Let Me Tell You About The First Time I Made Homemade Cinnamon Rolls…

Okay, I’ll just be straight with you—my first attempt at homemade cinnamon rolls was sort of a beautiful disaster. Think sticky dough everywhere, flour on the cat (don’t ask), and me calling my mum at 9pm because the yeast didn’t seem to do its job. But somehow, despite it all, those cinnamon rolls were gone before I had time to Instagram them. Something about real, home-baked goodness. And now, whenever I make these, the whole house smells like a bakery—or at least like what I imagine a really nice bakery would. Plus, there’s something about waking up early(ish), hair a mess, flour on your nose, and knowing by brunch time you’ll have warm, soft cinnamon rolls. That just hits the spot. Also, fair warning, I always end up eating too much of the filling “for quality control.”

Why I Keep Making These (Besides Getting Requests All the Time)

Honestly, I pull out this cinnamon roll recipe when someone’s having a rough week. Or when I want to cheer myself up, or—okay, when I’m craving something sweet and carb-y that isn’t just another slice of toast with Nutella. My family goes bananas for these (which is funny because there’s no banana involved, ha!). Oh, and if I skip the icing, I get eye rolls. So, yeah, icing is not optional in my house. Once, I tried to do a quick version with “shortcut” dough; I mean, it was edible, but everyone noticed. This version? Even the picky eaters (my brother-in-law, looking at you) sneak back for seconds.

What You’ll Need (Don’t Stress If You Have to Swap)

2 and 3/4 cups (345g) all-purpose flour — If you’re caught short, I’ve totally snuck in a bit of bread flour. It still turns out good.
1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast — My grandmother always insisted on Red Star, but honestly, any store brand does the trick.
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk, warmed — Or plant-based if that’s your thing! But actually, I did oat milk once and it worked just fine.
1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter, melted — For the dough. Salted works—just cut back on the actual salt.
1 large egg
For the filling: 1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar, 2 Tbsp ground cinnamon (I’ve used a chai spice blend for a twist and I can’t say I hated it), 1/4 cup (55g) softened butter.
For the icing: 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1–2 tbsp milk, splash of vanilla extract (sometimes, I go wild and add a tiny pinch of salt).

How I Actually Make These (And Sometimes Mess Up)

Grab a large bowl. Mix flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. None of that fancy sifting—just use a fork.
Pour in warm milk (not hot! If you can stick your pinky in it, it’s about right), melted butter, and crack in the egg. Go ahead and stir it all together. It should form a shaggy dough that looks borderline questionable. That’s normal.
Knead for about 5 minutes. Either on a floured worktop or, if you can’t be bothered, right in the bowl. I do both, depending on how much cleaning up I want to do later.
Plop the dough ball back in, cover with a clean tea towel, and let it rise somewhere warm until doubled (usually around an hour, though sometimes I check after 45 min… patience is not my virtue!).
Punch it down—gently. Feels weirdly satisfying. Roll it out into something vaguely rectangle-ish, about the size of, say, a chopping board.
Spread that softened butter around with the back of a spoon (or… your fingers, no shame). Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon in a cup and sprinkle it everywhere. Then, roll it up from the long side—don’t stress if it looks lumpy.
Slice into roughly even pieces (8 or 9? Maybe 11 if your rolls are on the faffy side).
Then arrange in a greased 8-inch pan. Leave a bit of space—they’ll puff up happily.
Cover and let them rise again, about 30-40 min. This is where I sneak a taste of the goo that leaks out…
Bake at 350°F (that’s 180°C for my metric mates) for 22–25 min until golden on top and they smell like… well, like cinnamon rolls. Let cool a bit.
Mix powdered sugar, splash of milk, and vanilla in a bowl. If it clumps, just keep whisking (I once tried using a fork because I “couldn’t find the whisk”—pro tip: fork does work okay in a pinch!) Drizzle over the warm rolls, then attack (I mean, gently serve to your lucky eaters).

Some Notes I Stumbled Into (The Hard Way)

If your kitchen is freezing (hello, UK winters), I stick my bowl in the oven with just the light on. Makeshift proofing box, sorts itself out.
I’ve overfloured the dough before—turns out you really don’t need much extra. Otherwise, you’ll get dry rolls. Rubbery cinnamon rolls = sadness.
If you slightly overbake, microwave with a damp paper towel for a few sec’s and they mostly recover (not the same, but still edible).

Things I’ve Tried (Good and Not-So-Good)

Chocolate chips inside? Kids loved, adults so-so.
Orange zest in the icing—actually really brightens it up!
Wholewheat flour for half—um, too dense for me. But maybe you’re healthier than I am.
Once swapped the cinnamon for cardamom. Interesting, but not everyone’s cuppa tea.

Gear Talk (& One Sneaky Workaround for the Pan)

I usually grab my trusty 8-inch ceramic pan for these. But, if all your decent pans have, ahem, disappeared (hello, housemates)—a cast iron skillet works just as well. Or bake them as pull-apart rolls on a baking sheet; the outer ones get a bit crispier, but they’re still lush. And if you don’t have a rolling pin, a cleaned wine bottle gets the job done in a pinch.

Keeping Them Sort of Fresh (Not That They Ever Last Long…)

Look, I’ve read all those tips about airtight containers and all, but honestly, in my house, they don’t last past breakfast. If you’re more self-controlled, store in a container at room temp for a day or two. Or, freeze un-iced ones and warm them up with new icing when you’re ready. (Here’s a link from King Arthur Baking if you want the specifics—mine never make it that far!)

When to Serve Them Up (& My Family’s Odd Little Habit)

Sunday mornings, big mugs of tea. Or after a hike (energy, right?!). Sometimes we put a spoonful of jam on top (I know, controversial) or serve with maple bacon for proper brunch. One cousin insists on eating hers cold, straight from the fridge. To each their own, I suppose.

Things I Wish I’d Known (Pro-ish Tips)

I once rushed that first rise, chucked them in the oven a bit early. Never again; the texture wasn’t right—just wait, honestly, it’s worth it.
If your filling is leaking everywhere, maybe slap some parchment down next time. Less cleaning, more enjoying.
Don’t put on the icing when they’re too hot; I once did, and it just ran everywhere. Now I actually wait 10 min.

Your Questions (& My Sometimes Rambly Answers)

Can I make these ahead of time?: Yep! Prep, shape, and pop in the fridge overnight (wrap well so they don’t dry out). In the morning, let them sit out for 30 min, then bake. A post on Sally’s Baking Addiction has good tips—I, uhh, borrowed some.
What if I don’t have instant yeast?: Active dry works, too—just let it dissolve in the warm milk with the sugar for about 5 min before mixing in.
Can I halve the recipe?: For sure. I’ve done it when I, for once, didn’t want an entire pan sitting around, tempting me at all hours. Just use a smaller pan.
They came out doughy in the middle—help?: May need to bake longer (sometimes mine need 5 extra min if my oven’s being moody). Or, they may have just been cut too thick. Still edible—just pretend it’s bread pudding!

Anyway, if you’ve made it this far, I salute you. Cinnamon rolls aren’t exactly health food, but sometimes happy hearts matter more than perfect macros. And if you do end up with flour on your pet… well, now you know you’re a real home baker. Let me know how it goes—especially if you have any epic disasters or genius tweaks!

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls