Homemade Gooey Cinnamon Rolls with Vanilla Icing

When it came to baking with yeast, I was always so intimidated by the whole process. I felt the same way about my focaccia bread and my easy sticky buns recipe.

Like you, I was a beginner and nervous but guess what? It wasn’t so scary after all. Making this easy recipe for cinnamon rolls is pretty straightforward!

These gooey cinnamon rolls are rich, soft, and fluffy with tons of cinnamon-brown sugar-toffee-caramel-like flavors. Kinda like my chewy pecan chocolate chip cookies. I digress.

Let me show you how to make them!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Simple, straightforward recipe. Yeasted cinnamon roll recipes always intimidated me but this one is so easy to make. Promise you won’t believe you made these from scratch!

• Rich, sweet flavors. The combination of buttery brown sugar and warm cinnamon flavors with the thick vanilla icing makes this cinnamon roll a close clone of Cinnabon!

• Make them overnight or freeze them for later. If you don’t have time to make them right now, make these cinnamon rolls ahead of time. Instructions below!

Ingredients You’ll Need

I highly recommend you prep and measure all the ingredients before getting started. This will help move the recipe along smoothly.

For the dough

• Whole milk. You can also substitute for buttermilk or non-dairy milk. For the most flavorful result, use whole milk. I do not recommend nonfat, skim, or 2% milk.

• Instant dry yeast. I use Fleischmann’s but Red Star Yeast also works.

• Granulated sugar. Needed for proofing the dough.

• Unsalted butter + eggs. We need fat to get a softer, richer dough.

• Salt. The best flavor enhancer.

• All-purpose flour. You can also use bread flour however all-purpose flour still gives these cinnamon rolls a great texture.

For the filling

• Dark brown sugar, ground cinnamon, unsalted butter.

Icing for the cinnamon rolls

• Powdered sugar, whole milk, unsalted butter, vanilla extract.

Step-By-Step Instructions

This cinnamon roll recipe has 2 rises which means you need to let the dough rest before moving forward to the next step so patience is necessary. I can guarantee, however, that it will all be worth the wait.

• Make the dough & let it rise. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the warm milk then stir in the sugar and instant dry yeast. Allow it to sit for 2-3 minutes until foamy. Mix in the eggs, butter, and salt until combined. Switch to the dough hook, add flour, 1 cup at a time, and mix until a dough forms. If you don’t have a stand mixer with a dough hook, you can mix and knead by hand, for about 2-3 minutes, until a dough forms. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it rest in a warm place for 1 hour until the dough has doubled in size.

• Make the cinnamon rolls filling. In a bowl, mix together brown sugar and cinnamon until all is combined. Set aside. I prefer using brown sugar for this cinnamon sugar mixture instead of granulated sugar. Brown sugar gives these cinnamon rolls a more moist, sweet toffee flavor.

• Roll out the dough. Spray a 9×13 glass or metal baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. Lightly sprinkle your work surface with flour. Transfer the dough onto your work surface and roll it into an evenly thick rectangle making sure the long side is 18-inch long.

• Add the cinnamon roll filling. Carefully brush the rectangle with melted butter. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the melted butter.

• Cut the dough into rolls. Roll the dough into an 18-inch log. Using a sharp knife, evenly cut the log into 12 rolls.

• Let the rolls rise (again). Transfer the rolls to the baking dish. Cover the rolls with a kitchen towel and let them rise for 1 hour until they have doubled in size.

• Bake the rolls. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Bake the rolls for 25-28 minutes or until golden brown on top. At the 15-minute mark, cover the top of the rolls with aluminum foil to avoid them browning too much. Let them cool for 30 minutes before icing.

• Make the icing for the cinnamon rolls. In a bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk, butter, and vanilla until smooth. For a thinner icing consistency, stir in 1 more tablespoon of milk.

• Frost your rolls. After the cinnamon rolls have cooled, spread the icing on top of the cinnamon rolls, making sure each one is evenly coated with the icing. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Difference between Cinnamon Rolls and Stick Buns

A cinnamon roll is more fluffy and soft while sticky buns are usually denser.

Both are sweet, rolled-up pieces of leavened dough. And they’re both technically “sticky” because of their respective glazes – icing for cinnamon rolls vs a rum toffee pecan glaze for the buns.

Both are delicious either way!

Make Ahead Cinnamon Rolls

To make cinnamon rolls ahead of time, make the recipe up to step 7.

Once you transfer the rolls to the baking dish (step 7), brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter then cover the dish in plastic wrap.

The butter will help the plastic wrap come off easily the next day. Place the dish in the fridge overnight for 8-12 hours. Once you’re ready to bake, bring the rolls to room temperature, about 30 minutes or so, before baking.

Freezing Tips

You need to partially bake them first before freezing them. When you get to step 8, bake the buns for 10 minutes instead of the full 25-28 minutes then cool completely.

Cover the baking dish in plastic wrap before placing them in the freezer. You can freeze the partially baked rolls for up to 1 month.

Make sure to thaw them 24 hours before baking in the fridge and bake them the next day at 350ºF for the remaining time (15-20 minutes) until golden brown.

Storage Tips

You can leave baked cinnamon rolls in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature then store them in the freezer for up to 1 month.