This cinnamon scrolls recipe makes soft, fluffy rolls with a buttery cinnamon swirl and a simple glaze. They take a few hours, but most of that is waiting while the dough rises.
You can bake them the same day, or shape them the night before and bake fresh in the morning.
Table of Contents
Same day or overnight: your timeline
| Step | Same day | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Mix and knead | 15 minutes | Evening |
| First rise | 60 to 75 minutes | Evening |
| Roll, fill and slice | 15 minutes | Evening |
| Second rise | 35 to 45 minutes | In the fridge overnight (up to 16 hours) |
| Bake and glaze | 25 minutes | Morning, after 45 to 60 minutes on the bench |
3 things that make scrolls fluffy
Knead long enough. 8 to 10 minutes in a mixer, or about 12 by hand. Stretch a small piece. If it goes thin enough for light to pass through, it’s ready.
Keep the dough soft. A slightly sticky dough bakes softer. Oil your hands instead of adding lots of flour.
Rise somewhere warm. Around 26 to 28°C is ideal. Shaped scrolls are ready when they look puffy and spring back slowly when pressed.
Ingredients for this cinnamon scrolls recipe
- Flour: plain flour works. Bread flour gives extra height.
- Yeast: instant yeast goes straight in. If you only have active dry yeast, let it foam in the warm milk first.
- Milk and egg: they keep the dough soft and rich. Full cream milk tastes best.
- Brown sugar: melts into a sticky swirl in the filling.
- Cinnamon: use a fresh jar. Old spice tastes flat. Add a pinch of cardamom if you like more spice.
Cinnamon Scrolls Recipe
Course: DessertCuisine: AustralianDifficulty: Easy12
scrolls25
minutes25
minutes340
kcal1
hour45
minutes2
hours35
minutesSoft, fluffy scrolls with a buttery cinnamon swirl, finished with a simple vanilla glaze or tangy cream cheese icing. Bake the same day or shape them the night before.
Ingredients
- Dough
250 ml warm full cream milk, about 38°C
2¼ tsp instant yeast, 7 g
60 g caster sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
60 g unsalted butter, very soft
½ tsp vanilla extract
450 g plain flour, plus 2 to 4 tbsp extra only if needed
¾ tsp fine salt
- Filling
90 g unsalted butter, very soft
150 g brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Optional 80 g raisins or finely diced apple
- Vanilla milk glaze
180 g icing sugar, sifted
1 to 2 tbsp warm milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
- Cream cheese icing option
120 g cream cheese, room temperature
40 g unsalted butter, room temperature
150 g icing sugar, sifted
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 to 2 tsp lemon juice to taste
Directions
- Make the dough
- Add warm milk and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle in 1 tsp of the sugar and let it sit for 5 minutes until lightly foamy. Add remaining sugar, egg, very soft butter and vanilla. Mix briefly. Add flour and salt. Mix on low with a dough hook until a rough dough forms, then increase to medium and knead 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl but still feel soft. If it is very sticky, add a tablespoon of flour at a time and knead again before adding more.
- First rise
- Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled. This usually takes 60 to 75 minutes.
- Prepare the filling
- Stir the soft butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt to a spreadable paste. Line your pan with baking paper and lightly grease the sides.
- Roll and fill
- Tip the dough onto a lightly floured bench. Roll into a 35 × 45 cm rectangle with the long side facing you. Spread the cinnamon paste over the surface, leaving a 1 cm border along the long side farthest from you. Sprinkle raisins or apple if using.
- Roll the log
- Starting from the long side closest to you, roll the dough away from you into a tight log. Pinch the seam to seal.
- Slice
- Use unflavoured dental floss for clean spirals. Slide the floss under the log, cross the ends over the top and pull to cut. Cut into 12 even pieces. Place them in the pan, leaving a little space between each.
- Second rise
- Cover the pan and let the scrolls rise until puffy and almost touching. This usually takes 35 to 45 minutes depending on room temperature. They should look like little pillows and bounce back slowly when gently pressed.
- Bake
- Heat oven to 180°C. Bake the scrolls on the middle rack for 22 to 25 minutes until lightly golden on top and 93°C in the centre if you use a thermometer. If browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the last minutes.
- Glaze
- For the vanilla glaze, whisk icing sugar with milk, vanilla and a pinch of salt until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over warm scrolls.
- For cream cheese icing, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add icing sugar, vanilla and lemon juice and beat until fluffy. Spread over cooled scrolls.
Notes
- Extra soft: pour 3 tablespoons thickened cream into the pan just before baking. It turns into a light syrup and keeps the scrolls moist.
- Cold kitchen: warm the oven for 2 minutes, turn it off, then put the covered bowl inside with the light on.
- Mini scrolls: roll the dough to 30 x 50 cm, cut 18 pieces and bake for 15 to 18 minutes.
- Overnight: put the pan in the fridge after slicing. Next day, leave it on the bench until puffy, then bake.
- Bread flour: add 1 to 2 tablespoons extra milk, as it soaks up more liquid.
Cinnamon scrolls troubleshooting
- Dough not rising: check your yeast is fresh and move the bowl somewhere warmer.
- Dough too sticky: oil your hands and bench. Only add flour a tablespoon at a time.
- Scrolls unwind: roll the log tightly, pinch the seam closed and place each piece seam side down.
- Dense scrolls: they didn’t rise long enough. Wait until they look puffy and almost touch.
- Tops browning too fast: cover loosely with foil for the last few minutes.
Variations
- Sticky caramel: pour melted butter and brown sugar into the pan first, then flip after baking.
- Apple cinnamon: scatter finely diced apple over the filling.
- Sultana swirl: add soaked sultanas for a classic bakery feel.
- Pecan: add chopped pecans to the filling.
- Egg free: swap the egg for 60 ml extra milk and 1 tablespoon oil.
Make ahead and storage
Cinnamon scrolls are best on the day. Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days and warm them for 10 seconds in the microwave.
Freeze baked, unglazed scrolls for up to 2 months. Thaw, warm in a low oven, then glaze.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I make this cinnamon scrolls recipe without a stand mixer?
Yes. Mix with a wooden spoon, then knead by hand for about 12 minutes.
How do I know the dough is kneaded enough?
It should look smooth and feel bouncy. Stretch a small piece. If it goes thin enough for light to pass through, it’s ready.
Can I use self-raising flour?
No. Use plain flour or bread flour. Self-raising flour gives an odd texture with yeast.
How do I cut neat cinnamon scrolls?
Use unflavoured dental floss. It cuts cleanly without squashing the log.
Can I make cinnamon scrolls the night before?
Yes. Shape them, cover the pan and refrigerate for up to 16 hours. Leave on the bench for 45 to 60 minutes, then bake.
This cinnamon scrolls recipe is mostly waiting time. Use the overnight option for an easy weekend breakfast, and pick the glaze you like best.
Enjoy them warm,
Ella x
