Make your own cinnamon raisin rolls from scratch with our fail proof recipe. Learn how to make these delicious rolls in a few simple steps.
If you love eating sweet breads, you'll need to try our copycat Cinnabon cinnamon rolls or our cinnamon babka.
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Ingredients
You don't need anything fancy to whip up these cinnamon raisin rolls! Let's talk about the key ingredients in this simple sweet bread recipe.
- Bread Flour: This type of flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose, making the rolls rise higher and have a fluffier texture.
- Cinnamon: I like to use good quality Saigon cinnamon since it has a wonderful flavor and warmth that is lacking in regular Ceylon cinnamon.
- Marmalade: You can glaze the rolls with warmed, sieved marmalade to give them a sticky crust and glorious shine. Apricot jam also works really well.
How to Make
- Pour the bread flour into a bowl and mix in the salt and yeast on opposite sides.
- Add in the spices, sugar, orange zest, egg, butter, and half of the milk and mix to form a dough. Gradually add the remaining milk to form a slightly sticky dough.
3. Knead the dough until it's stretchy and passes the windowpane test as described in the recipe card.
4. Shape into a bowl and place in a covered bowl and let it prove until it's at least doubled in size, about 1 hour.
5. Punch down, roll out into a rectangle, and spread with softened butter. Sprinkle cinnamon and raisins on top. Roll the dough up tightly from one of the short ends of the rectangle, pinch the seams to seal, and slice into buns.
6. Place the buns in a greased 9x13-inch pan. Let them prove until springy to the touch, about 45 minutes.
7. Bake them at 375°F for 20-25 minutes, until well browned.
8. Brush the buns with warm apricot jam to give them a lovely shine and sticky exterior.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can definitely soak raisins before adding to bread dough to make them softer and juicier. You can soak raisins in a little boiling water, but you can also soak them in juice, tea, or alcohol such as rum or brandy. Whatever liquid you choose, soak them for 20-30 minutes, then drain them and use in the cinnamon rolls.
The main thing is to avoid overbaking them. Take the rolls out as soon as they have an internal temperature of 190°F on a digital thermometer, and they'll stay soft and tender. Overbaking will cause them to be dry and unappetizing.
Good cinnamon rolls should have a slight chewiness and fluffiness to them, which comes from using bread flour instead of all-purpose. However, if your rolls are excessively chewy, they may have been kneaded too long or didn't rise long enough.
It depends on the texture you're looking for. If you want soft, gooey cinnamon rolls, then make sure that the sides touch when they're rising. If you want firm edges all the way around, spread the rolls farther apart on a cookie sheet.
Serve
Many families in the U.S. like to serve homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast hot out of the oven on Christmas morning or for other special days. If you are looking to round out your breakfast, we suggest a fruit salad, a vegetable omelet, and coffee.
If you like to serve a icing on top, instead of a marmalade glaze, we suggest a sugar glaze or a cream cheese frosting. You can spread the glaze or frosting on as soon as they come out of the oven so it soaks into the rolls.
Store
- Overnight: Mix up the dough, let it rise, then shape the cinnamon rolls as written. Tightly cover the pan of rolls and let them rise in the fridge for 8-12 hours. The next day, let them warm up to room temperature for 1 hour, then bake as directed.
- Freeze: Yes, you can freeze them. Let the buns cool completely, then seal them inside of zip-top freezer bags and freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost in the microwave or at room temperature.
Expert Tips
- Use a kitchen scale to measure dry ingredients. This is quicker and more accurate than using cups.
- Always use bread flour. All-purpose cannot give you the same high-rising, fluffy buns because it's lower in protein.
- Knead sufficiently. Use the windowpane test as described in the recipe card to see if the dough is kneaded enough.
- Dough rising too slowly? Place the dough in a cold oven and place a pan of boiling water on the shelf beneath.
- Leftovers? Store at room temperature in a zip-top bag for up to 24 hours for best freshness, or freeze for up to 1 month.
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Recipe
Cinnamon Raisin Rolls
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 4 ¼ cups bread flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 ¼ teaspoons fast-action yeast
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 ¼ cup whole milk
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter or coconut oil
- 1 large egg
For the Filling
- 3 ½ tablespoons salted butter or coconut oil, softened
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup raisins
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For the Decoration
- ½ cup marmalade or apricot jam
Instructions
Making the Dough
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, then add the milk and heat to 100-110°F.
- Put the flour into a large bowl. Add the salt and yeast on opposite sides of the bowl, and stir each one in with your finger. Dump in the sugar and orange zest, and mix everything together with your hand.
- Pour in the milk, butter, and beaten egg and mix by hand until everything is fully incorporated.
- Knead on a lightly floured countertop for 5 to 10 minutes until the dough is stretchy, smooth, and no longer extremely sticky. Be careful not to add too much flour at this stage, or the dough will be tough and dry.
- Form the dough into a ball, then prove in a lightly oiled bowl covered tightly with cling wrap for about 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until at least doubled in size.
Assembling the Buns
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured cutting board, and punch it down all over to knock out the air. Roll the dough out to an approximately 13" by 17" rectangle.
- Spread the softened butter all over the dough, making sure to get right to the edge. Then, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle it evenly across the dough. Scatter the raisins on top.
- Roll up the dough, starting with one of the short ends. Be sure to roll tightly to get a good shape. Seal the ends and seam by pinching them closed.
- Cut off the ends of the roll, then mark it into 12 equal pieces. Wrap a piece of thread around the roll and pull it tightly until it cuts through the dough. This will keep the spiral shape intact.
- Place the buns in a greased 9x13-inch pan. Cover with plastic wrap and leave to prove for 30-45 minutes. The sides of the rolls should be touching once they are proved, and they should barely spring back when prodded.
- About 20-30 minutes before they are done proving, preheat the oven to 375°F.
Baking & Decorating
- Bake them in the center of the oven for 20-25 minutes. If the filling starts to burn, cover with aluminum foil. The buns should be a rich golden brown, but not too dark.
- While they are baking, heat the marmalade or jam in a small pot until warm, stirring frequently, then push through a sieve to remove the lumps of fruit. Then, brush the sieved jam all over the buns while they are still hot.
- Let the rolls cool before tearing them apart and serving. Eat them warm with soft butter.
Notes
- Weigh dry ingredients on a kitchen scale for a quick and accurate measurement.
- Be sure to use bread flour. All-purpose is lower in protein and won't give you the best results.
- Make sure the dough is kneaded enough. Use the windowpane test as described above to check it.
- Dough rising too slowly? Place the dough in a cold oven and place a pan of boiling water on the shelf beneath.
- Want an icing? Use this recipe and spread it on the rolls as soon as they come out of the oven. You can also use a quick icing made from sifted icing sugar and water.
Nutrition
Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.
This cinnamon raisin rolls recipe was originally published on August 15, 2017 and was updated with new photos and updated content on July 16, 2022.
Judith
making these for the second time today, but puzzled by yhe direction to "add the spices" in "making the dough." directions. no spices but salt is mentioned. is this a typo? was something left out, or does this simply mean the salt?
Emma
That's a typo from when I updated this post a few weeks ago. Thanks for making me aware of it!
Alex
The bread is soft and the outside is chewy. The raisins in the rolls are delicious. I love the strong cinnamon flavor, too!
Emma
That's wonderful to hear, Alex! Thank you!
Beth
These cinnamon rolls with raisins are divine! They're soft, slightly sticky from the marmalade glaze, and dotted with plump raisins. They taste as good as they look!
Emma
Thank you so much, Beth!
Joan McCutchon
Cinnamon buns are very delicious. The apricot jam makes it shiny and tasty. Very good!
Grandma McCutchon
Emma
I agree--cinnamon buns are one of my favorite sweet breads! Grandpa can make some good cinnamon buns, too!
Emma