When the first Cinnabon shop opened in Seattle’s SeaTac mall in 1985, the smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls turned out to be a better marketing tool than the buns themselves: Within a few years, the stores became a food-court fixture. Recipe developer Jerilyn Brusseau spent three months creating the chain’s classic roll, so it’s no wonder the folks at the Atlanta headquarters keep the recipe tightly guarded. When we called to get the recipe for Lisa Doyle, a reader from Port Washington, NY, a company spokesperson tried to appease us by passing along a generic recipe, but we weren’t having it — the bun didn’t even come with the classic frosting! Food Network Kitchens created these copies, instead.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 3 hr 20 min |
| Active: | 55 min |
| Yield: | 6 cinnamon buns |
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- One 1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)
- 1/4 cup plus 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the bowl
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- All-purpose flour, for dusting
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pan
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/3 heavy cream
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Make the dough: Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over low heat until it reaches about 100. Remove from the heat and sprinkle in the yeast and 1/4 teaspoon sugar (don’t stir). Set aside until foamy, 5 minutes. Whisk in the melted butter, egg yolk and vanilla.
- Whisk the flour, the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, the salt and nutmeg in the bowl of a stand mixer. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until thick and slightly sticky. Knead on medium speed until the dough gathers around the hook, 6 minutes. (Add up to 2 more tablespoons flour if necessary.)
- Remove the dough and shape into a ball. Butter the mixer bowl and return the dough to the bowl, turning to coat with butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, 1 hour 15 minutes.
- Roll out the dough, fill and cut into buns (see Cook’s Note). Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan; place the buns cut-side down in the pan, leaving space between each. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, 40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Bake the buns until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Cool in the pan 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the glaze: Sift the confectioners’ sugar into a bowl, then whisk in the cream and melted butter. Transfer the buns to a rack and spoon the glaze on top while still warm.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 884 |
| Total Fat | 44 g |
| Saturated Fat | 27 g |
| Carbohydrates | 117 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 67 g |
| Protein | 9 g |
| Cholesterol | 146 mg |
| Sodium | 321 mg |
Reviews
Well that backfired on me! Everyone loves these cinnamon buns so much they don’t want any from anywhere else. I will admit they are pretty tasty! I do however add ground cloves to the dough and I triple the cinnamon.
OMG … These were amazingly good!! Yummy!! The only change that I made was to mix the butter and cinnamon sugar together and then spread it out on the dough before rolling. The freshly ground nutmeg in the dough was a great touch.
This is a great recipe one of the best cinnamon roll recipes I have made. For added flavor I butter the outside of the roll and roll it through the cinnamon sugar mix.
These are the BEST cinnamon rolls I have ever made. I love the nutmeg in the dough. The rolls are so fluffy ad soft. I do cut the butter in the filling down and ice them with cream cheese icing. I also add pecans and raisins. It’s a Christmas morning tradition! My grown son said he has never had better!
These are the best cinnamon rolls I have ever made and tasted. I followed the recipe exactly and found it quite easy. I also found that the rolls stayed softer for longer than other cinnamon rolls I have made in the past. Very fluffy and excellent cinnamon taste. If you pass this recipe up, you sure will miss an out of this world cinnamon roll.
Made these this morning and oh my gosh they were amazing! Will definitely make these for family gatherings or special occasions.
I used a different icing. 8oz of creamed cheese (room temp) + 3/4 cup icing sugar + 1/8 cup butter + 1/4 tsp vanilla + salt to taste. Whipped in a food processor. Applied the same way, …while warm. Yummy
I made this recipe Sunday for my wife and granddaughter . It was the best Cinnamon Bun we have ever eaten . Great job FN Kitchen . I’m probably going to make another batch , possibly double to freeze individually
Yummy cinnamon rolls are so tender. This has become a family holiday favorite.
Delicious. I made it just like the recipe but added raisons. I will definitely make these again.