Giant Cinnamon Rolls

Our best homemade cinnamon rolls with heavy cream….made extra large. GIANT cinnamon rolls with a cream cheese frosting.

We’ve been talking about it over on Instagram for a few weeks now…and we’re finally sharing how to make our famous cinnamon rolls, but in a giant way. And yes, these are still our famous cinnamon rolls with heavy cream.

Is this a Cinnabon copycat recipe?

Although we don’t officially call it that, yes, our famous cinnamon rolls often get compared to Cinnabon. These rolls are even bigger than Cinnabon rolls. And we think they’re better.

If you’ve made our original cinnamon rolls, you’ll love this giant cinnamon roll recipe.

How to Make Giant Cinnamon Rolls

We like to mix our yeast cinnamon roll dough with a KitchenAid stand mixer. Let the mixer do the hard job of kneading the dough while you prep for rolling out the rolls.

• Pour the warm milk in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast overtop. Take a look at your packet of yeast. Each type is just a little bit different. We talk all about that in our guide to working with yeast. Make sure you follow the instructions for adding the yeast and temperature of the liquids according to the type of yeast you have.
• Add the eggs, butter, salt and sugar.
• Add the flour and mix using the beater blade just until the ingredients are barely combined. Allow the mixture to rest for 5 minutes so the flour has time to soak up the liquids.
• Scrape the dough off the beater blade and remove it. Attach the dough hook.
• Beat the dough on medium speed for 5-7 minutes or until the dough is elastic and smooth. **The dough will be tacky and will still be sticking to the sides of the bowl. That’s ok! Don’t be tempted to add more flour at this point.**
• Spray a large bowl with cooking spray.
• Use a rubber spatula to remove the dough from the mixer bowl and place it in the greased large bowl.

• Cover the bowl with a towel or wax paper.
• Set the bowl in a warm place and allow the dough to rise until double. I like to turn on the oven to the lowest setting for 1-2 minutes. Then turn off the oven and place the dough to rise in there. It normally takes about 30 minutes for the dough to rise but actual time depends on many factors. Do not allow the dough to rise too much or your cinnamon rolls will be airy. And don’t forget to turn off the oven or your dough ball will bake! Read our tips for helping dough to rise. If the temperature of your kitchen is too cool, you may need a warmer spot.
• While the dough is rising, prepare the cinnamon filling. In a medium bowl, combine the soft butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, mixing until well combined. Set aside. **It’s easiest to spread if the butter is almost melted.**

• Turn out the dough onto the lightly floured surface or pastry mat and sprinkle the top of the dough with additional flour.
• Flour a rolling pin and roll the dough to about a very large rectangle (about 26″x18″ if you can get it that big).

• Use a rubber spatula to smooth the cinnamon filling over the whole dough rectangle. We think this filling amount is enough to cover the large rectangle. If you’d like your filling to be more, make another ½ recipe to have more delicious filling.
• Use a pizza cutter to cut the rectangle in half down the middle to make two squares.

• Starting with one of the halves, on the long end, roll the dough up tightly jelly roll style.
• Cut the rolled part into 6 slices using a dough cutter or serrated knife.
• With the remaining rolled out dough, use a pizza cutter to cut 6 long strips of dough. The strips should be about the same width as the rolled dough that you have already made.

• Place one of the rolls on its side one of the strips you cut. Roll the strip around the outside of the rolls again to make the roll twice as big. Repeat with the remaining strips. You should end up with 6 very large rolls.

• Place the rolls in a greased 10×15″ baking pan.*
• Cover the pan and allow the rolls to rise for 20 minutes.

• Warm the heavy cream until the chill is off. Don’t make it hot…you just don’t want it as cold as it would be straight from the refrigerator. It should be warm to the touch.
• Once the rolls have risen, pour the heavy cream over the top of the rolls, allowing it to soak down in and around the rolls. DON’T SKIP THE HEAVY CREAM! It makes the rolls soooo delicious.
• Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Make sure the oven rack is in the center position.
• Bake for about 28 minutes, until the rolls are lightly golden brown and the center rolls are cooked through. **If the rolls are getting too browned on top, cover loosely with a piece of foil.**

How do you know when cinnamon rolls are done?

I like to tap on the top center of my cinnamon rolls. If they don’t feel “dough” underneath the top, they should be done. They’ll be golden brown and risen all over the pan of rolls.

The internal temperature should be about 190º Fahrenheit with an instant read thermometer.

Can I make the dough the night before and bake them in the morning?

Yes! Roll up the rolls, slice them and place them in the pan. Cover them and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, remove the cinnamon rolls from the fridge and allow them to come to room temperature. Then let the rolls rise for about 30 minutes. Bake as described in the recipe.

Can cinnamon rolls be frozen before baking?

Yes! If you want to freeze the giant cinnamon rolls, go ahead and freeze them after you’ve rolled them and before you let them rise.

When you are ready to serve them, defrost at room temperature or in the fridge overnight. Allow the rolls to rise before baking. You’ll need several hours to do this correctly, so plan ahead.

Cinnamon Roll Icing

We LOVE a good cream cheese frosting on our cinnamon rolls. And making it is super easy.

• In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and butter using a hand mixer. Blend well. This works best if the cream cheese and butter are softened to room temperature. Don’t melt them. If you do the frosting will have a strange greasy texture.
• Add in your favorite extract (we like maple but a teaspoon vanilla extract is always a good idea) and the powdered sugar. Beat until combined.
• Spread the frosting over the cooled rolls. (If the rolls are warmed, the frosting will soak in a big and taste amazing.)

If the frosting is thicker than you’d like, thin it with heavy cream or whole milk.

Giant Cinnamon Rolls

4.69 from 45 votes

Our best homemade cinnamon rolls….made extra large! Learn how to make gooey GIANT cinnamon rolls with a cream cheese frosting.

Servings 6

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 28 minutes

Rise Time 1 hour 10 minutes

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Ingredients

 

For the Dough:

• 1 cup warm milk (about 115 degrees F**) 8 ounces
• 2 1/2 teaspoons instant dry yeast (I like Red Star Platinum Baking Yeast)
• 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1/2 cup butter (melted) 4 ounces
• 4- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 520-585 grams
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar 100 grams

For the Filling:

• 3/4 cup salted butter (almost melted) 6 ounces
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar 300 grams
• 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon 19 grams

To pour over rolls:

• 1/2 cup heavy cream (for pouring over the risen rolls) 4 ounces

For the Frosting:

• 3 ounces cream cheese room temperature
• 2 1/2 tablespoons salted butter room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar 130 grams
• 1/2 teaspoon maple extract (or vanilla)

Instructions

 

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Make the dough:

• Pour the warm milk in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast overtop.
• Add the eggs, butter, salt and sugar.
• Add the flour and mix using the beater blade just until the ingredients are barely combined. Allow the mixture to rest for 5 minutes so the flour has time to soak up the liquids.
• Scrape the dough off the beater blade and remove it. Attach the dough hook.
• Beat the dough on medium speed for 5-7 minutes or until the dough is elastic and smooth. **The dough will be tacky and will still be sticking to the sides of the bowl. That’s ok! Don’t be tempted to add more flour at this point.
• Spray a large bowl with cooking spray.
• Use a rubber spatula to remove the dough from the mixer bowl and place it in the greased large bowl.
• Cover the bowl with a towel or wax paper.
• Set the bowl in a warm place and allow the dough to rise until double. I like to turn on the oven to the lowest setting for 1-2 minutes. Then turn off the oven and place the dough to rise in there. It normally takes about 30 minutes for the dough to rise. Do not allow the dough to rise too much or your cinnamon rolls will be airy.

Cinnamon Filling:

• While the dough is rising, prepare the cinnamon filling. In a medium bowl, combine the soft butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, mixing until well combined. Set aside.

Assemble the rolls:

• Sprinkle a pastry mat generously with flour. Turn out the dough onto the pastry mat and sprinkle the top of the dough with additional flour.
• Flour a rolling pin and roll the dough to about a very large rectangle (about 26"x18" if you can get it that big).
• Use a rubber spatula to smooth the cinnamon filling over the whole dough rectangle.
• Use a pizza cutter to cut the rectangle in half down the middle to make two squares.
• Starting with one of the halves, on the long end, roll the dough up tightly jelly roll style.
• Cut the rolled part into 6 slices.
• With the remaining rolled out dough, use a pizza cutter to cut 6 long strips of dough. The strips should be about the same width as the rolled dough that you have already made.
• Place one of the rolls on its side one of the strips you cut. Roll the strip around the outside of the rolls again to make the roll twice as big. Repeat with the remaining 5 rolls. You should end up with 6 very large rolls.
  
• Place the rolls in a greased 10×15" baking pan.*
• Cover the pan and allow the rolls to rise for 20 minutes. It's ok if they haven't risen much. They'll rise as they bake.
• Warm the heavy cream until the chill is off. Don’t make it hot…you just don’t want it cold. It should be warm to the touch.
• Once the rolls have risen, pour the heavy cream over the top of the rolls, allowing it to soak down in and around the rolls.
• Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
• Bake for about 28 minutes, until the rolls are lightly golden brown and the center rolls are cooked through. If the rolls are getting too browned on top, cover loosely with a piece of foil.
• While the rolls are cooling, prepare the cream cheese frosting.
• In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and butter using a hand mixer. Blend well.
• Add in your favorite extract and the powdered sugar. Beat until combined.
• Spread the frosting over the cooled rolls. Serve the rolls on a large platter or place each one in its own small cast iron skillet for a pretty look.
• Store in an airtight container.

Notes

*If you don’t have a pan that size, you can use two smaller 8×8″ baking pans.

The calories shown are based on the recipe making 6 VERY LARGE rolls, with 1 serving being 1 large frosted roll. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**

Nutrition

Calories: 1552kcal | Carbohydrates: 232g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 60g | Saturated Fat: 36g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 218mg | Sodium: 838mg | Potassium: 415mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 93g | Vitamin A: 1977IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 212mg | Iron: 9mg

Author Julie Clark

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Calories 1552

Keyword best cinnamon roll recipe, cinnamon roll breakfast, cinnamon roll recipe

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