11 Cinnamon Roll Recipes So Soft and Gooey You Will Skip the Bakery

Few smells can wake up a whole house like cinnamon rolls baking on a cold morning. Soft swirls of buttery dough, a ribbon of cinnamon sugar, and icing melting into every crack. Homemade cinnamon rolls take some time, but most of it is just waiting while the dough rises. Below are our favorite versions, from the classic glazed roll to Swedish buns and sticky pecan rolls, each with an easy recipe. Coffee is optional, but recommended..

Cinnamon Rolls Start With This Soft Skillet Recipe

Look at that skillet. Pillowy rolls, gooey centers and thick cream cheese icing sliding into every swirl. This is the master recipe for homemade cinnamon rolls, and once you learn it you can make every version on this list. The secret is a soft, slightly sticky dough and a long, warm rise. Be honest: do you eat the center first or unroll the whole thing?

You will need: Dough: 3/4 cup warm milk, 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/3 cup soft butter, 1 egg, 3 cups flour, 1/2 tsp salt. Filling: 1/3 cup soft butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp cinnamon. Icing: 4 oz cream cheese, 3 tbsp butter, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Mix the milk, yeast, sugar, butter and egg, then add the flour and salt and knead 6 minutes. 2. Cover and let rise 1 hour until doubled. 3. Roll into a 16×12 inch rectangle, spread with butter and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. 4. Roll up tightly, cut 9 rolls and place them in a buttered 10 inch skillet. 5. Rise 30 minutes, then bake at 350°F for 22 to 25 minutes. 6. Beat the icing ingredients and spread over the warm rolls.

Classic Bakery Glazed Cinnamon Rolls

Sometimes you want the simple kind you remember from the mall bakery: tall, golden, and covered in a sweet white glaze that drips down the sides. This version uses the same soft dough with a thin powdered sugar glaze instead of a thick frosting. It is lighter and lets the cinnamon shine. Do you like your glaze thin and drippy or thick and spreadable?

You will need: 1 batch cinnamon roll dough and filling from the first recipe. Glaze: 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 3 to 4 tbsp milk, 1 tsp vanilla, pinch of salt.

How to make it: 1. Make, fill and roll the dough as in the first recipe. 2. Cut into 12 rolls and place them in a buttered 9×13 pan. 3. Let rise 30 to 45 minutes until puffy. 4. Bake at 350°F for 20 to 24 minutes until golden. 5. Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and salt until smooth. 6. Drizzle over the warm rolls.

Skillet Apple Cinnamon Rolls

Add a layer of soft cinnamon apples to the filling and your rolls taste like apple pie for breakfast. Cook the apples for a few minutes first so they do not make the dough soggy. The fruit makes the centers extra juicy, and a vanilla glaze ties it all together. It is a lovely way to use up the last apples of the fall. Would you add raisins or walnuts too?

You will need: 1 batch cinnamon roll dough and filling from the first recipe, 2 apples (peeled and finely diced), 1 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tbsp milk, 1/2 tsp vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Cook the diced apples with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon for 5 minutes and cool. 2. Roll out the dough and spread the filling. 3. Scatter the apples over the top. 4. Roll up, cut into 9 rolls and place in a buttered skillet. 5. Rise 30 minutes and bake at 350°F for 25 to 28 minutes. 6. Whisk the glaze and drizzle over the warm rolls.

Cardamom Knots With Orange Zest

Cardamom buns are the cozy cousin of the cinnamon roll, famous in Sweden and Finland. Freshly ground cardamom gives a warm, floral flavor that pairs beautifully with orange zest. The dough is twisted into a knot, which looks fancy but takes only a little practice. Bake them for a slow weekend breakfast with strong coffee. Have you ever tasted cardamom in a pastry?

You will need: 1 batch cinnamon roll dough from the first recipe with 1 tsp ground cardamom added. Filling: 1/3 cup soft butter, 1/3 cup sugar, 2 tsp ground cardamom, 1 tsp cinnamon, zest of 1 orange. Topping: 1 beaten egg, pearl or coarse sugar.

How to make it: 1. Make the dough with the extra cardamom and let it rise 1 hour. 2. Roll into a rectangle and spread with the filling. 3. Fold the dough in thirds like a letter and cut into 12 strips. 4. Twist each strip and tie it into a knot. 5. Rise 30 minutes, brush with egg and sprinkle with sugar. 6. Bake at 400°F for 12 to 14 minutes.

Sugar Crusted Cinnamon Buns

Not a frosting fan? These buns get brushed with butter right out of the oven and rolled in cinnamon sugar, so every bite has a sweet, sparkly crunch. They taste a little like a cinnamon donut and a little like a snickerdoodle. They are perfect for lunch boxes because there is no sticky icing. Which team are you on: frosting or sugar?

You will need: 1 batch cinnamon roll dough and filling from the first recipe, 4 tbsp melted butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon.

How to make it: 1. Make, fill and roll the dough. 2. Cut into 12 rolls and place them in a buttered muffin pan. 3. Rise 30 minutes. 4. Bake at 375°F for 15 to 18 minutes. 5. Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. 6. Brush each warm bun with melted butter and roll the tops in cinnamon sugar.

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls for Christmas Morning

The best gift on Christmas morning might be not having to make dough at dawn. Shape these the night before, cover the pan and let them rise slowly in the fridge. In the morning, set them on the counter while the oven heats, then bake. Fresh cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting before the presents are even opened? That is a win. Who in your house wakes up first?

You will need: 1 batch cinnamon roll dough and filling from the first recipe, 1/4 cup heavy cream. Frosting: 4 oz cream cheese, 3 tbsp butter, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Make, fill and roll the dough the evening before. 2. Cut into 12 rolls and place them in a buttered 9×13 pan. 3. Cover tightly and refrigerate 8 to 16 hours. 4. In the morning, let the pan sit out for 45 minutes. 5. Pour the cream over the rolls and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. 6. Spread the frosting over the warm rolls.

Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls

Pumpkin puree in the dough makes these rolls extra soft and gives them a beautiful orange glow. The filling gets pumpkin pie spice along with the cinnamon, so they taste like fall in every bite. Top them with a maple glaze for a perfect holiday breakfast. They are a great way to use the leftover half can of pumpkin from your pie. Maple glaze or cream cheese frosting?

You will need: Dough: 1/2 cup warm milk, 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, 4 tbsp melted butter, 1 egg, 3 1/2 cups flour, 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 tsp salt. Filling: 1/3 cup butter, 2/3 cup brown sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice. Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp milk.

How to make it: 1. Mix the dough ingredients and knead 6 minutes. 2. Let rise 1 hour. 3. Roll into a rectangle, spread with butter and sprinkle with the sugar and spices. 4. Roll up, cut 12 rolls and place them in a buttered 9×13 pan. 5. Rise 30 minutes and bake at 350°F for 22 to 25 minutes. 6. Whisk the glaze and drizzle over the warm rolls.

Swedish Kanelbullar With Pearl Sugar

In Sweden, cinnamon buns are so loved that they have their own day, Kanelbullens dag, on October 4. Kanelbullar are less sweet than American rolls, with a hint of cardamom in the dough and crunchy pearl sugar on top instead of icing. They are made for a coffee break, which the Swedes call fika. Would you trade your frosting for pearl sugar?

You will need: 1 batch cinnamon roll dough from the first recipe with 1 tsp ground cardamom added. Filling: 1/3 cup soft butter, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tbsp cinnamon. Topping: 1 beaten egg, 1/4 cup pearl sugar.

How to make it: 1. Make the dough with the cardamom and let it rise 1 hour. 2. Roll into a rectangle and spread with the filling. 3. Roll up and cut into 16 thin slices. 4. Place each slice in a paper muffin liner on a baking sheet. 5. Rise 30 minutes, brush with egg and sprinkle with pearl sugar. 6. Bake at 425°F for 8 to 10 minutes until golden.

Gooey Pecan Sticky Buns

Sticky buns are cinnamon rolls turned upside down. A buttery caramel and pecan layer goes in the bottom of the pan, the rolls sit on top, and after baking you flip the whole thing over. The caramel drips down every side and the pecans get toasty and crisp. Have napkins ready, because these are gloriously messy. Pecans, walnuts or no nuts at all?

You will need: 1 batch cinnamon roll dough and filling from the first recipe. Caramel: 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup honey or corn syrup, 2 tbsp heavy cream, pinch of salt, 1 1/2 cups pecan halves.

How to make it: 1. Melt the butter, brown sugar, honey, cream and salt and pour into a 9×13 pan. 2. Scatter the pecans over the caramel. 3. Make, fill and roll the dough and cut it into 12 rolls. 4. Place the rolls on the pecans and let rise 30 minutes. 5. Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes. 6. Rest 5 minutes, then flip onto a large tray.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread for Toast and French Toast

Same flavors, different shape. Roll the dough into a loaf instead of slicing it into rolls and you get a beautiful swirl in every slice. It makes the best toast with butter, and day old slices turn into amazing French toast. Bake two loaves and give one to a neighbor. Toast with butter or French toast, which would you make first?

You will need: 1 batch cinnamon roll dough from the first recipe. Filling: 2 tbsp soft butter, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tbsp cinnamon. Topping: 1 beaten egg.

How to make it: 1. Make the dough and let it rise 1 hour. 2. Roll into a 9×16 inch rectangle. 3. Spread with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. 4. Roll up tightly from the short end and pinch the seam. 5. Place in a buttered 9×5 loaf pan and rise 45 minutes. 6. Brush with egg and bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes, then cool before slicing.

Cinnamon Sugar Twists, the Quickest Cinnamon Rolls Shortcut

Short on time? Grab a sheet of puff pastry and you can have flaky cinnamon twists in twenty five minutes. They puff up golden and crisp, perfect for dipping in coffee or hot cocoa. For more lazy weekend ideas, see our weekend brunch recipes that beat waiting in line at the cafe. So which cinnamon rolls will you bake first? Tell us in the comments.

You will need: 1 sheet puff pastry (thawed), 3 tbsp melted butter, 1/3 cup sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon. Glaze (optional): 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 tbsp milk.

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet. 2. Unfold the pastry and brush it with melted butter. 3. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over the top. 4. Cut into 1 inch strips. 5. Twist each strip a few times and place it on the sheet. 6. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until puffed and golden, then drizzle with glaze if you like.