These cinnamon buns are a true family favorite. In fact, my family swears they’re better than Cinnabon! 😍 But what’s the secret? It’s not just the ingredients—it’s all about the technique! So many people struggle with homemade cinnamon rolls, even after trying countless recipes. One of my friends kept switching recipes with no luck. But here’s the truth: most of the fluffy Cinnabon-style recipes out there are pretty similar. Just look them up, and you’ll see that most combine the same basic ingredients like flour, sugar, yeast, and milk.
So, what makes this recipe stand out? Let’s dive into the technique that makes these rolls so special!
The Secrets to Perfect Cinnamon Buns 🌟
- Proper Flour Measurement
Scooping flour directly from the bag with your measuring cup? Don’t do it! It’s the fastest way to add too much flour, resulting in dense, heavy rolls. Instead, gently spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off. This small step ensures you’re using just the right amount of flour for tender, light buns. - Perfect Proofing Time
Letting your rolls rise for too long? It might sound good in theory, but it can actually ruin the texture. Over-proofed rolls become too airy, losing that chewy, tender bite. A shorter proofing time gives you the perfect balance of fluffiness and structure, so the rolls don’t collapse or over-expand. - Dough Consistency
Another common mistake is adding too much flour to create a stiff dough. The dough for these cinnamon buns should be smooth, elastic, and slightly sticky. This might make it a little tricky to handle, but trust me—it’s the key to achieving that pillowy soft texture. Use just enough flour to work with it, but don’t overdo it! - Heavy Cream Magic
Here’s a game-changer: before baking, pour a generous amount of heavy cream over the rolls. This step keeps the buns incredibly moist and tender while forming a delicious, gooey caramel sauce at the bottom. It’s like a warm hug for your taste buds!
Make It Your Own 💫
Once you’ve mastered this recipe, the possibilities are endless! Toss in some raisins, sprinkle in pecans, or transform them into sticky buns with a luscious glaze. It’s your canvas—get creative!
Now that you know the secrets, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and bake the best cinnamon buns you’ve ever tasted. Let’s get to it! 🧡🍥
Cinnamon Buns
12
servings1
hour30
minutes1
hour30
minutesIngredients
6 TBSP unsalted butter, melted but not hot, around 110-115F
1 cup milk, gently warmed to 110-115F
1 packet instant dry yeast
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus up to 1/4 cup more
1 tsp fine salt
- For the filling:
6 TBSP unsalted butter, very soft at room temp
1 cup dark brown sugar
2.5 TBSP cinnamon
healthy pinch of fine salt
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- For the cream cheese frosting:
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/8 tsp of fine salt
Directions
- Dissolve the yeast in warm milk with a tablespoon of sugar in it (take it from your 1/2 cup of sugar that you will be using for the rolls.) Let it sit for 5 minutes until frothy. With instant yeast, it's not technically necessary to proof the yeast, but I like giving it a head start.
- Measure the flour correctly. Too much flour will result in stiff, dry rolls. Spoon flour gently into each cup measure and shave the excess amount with a butter knife. This ensures you haven't over compacted and overfilled your cups. We will start by adding only 4 cups of flour and adding the remaining 1/4 cups, one tablespoon at a time, only if needed.
- In a bowl of your mixer, mix butter (make sure it's not hot or it will scramble the eggs), sugar, eggs, 4 cups of flour and salt with the wooden spoon. Mix your yeast mixture. Transfer the bowl to the mixer and knead with a dough hook on medium speed for 5-7 minutes. You want this dough to still be sticky. Not mousse like and too wet, but still quite sticky, still sticking to the bottom of your bowl. Typically, in addition to 4 cups I add another 1-2 tablespoons of flour, but rarely do I add the whole 1/4 cups. Only add what's needed to make elastic, smooth dough that is still sticky.
- Heat the oven on the lowest setting for a minute or two to create nice and warm environment for the dough to rise. Don't make it too hot. Grease a large bowl and transfer the dough into it. Cover loosely with plastic wrap then with a kitchen towel. Let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 35-50 minutes. Contrary to the popular belief, you don't want the rising time to be too long, or the texture of your buns won't be quite right.
- Grease 9x13 inch dish lightly. Mix 3 TBSP cinnamon with 1 cup of dark brown sugar.
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle that is around 24 inches long. It will be about 13-15 inches wide. This way, each roll will be about 2 inches tall. Spread 1/3 cup butter evenly over the dough (if needed, microwave the butter for 10 seconds to make it even more spreadable.) Sprinkle the sugar cinnamon mixture over the butter. Then gently roll your rolling pin over the sugar-cinnamon mixture to compress it. Roll tightly into a 24 inch log. Consider cutting the sides of the log to make it more even. Slice the log into 12 buns. I like marking it with a knife to know where my cuts will go. I also use dental floss to make those perfect cuts. Transfer the rolls into the prepared baking dish.
- Once again, heat the oven on the lowest setting for a minute or two to create nice and warm environment for the cinnamon buns to rise. Don't make it too hot. Cover loosely with plastic wrap then with a kitchen towel. Let the buns rise until doubled in size and fill the pan, about 45-65 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Warm your cream just a touch - don't boil or make it hot. Pour the cream evenly over the risen rolls. Just like in the picture:
- Transfer the buns to the preheated oven and bake 21-23 minutes. Mine were perfect in 22 minutes, but the time may of course may vary. So check to make sure there's no wet dough on the inside and the internal temperature of the buns is 195 degrees F.
- While the buns are baking, mix all the frosting ingredients and then whip until light and fluffy. On occasion, I microwave this frosting to make it more spreadable.
- Remove the buns from the oven and let cool for about 5 -10 minutes. Then go ahead and frost while warm. My preference is to actually frost very lightly. You can always serve some of the frosting on the side. But if that's not your preference, go ahead and frost each roll a lot more generously. Enjoy!
