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Nothing beats warm, sticky homemade cinnamon rolls fresh from the oven. Drizzled with a vanilla glaze these are an extra indulgent treat.
Don’t want to wait for your Cinnamon Rolls? Try my Quick Rise Cinnamon Rolls for a speedy shortcut!
These are my very best cinnamon rolls! They’re big, soft, fluffy, and absolutely delectable. Once you try them, you’ll never go back to any other recipe! Here you’ll learn how to make them right away or overnight for warm, fresh Cinnamon Rolls first thing in the morning!
My Secret Ingredient
Ready For my secret ingredients that make this cinnamon rolls recipe different than all the rest? Vanilla Beans – I mix it into the melted butter before adding the cinnamon for a depth of flavor that can’t be beat.
Not only that, but I use it in the glaze as well. If you don’t have vanilla bean pods, that’s ok vanilla bean paste works just as well and in a pinch, you can use vanilla extract too.
Why This Recipe Works
- Using a mixture of both brown and white sugar in the filling cuts the sweetness and adds rich caramel undertones.
- Mixing Vanilla bean into the filling and glaze adds a warmth and depth of flavor.
- Using butter in the glaze adds a buttery richness.
- Using a vanilla glaze instead of frosting makes the cinnamon rolls the star of the show instead of being overpowered by frosting.
How To Make Glazed Cinnamon Buns
In a small bowl, dissolve active dry yeast in a 1?4 cup of the hot milk (110°F) and set aside.
In a large bowl mix milk, sugar, melted butter, salt, and egg.
Add 2 cups of flour and mix until smooth. Add yeast mixture. Mix in more flour as needed until dough is formed but still a bit sticky (this isn’t as easy to work with, but makes a lovely soft bun).
If you want to use Quick Rise Yeast, you can still make this recipe. To do so, just skip adding the yeast to the warm milk and add the yeast directly to the bowl.
Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 to 10 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in size, usually 1-2 hours.
Punch the down dough and roll out on a floured surface into a rectangle.
Remove the beans from ½ vanilla pod by cutting down the center and scraping out the beans.
Add to the melted butter Spread vanilla melted butter all over the dough. Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over buttered dough.
Beginning at the 15-inch side, roll up the dough and pinch the edge together to seal. Cut into 12 slices.
Cut into 12 slices and place them about 2 inches apart in a greased 13×9 pan.
Let the rolls rise until they are doubled (about 45 minutes to an hour). Bake for 20 – 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Prepare the glaze and spread over the warm buns before serving.
Using A Stand Mixer to Knead the dough
- Attach the dough hook to the mixer.
- Add the 2 cups of flour to the wet ingredients and knead on low speed for 5 minutes. Check the consistency and add more flour if necessary (the dough should feel soft and moist, not sticky).
- Knead on low speed for five more minutes or until it clears the sides of the mixing bowl.
- Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead it by hand for about 30 seconds.
How To Make Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
If you want to serve your buns in the morning, prepare them the day before. Here’s how:
- Prepare the buns as directed.
- After cutting the rolls and placing them in the pan, cover them, and place the pan in the fridge overnight (instead of letting them rise a second time).
- In the morning take the buns from the fridge and place them in a cold oven. Set the oven temperature and bake for 40 – 45 minutes. By the time the oven gets to baking temperature, the buns will have their second rise.
Tips For Perfect Cinnamon Rolls
- If you want to use Quick Rise Yeast, you can still make this recipe. To do so, just skip adding the yeast to the warm milk and add the yeast directly to the bowl.
- Be sure the milk you use is warm (it should be about 110°F/43°C). If it is too hot it will kill the yeast and if it’s too cold, the yeast won’t activate.
- Use a room temperature egg in the dough: When using cold eggs in yeast dough it could affect the yeast activating.
- Be sure to flour your kneading and rolling surface as well as the rolling pin to prevent the dough from sticking to the surface or the rolling pin.
- If you don’t have vanilla bean pods, that’s ok vanilla bean paste works just as well and in a pinch, you can use vanilla extract too.
More Great Buns & Rolls
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Recipe
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1¼ cups hot milk (about 110°F/43°C)
- 2¼ teaspoons instant dry yeast
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (at room temperature)
- 2 oz butter ((¼ cup/4 tablespoons/½ stick), melted)
- 3 to 4 cups all-purpose
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the filling:
- Beans from ½ Vanilla pod ((substitution: 1½ teaspoons Vanilla bean paste or extract))
- 1.5 oz melted butter plus more for pan (3 tablespoons)
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For the glaze:
- 2 oz butter ((¼ cup/4 tablespoons/½ stick), melted)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- Beans from ½ Vanilla pod ((substitution: 1½ teaspoons Vanilla bean paste or extract))
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in a ¼ cup of the hot milk and set aside.
- In a large bowl mix milk, sugar, melted butter, salt, and egg.
- Add 2 cups of flour and mix until smooth. Add yeast mixture. Mix in more flour as needed until dough is formed but still a bit sticky (this isn’t as easy to work with, but makes a lovely soft bun)
- Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 to 10 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size, usually 2 to 3 hours.
- When doubled in size, punch down dough.
- Roll out on a floured surface into a 15 by 9-inch rectangle.
- Scrape the beans from ½ vanilla pod to the melted butter (see post for instructions and photos).
- Spread vanilla melted butter all over the dough.
- Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over buttered dough.
- Beginning at the 15-inch side, roll up the dough and pinch edge together to seal. Cut into 12 slices.
- Place the buns into a 13×9 pan about 2 inches apart. Cover with a clean dish towel and leave in a warm place to rise until dough is doubled (about 45 minutes to an hour).
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 20 – 30 minutes or until golden brown.
- Meanwhile, In a mixing bowl whisk together the melted butter, the beans from the remaining half vanilla pod, and powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk.
- Add in more milk as needed 1 tablespoon at a time until it is the desired consistency.
- Spread over warm buns to glaze or wait until the buns cool for iced buns.
Tips
- If you want to use Quick Rise Yeast, you can still make this recipe. To do so, just skip adding the yeast to the warm milk and add the yeast directly to the bowl.
- Be sure the milk you use is warm (it should be about 110°F/43°C). If it is too hot it will kill the yeast and if it’s too cold, the yeast won’t activate.
- Use a room temperature egg in the dough: When using cold eggs in yeast dough it could affect the yeast activating.
- Be sure to flour your kneading and rolling surface as well as the rolling pin to prevent the dough from sticking to the surface or the rolling pin.
- If you don’t have vanilla bean pods, that’s ok vanilla bean paste works just as well and in a pinch, you can use vanilla extract too.
Save to favoritesYour saved recipes will be right here waiting for you every time you visit, so you can easily find and make the meals you love.This recipe was originally published as Vanilla Bean Cinnamon Buns in 2017 but was replaced by Homemade Cinnamon buns in 2020.
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