Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls

I can’t even begin to count the number of times I’ve made this Bread Machine Cinnamon Roll recipe. My kids cheer when they find out I’m making them. You’ll be the one cheering when you realize how easy it is to make homemade cinnamon rolls in the bread machine! Overnight and non-bread machine instructions are included. Let’s get baking!

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There is one thing my kids can agree on: Mom’s cinnamon rolls are the bomb.

We’ve tried all sorts of variations of cinnamon rolls over the years: canned, sourdough, store-bought, farmers market, etc. Despite the hefty competition, this cinnamon roll recipe rises to the top. The kids love to watch the dough dance around in the bread machine and I always have lots of help when it comes to rolling out the dough.

My hope is this Cinnamon Roll recipe finds a permanent place in your home like it has ours.

Why Use a Bread Machine to Make Cinnamon Rolls?

Yes, there are thousands of recipes out there that don’t require a bread machine. And I’m sure they are delicious. But, I assure you, you are not compromising flavor or texture when using a bread machine to do the hard work of making the dough for your cinnamon rolls. In short, it’s a no-brainer approach that has served me well for years!

While you still have to roll and bake, the dough setting on a bread machine will ensure you have amazing dough to work with before you even begin!

Here is the bread machine I personally use. Many bread machines will have a yeast dispenser at the top. If yours has it, go ahead and use it. Mine does not but I’ve found my dough to turn out fine when I nestle the yeast in right on top of the ingredients.

What if I Don’t have a Bread Machine?

I’ve gotten this question a lot so I tested out this exact recipe without using a bread machine. And guess what? It worked!

If you don’t have a bread machine, use a stand mixer to combine all of the dough ingredients. Using a dough hook, let it knead the dough for 7-8 minutes. Transfer the sticky dough to a grease-lined bowl. Cover with a towel and let it rise for about 1.5 hours (or until twice its size.) It will be sticky so use lots of flour when rolling it out.

How to Make Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls

1. Make the Dough

Place the ingredients for the dough in your machine in the order listed in the recipe below. If you don’t have a yeast dispenser, just nestle the yeast on top of the flour.

Run your machine on a dough cycle. (Mine takes around 45 minutes but times will vary on this.)

After the dough is done, take it out and split the dough into two mounds.

Roll one of the dough mounds out into a rectangle shape. To get it flattened out, it might take a few minutes of working with it, but it will get there.

2. Make the Filling

Spread half of the melted butter out on your dough and then top it with half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture. This is a great job to have kids help with and it can be far from perfect.

3. Roll and Slice Them

With the long edge in front of you, begin to gently roll the dough.

Starting at one end, slice the dough into about 1 inch thick pieces. The result will be a pinwheel-shaped form when turned on its side.

Place pinwheels on greased baking sheet. I like mine touching each other so they all are soft and not too browned on the outside but if you want them not touching, spread them apart on the sheet.

Repeat the steps above with the second mound of dough.

4. Let Them Rise

Cover assembled dough with a lightweight hand towel and let rise for another 25-30 minutes.

5. Time to Bake

Bake at 350°F for 17-19 minutes or until lightly brown on top. Tap the middle of the roll to see if it bounces back. If it does, it’s probably done!

How to Make the Icing

I keep my icing pretty simple. While there are many variations out there, here is what I use:

• 3-4  cup powdered sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 4-5 tablespoons milk

Mix all of this together until it forms the desired consistency. Drizzle it over the cinnamon rolls.

Can I refrigerate or freeze cinnamon rolls before baking?

Another beauty of this recipe is you can prep the cinnamon rolls ahead of time. I’ve done this a lot when I know we will be feeding guests for breakfast or for holidays. The biggest tip I can give you on this is to make sure they come back to room temperature and have time to rise before you bake them.

To refrigerate: If you want to prepare the rolls ahead of time, assemble them as normal, let them rise, and then refrigerate for 24-48 hours. Make sure to let them come back to room temperature and rise back up again before baking.

To freeze: If you want to freeze the cinnamon roll dough, assemble them as normal, let them rise as directed and then wrap them tightly or place them in an airtight container with a lid and freeze. Just make sure you let them thaw and warm up to room temperature and rise a bit before baking.

What to Serve with Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls

Here are some ideas that would go great alongside cinnamon rolls

• Crock Pot Breakfast Casserole with Bacon and Gruyere
• Perfectly Cooked Bacon
• Cheddar Chive Egg Bites
• Fruit Salad

Hope you enjoy these rolls as much as we have.

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