The Best Cinnamon Buns

a white pan full of of frosted cinnamon buns.

Course: Bread and Baked Goods

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Prep Time: 45

Cook Time: 35

Rising: 2 30

Total Time: 3 50

Servings: servings*

Calories: 487cal

Author: Ashley Fehr

These are the best Cinnamon Buns you'll ever make! They are soft, fluffy, and have the best gooey caramel sauce in the bottom of the pan. They're easy to make ahead and freezer friendly!

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US Customary - Metric

Ingredients

Dough

½ cup warm water (between 105 and 110 F is best)
2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 package)
½ cup milk
¼ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup sugar (50 grams)
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg (room temperature)
3-4 cups all purpose flour (500 grams)

Sauce

½ cup heavy cream
½ cup corn syrup
½ cup brown sugar (about 85 grams)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Filling

¼ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
¾ cup brown sugar (128 grams)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Cream Cheese Frosting

2 ounces cream cheese room temperature (1/4 package)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup powdered sugar

Instructions

Cinnamon Bun Dough

Dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside for 5-10 minutes until frothy.
In a medium bowl, combine milk, butter, sugar, and salt and microwave on high for 45 seconds. Whisk until butter is melted. Set aside until it is lukewarm in temperature.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or you can mix and knead by hand), combine milk mixture and yeast mixture. Stir in egg (be sure it is not cold!).
With the mixer on low speed and the dough hook on, gradually add in just enough flour so that a soft dough ball forms. It should be soft and slightly tacky, but not sticky.
Drizzle some oil over a large glass bowl. Place dough ball in bowl, and turn so that the dough is lightly coated in oil. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel if desired. Let sit in a warm, draft-free place for 1.5 hours or until doubled in size (the inside of the microwave or the oven with the light on are great options!)

Cinnamon Bun Sauce

Just before your dough is ready to roll, make the sauce.
In a medium saucepan, combine cream, corn syrup, sugar and butter. Heat over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat slightly and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Lightly grease a 9x13" pan and pour prepared sauce into the bottom. Set aside.

Cinnamon Bun Filling**

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Once the dough has risen, remove from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a roughly 14" by 18" rectangle (you can really make them as large or small as you want -- a wider rectangle or square will give fewer, larger rolls. A long skinny rectangle will give more, smaller cinnamon buns).
Spread butter over the dough and sprinkle evenly with brown sugar and cinnamon
Roll the rectangle up tightly, starting at the short end. Pinch the dough together to form a seam at the end.
Trim the ends and slice log in half. Slice each half in half, so you have 4 equal pieces. Cut each piece into 3 equal sections so you have 12 buns. Place in prepared pan on top of sauce.
Cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel or piece of plastic wrap, and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 23-27 minutes, until light golden brown on top and bubbling at the edges.
If desired, turn out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let the caramel sauce run down into the buns. (If you are frosting them, I recommend leaving the gooey sauce at the bottom).

Cream Cheese Frosting

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until smooth.
Add the vanilla and sugar and beat until combined and fluffy. If desired, add a touch more sugar for a thicker frosting.
Spread over cinnamon buns. Serve warm.

Video

Notes

*This recipe makes 12-18 depending on the size of your rolls and the size of your pan. Try to leave 1" in between rolls for them to rise and expand (if you don't, no problem, they just won't puff as much).

Cinnamon Bun Sauce: this is my Grandma's recipe and makes for the gooey-ist cinnamon rolls! You don't have to make the sauce, just be sure to spray your pan well and not to overbake (they will brown on the bottoms more quickly).

**Cinnamon Bun Filling: I always spread the butter on, then sprinkle the sugar over because that's what my mom did! You can mix all the filling ingredients together and then spread over the dough if you prefer.

Whole wheat flour: I often make this recipe with 100% or part whole wheat flour, for a breakfast recipe that's higher in fibre.

Nutrition