Copycat Cinnabon Rolls
I’m not sure where I obtained this recipe, but it’s my go-to cinnamon roll recipe. If you haven’t tried using yeast, it’s really pretty easy to do. Why not give this recipe a try, your family will thank you for it.
Copycat Cinnabon Rolls
Ingredients
Dough
1/2 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)
4 1/2 tsp. dry instant yeast (2 envelopes)
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 small box (3.4 oz). instant vanilla pudding
2 cups milk (to make pudding)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled to almost room temperature
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
6 cups all-purpose flour
Cinnamon Mixture
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups light brown sugar
4 tsp. cinnamon
Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 Tbsp. milk
Method
In a small bowl, combine the warm water, yeast and sugar. Stir until dissolved, set aside and make sure it activates by bubbling up a bit.
In a large bowl, make pudding mix and prepare according to package directions. Add melted butter, eggs and salt. Mix well. Add the yeast mixture, blend thoroughly.
At this time you can put the mixture into the bowl of your electric mixer and fit it with the dough hook, or stir by hand using a wooden spoon.
Gradually add flour, knead until smooth. If working by hand, turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead until soft. You may need to add more flour a little at a time if it is still sticky. Grease a large bowl with butter and add the dough. Cover the bowl with a towel and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Once doubled, punch down the dough, cover and let rise again until doubled.
While the dough is rising, prepare the cinnamon mixture. In the bowl of an electric mixture, cream the butter and brown sugar together until smooth, about 5 minutes. Add in the cinnamon and combine well.
After the dough has risen, prepare a work surface and rolling pin by flouring the area and the pin. Roll out the dough into a rectangle approximately 34” x 21”. Spread the cinnamon mixture evenly over the dough. I like to use an offset spatula so I don’t rip the dough. Starting at the long end, roll the dough up tightly. With a knife, put a notch every 2” into the roll. Cut the dough at the 2” intervals using a sharp knife or thread.
Place the rolls swirl side up onto a lightly greased baking pan 2” apart. Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled in size. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. If they start to brown too early, cover the pan with foil, remove when they are golden brown. Be careful to not over bake.
While the rolls bake, prepare the frosting. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and cream sugar together until smooth. At a slow speed, add in the confectioner’s sugar, 1 cup at a time. Add in the vanilla and milk until combined. Increase the speed and beat until smooth. Frost the cinnamon rolls while they are warm. Enjoy!
