The Secret to Making Fluffy Soft Bakery Style Cinnamon Rolls

For over 20 years, people have been lining up to buy these fluffy, bakery-style cinnamon rolls from me.  They bake up nice and tall,with spirals of gooey cinnamon filling, and a vanilla bean glaze that seeps into all the nooks and crannies so every bite is finger licking good!

I’ll show you step-by-step how to make THE BEST cinnamon rolls you have ever tasted! Plus, all the tricks I’ve learned through years of practice.

Here's What Readers Are Saying

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"Just had the most delicious cinnamon roll. It had just the right amount of icing and a light texture that was not too bready. A great size too. A generous portion without being huge just for the sake of being huge." Martha -Blog reader

What Makes These Bakery-Style Cinnamon Rolls So Good? 

• A dose of heavy cream before baking keeps the rolls soft and tender
• My special ingredient cinnamon roll schmeer that creates extra gooey centers
• A vanilla glaze adds just the right amount of sweetness and locks in the fresh-from the-oven-taste so these delicious cinnamon rolls stay fresh for days. (If they last that long)

Cinnamon Roll Tip #1 Start With the Right Pan

I’ve made this recipe lots of different ways. (On sheet pans, in a casserole dish, individually, and in disposable aluminum pans) 

For the best results, use a non-stick aluminized steel rectangular 9×13 cake pan. The straight sides help the cinnamon rolls bake evenly and give them enough room to rise with flat tops instead of pushing up out of their spirals.

Cinnamon Roll Tip #2 Spacing In The Pan

There are two ways cinnamon rolls are commonly baked: 

• Island Cinnamon Rolls-Rolls have enough space that they don’t touch when baking.
• State Cinnamon Rolls- Each roll is snugged up against another roll, or the side of the pan. 

The softest rolls are when they are baked as “state cinnamon rolls” all together in a 9X13 rectangular cake pan. 

My customers always preferred the “state” cinnamon rolls. (It’s an ongoing debate on my Tiktok channel. You can weigh in here). 

Cnnamon Roll Tip #3 Line With Parchment

Whether you are making cinnamon rolls to devour at home, or you plan to sell them, you’ll want to make sure the gooey filling doesn’t stick to the pan. 

I recommend lining the pan with parchment paper before baking. It keeps each slice looking nice when served and makes cleaning up a breeze. 

The parchment paper that comes in a roll, vs. sheets is the best for covering the bottom and the sides of the pan. 

Cinnamon Roll Tip #4 My Secret Ingredient Schmeer 

Schmeer is a cinnamon roll spread made up of butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and corn syrup. The corn syrup is a trick I picked up from the master baker who taught me how to make these gooey homemade cinnamon rolls. 

The corn syrup and sugar become sticky when baked making an almost caramel-like filling consistency. 

Cinnamon Roll Tip #5 Bake With Heavy Cream

Right before baking, I like to drizzle about half a cup of cream over the tops of the rolls.

This cinnamon roll trick is trending on TikTok right now, but I have been using this technique in my bakeries for years. 

As the rolls bake, the liquid steams in the pan, soaking into the dough and keeping the rolls soft and tender. 

Cinnamon Roll Tip #6 Glaze Rolls While Still Warm

Most cinnamon roll recipes call for cream cheese icing, but I like to finish them with a vanilla glaze. 

It's made with powdered sugar, cream, and vanilla bean paste and you pour the glaze over the rolls while they are still hot so it melts into the layers. 

 The glaze melts into every layer instead of sitting on top, creating that perfect balance of sweet, soft, and sticky.

Ingredients To Make Bakery Style Cinnamon Rolls

There are three components to this recipe. The brioche dough, the sticky schmeer, and the vanilla glaze topping. 

The exact amounts are listed in the recipe card below. 

How to Make These Bakery Style Cinnamon Rolls

Follow these step-by-step instructions to make perfect cinnamon rolls.

Step 1. Scald the Milk and Activate the Yeast

Start by heating the milk until it reaches a simmer, but not a boil. In the microwave, this usually takes about two and a half minutes. Watch closely so it does not boil over.

Once heated, let the milk cool until it feels warm to the touch, not hot. If it feels comfortable on your finger, it is ready.

Stir in 1 tablespoon of the sugar, then sprinkle the yeast over the milk. Let it sit for a few minutes until the yeast dissolves and looks slightly foamy. This tells you the yeast is active.

Step 2. Mix the Dough

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the warm milk mixture, remaining sugar, sour cream, very soft butter, egg, flour and salt.

Mix on low speed for two to three minutes until everything comes together. Increase to medium speed and mix for another five minutes.

The dough will be pretty soft and may not pull away from the sides of the bowl after five minutes of mixing. This is okay. Soft dough equals soft cinnamon rolls. Resist the urge to add more flour. The flour will absorb some of the moisture while the dough proofs.

Step 3. First Rise

Lightly oil a large bowl. Using wet hands, transfer the dough into the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it proof in a warm spot for about one hour, until puffy and expanded.

Step 4. Make the Sticky Schmeer

While the dough rises, prepare the sticky schmeer.

Mix the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and corn syrup until smooth and spreadable.

If the mixture firms up, microwave it for about ten seconds. You want it soft enough to spread easily without tearing the dough.

Step 5. Prepare the Pan

Spray your pan with pan spray, then line it with parchment paper, pressing it into the bottom and sides. Let the parchment hang over the edges slightly so the rolls are easy to lift out after baking.

Step 6. Roll the Dough

Once the dough has finished proofing, it will still feel soft and slightly sticky. That is normal.

Generously flour your work surface, then gently turn the dough out onto the table. Sprinkle a little flour over the top and give it one or two gentle folds to coat the outside and absorb surface stickiness.

Roll the dough into a rectangle about 18 inches wide and 12 inches tall, with the long side facing you.

As you roll, make sure the dough is not sticking underneath. Add a little flour under the dough if needed.

Step 7. Fill, Roll, and Slice

Using an offset spatula, spread the sticky schmeer evenly over the dough, leaving about a one-inch strip along one long edge to seal the roll.

Starting from the long side, roll the dough into a log. Slice into 1½-inch pieces. You should get twelve rolls.

Arrange the rolls in the prepared pan in four rows of three.

Step 8. Second Rise

Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the rolls proof for 30 to 45 minutes. They should be puffy and just starting to touch, but not fully doubled.

While the rolls proof, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Step 9. Bake with Cream

Once the rolls are ready, pour the heavy cream over each roll. Let it gently run down the sides.

As the rolls bake, the cream creates steam in the pan. This keeps the dough soft and helps the centers stay extra gooey instead of drying out.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly golden. The centers should register about 180 to 190 degrees.

Step 10. Glaze While Warm

While the rolls are still warm, whisk together the glaze ingredients until smooth.

Pour or brush the glaze over the rolls, letting it drip down the sides and pool slightly around the edges. The glaze will melt into the layers and soak in, which helps the rolls stay soft and sticky.

These cinnamon rolls stay soft at room temperature for about 24 hours when stored in an airtight container.

Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

To make these cinnamon rolls overnight, follow the recipe through shaping and placing the rolls in the pan. Let them rise until they are about halfway to three-quarters proofed, then cover tightly and refrigerate.

The next day, remove the rolls from the refrigerator while the oven preheats. Spoon the cream over the rolls and bake as directed. The rolls will finish rising as they bake.

Freezing Instructions

To freeze unbaked cinnamon rolls, slice the dough and arrange the rolls in the pan. Cover tightly and freeze immediately.

When ready to bake, thaw the rolls overnight in the refrigerator. Once thawed, let them sit at room temperature while the oven preheats, then spoon the cream over the rolls and bake as directed.

You can also freeze fully baked cinnamon rolls. Let them cool completely, then wrap tightly. Thaw and reheat gently before serving.

FAQs.

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour?

Yes. All-purpose flour works in this recipe. The cinnamon rolls will still be soft and fluffy, but bread flour gives a slightly springier texture.

How do I make these cinnamon rolls with sourdough starter instead of yeast?

Replace the yeast with about 1 cup of active, bubbly sourdough starter and reduce the flour by ½ cup and the milk by ¼ cup. Expect a longer rise time, usually overnight, until the dough is puffy and well fermented. The rest of the process stays the same.

How do I add other fillings?

Pie fillings like apple, cherry, blueberry, or peach work well as cinnamon roll fillings. Spoon a thin, even layer over the dough after spreading the sticky schmeer. Avoid overfilling so the rolls still seal and bake evenly.

Why are my cinnamon rolls dry?

Dry cinnamon rolls are usually caused by too much flour or overbaking. For the softest rolls, measure flour accurately. Weighing flour is best. (4 ½ cups of flour should weigh 650g) This dough should be soft and slightly sticky. A soft dough equals soft cinnamon rolls!

Can I omit the corn syrup in the filling?

Yes, you can omit the corn syrup. The rolls will still be delicious, but the filling will be slightly less sticky and glossy.

Can I make these with cream cheese frosting instead of glaze?

Yes. These cinnamon rolls are delicious with cream cheese frosting if you prefer that classic finish. You can swap the glaze for my Classic Cream Cheese Frosting with I share in this Carrot Cake blog post.