Classic Cinnamon Rolls with Vanilla Frosting

Weekend mornings are meant to be lazy, but weekend mornings in the winter are lazy on steroids. And the weekend mornings are lazier than ever. Especially Sundays. Sundays are for sleeping in, lounging in our PJs, making a second pot of coffee and enjoying Classic Cinnamon Rolls with Vanilla Frosting.

These cinnamon rolls remind me of the gigantic ones we would get from Cinnabon in the mall when we were growing up. Warm, melt-in-your-mouth soft dough, doused in cinnamon and sugar and slathered with a buttery vanilla frosting.

I think I once read that a roll from Cinnabon was the single most highly caloric restaurant item you could buy. Years later I believe it was edged out by the Bloomin’ Onion at Outback Steakhouse. Don’t ask me how I know this stuff.

What’s the difference between cinnamon rolls and cinnamon buns?

I’ll admit, I’ve used these words interchangeably, but there really is a difference. Cinnamon buns are more sticky, heavier on brown sugar, and usually have nuts and/or raisins. Cinnamon rolls, on the other hand, are fluffier, less dense and are typically frosted with a vanilla or cream cheese frosting. So now you know!

How to make these Cinnamon Rolls

Making these cinnamon rolls does take some time, but there is a decent make-ahead option if you don’t want to spend your lazy weekend morning working in the kitchen. Here is the 2-day breakdown:

• The day before: make the dough. It’s a sweet, yeasted dough made from butter, sugar, flour, eggs and salt. After a quick rise in a warm oven, roll out the dough, slather it with cinnamon-sugar filling, and roll it up. Then, you can arrange the cinnamon rolls in a baking dish and refrigerate them overnight.
• The next morning: Pop the cinnamon rolls into the oven for a half hour.

Tips for Success

It’s important to be as exact as you can when measuring the cinnamon rolls. Break out that ruler! Then, after you roll the dough jelly roll-style, measure 15 cuts across so that each roll is roughly the same size. This is important so that they all bake evenly.

Also, it’s important to leave space between your cinnamon rolls when you arrange them in the baking dish. Don’t let them touch each other! It will look like lots of room, but wait till you see them expand and puff together. You’ll be glad you gave them space.

Making the Vanilla Frosting

Unlike buttercream, you don’t need an electric mixer to make this frosting. Just whisk the sugar, melted butter and vanilla together in a bowl. Then, add water until it’s the consistency you like. Some like a thinner glaze on their cinnamon rolls. But if you want it to be like Cinnabon, keep it on the thicker side.

Be sure to spread the frosting onto the rolls while they’re still warm so that it sort of melts in. And then just go hog wild.

These rolls don’t have to be pretty, they don’t have to apologize, because they know they’re the best things you’re going to be putting in your mouth for a very long time. So get ready, cause heaven’s coming! Enjoy!

For more sweet breakfast treats, try these:

• Homemade Cherry Danish
• Chocolate Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread
• Chocolate Chunk Zucchini Muffins

For more make-ahead recipes, try these:

• Cinnamon Raisin Breakfast Bake
• Overnight Everything Bagel & Smoked Salmon Casserole
• Sausage, Egg & Cheese Strata

Classic Cinnamon Rolls with Vanilla Frosting

Melt-in-your-mouth homemade cinnamon rolls that are better than the bakery

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 45 mins

Cook Time 35 mins

rising 1 hr 30 mins

Total Time 2 hrs 50 mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings 15

Ingredients

  

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The Rolls

• 1 tsp. active dry yeast
• 3.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup warm water 100-115 degrees F
• 1/3 cup + 1/2 tsp. sugar divided
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3/4 stick unsalted butter melted
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 eggs beaten

The Frosting

• 1 stick + 2 Tbsp. melted butter
• 4 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 3-4 Tbsp. warm water

The Filling

• 1 stick unsalted butter melted, divided
• 3/4 cups sugar divided
• 1.5 Tbsp. cinnamon

Instructions

 

• Combine the yeast, 1/2 tsp. of sugar and warm water in a small bowl. Stir and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the milk, 1/3 cup sugar, melted butter, salt and eggs. Stir in the yeast mixture. Gradually add the flour, one cup at a time, and beat until a sticky dough forms.
• Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Dump the dough out onto a floured surface and knead 5-7 minutes, until smooth. Place in a buttered bowl and cover loosely with a damp towel. Turn the oven off. Place the bowl in the warm oven for 45 minutes, until the dough is doubled in size.
• Meanwhile, prepare the filling: Combine the cinnamon and 1/2 cup sugar and melt 1/2 stick of butter.
• Punch the dough down and roll out on a floured surface. Form a rectangle measuring 13×19 inches. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle generously with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Start rolling from the long end, jellyroll style. Cut into 15 pieces.
• Melt the other 1/2 stick of butter pour into a 9×13 baking dish. Coat well. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Place the rolls in the pan, making sure there is a little space between them. Cover with a dish towel and let rise for 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover the pan loosely with foil and bake 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 15-20 minutes.
• While the rolls are baking, combine all frosting ingredients except for the water in a small bowl. Add the water, one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Spread frosting over warm rolls.

Keyword breakfast, brunch, dessert

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