious. There's no better way to start the day! —Carolyn Buschkamp, Emmetsburg, Iowa
Best Cinnamon RollsWhen I married him, I discovered that my husband's family has the best cinnamon roll recipe! I asked his mom how to make homemade cinnamon rolls, and I've been making them ever since. Serve them with scrambled eggs, and you have a filling breakfast. As a variation, you can replace the filling with a mixture of raisins and pecans. —Shenai Fisher, Topeka, Kansas
Cinnamon Roll Cherry CobblerRed Hots and canned cherries flavor this memorable dessert from my childhood. I hadn’t had it in years, so when I found my mother’s recipe, I had to make it to see if it’s as good as I remembered. It is! —Betty Zorn, Eagle, Idaho
Tender Pecan Sticky BunsThese homemade caramel rolls have the old-fashioned goodness my family craves. Tender and nutty, the buns disappear fast on Christmas. —Julia Spence, New Braunfels, Texas
Bacon Cinnamon BunsI absolutely love bacon! I also love recipes that blend sweet and savory flavors, so I put chopped bacon in traditional cinnamon buns for a finger-licking-good combination. —Danielle Williams, Newport, Rhode Island
Gooey Lemon RollsMy mother made these hard-to-resist rolls when I was young. I always warm up after having one, and so will your family. —Cora Patterson, Lewiston, Idaho
Cinnamon Bun CookiesI love cinnamon rolls, but working with yeast can be scary. These cookies give you the taste of a cinnamon roll in cookie form—no yeast required! They look like flattened cinnamon rolls and feel special enough to serve around the holidays. —Erin Raatjes, New Lenox, Illinois
Caramel-Pecan Sticky BunsMy mother used to make delicious cinnamon rolls when I was a child. Later, she taught my sister and me to make them. I've since added the caramel and pecans. These scrumptious sticky buns are a huge hit wherever I take them. —Judy Powell, Star, Idaho
Multigrain Cinnamon RollsThis simple and easy-to-work with recipe is sure to become a family favorite. And the wholesome cinnamon rolls will fill your kitchen with a wonderful, warm aroma. —Judy Eddy, Baldwin City, Kansas
Special Cinnamon RollsI found that adding instant pudding mix to my mom's delicious roll recipe really enhances the flavor. —Brenda Deveau, Cyr Plt, Maine
Cranberry-White Chocolate Cinnamon RollsA basket of warm cinnamon rolls is a sure way to impress family and friends. Add cranberries and chocolate to the ingredient mix, and these treats are irresistible.—Meg Marriott, Tacoma, Washington
Cinnamon Chocolate Chip RollsI started adding chocolate chips to my cinnamon rolls because several children didn't like the raisins in them. The chocolate and cinnamon are a fun flavor combination. My family loves them, and so does my Sunday school class. —Patty Wynn, Pardeevlle, Wisconsin
Favorite Frosted Cinnamon RollsI serve these yummy frosted rolls warm from the oven as a Christmas morning treat at our house. Even if you are not accustomed to working with yeast dough, you'll find this dough is easy to handle. —Julie Sterchi, Jackson, Missouri
Slow-Cooker Cinnamon Roll PuddingA slow cooker turns day-old cinnamon rolls into a comforting, old-fashioned dessert. It tastes wonderful topped with lemon or vanilla sauce or whipped cream. —Edna Hoffman, Hebron, Indiana
Brunch Cinnamon RollsA biscuit-textured cinnamon bun with the ease of food processor preparation. This family-friendly breakfast bun is glazed with maple and vanilla flavors to accent the cinnamon and nuts.—Rita Vogel, Malcom, Iowa
Iced Cinnamon Potato RollsThis recipe comes from my mother-in-law, who remembers making these rolls often. Now I make them often. Maybe they'll be a hit with your family, too! —Jonas Schwartz, Berne, Indiana
Autumn Sweet Rolls with Cider GlazeI love cooking with pumpkin because it’s versatile, colorful and nutritious. Combining it with chopped apple and cider gives these glazed rolls their autumn appeal. —Jennifer Coduto, Kent, Ohio
Molasses-Pecan Sticky BunsAs much as I like making yeast breads, I enjoy watching others enjoying my baking even more. These soft, tender rolls are loaded with the gooey goodness of molasses.—Shirley Saylor, Felton, Pennsylvania
Bite-Sized Cinnamon Roll CookiesIf you love cinnamon rolls and spiced cookies as much as I do, make this bite-sized version that combines the best of both worlds. — Jasmine Sheth, New York, New York
Updated: May 31, 2023
