Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls (Oven + Air Fryer Instructions) - Soft, gooey, and made from scratch - these Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls are the cozy classic you’ve been craving, just like Grandma used to make.
Looking for the best old fashioned cinnamon rolls? This recipe gives you soft, gooey rolls with rich cinnamon filling and a homemade glaze that's perfect every time.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- ⭐️ Quick Recipe Highlights
- Ingredient Tips You Shouldn’t Skip
- Swaps and Add-Ins to Make It Your Own
- Fun Twists on Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls
- How to Make Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls
- Pro Tips for Soft, Gooey, Bakery-Style Rolls
- Recipe FAQs
- Can I Make Homemade Cinnamon Rolls In Air Fryer?
- How Do I Make Overnight Cinnamon Rolls?
- Serving Ideas
- More Breakfast And Brunch Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Community
✨ Want a little help getting them just right? Grab the free printable Weekend Baking Planner below—it walks you through every step, from Friday night prep to that first warm bite.
When I make these old fashioned cinnamon rolls, someone always walks into the kitchen like, “Wait… are you really making cinnamon rolls right now? Yaaass!” And for that one moment, I get to be the hero. Honestly? That’s what it’s all about—making people happy.
✨If you're in the mood for more comforting bakes, this homemade banana bread is always a hit. These mini apple pies made with store-bought pie crust are another nostalgic favorite worth adding to your baking list.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This easy cinnamon roll recipe is a perfect sweet treat for any occasion – think weekend family breakfasts, Sunday brunch, or special holidays like Christmas and Easter. They're always a hit!
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).
⭐️ Quick Recipe Highlights
- Make-ahead, freezer, and reheating instructions for busy mornings or holiday baking. ✨Bonus: Instructions on how to make these cinnamon rolls in an air fryer.
- Soft, gooey, old fashioned cinnamon rolls made completely from scratch—just like Grandma used to make.
- Step-by-step instructions with pro tips to help your dough rise perfectly and your rolls bake up fluffy every time.
- Easy-to-follow troubleshooting for sticky dough, under-proofed rolls, and how to know when they’re done.
- Variations included: overnight prep, and mini rolls for parties.
Ingredient Tips You Shouldn’t Skip
- whole milk - Adds richness and helps create that ultra-soft texture.
- instant yeast - To keep things super easy, we're just using instant or rapid-rise yeast here – just stir it right into the flour!
- brown sugar & ground cinnamon - The foundation of that irresistible, gooey cinnamon filling.
- salted butter - Just a heads-up: we always reach for salted butter in our recipes.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Swaps and Add-Ins to Make It Your Own
Feeling creative? You can easily customize your old fashioned cinnamon rolls with different fillings!
- Swap whole milk with 2% if needed, though full-fat yields softer rolls.
- Feel free to use granulated sugar in the filling instead of brown sugar, but a heads-up: they won't be quite as gooey!
- Raisins - Mix raisins into the filling for texture and extra sweetness.
- 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 - A sweet 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 - Fill with decadent Nutella hazelnut spread and chopped hazelnuts.
- For a fruity twist, consider an orange zest glaze or fruit preserves like blueberry, raspberry, or strawberry.
Fun Twists on Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls
- Overnight Rolls: Assemble the night before and bake fresh in the morning.
- Mini Rolls: Roll the dough into an 8 x 24-inch rectangle, then slice into 24 rolls for bite-sized treats.
- Kid-Friendly Baking: Let the kids help sprinkle the cinnamon sugar. It’s a fun, messy weekend activity.
How to Make Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls
Prepare the Dough
- Step 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 - Step 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.
- Step 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.
Step 4. 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.
Pro Tip: You’ll know your dough is ready when it pulls away from the sides of the bowl but still feels tacky, not sticky, to the touch.
Step 5. The First Rise (60 Minutes).
Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until it has doubled in size.
Pro Tip: To help your dough rise faster, simply place the bowl in your (turned-off) oven with the light on, or near a sunny window. A cozy spot around 75–80°F is perfect.
✨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 the Filling
Step 6. 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.
Shape the Rolls
Step 7. 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.
Step 8. Spread Butter. Pour and spread out the melted butter onto the rectangular surface.
Step 9. Spread Filling. Sprinkle and spread the brown sugar mixture out evenly over the surface of the dough, covering the butter.
Step 10. 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.
Step 11. 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 all of them into equal size.
Step 12. 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
Step 13. Second Rise (30-60 Minutes). Cover the baking dish with a kitchen towel and let rise for another 30-60 minutes.
Step 14. Bake. Bake them at 375°F for 15-18 minutes, until lightly golden brown.
Brush With Butter. Brush a little butter on top of the hot rolls as soon as they come out of the oven.
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Make Frosting or Glaze
Step 15. Combine and Mix Ingredients. Put room temperature icing ingredients in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
Pro Tip: Frosting Consistency
For a thicker cream cheese frosting, use less milk. To create a thin icing or glaze, simply add more milk until you reach your desired consistency.
Step 16. 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.
Pro Tips for Soft, Gooey, Bakery-Style Rolls
- Bakery Sized Cinnamon Rolls - For bigger bakery-sized rolls, slice them in 6-8 pieces instead of 12. Be sure to adjust the baking time and pull them out when they are just turning a lightly golden brown and the center's are set.
- Clean Cuts: Use unflavored dental floss or a very sharp knife to slice the rolls. Avoid pressing down, which can misshape and smush the dough.
- Consistent Thickness: To get 12 evenly sized rolls, start by cutting the log in half. Then, cut each of those halves in half. Finally, divide each of those four pieces into three equal rolls.
- 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.
- Don't Crowd The Pan - Dough needs room to expand to become fluffy. So, don't overcrowd them. This recipe will produce 12 rolls that will fit in a 9x13 baking dish or a 9 inch pie plate.
- Baker's Trick- Here's a baker's trick for an extra moist & decadent result. Just before baking, pour 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream evenly over the arranged rolls in the pan for an extra soft, moist, and gooey result.
- Fluffy Rolls - For extra fluffy rolls, try adding a little steam to your oven. Once your baking pan of rolls is on the middle rack, toss about ¼ cup of water into the back bottom corner of the oven and quickly shut the door. The steam will help prolong their rise and give them a wonderfully soft texture.
Recipe FAQs
Want to prep ahead? Place the unbaked rolls in the pan, wrap them securely with plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to one month. Remember to thaw and let them rise in the fridge overnight before baking.
To reheat individual rolls, simply microwave for 10 seconds with a damp paper towel on top to keep them soft. If you're reheating a whole pan, cover it with foil and reheat at 350°F for 10–15 minutes.
✨Be sure to check out our guide on How To Reheat Cinnamon Rolls (3 Ways).
This is usually due to inactive yeast (check the expiration date!), water or milk that's too hot (which kills the yeast) or too cold (which slows it down), or a dough environment that's too chilly. Ensure your water is around 105-115°F and your dough is in a warm, draft-free spot (75-80°F). Too much flour can also make the dough too stiff to rise well.
✨Learn More: Read The Comprehensive Guide to Baking with Yeast by King Arthur Baking Company.
This usually happens if you've added too much flour, over-kneaded the dough, or simply over-baked them. Bake just until they're a light golden brown, and consider adding a splash of heavy cream before baking for extra moisture.
Can I Make Homemade Cinnamon Rolls In Air Fryer?
Make these homemade cinnamon rolls in an air fryer following these simple instructions:
- Line air fryer basket with aluminum foil.
- Place formed rolls in silicone muffin cups.
- Let them rise for 1 hour.
- Preheat air fryer to 325°F.
- 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.
- Air fry for 7 minutes.
- Remove from air fryer and repeat steps 5 and 6 for second batch.
- 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 Ideas
Pair your old fashioned cinnamon rolls with a side of fluffy buttermilk pancakes, cheesy hashbrown potato casserole, and some sweet & spicy candied bacon for the ultimate weekend brunch. And don't miss our other brunch classics.
More Breakfast And Brunch Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Old Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Equipment
- baking dish 9x13
- stand mixer with dough hook
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup milk whole
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup sugar granulated
- 2¼ teaspoons instant yeast 1 standard sized packet
- 3 cups all purpose flour + extra for kneading
- 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
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons butter Reserved to brush on hot rolls before adding frosting.
Grease For Baking Dish
- 4 tablespoons butter
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, sift together flour, yeast, and salt into a large bowl or the stand mixer bowl and set it aside.2¼ teaspoons instant yeast, 3 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 for 8-10 minutes, 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 1 - 1 ½ hours 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, 2 tablespoons 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.
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!!
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!
Rob says
Came out as good a Mom’s!!
Seanna Borrows says
Thanks Rob! That's so great to hear!
Ruth Chaffee says
This recipe was delicious! I put little crispy bacon bits on top of the filling. The sweet and salty combo was so good.
Seanna Borrows says
Sounds delicious Ruth!
cathy a hegg says
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:>)
Seanna Borrows says
Thanks Cathy! So glad to hear you liked them!
Megan says
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!
Seanna Borrows says
Thanks Megan! I hope you love them!
Russ B says
Scary good...can't eat just one!!
Seanna Borrows says
I know! I just kept shoveling them into my mouth. They're so delicious!