This is the best cinnamon roll recipe for soft, gooey, bakery-style rolls! The dough is fluffy and pillowy, swirled with brown sugar cinnamon filling, and topped with classic cream cheese frosting that melts into every bite. Readers agree, they taste just like Cinnabon, only better!
I spent over 7 years working in bakeries, and after hundreds of test batches at home, I finally landed on a cinnamon roll dough that’s soft, reliable, and totally foolproof. It’s the same base I use for all my gourmet rolls: sweet strawberry-filled cinnamon rolls that are popular year-round, or juicy peach cobbler rolls with cinnamon crumble. No matter the flavor, it never fails!
If the gooey center of a cinnamon roll is your favorite part (same here), you’ve got to try my cinnamon twist sticks. Same dough, same soft cinnamon swirls, just baked into golden twists and served with cream cheese icing for dipping!
Table of Contents
The Cinnamon Roll Tips I Swear By
Bread flour is your best friend. I always use bread flour for cinnamon rolls. It gives the dough that soft, pillowy texture with just the right amount of chew. All-purpose works in a pinch, but bread flour makes them truly bakery-worthy.
Cut the dough into strips with a pizza cutter. It’s faster, cleaner, and gives you those perfect, tight swirls with less mess.
Use a thermometer to check doneness. I always check the center roll with an instant-read thermometer. For a soft, gooey texture, pull them when they hit an internal temperature of 185°F. That’s the sweet spot!
How To Make Them
1
Make the tangzhong. This is my go-to technique for ultra-soft rolls. It pre-gelatinizes the flour, which helps the dough hold more moisture and stay soft for days!
2
Combine the wet and dry ingredients in a stand mixer bowl. The dough will look rough and shaggy at first. Don’t worry, that’s exactly how it should be.
3
Knead the dough. Add the butter gradually while mixing, then continue kneading until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and feels smooth, stretchy, and elastic.
4
Let the dough rest. This step is important because it allows the gluten to relax, making it easier to roll out in the next step.
Once you’ve nailed the dough, you’ve got options, and my blueberry jam cinnamon buns are one of my favorites. Still soft and cinnamon-kissed, but with pockets of warm blueberries!
5
Make the cinnamon sugar filling. Be sure to use cool, room-temperature butter. Butter that is melted or too warm tends to leak out of the rolls when they bake.
6
Roll out the cinnamon roll dough. You should need little to no flour; that’s the best part of my dough!
7
Spread the filling across the dough. Spread the cinnamon mixture evenly over the top, leaving a 1″ border at the top clean.
8
Cut out the rolls. From my experience in bakeries, using a pizza wheel to cut strips instead of cutting the log with floss yields perfectly round rolls every single time.
9
Let the rolls rise until doubled in size. Place the cinnamon rolls in the prepared 9×13 baking pan, cover the top with plastic wrap, and let them rise in a warm place until they have doubled in size.
10
Bake the rolls. Bake at 325°F until the center reaches an internal temperature of 185°F for a soft, gooey texture.
11
Make the cream cheese buttercream frosting.
12
Top the baked rolls with the icing. Spread the icing over the tops of the warm rolls, allowing it to melt into the centers.
My husband is my first taste tester for everything I bake, and his favorite? My espresso-glazed cinnamon rolls. Same soft dough, swirled with cinnamon, but packed with instant coffee for an elevated, caffeine twist!
Cinnamon Roll Problems (And How To Fix Them)
Warm butter is usually to blame. If the butter in your filling is too soft or melted, it will turn runny before the rolls even reach the oven. Keep your butter soft but cool, and leave a small border at the edges when rolling to help seal everything in.
The most common reason is overbaking. I always check the center roll with a thermometer and pull them at 185°F for that perfect gooey texture. Also, make sure your flour measurements are accurate. Using too much flour can dry out the dough before it even bakes.
Totally. There are two easy make-ahead options. You can either refrigerate the dough before rolling it out, mix and knead it, then cover and chill it overnight. The next day, roll it out cold, fill, shape, rise, and bake.
Or, you can shape the rolls the night before and refrigerate them in the pan. In the morning, let them rise at room temperature until puffy, then bake as usual!
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!
The Best Cinnamon Roll Recipe (Soft, Gooey, No Fail)
Equipment
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
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below & tag @cambreabakes on social!
Hi Cambrea,
I was wondering if it was possible to swap out the European butter for regular butter? If so would the measurement be the same?
Hi Jadyn! Yes, you can swap it in equal measurements 🙂
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!
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! 💛
Fantastic recipe!
Yay! Love to hear that!
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
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 🙂
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.
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. 🥹💛