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.
Great recipe. My family loved it.
So glad your family loved this Chan. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve made these and they always turn out great! They are so easy. I usually make half cinnamon and half lemon blueberry.
Oooh, I’ve never had lemon blueberry. That sounds delicious! Thanks for leaving a review.
Made this twice now…great recipe and family and friends love it!!
Glad you’ve found a hit recipe for friends and family Lizzie! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
I tried this and they just dont taste the same using water instead of milk and no cream cheese I think that tasted awful sorry but true!
Thank you for your thoughts Gabrielle. If the flavor of the milk makes a big difference to you, you an always swap it. Cream cheese in the icing is a personal preference as well. I know my kids very much prefer it without the cream cheese but I also see how it could add more flavor.
This is my go-to recipe! Great results every time – family favorite!
We love to hear about family favorites! Thanks for leaving a review Dee Ann.
I have a question . I am going to make these with several groups of students so I will need to have the dough ready before hand. Can I keep the dough over night wrapped in plastic in the fridge until the next day? Also my dough machine time is 2 and a half hours is that ok?
Hmmm. That dough setting sounds way too long. For comparison, mine is only 45 min. If you have the time, I’d test out a batch before diving in doing this for a group. I do know I have put my dough in a fridge then let it come back to room temp and rise a little before making mine and it worked fine. You could start by doing that. However, I honestly can’t say how yours will do with a 2.5 hour cycle. Sorry!
My bread machine also has a 2 hour cycle and they turned out great! New family favourite, thank you!
Yay! So glad they turned out great. Thanks for letting us know Shay.
I was thinking about adding some sultanas to this, can this be done?
Hi Julie. No idea how it will turn out since we haven’t tested it, but if you do try it, let us know in case others are wondering the same thing!
I have now made this recipe 3 times! It is amazing and so easy to follow. After cutting them tonight I decided I needed another batch, 12 just wasn’t enough. I’m excited to have my colleagues try these tomorrow
Yay! Glad you’ve found a winner Ashley. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. I’m sure your colleagues will love them too!
Can the dough be made a day before baking the rolls? If so, how would you suggest storing it?
Hi Stef. 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. Leave them in the pan you plan to bake them in and cover them with a lid or foil or something. While you could make just the dough and refrigerate it, we have not tested it, so don’t really have any tips for you. If you do refrigerate and store the dough without assembly, we’d love to hear what you did and how it turned out!
The dimension of the dough when rolled out and/or thickness of the dough when rolled out seems to be missing. This would appear to be an important aspect of the recipe.
Hi! It varies a little each time but I aim for a 12×18 shape. Don’t get too caught up on those numbers though. Just a large rectangle.
Great, easy to follow.
So glad you enjoyed this, thanks for leaving a review!
I love love love this dough recipe! It comes together in my machine in no time, with no issues.
I do suggest anyone who has the time to try toasted sugar in place of plain, it gives a wonderful undertone to the rolls!
I personally choose to sub in a cream cheese icing for these, as personal preference!
Love the toasted sugar suggestion! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.
They came out amazing I will be using this recipe again
So glad you enjoyed these Mikaela! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
What causes my French bread to be very dense almost hard. Òn bottom of the loaves?
Hi Vonda! We have only tested Cinnamon Rolls and haven’t tried French Bread, sorry.
🙂
I have never had so many compliments for cinnamon rolls. I have tried many recipes and this is by far the best. I bake them in rounds of 6. I do use whipping cream to the powdered sugar for icing instead of milk. It was what I had on hand and it gives it a great texture
Hi Melinda! I bet the whipping cream is delicious in the icing. 🙂 Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.