Forget Cinnabon—these are the best cinnamon rolls in the world! We’re talking big, fluffy, pillowy-soft dough swirled with gooey brown sugar cinnamon filling and drenched in melt-in-your-mouth cream cheese frosting—once you try them, you’ll never go back!

After years working in bakeries and testing this recipe dozens of times, I’ve created a foolproof bakery-style cinnamon roll recipe that’s the secret behind all of my gourmet roll flavors—from coffee-flavored rolls to gooey cookie butter rolls—and trust me, it delivers every time.

With a few bakery-learned tricks and ingredients, these easy homemade cinnamon rolls stay soft and moist for days—if they last that long!

A giant super gooey cinnamon roll on a plate.

—5 Star Review—
“I’ll admit I spent way too much time researching which cinnamon roll recipe to try for my first time making them, but I’m so glad I waited until I found this recipe. It is absolutely perfect! I followed the instructions that were well written and easy to follow and they completely exceeded my high expectations.” -Kris

How To Make Them

Tangzhong in a pot after cooking to a pasty consistency.

1

Make the tangzhong. This is my secret technique for perfect cinnamon buns! It makes the dough so soft and gooey.

A rough dough ball in a mixing bowl.

2

Combine the wet and dry ingredients in a stand mixing bowl. You should have a rough, shaggy dough—this is normal!

The soft and smooth dough ball in a mixing bowl.

3

Knead the dough. Add the butter a little bit at a time, then continue kneading until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl and looks smooth and elastic.

The kneaded dough ball resting in a mixing bowl.

4

Let the dough rest. This step is important as it allows the gluten to relax which will make it easier to roll it out in the next step!

Brown sugar cinnamon filling mixed together in a glass bowl.

5

Make the cinnamon sugar filling. Make sure to use cool room temperature butter—butter that is melted or too warm tends to leak out of the rolls when they bake!

A rolling pin rolling out cinnamon roll dough.

6

Roll out the cinnamon roll dough. You should need little to no flour, that’s the best part of this dough!

A spatula spreading the brown sugar cinnamon filling across the yeasted dough.

7

Spread the filling across the dough. Spread the cinnamon mixture evenly over the top, leaving a 1″ border at the top clean.

Two hands rolling up the cinnamon dough into rolls.

8

Cut out the rolls. From my experience in bakeries, using a pizza wheel to cut strips instead of cutting the log with floss gives you perfectly round rolls every single time!

Cinnamon rolls in a baking pan before rising.

9

Let the rolls rise until doubled in size. Place the cinnamon rolls into the prepared 9×13 baking pan, cover the top with plastic wrap, and let them rise in a warm place until doubled in size.

Cinnamon buns in the baking pan after doubling in size.

10

Bake the rolls. Baking them at a lower temperature ensures the dough stays super soft and gooey!

Once you’re hooked on these classic rolls, why stop there? Try one of my most popular flavors (all made from scratch!)—heavenly red velvet rolls, ultra-decadent chocolate cinnamon rolls, or my viral chocolate chip cookie dough rolls. You’ve been warned—they’re addictive!

Fluffy cream cheese frosting in a mixing bowl.

11

Make the cream cheese buttercream frosting.

Cinnamon rolls topped with cream cheese frosting in a baking pan.

12

Top the baked rolls with the icing. Spread the icing over the tops of the warm rolls and allow it to melt into the centers.

Ingredient Substitutions

Bread flour is my top recommendation for a chewier texture, however, all-purpose flour can be used in substitution.

Vanilla bean paste: While vanilla extract can be substituted equally, the paste provides way more flavor!

A tray of homemade cinnamon rolls with one on its side to show the gooey and fluffy texture.

If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments; I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!

A giant super gooey cinnamon roll on a plate.

Better Than Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

5 from 32 votes
– by Cambrea Gordon
Forget Cinnabon—these best-ever homemade cinnamon rolls are big, fluffy, and bakery-worthy! Made from scratch with bread flour and instant yeast, they have pillowy-soft dough, a gooey cinnamon sugar filling, and rich cream cheese frosting. Perfect for breakfast, these soft and fluffy rolls stay moist for days—if they last that long! Plus, there’s an overnight option for easy prep.
Print Recipe Save Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Breakfast, brunch, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 servings

Equipment

Need Metric Measurements?Use the button options below to toggle between US cups and Metric grams!

Ingredients 
 

Tangzhong

  • 1/4 cup bread flour
  • 3/4 cup water

Cinnamon Roll Dough

  • 3 2/3 cups bread flour, *See notes below for measuring*
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast
  • 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup whole milk, room temperature
  • 1 large whole egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • Tangzhong from above
  • 8 tablespoons salted European butter, cool room temperature

Cinnamon Sugar Filling

  • 1/2 cup salted European butter, cool room temperature
  • 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tsp vanilla powder, optional

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 5 ounces cream cheese, cold
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream

Instructions

  • Before you start, line a metal 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper.
  • First, make the tangzhong: In a small saucepan, whisk together the water and bread flour. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is a paste-like slurry. Scrape it into a bowl and set it aside.
    1/4 cup (32 g) bread flour, 3/4 cup (155 g) water
  • In a stand mixing bowl, mix the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt until combined. Add the cream, milk, egg, vanilla, and tangzhong to the bowl. Knead on low speed with the dough hook for 2 minutes until it forms a rough dough ball.
    3 2/3 cups (485 g) bread flour, 1/3 cup (66 g) granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons instant yeast, 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/3 cup (78 g) heavy cream, 1/3 cup (78 g) whole milk, 1 large (50 g) whole egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, Tangzhong from above
  • On low speed, knead in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, letting it fully incorporate before adding more. Continue kneading for another 10-12 minutes until the dough looks smooth and elastic.
    8 tablespoons (113 g) salted European butter
  • Remove the dough from the bowl and pull the sides down into the bottom center to create a smooth round ball. Place it seam-side down into the mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.
  • While the dough rests, combine the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla powder for the filling. Set aside.
    1/2 cup (113 g) salted European butter, 2/3 cup (133 g) light brown sugar, 2 tbsp ground cinnamon, 2 tsp vanilla powder
  • On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 15×21-inch rectangle. Dollop the cinnamon sugar mixture across the surface, then spread it to the edges with an offset spatula, leaving a 1-inch border at the top clean.
  • Use a pizza cutter to cut twelve, 1 3/4-inch strips. Roll each strip away from you, then carefully transfer them to the baking pan. Cover the top with plastic wrap and set it in a warm place to rise until doubled, about 1-2 hours. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325 F/162 C.
  • Bake the cinnamon rolls for 30-35 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden brown.
  • While the rolls are baking, make the cream cheese frosting. In a stand mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and butter until combined. Then mix in the powdered sugar. Keep beating on low speed until the frosting is light and fluffy, then mix in the vanilla bean paste and heavy cream.
    6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter, 5 ounces (5 oz) cream cheese, 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, 1 tablespoon heavy cream
  • Let the pan cool on a wire cooling rack for 15 minutes, then spread the cream cheese frosting on top. Let sit another 15 minutes for the frosting to seep into the rolls. Serve warm and enjoy!
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days. Reheat them in the oven or microwave until warm before serving!

Video

Notes

*Measure your dry ingredients properly. This is my #1 baking tip! Do not ever scoop a measuring cup into your flour as this always leads to using too much flour. Instead, use the spoon-level method. This means fluffing the flour first, then spooning it into your measuring cup/spoon. For the BEST results, use a kitchen scale!*
Use cool room-temperature butter. This is important for both kneading it into the dough and for the filling. Butter that is too warm and greasy will make the dough harder to work with. It will also cause the filling to leak from the rolls. 
Use a pizza wheel instead of floss! I’ve found this is much easier to cut and roll rather than using dental floss or a serrated knife. It keeps the cinnamon rolls perfectly round after baking, too!
Overnight rise: Once rolled, cover the baking pan with plastic wrap and chill them in the fridge overnight. The next morning, allow them to rise until doubled at room temperature before baking. Don’t refrigerate them longer than 24 hours or the yeast will ferment and turn sour.
Freezing: Once rolled, cover the pan with two layers of plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for 2-3 weeks. Allow to defrost in the fridge overnight, then let them rise until doubled at room temperature before baking.
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 529kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 261mg | Potassium: 127mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 957IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 1mg

The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below & tag @cambreabakes on social!

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5 from 32 votes (8 ratings without comment)

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71 Comments

  1. I love this recipe! I appreciated all of the visual aids and the clear instructions. These are delicious and my family is begging me to make more!5 stars

    Reply

    1. That makes me so happy to hear! I’m so glad the visuals helped, that’s the best kind of feedback. Thanks so much for making them! 💛

      Reply
  3. Susan Whalen says:

    Hi Cambrea-

    I really like so many of your recipes that I’ve tried.

    Reading thru this cinnamon rolls for the 2nd time.

    In the ingredients for the tangzhong it calls for bread flour, yet in the instructions for making it, the recipe says all-purpose flour. Please, which is it?

    Thanks,
    Susan

    Reply

    1. Hi Susan! Sorry for the confusion, it was a typo on my end. It should be bread flour, I just fixed it in the recipe 🙂

      Reply
  4. Melissa P says:

    I consider myself a pretty experienced home baker. Not professionally trained, although I did cook and make desserts for a restaurant. But baking at home has become a passion for me, not so much my waist line. I have made countless cinnamon roll recipes. Some that even got bathed in heavy cream while they baked. But this recipe was hands down the BEST. They were just as creamy and moist as if they baked in heavy cream without the added fat or calories. They stayed moist for 2 days. Maybe even longer if they hadn’t been devoured. They were also perfectly round and looked like an add for Cinnabon!!! Great job Cambrea!! I have also made your blueberry muffins and they are my favorite! I will try one of your cakes next.5 stars

    Reply

    1. Wow—I’m seriously honored by this comment. Thank you so much for trying both the rolls and the muffins—I can’t wait to hear what you think of the cakes next! You’ve totally made my day. 🥹💛

      Reply