Cinnamon Rolls From Heaven
You’ll never want to open a can of refrigerated cinnamon rolls again! These Cinnamon Rolls From Heaven are magical. Deliciously ooey, gooey, soft and buttery buns straight from the pearly gates above, with easy steps any armature baker can follow!
What You’ll Love About Cinnamon Rolls From Heaven:
- Easy step-by-step instructions
- Simple ingredients
- Soft and buttery
- A great recipe for any special occasion
- Can be prepped a day in advance
- Freezer friendly
This is another fantastic recipe from my mama Kay that has been a Christmas brunch tradition for many years, including my Roasted Maple Bacon.
Nothing says I love you like a delicious baked sweet treat. These Cinnamon Rolls From Heaven will become a cherished recipe you’ll love sharing with all the special people in your life.
These rolls bake up soft and fluffy and have an incredible sweet buttery glaze that bakes right into the buns giving it irresistible texture and taste. The steps and ingredients are simple anyone can perfect these in one try.
I love that you can prep them the day before and just pop in the oven in the morning. It’s the perfect recipe for any holiday.
And if you’re not convinced, let me assure you I don’t bake a whole lot and certainly when it comes to breads and yeast, and rising steps, I am little intimidated. These truly come out perfect every time!
Check out all my tips, tricks, and detailed step-by-step instructions below!
Simple Ingredients:
Yeast Ingredients For Activation Step:
- Yeast, sugar, and warm water- I use active dry yeast for these cinnamon rolls which require a separate activation step to ensure a soft dough. Yeast is mixed with warm water and sugar. The sugar feeds the yeast accelerating the fermentation process.
Dough Ingredients:
- Milk- I like to use 2% or whole milk for richness. You can also use buttermilk but I would not recommend non-fat milk. Milk is used in both the dough and the sweet glaze over the rolls.
- White sugar- White sugar is used to sweetened the dough.
- Butter- Butter is essential for a tender dough and rich flavor.
- Salt- I use kosher salt to balance the flavors.
- Egg- The egg will provide structure to the dough and also add richness.
- Flour- I use all-purpose white flour for this recipe for the perfect tender dough.
Brown Sugar Filling:
- Butter- You’ll want to use lots of butter when layering the filling.
- Brown sugar- Offers a sweet layer inside the rolls. You’ll use this to spread over the dough before rolling into shape.
- Cinnamon- It’s not cinnamon rolls without cinnamon!
Sweet Glaze:
- Sweetened condensed milk- This will contribute to the sweet buttery sauce the rolls bake in. It keeps them moist and adds a wonderful gooey bottom on each cinnamon roll.
- Other ingredients- Melted butter, milk, and sugar.
Step-By-Step Instructions With Pictures:
See full instructions in recipe card below
Step One. In a small bowl mix together yeast, white sugar, and warm water. Allow to rest undisturbed for 10-minutes. The mixture will begin to rise and foam.
Step Two. While the yeast is proofing, add warm milk, sugar, softened butter, salt, and egg to a stand mixer. Use the paddle attachment and mix until combined. Your butter however will still be lumpy and that’s okay.
Step Three. Switch to the dough attachment and add yeast mixture and part of the flour. Mix until smooth. Add the remaining flour and stir by hand with a large spoon until just combined. There will still be some loose bits of flour.
Step Four. Pour dough out on a clean surface and knead a few times using flour as needed until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky. Form into a ball and place in a large bowl greased with butter and allow to rise for 1 1/2 hours or until almost doubled in size.
Step Five. When dough has doubled in size, punch down the center of the dough ball with your fist and allow to rest for 5-minutes. The resting time will help the glutens strands to relax making it easier to work with and roll out.
Step Six. Roll out dough on a clean surface dusted with flour until you have a rectangle. Spread a generous amount of softened butter, then a layer of cinnamon and sugar, and a final layer of brown sugar.
Step Seven. Start on one of the sides (not the ends) of the dough and roll semi-tightly until you have one long roll. Use a sharp knife to slice and make a total of 8 rolls.
Step Eight. Place rolls in a 9Ă—13 baking dish making sure they are not touching.
Step Nine. Make the sweet glaze by combining sweetened condensed milk, melted butter, milk, and sugar. Pour mixture over the cinnamon rolls.
Step Ten. Allow the cinnamon rolls to rise for an additional 45-minutes in the baking dish, then bake in preheated oven set at 350℉ for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown on top. Add cream cheese frosting if desired or enjoy with the extra sweet glaze.
Option To Bake The Same Day Or Prep One-Day In Advance:
- If baking the same day, allow the cinnamon rolls to rise for an additional 45-minutes. At that point the rolls should be touching. Bake in a 350° oven for 30-35 minutes.
- If prepping one-day in advance, cover unbaked rolls tightly with plastic wrap or foil and place in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator 30-minutes before baking and preheat oven. Cinnamon rolls may not have risen much but that’s okay! Proceed with the baking time and they come out puffed, fluffy, and perfectly delicious.
Freezer Friendly Cinnamon Rolls:
Baked cinnamon rolls with keep in the freezer in a sealed freezer safe container up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, place in the refrigerator to thaw or place on the counter until completely thawed. Warm in the microwave and enjoy.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
I like to make a simple 3-ingredient cream cheese frosting by combining 1 block of very soft cream cheese, 2 cups of powdered sugar, and 1-2 tsp of vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and creamy. Serve on the side so each person can add frosting or enjoy with the sweet glaze.
Important Tips:
- đź’ˇMake sure water and milk are warm not hot- You’ll want to be sure your water mixed with yeast and your milk for the dough feels warm to the touch not hot. If it’s too hot, it will kill the yeast and your cinnamon rolls won’t rise. A simple way to test this without a thermometer is by adding a splash of the liquid to the inside of your wrist. It should fee comfortably warm. If you feel more comfortable testing for the perfect temp, use a liquid thermometer to reach 105°-115°.
- đź’ˇUse fresh ingredients- It’s important to make sure your baking ingredients and yeast are fresh so the cinnamon rolls rise properly. Do not use expired items.
- đź’ˇDon’t use too much flour while kneading the dough or when rolling out- Only use flour as needed so the dough doesn’t stick to your hands or the surface you are rolling on. Too much flour incorporated in the dough will change the texture of the cinnamon rolls and may cause uneven rising in the oven.
- 💡Make sure the dough has a chance to rise in a dry semi-warm area- I like to heat the oven to 175℉, then turn off the heat and place the bowl with the dough covered with a kitchen towel in the center of the oven. Leave the oven door slightly open for 15-minutes, then close it for the remaining rise time.
Common Questions:
This could be due to expired ingredients, too much salt or flour, or not allowing enough time for rising.
If your rolls come out hard this is because the dough was over-worked too much. When mixing the flour with the wet ingredients, mix just until the dough comes together and it pulls away from the side of the bowl. It should be tacky not sticky like glue.
Once your rolls have risen it is best to proceed with the instructions. Over-rising can cause the rolls to over-proof and may collapse in the oven and not puff when they bake.
Unfortunately, no. While a lot of baked goods can replace regular all-purpose flour with GF, it’s important when making Gluten-free cinnamon rolls that you stick with a recipe that is specific to GF. Here is a recipe I would recommend. The best gluten free cinnamon rolls.
If storing at room temperature, cinnamon rolls will stay fresh up to 2 days. Make sure to store them in an airtight container. You can also place them in the refrigerator for 5-6 days.
If you don’t have a stand mixer no problem! Just use a large bowl and a wooden spoon or spatula to mix ingredients in each step.
Other Recipes You Might Enjoy:
- Upside Down Orange French Toast
- Sheet Pan Strawberry Pancakes
- Vanilla Buttermilk Waffles
- Caramel Apple French Toast Bake
- Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole
- Ham and Eggs Brunch Enchiladas
Cinnamon Rolls From Heaven
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer with paddle and dough hook attachment optional
- 1 medium bowl
- 1 small bowl
- 1 9Ă—13-inch baking dish
Ingredients
Yeast Ingredients:
- 1 (0.25) ounce packet, quick rising yeast
- 1/2 tsp white granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup warm water, between 105°-115° see tips in notes for testing water
Dough Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup warm milk, between 105°-115° see tips in notes for testing milk
- 1/3 cup white granulated sugar
- 7 tbsp softened butter salted or unsalted
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading and dusting your work surface
Filling:
- 1/4 cup very soft butter, not melted
- 2 tbsp cinnamon sugar, mix 1 tbsp white sugar with 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
Sweet Glaze:
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk not evaporated
- 1 stick melted butter, 8 tbsp
- 1/2 cup milk, 2% or whole
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
Optional Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 (8) ounce block of softened cream cheese
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Note: These instructions are for same-day baking. See notes below for one-day in advance.
- In a small bowl mix together 1 packet of yeast, 1/2 tsp white sugar, and 1/2 cup warm water. Allow to rest undisturbed for 10-minutes. The mixture will begin to expand and foam on top.
- While the yeast is proofing add 1/2 cup warm milk, 1/3 cup sugar, 7 tbsp softened butter, 1 tsp salt, and 1 egg to your stand mixer. See notes for making rolls without a stand mixer. Use the paddle attachment and mix until combined. Your butter however will still be lumpy and that’s okay.
- Switch to the dough attachment and add yeast mixture and 2 cups of flour. Mix on medium speed until dough comes together and is smooth. You may need to scrape down the bowl 1-2 times in-between mixing. Pull off the hook attachment and add the remaining 2 cups of flour. Use a large wooden spoon or spatula and stir by hand until just combined. There will still be some loose bits of flour.
- Pour dough out on a clean surface and knead a few times, using flour as needed, until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky but not sticking to your hands. This takes about 5-8 minutes. Form into a ball and place in a large bowl greased with butter. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rise in a semi-warm area for 1 1/2 hours or until almost doubled in size. See notes for tips when rising dough.
- When the dough ball has doubled in size, punch down the center of the dough ball using your fist and allow to rest for 5-minutes. The resting time will help the glutens strands to relax making it easier to work with and roll out.
- Use a rolling pin to roll out dough on a clean surface dusted with flour until you have a rectangle shape, about 14Ă—8 inches. Spread 1/4 cup softened butter, then sprinkle over 2 tbsp cinnamon and sugar, and the final layer, 3/4 cup brown sugar.
- Start on one of the sides (not the ends) of the dough and roll semi-tightly until you have one long roll. See post for image. Use a sharp knife to slice and make a total of 8 rolls.
- Place rolls in a 9Ă—13 baking dish greased with butter, making sure they are not touching.
- Meanwhile, make the sweet glaze by combining 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk, 8 tbsp melted butter, 1/2 cup milk, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Pour mixture over the cinnamon rolls then cover again with a clean kitchen towel. Allow to rise another 45-minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Once cinnamon rolls have risen they should be touching at this point. Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown on top and the center springs back when you touch it. Serve with cream cheese frosting if desired and extra sweet glaze.
Notes
- Make sure water and milk are warm not hot- You’ll want to be sure your water mixed with yeast and your milk for the dough feels warm to the touch not hot. If it’s too hot it will kill the yeast and your cinnamon rolls won’t rise. A simple way to test this without a thermometer is by adding a splash of the liquid to the inside of your wrist. It should fee comfortably warm. If you feel more comfortable testing for the perfect temp, use a liquid thermometer to reach 105°-115°.
- Use fresh ingredients- It’s important to make sure your baking ingredients and yeast are fresh so the cinnamon rolls rise properly. Do not use expired items.
- Don’t use too much flour while kneading the dough or when rolling out- Only use flour as needed so the dough doesn’t stick to your hands or the surface you are rolling on. Too much flour incorporated in the dough will change the texture of the cinnamon rolls and may cause uneven rising in the oven.
- Make sure the dough has a chance to rise in a dry semi-warm area- I like to heat the oven to 175℉, then turn off the heat and place the bowl with the dough covered with a kitchen towel in the center of the oven. Leave the oven door slightly open for 15-minutes, then close it for the remaining rise time.
- If prepping one-day in advance, cover unbaked rolls that have the sweet glaze, tightly with plastic wrap or foil. No need to let rise for the 45-min rise step. Place in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator 30-minutes before baking and preheat oven. Cinnamon rolls may not have risen much but that’s okay! Proceed with the baking time and they come out puffed, fluffy, and perfectly delicious.
Nutrition
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