Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls
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I can’t even begin to count the number of times I’ve made these Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls. My kids cheer when they find out I’m making them. You’ll be the one cheering when you realize how easy it is.
Fear not: Non-bread machine instructions are included or just make our super easy Overnight Cinnamon Roll Casserole instead. Let’s get baking!
Why You’ll Love These Cinnamon Rolls
- The bread machine makes the dough for you. No kneading.
- It yields fluffy results.
- This recipe makes a huge batch of rolls. Great for groups!
- You can make the cinnamon rolls in advance and freeze.
- They are absolutely delicious. 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.
Serve it up with our Spinach and Bacon Quiche or along side Crockpot Ham for a delicious meal!
My Favorite Bread Machine
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 turns out fine when I nestle the yeast in right on top of the ingredients.
Ingredients
Here is what you will need to make cinnamon rolls in the bread machine.
Ingredient Notes:
Butter – Needs to be softened. Otherwise the bread machine has a hard time mixing it in.
Flour – Regular all-purpose flour works fine.
Quick Rise Yeast – I have found quick rise yeast yields fluffier results than active dry yeast. But active dry yeast will work as well. Just give the dough more time to rise.
Brown Sugar – I used to use white cane sure but have found I like brown sugar more now. White will work though.
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.
The dough setting on bread machines will vary. For reference, my dough cycle takes around 90 minutes. If yours is much different than mine, this recipe may not work as well.
2. Prepare the Dough
Split the dough into two mounds.
On a floured surface, roll one of the dough mounds into roughly a 18×12-inch sized rectangle. Don’t get too caught up on the size. Aim for a large rectangle.
Using a pastry brush, spread about half of the melted butter over the dough you just rolled out.
3. Add the Filling
In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Spread about half of the sugar mixture out over the dough you just rolled out. Just enough to cover the surface.
4. Roll and Slice the Dough
With the long edge in front of you, begin to gently roll the dough. Using a sharp knife, slice the rolled dough into roughly 1-inch pieces.
In a prepared baking sheet (either parchment lined or greased), place the cinnamon rolls close together but not touching. This gives them room to rise.
Repeat the steps above with the second mound of dough.
Optional: If you have extra butter leftover, brush the tops of your dough with it.
5. Let Them Rise
Cover assembled dough with a lightweight hand towel and let rise in a warm environment for another 25-30 minutes. (If it’s cooler weather, I turn on my oven for just a minute or two and then turn it off in order to get it a little warm. I then let it rise in there.)
Don’t worry if they don’t get much bigger. They will still bake fine!
6. Time to Bake
Bake at 350°F for about 17 minutes or until lightly brown on top. Tap the middle of the roll to see if it bounces back. If it does, it’s done!
Note: If baking in a glass dish, they will need additional time. Probably 3-4 minutes more.
Cinnamon Roll Icing
I keep my icing pretty simple. While there are many variations out there, here is what I use:
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 4-5 tablespoons whole milk + more if you want it thinner
Mix all of this together until it forms the desired consistency. Drizzle it over the cinnamon rolls.
Freezing Cinnamon Rolls
Prepare Rolls for the Freezer:
- Prepare the dough, roll it out, add the filling, and shape the rolls as usual. Place them in a baking dish or on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Tightly wrap the rolls and baking dish in plastic wrap, ensuring no air can get in. Then cover with aluminum foil for extra protection.
- Store in the freezer for up to 3 months for the best quality.
Prepare Frozen Rolls for Baking:
- Thaw: Remove the rolls from the freezer and arrange them on a baking sheet. Cover them loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Proof: After thawing, place the rolls in a warm spot to rise. This can take 1-2 hours depending on the temperature of your kitchen. A good place for proofing is inside an oven turned off but with the light on.
- Bake: Follow directions as instructed.
What to Serve with Cinnamon Rolls
FAQs
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 1-1.5 hours (or until twice its size.) It will be sticky so use lots of flour when rolling it out.
Quick Rise (aka Instant) and active dry yeast are essentially the same ingredients. They are just slightly different in forms and applications.
The main differences between the two are:
Active yeast needs rehydration. Active dry yeast must first be dissolved and rehydrated in warm water. I like to think of it like, “It needs to be activated!”
Quick Rise Yeast needs less time to rise. Since instant yeast has a finer texture than active dry yeast, it’s possible to skip the initial rise time that Active Rise Needs. This is why it works great for bread machines!
I’ve tested both types of yeast with this recipe in my bread machine and the Quick Rise Yeast works much better! Active yeast will work. In fact, I use it in our Ham and Cheese Crescent Roll recipe. It will just need more time and more warmth to rise.
Yes, the rolls are very forgiving and will usually bake just fine even if they didn’t rise much.
I prefer to use metal baking sheets because it gives a nice caramelization on the bottom of the cinnamon rolls. However, a glass baking dish will work as well. You’ll need more than one!
Yes, follow the instructions above about combining two small rolls into 1 large one.
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.
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls
Let the bread machine whip up this cinnamon roll dough for you and follow the easy instructions to bake! Once you’ve made them from scratch, you’ll never go back to canned cinnamon rolls.
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 1/3 cups lukewarm water (110-115°F is perfect)
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) room temperature butter, cut into small chunks
- 5 tablespoons sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon quick rise yeast
Filling
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar (cane sugar works great too!)
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, melted
Icing
- 3–4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4–5 tablespoons milk, plus more if you like it thinner
Note: This recipe was changed slightly in 2021. I removed 1/4 cup powdered milk from the ingredient list. I made these once when I didn’t have it on hand and couldn’t tell the difference. But, it’s up to you if you use it or not! I also opt for quick rise yeast vs. active yeast now.
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Instructions
- Place the ingredients for the dough in your bread machine in the order listed. If your machine doesn’t have a yeast dispenser, just nestle the yeast in on top of the flour (don’t let it touch the wet ingredients).
- Run your machine on a dough cycle.
- Make the cinnamon sugar filling: Combine 1 1/2 cups brown sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
- After dough is done, take it out and split the dough into two mounds.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll one mound of your dough out into roughly a 18×12-inch rectangle.
- Spread half of the melted butter over the rolled-out dough.
- Sprinkle about half of the cinnamon sugar over the melted butter making sure to cover as much surface with the filling as you can.
- Starting at one long ends of your rectangle of dough, roll it up.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the dough into roughly 1-inch pieces. The result will be a pinwheel shaped form when turned on its side.
- Place pinwheels on greased metal baking sheet. I like mine slightly 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 pan.
- Repeat the steps above with the second mound of dough.
- Cover assembled rolls with a lightweight hand towel and let rise in a warm environment for 25-30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until lightly brown on top (add a few extra minutes if using a glass dish). Tap the middle of the roll to see if it bounces back. If it does, it’s probably done!
- Combine ingredients to make icing and spread over warm rolls so it melts into them.
Notes/Tips
- Every bread machine is a bit different. The dough setting on mine is 90 minutes. This is the first rise. The second rise will be after you assemble the rolls.
- I prefer to use a metal baking sheet but if you are using a glass baking dish, allow for a few extra minutes when baking.
- 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 1-1.5 hours (or until twice its size.) It will be sticky so use lots of flour when rolling it out.
- This recipe yields about 25-30 small rolls. Another option is to make large cinnamon rolls. For large rolls, combine two small rolls by unrolling one and attaching it to the end of another. Wrap the dough around itself to form a single large roll.
Would it be possible for you to vary the recipe and turn them into sticky pecan buns instead ? Am not a cinnamon fan. Thanks
If you have a recipe, the dough should work for it just fine!
Just made these & kinda sorta maybe didn’t read the recipe before I started making them. I D idn’t have powdered milk & had already poured in 1 1/3 cup water when I read the part about substituting whole milk instead. But I’m very glad to report that they turned out very yummy despite my mistake. But I’ll definitely make them the right way next time. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
I made these over the snowy weekend and to say my husband and I enjoyed these is an understatement. They are delicious and according to all who ate them, better than Cinnabon. Cannot wait to eat them again tonight!
Yessss!!!
I made these, and they turned out perfectly! They were the best rolls I’ve ever had! I even divided the dough in half to make regular rolls and cinnamon rolls. I just rolled one of the halves into a log and cut pieces for rolls. They took a little less time to back than the cinnamon ones. They were SO good! Thanks to this recipe, I feel like a baker!
Alright! We love hearing success stories. Thanks for leaving a comment, Nancy.
i made these and they were good! I found a different icing to make – a cream cheese one and omg they tasted good. Thanks for sharing
You’re welcome!
I noticed that there is no sugar in the dough. I’ve never seen a dough recipe without sugar, doesn’t yeast need sugar to rise? I’m new at this 🙂
Wow. I don’t know how I’ve gone this long without noticing that recipe error. I just corrected it. However, it seems like people have been getting along just fine without the sugar!
I found this on pinterest this morning and have them in the bread machine now! I went looking because we had rolls from a can for breakfast, and it scares me every time I pop those suckers, so I thought there has to be an easier way! Looks like I might have found that way!!!! I’m making them with the intention of freezing, but I think the kids are going to hit the breakfast jackpot and get cinnamon rolls two days in a row 🙂
So glad you found us! Hope the kids enjoy their sweet treat!
I just made these this past weekend. They were amazing. I could tell as soon as I pulled the dough out of the bread machine. The dough was some of the best dough ever. I divided the dough and rolled into two 9×13 rectangles, brushed on melted butter and filling ingredients. I rolled the dough up long-ways and cut with floss. I ended up with about 24 mini-cinnamon rolls that I baked in a 9×13 for about 20 min at 350 (they all fit and were touching). They came out absolutely perfect. My husband said that they beat Cinnabon hands down. I brought them into my child’s school for teacher appreciation week and everyone loved them. Thank you for sharing!!!
Sweeeet!!! Seriously, these kind of comments make our day. 😉
About how many cinnamon rolls will this make? I’m making for work and wondering if I should make two batches!
Thank you! Can not wait to try!
We would guess 15-20 cinnamon rolls, but it depends on how much you roll it out and how big you make them. Polly says it easily makes two 9×13 pans worth.
I get 36 – 1inch rolls. I cut them with a ruler to make sure they are the same thickness. I put them on a large baking sheet (start placing them in center and work outward toward the edges). They will rise and easily fill the entire pan. I have never done it in 9×13 pans… although that would make it easier to share them that way.
Thanks for the feedback and ideas, Dee.
Hello!! Thank you for the recipe!!! As Sarah, i would also like to know if its possible to use a regular mixer… thank you!!
I have never done it outside the bread machine but I know you for sure can. I know Pioneer Woman has a few cinnamon roll recipes. A quick search should find it. Good luck!
Thank you!!!!
And when you see how much trouble the PW recipe is… and how LONG it takes… you’ll be right back here. So, maybe, just bookmark this page now. 😉
Is it possible to make these without using a bread machine? Like with a stand mixer with a dough hook?
Have you ever frozen the second batch? Think you could do that to just have a batch on hand when you feel like thawing them out?
Hi Amanda. I actually did this the last time I made these. I just defrosted them overnight in the fridge. They were great!
Can these be prepped the night the night before? If so, at what point would you suggest stopping to put in the frig overnight? Thanks!
Yes! I’ve done this before and what I did was put them in the fridge immediately after I assembled them. The next morning I took them out and let them return to room temperature and even rise a little before baking them. This can take an hour or so depending on how warm it is in your house so give them some time!
Do you cover them with plastic wrap or anything?
At what point? Not sure if I understand your question.
What if I don’t have bread flour?
I’ve used all-purpose flour instead of bread flour quite often and haven’t noticed much of a difference. You should be fine!
Here are some ideas for subbing other kinds of flour in place of the bread flour. http://www.ehow.com/how_6933472_substitute-flour-bread-flour.html
Instead of using a knife to cut the rolls, you can use dental floss. You just wrap it around the dough in the spot you want to cut, and pull. It keeps the rolls from becoming squished.
These rolls look delicious. They may not be the healthiest but at least the recipe has ingredients that a normal person can recognize. Ever heard of “sodium steraroyl” or “Potassium sorbate”? They are two of the ingredients in Pillsbury cinnamon rolls (see below).
One package of Pillsbury cinnamon rolls contains the dough as well as the glaze. Ingredients include enriched bleached flour, sugar, water, margarine, partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils, nonfat milk, salt, mono- and diglycerides, soy lecithin, vitamin A palmitate and artificial color. Additional ingredients include high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, whey protein concentrate, colors, molasses, sodium stearoyl, lactylate, dough conditioner, artificial flavor and citric acid as well as numerous preservatives such as monoglycerides, potassium sorbate, BHT, BHA, polysorbate 60, ascorbic acid, xanthan gum and locust bean gum.
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/318338-nutritional-information-of-pillsbury-cinnamon-rolls/#ixzz2LBqpKMt9