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Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls Recipe (Soft & Gooey)

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Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls Recipe (Oven + Air Fryer Instructions) - Best ever buttery, soft & gooey cinnamon rolls just like Grandma used to make.

A whole pan of cinnamon rolls with icing.
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Be sure to check out our other brunch recipes and quick breads, like our incredibly popular Old Fashioned Banana Bread, and The Best Jiffy Cornbread Recipe. And don't miss our irresistible Cherry Pie Bars.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

This easy cinnamon roll recipe is the perfect sweet treat to serve to your family on weekends, with Sunday brunch, or for special holidays like Christmas or Easter. They're a hit anytime!

Reader Review: Sara says, "Best cinnamon rolls I’ve made yet! So fluffy and so good! Definitely will be doubling the recipe next time!" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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

Here's What You Need

Individual ingredients for Cinnamon Rolls Recipe.

Dough

  • milk - use whole milk, as this will add to the richness of the flavor. May substitute other milk or warm water.
  • sugar - granulated white sugar
  • instant yeast - May substitute dry active yeast.
  • all-purpose flour - May substitute cake flour for extra fluffy results.

Filling

  • butter - salted, melted
  • brown sugar - May substitute granulated white sugar.

Frosting

  • butter - salted, room temperature
  • cream cheese - room temperature
  • confectioners sugar - powdered sugar
  • milk - Used to thin the icing.

Grease For Pans

  • butter - May substitute cooking spray to grease the bottom of the baking dish. However, we recommend using butter as it enhances the flavor. So, use butter if you want them gooey, buttery soft.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

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 them extra sticky and add sweet apple pie filling. Simply add 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

How to Make Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls

Prepare The Dough

  1. Wet Ingredients. Pour milk into a microwave-safe liquid measuring cup. Add vegetable oil and sugar to the milk.
    Scald the milk by heating the mixture in the microwave oven until it is just under a boil (2 minutes). Stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set it aside to cool to about 105°F. Check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer.
  2. Dry Ingredients. While you’re waiting, measure out flour, yeast, and salt into a large bowl or the stand mixer bowl and set it aside.
  3. Combine Wet And Dry Ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix the wet and dry ingredients until they are well combined.

    For best results, use a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment.
Ingredients combined by a dough hook for Cinnamon Rolls Recipe.
  1. Knead The Dough. And then knead it by hand or in a stand mixer until 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.
Cinnamon Roll dough in a clear glass stand mixing bowl with a white towel covering it for the first rise.
  1. The First Rise (60 Minutes). Cover the bowl with a damp towel and place it 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 dough can 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.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Prepare baking dish by buttering the inside with melted butter or cooking spray.

Make Filling

  1. Make Filling.

    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 with a fork until combined.

Form The Rolls

Cinnamon roll dough rolled out on top of a marble slab.
  1. 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 12x18 inch rectangle.
Cinnamon roll dough rolled out with melted butter spread on top.
  1. Spread Butter. Pour and spread out the melted butter onto the rectangular surface of dough.
Cinnamon roll filling spread out on top of rolled out dough.
  1. Spread Filling. Sprinkle and spread the brown sugar mixture out evenly over the surface of the dough, covering the butter.
Cinnamon roll log rolled up and cut into pieces.
  1. 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.
  1. Cut Cinnamon Rolls. Using a sharp knife or some dental floss, divide the dough into individual cinnamon rolls. For best results, cut the top of the roll in half, then in quarters, then keep cutting until you cut the all of them into equal size.
Unbaked cinnamon rolls transferred into a buttered baking dish.
  1. 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 And Bake

Risen cinnamon rolls in a baking dish.
  1. Second Rise (30-60 Minutes). Cover the baking dish with a kitchen towel and let rise for another 30-60 minutes.
Freshly baked old fashioned cinnamon rolls in a baking dish.
  1. Bake. Bake them at 375°F for 15-18 minutes, until lightly golden brown.

Frosting

Cinnamon roll icing in a glass mixing bowl with a light blue napkin in right hand corner and mixing beaters with frosting on them in bottom left corner.
  1. Combine and Mix Ingredients. Put room temperature icing ingredients in a bowl and beat together with an electric mixer until smooth.
A whole pan of cinnamon rolls with icing.
  1. 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.
  2. Frost Cinnamon Rolls. Then brush on a thin layer of icing on top of the butter. This will make for 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.

Helpful 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 needs 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.
A freshly baked cinnamon roll with icing on top pictured on a white plate with light blue napkin.

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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).
A whole pan of cinnamon rolls with icing.

There you have it. Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls - buttery soft and gooey cinnamon rolls just like Grandma used to make. We hope you enjoy our super simple, super tasty recipe. Try it and let us know how you like it. We'd love to hear from you!

xo ~ Seanna

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📖 Recipe

A whole pan of cinnamon rolls with icing.

Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls Recipe (Oven + Air Fryer Instructions) - Best ever buttery, soft & gooey cinnamon rolls just like Grandma used to make. So Good!
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Save Recipe!
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Rising Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 18 minutes
Servings: 12 rolls
Calories: 331kcal
Author: Seanna Borrows

Equipment

Ingredients 

Dough

  • 1 cup milk whole
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • ¼ cup sugar granulated
  • 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast 1 standard sized packet
  • 2¼ cups all purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoon salt

Filling

  • 4 tablespoons butter salted, melted
  • ½ cup brown sugar firmly packed
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

Frosting

  • 4 tablespoons butter salted
  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 1½ cups confectioner's sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons butter Reserved to brush on hot rolls before adding frosting.

Grease For Baking Dish

  • 4 tablespoons butter salted

Instructions

Prepare The Dough

  • Wet Ingredients. Pour milk into a microwave safe liquid measuring cup. Add vegetable oil and sugar to the milk. Scald the milk by heating the mixture in the microwave oven until it is just under a boil (2 minutes). Stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set it aside to cool to about 105°F.
    1 cup milk, ¼ cup vegetable oil, ¼ cup sugar
  • Dry Ingredients. While you’re waiting, measure out flour, yeast, and salt into a large bowl or the stand mixer bowl and set it aside.
    2¼ teaspoons instant yeast, 2¼ cups all purpose flour, 1½ teaspoon salt
  • Combine Wet And Dry Ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together until they are well combined.
  • Knead The Dough. And then knead it by hand or in a stand mixer until it is smooth, and elastic. It will be a somewhat sticky dough.
  • The First Rise. 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.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prep baking dish by coating the inside with melted butter or cooking spray.

  • Make Filling.
    Melt butter in a microwave safe bowl (30 seconds). Set aside.
    Make Brown Sugar Mixture. Put the brown sugar and cinnamon into a small bowl. Mix together with a fork until combined.
    4 tablespoons butter

Form The Rolls

  • Roll Out Dough.Turn the whole lump of dough out of the pot onto a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll it out 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 on top of the butter.
  • Roll Up Log. Using your fingers, gently roll the dough toward you, going back and forth along the long side 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 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 Rolls. Melt butter in the bottom of a baking dish and use it to grease the bottom and sides of the baking dish. Place rolls in the dish, laying each down on its side so you can see the swirl of cinnamon face up.
    4 tablespoons butter
  • 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.
  • Make The Icing. Combine and mix Ingredients. Put room temperature icing ingredients in a bowl and beat together with an electric mixer until smooth.
    4 tablespoons butter, 4 ounces cream cheese, 1½ cups confectioner's sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ cup milk
  • 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 make for extra soft and gooey cinnamon rolls.

Notes

Overnight Method. The first rise can be done in the refrigerator.  Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-3 days.  When you are ready to use the dough, 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.
Air Fryer Method. Make these homemade cinnamon rolls in an air fryer following these simple instructions:
  1. Line air fryer basket with aluminum foil.
  2. Place formed cinnamon rolls in silicone muffin cups.
  3. Let them rise for 1 hour.
  4. Preheat air fryer to 350°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.

Nutrition

Calories: 331kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 478mg | Potassium: 136mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 463IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 1mg
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Comments

    5 from 5 votes

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Michelle says

    When it says room temperature ingredients. Do you mean butter cream cheese AND milk at room temp or just the first two? Thanks!!

    Reply

    • Seanna Borrows says

      Hey Michelle, so the milk is better at room temp too, but honestly, even if it's cold, the frosting will still turn out okay with this recipe. The really important thing is that your butter and cream cheese are at room temp—otherwise, you'll end up with lumpy frosting, and nobody wants that!

      Reply

  2. Rob says

    5 stars
    Came out as good a Mom’s!!

    Reply

    • Seanna Borrows says

      Thanks Rob! That's so great to hear!

      Reply

  3. Ruth Chaffee says

    5 stars
    This recipe was delicious! I put little crispy bacon bits on top of the filling. The sweet and salty combo was so good.

    Reply

    • Seanna Borrows says

      Sounds delicious Ruth!

      Reply

  4. cathy a hegg says

    5 stars
    Hi Senna's
    These cinnamon rolls were FANTASTIC. Honestly the best that I have ever tasted in my life. No kidding :>) I made them for New Years day and am making them again for my whole family this weekend. Thanks again:>)

    Reply

    • Seanna Borrows says

      Thanks Cathy! So glad to hear you liked them!

      Reply

  5. Megan says

    5 stars
    These are the perfect cinnamon roll recipe! I would’ve never thought to cook them in an air fryer, but the next time I make them I am going to try!

    Reply

    • Seanna Borrows says

      Thanks Megan! I hope you love them!

      Reply

  6. Russ B says

    5 stars
    Scary good...can't eat just one!!

    Reply

    • Seanna Borrows says

      I know! I just kept shoveling them into my mouth. They're so delicious!

      Reply