Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls Recipe (Soft & Gooey) (2024)

Knead The Dough.And then knead itby hand or in a stand mixeruntil it is smooth, and elastic. It will be a somewhat sticky dough.

If Kneading By Hand.Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead by hand for approximately 10 minutes.

If Kneading In Stand Mixer.Using the dough hook, knead it for 5 minutes on low speed.

The First Rise (60 Minutes).Cover bowl with a damp towel and place dough in a draft-free, warm place. The inside of an unheated oven with the light on is ideal. Let it rise for about an 1 hour or until the dough has risen and doubled in size.

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls- The doughcan be refrigerated at this point for 1-3 days. When you are ready to use it, just remove it from the refrigerator and set it on the counter for about an hour.

Melt Butter.Melt butter in a microwave safe bowl (30 seconds).

Make Brown Sugar Mixture.Put the brown sugar and cinnamon into a small bowl. Mix together with a fork until combined.

Roll Out Dough.Turn the whole lump of dough out of the pot onto a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a 12 x 18 inch rectangle.

Spread Butter.Pour and spread out the melted butter onto the rectangular surface of dough.

Spread Filling.Sprinkle and spread the brown sugar mixture out evenly over the surface of the dough, covering the butter.

Roll Up Log.Using your fingers and a bench scraper, gently roll the dough toward you, going back and forth along the long side of the dough as you roll it up to make one long log.

Cut Cinnamon Rolls.Using a sharp knife or some dental floss, divide dough into individual cinnamon rolls. For best results, cut top of the roll in half, then in quarters, then keep cutting until you cut the all of them into equal size.

Transfer To Baking Dish.Place rolls to the baking dish, laying each down on its side so you can see the swirl of cinnamon face up.

Second Rise (30-60 Minutes).Cover the baking dish with a kitchen towel and let rise for another 30-60 minutes.

Bake.Bake them at 375°F for 15-18 minutes, until lightly golden brown.

Combine and Mix Ingredients.Put room temperature icing ingredients in a bowl and beat together with an electric mixer until smooth.

Brush With Butter.Brush a little butter on top of the hot rolls as soon as they come out of the oven.2 tablespoons butter

Frost Cinnamon Rolls.Then brush on a thin layer of icing on top of the butter. This will makefor extra soft and gooey cinnamon rolls.Use the extra frosting to frost the rolls once they have cooled so that this layer of frosting doesn't melt into the rolls but remains nicely on top.

Variations And Optional Fillings

• Cinnamon Buns - Turn a pan of cinnamon rolls out onto a plate so that the bottom and all its sticky goodness has been inverted to become the top of the rolls. Then frost them with cream cheese frosting. So good!
• Orange Rolls - Orange glaze with cranberries.
• Blueberry Preserves
• Raspberry Jam
• Strawberry Jam
• Apple Pie Filling - Make extra sticky and sweet apple pie filling by adding ½ cup of granulated sugar to this apple pie filling recipe.
• Swedish Almond Ring - almond paste filling
• Pecan Rolls or Sticky Buns - Similar filling, but chopped pecans, or candied pecans are added.
• Honey Buns - Made with buttermilk, honey, pecans, and topped with a caramel glaze.
• Nutella - Spread Nutella and chopped hazelnuts

Pro Tips

• Scoop and Level - Measure your flour correctly. Ensure accurate measurement of flour by scooping flour into a measuring cup and leveling it off with a knife. Too much flour and they will be tough. Not enough flour and they will become too dense.
• Don't Kill The Yeast - Use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature of your milk before adding the yeast. The temperature should not reach over 110°F or you will kill the yeast and they won't rise.
• Draft-Free Rise - Let your dough rise in a warm, draft-free place like the inside of an oven. An oven that has been heated briefly and then turned off is ideal. Caution: Make sure the oven is just barely warm (around 70°F) or the dough won't rise properly.
• Use A Bench Scraper - Use a flat-edged bench scraper to pry up the rolled out dough from the surface without tearing it. Doing this will make rolling up the cinnamon roll log much easier than using only your fingers.
• Use The Correct Size Pan - Dough need room to expand to become fluffy. So, don't overcrowd them. This recipe will produce 10-12 rolls that will fit in a 9x13 baking dish or a 9 inch pie plate.
• Don't Smush Them - Using a dull knife or butter knife will flatten and misshape the rolls. Use dental floss or a sharp knife to cut them so they are perfectly shaped.
• Don't Roll Too Tightly - Roll the cinnamon roll log up loosely so that the rolls have room to expand when rising and baking. This will lead to a fluffier texture.

Can I Make Homemade Cinnamon Rolls In Air Fryer?

Make these homemade cinnamon rolls in an air fryer following these simple instructions:

1. Line air fryer basket with aluminum foil.
2. Place formed rolls in silicone muffin cups.
3. Let them rise for 1 hour.
4. Preheat air fryer to 325°F.
5. Gently place 5-6 unbaked muffins, depending on the size of your air fryer, in a single layer inside the air fryer basket and push the basket back into the air fryer.
6. Air fry for 7 minutes.
7. Remove from air fryer and repeat steps 5 and 6 for second batch.
8. Serve.

How Do I Make Overnight Cinnamon Rolls?

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls - Letting them rise in the refrigerator overnight will enhance the flavor.

The first rise can be done in the refrigerator. The dough can be covered with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerated at this point for 1-3 days. When you are ready to use it, just remove it from the refrigerator and set it on the counter for about an hour and then proceed with the next steps of the recipe.

The second rise can also be done in the refrigerator. Just cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap. Place the dish in the refrigerator overnight.

Serving Suggestions

These buttery soft cinnamon rolls are delicious served warm with a cup of coffee or a tall glass of milk.

Make them on the weekend for your family as a special treat. They're also the perfect sweet treat to add to a brunch menu.

Freezing And Storage

• Storage - Cover leftovers with plastic wrap or place them in an airtight container and store them at room temperature.
• Freezing - Freeze leftovers in an airtight container. Allow them to thaw on the counter before reheating.

  Be sure to check out our guide on How To Reheat Cinnamon Rolls (3 Ways).