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Hi Bold Bakers!
What You Get In My Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll Recipe: A yeasted cinnamon roll, huge, soft, and slathered in cream cheese frosting — almost indistinguishable from the one you’d get from a mall. It is a yeasted dough, mind you, but don’t let that scare you off, I make it easy with my years of professional experience and tips, all of which you’ll find in this article! If you’re not ready for a yeasted dough, though, you can always try my 1-Hour No-Yeast Cinnamon Rolls recipe.
Look, I’m no stranger to a Cinnabon cinnamon roll! When I lived in Tahoe, there was a Cinnabon in the casino I worked in. The smell of those warm cinnamon rolls practically pulls you into the store. One day, I got wafted in and ordered one. I still remember it to this day!
The soft roll, loaded with cinnamon sugar and dripping in cream cheese frosting. If memory serves, it was so filling that it was the only thing I needed to eat that day.
Now, Cinnabons are few and far between — unless you frequent a mall or airport regularly, it seems. I thought, “Wouldn’t it be great if you could recreate those incredible rolls from scratch at home?”
So I got to work! Below is the closest thing I think you will get to the iconic cinnamon rolls at home. This discovery might be the best thing I ever made or my undoing!
What Are Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls?
Cinnabon cinnamon rolls aren’t you’re typical cinnamon roll. The cinnamon is really powerful, the cream cheese frosting is the perfect amount of sticky, and the dough is so pillowy and never overbaked.
If you ever encountered one, you could probably smell those warm rolls baking before you even spotted the storefront. They put their ovens right at the front of the store to make sure!

What You Need To Make Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls
How To Make Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls
All the deliciousness of a Cinnabon roll without having to head to the airport! Here’s how you make a mock Cinnabon roll, just make sure you head down the page for all the measurements and printable version:
- In a measuring jug, warm the butter and milk together until the butter has melted. Whisk in the eggs and set them aside.
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and combine to form your dough. It should form a tight ball with nothing left in the bowl.
- Once your dough is in tight ball form, cover and let it proof at room temperature for 70-90 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- After the dough has doubled, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out into a 24×12 inch rectangle.
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. Spread 6 tablespoons (3oz/85g) of softened butter over the dough, and then sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar all over the surface.
- Starting with the long end of the dough, roll it up. Cut into 12 2-inch rolls. Place them into a lightly greased baking pan. Cover and let the rolls proof for a second time until nearly doubled. This takes about 45-60 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). One preheated, bake the rolls until they are golden brown, about 18-20 minutes.
- While the rolls bake, make the cream cheese frosting by creaming together the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt.
- While the rolls are still warm, spread the cream cheese frosting all over the top.

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls
- Make the dough the day before and keep it in the fridge after the initial proof.
- Don’t be shy with the vanilla in the frosting! It’s what has you coming back for more.
- Bake the rolls until they are lightly golden brown. You don’t want to overbake them, so there’s no need to get a dark color.
- Make the cream cheese frosting in advance and have it at room temperature, ready to be smeared.
- Smear the cream cheese frosting over the buns when they are warm from the oven, so it melts into place.
How Do I Store Homemade Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls?
These rolls are best eaten the day they are made; however, you can cover and store any leftovers at room temperature for 2 days. Reheat in your microwave for 20 seconds before enjoying.
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And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook!