Homemade Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls

Big, light and fluffy Homemade Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls are filled with just the right amount of cinnamon sugar and are topped with a sweet powdered sugar icing. The soft, tender, yeasty bread is the perfect texture that just melts in your mouth. They’re worth the time they take to rise and are instantly going to become part of your family tradition for holiday or weekend brunches!

There’s something about homemade cinnamon rolls that evoke overwhelming nostalgia within me, filling me with comfort and happiness.

Maybe it’s from making them with my mom in the early mornings before anyone else woke, the smell of yeasty dough wafting through the house with the sweet cinnamon sugar making my mouth water.

Or that every holiday morning we would gather around the table and begin our celebration with breakfast; enjoying these cinnamon rolls that were obviously made with copious amounts of love.

Or maybe it’s that they go back to my grandma and great-grandma. And there’s just nothing better than an old-fashioned recipe that’s passed down through the generations.

Now, I am so excited to share my love of this buttermilk cinnamon rolls recipe with you. The fluffy, soft texture of the dough is irresistible.

You’ll love their subtle sweetness with the yeast dough, how easy they really are to make in the scheme of it all (but keep in mind homemade rolls do require a little patience and practice), and how they make ordinary moments special.

Why Make Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls

Oh, I could probably write an entire blog post on why buttermilk cinnamon rolls are truly the most superior cinnamon rolls around… but while I try to keep it short and sweet, it’s important to know what buttermilk is first, isn’t it?

What is buttermilk?

Buttermilk is cultured milk. It’s different than milk because of this; milk is a fresh dairy product and buttermilk is cultured, or fermented with active bacteria.

Historically, buttermilk is a byproduct of churning butter, the liquid that is leftover in the process. However, it is now created by taking pasteurized milk and adding cultures to it to transform it into buttermilk. It is quite acidic, thick, and tangy.

It is quite often used in baking, but some people also drink it for its probiotic nature. You can find many recipes using buttermilk, from biscuits to pancakes, cakes, and of course…cinnamon rolls.

Why use Buttermilk in a Cinnamon Rolls Recipe?

Using buttermilk in a cinnamon roll recipe yields a deliciously tender, flaky dough.

The acidity in buttermilk combines with the baking soda to add lightness and tenderness to the cinnamon rolls – that’s the perfect texture we’re talking about! These are absolutely not dense, heavy cinnamon rolls in a large part thanks to the buttermilk.

It adds richness to the dough and an ever-so-subtle tang.

Ingredients for Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

There are three parts to this recipe: the dough, the filling, and the icing. Here’s an overview of the ingredients you’ll use in all three. Be sure to see the full recipe card for all the details and specifics below.

• Active Dry Yeast – this recipe calls for 2 packets of yeast to get those big, light, and fluffy cinnamon rolls we know and love.
• Warm Water – this helps activate the yeast. Be very sure to not get it too hot, or you will kill the yeast. Use a thermometer to read the temperature of the water, and aim for a temperature around 105°-110°F.
• Buttermilk – as discussed above!
• Baking Soda – works with the buttermilk to help give a lightness to the dough, too.
• Granulated Sugar & Brown Sugar – a little granulated sugar in the dough activates the yeast, and the rest of the sugars are in the deliciously sweet cinnamon sugar filling.
• Salt – a must-have to develop flavor.
• Vegetable Oil – keepin’ things moist!
• Egg – again, helps contribute to the texture of the dough and binds everything together.
• All-Purpose Flour – stick with APF for this recipe so the dough remains soft and fluffy. Using bread flour or another substitute will result in a chewier dough.
  • Be sure to measure properly, but remember, a yeasted dough will take a lot of feeling, too, so keep that in mind as you are adding flour.
• Butter – it’s what helps our cinnamon sugar filling stick to the dough and…it’s yummy.
• Cinnamon – but of course!
• Powdered Sugar – used in the icing…more on this to come!
• Maple Extract, Maple Syrup, or Vanilla Extract – again, used in the icing… keep reading!

How to Make Homemade Cinnamon Rolls From Scratch

Once you’ve made cinnamon rolls from scratch, there really isn’t any going back to store-bought. Yes, they require a little time, but the result is absolutely worth it.

You don’t need any fancy equipment or to get out that big stand mixer either. All you’ll need is a big mixing bowl (and a few smaller ones), a wooden spoon, a rolling pin, and a baking pan.

Mix the Wet Ingredients

This recipe combines three separate batches of wet ingredients because they each have a specific reaction that needs to take place before we create the dough.

• Yeast and Warm Water – combine these two to activate the yeast. I like to also add some of the sugar that goes into the dough here to feed the yeast and give it a head start. Remember to use water that is between 105°-110°F (you can go up to 115°) to properly activate the yeast. Anything hotter will kill it, anything cooler, it will take far too long to proof the dough.
• Buttermilk and Baking Soda – these two activate each other. The acidity in the buttermilk reacts with the baking soda to create a light, fluffy texture in the dough. Mixing them together first helps jumpstart the process.
• Vegetable Oil, Egg, and Sugar – whisk them together so the egg is beaten. These are the additional wet ingredients we’ll add to the others to create the dough. P.S. if you added the sugar to the yeast and water, don’t do so here, too.

Once the yeast is proofed and the buttermilk mixture is bubbly, you can combine the three wet ingredient sets or simply add them to the flour mixture on their own.

Mix the Dough

Place the first 4 cups of flour in a large mixing bowl. I highly recommend clicking the ‘metrics’ button in the recipe card and weighing out the flour to start. You will have to add more and use your judgment for when the dough is ready, regardless of weighing the dough or not, but this will give you the best head start.

Add the wet ingredients and begin stirring them into the flour until a wet mixture forms. Add additional flour, about a half cup at a time, up to 1 cup, then add in about tablespoon amounts as needed.

When adding additional flour to the dough, you are aiming for a shaggy mixture, one that isn’t too wet but still slightly sticky.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and gently knead the dough about 20 times or so, adding a little flour as needed if it is overly sticky. The dough will be slightly sticky, but shouldn’t be overly so. Gently knead the dough until it is elastic and soft.

Be careful to not add too much flour and to not overwork the dough. Both can result in tough, hard cinnamon rolls. Gently knead the dough and only add flour until it is only slightly sticky and elastic.

Place the dough in a large mixing bowl and cover with a tea towel. Let the dough rest 15-20 minutes while you prepare the filling.

Make the Cinnamon Sugar Filling

This is a simple cinnamon roll filling, made with both granulated and brown sugar, and a good helping of cinnamon. Mix them together until combined and melt the butter in a separate bowl. Each will be added to the filling on their own to make the process really easy.

Roll Out the Dough

Once the dough has rested and risen somewhat, it’s time to assemble the rolls for their final rest.

Punch down the dough to release major air bubbles, and transfer to a floured surface, either a countertop or large cutting board.

Roll out the dough into a large rectangle, one that is about 14×20 inches, or 12×24.

Keep the long side facing you for easy rolling later on. The general measurements of the rectangle will be fine, just try to roll as much of a uniform rectangle as possible. You can cut any super odd-shaped edges if needed (it does take practice and honestly, I’m still perfecting my game too!).

Once the dough is rolled out, use a pastry brush to brush the butter onto the surface of the dough. The melted butter is what the cinnamon-sugar mixture will stick to. If your dough is on the stickier side, it may not absorb much butter, in which case, you won’t need to use all that you melted.

Leave about 1/2 inch of raw dough around the outside edge so that it will stick together once you roll it together.

Create a thin layer of melted butter that rests on top of the dough, but it shouldn’t be soaked. It also shouldn’t all absorb straight into your dough (it’s too dry if it did that).

With the melted butter spread across, add the cinnamon-sugar mixture, spreading it evenly across and patting down carefully into the butter.

Roll the Cinnamon Roll Log

How do you make all those swirls of sweet, caramelized cinnamon sugar goodness? It’s all in rolling the dough.

Start by rolling the dough on the long edge working your way across.

You want to roll the dough tightly, so it stays together once you cut it, but not so tightly that the dough cannot rise. If it’s too loose, you can gently pull the rolled part of the dough back before you continue.

Work in as much of an even line as possible to keep the ends the most uniform (think if you are rerolling a roll of wrapping paper…it can get wonky fast!). Go slow and just do your best.

With the entire dough rolled into a log, it’s time to slice. You can pinch the edge if you desire, but I simply place the log seam side down and pinch the edge if I need to later on.

Cut Cinnamon Rolls

Now that the cinnamon roll log is ready, it’s time to slice cinnamon rolls! The edge of the log will likely be a little wonky and missing that cinnamon sugar goodness, so go ahead and first slice off a couple of inches of the end.

What should you use to slice the rolls? A serrated knife works great, but the rolls can become misshapen if you’re not careful. If you want to be really extra use unscented dental floss, place it under the roll where you want to slice, pull the edges up to slice through the dough.

I highly recommend scoring where you will cut the rolls beforehand. Don’t eyeball the rolls, or you will have drastically different sizes (trust me, I’ve tried!). You can also lay a ruler in front of the log and cut at each interval (although I will say this is kind of tricky too). Mark every 1 1/2 inches as to where you’ll cut the rolls.

Then, proceed with cutting. Again, you can use a serrated knife or the floss method. If using a serrated knife, make sure it’s sharp and gently saw back and forth, but do so somewhat quickly, to keep the dough intact.

Transfer each cinnamon roll to the prepared pan, leaving space between them to rise for about an hour, until doubled in size.

What kind of pan should I use?

I recommend using a 9×13 glass baking dish, which will fit 12 cinnamon rolls. Glass is easier to see through, ensuring the edges don’t get too dark, and it is slower to heat up in the oven, producing more even baking results for this recipe.

I have also used a quarter sheet pan with success (did you know they’re the same size as a 9×13 pan?!)…they just don’t have quite as tall of edges on them to help hold the rise.

Alternatively, you can also bake the rolls in 2 9-inch round cake pans (a tip from my grandma). The rolls won’t be as round or square, but they’ll be every bit as delicious!

Baking the Cinnamon Rolls

After the rolls have rested and doubled in size, it’s time to bake! The most exciting part! It won’t be long until you have warm cinnamon rolls ready to devour.

The important thing to note about baking cinnamon rolls is that once they are slightly golden brown, they’re ready. And by slightly, I mean almost pale in color still. Don’t overbake them, or you will have hard cinnamon rolls.

Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly to set up. This gives you time to prepare the icing and ensures that the icing won’t just melt right into the rolls.

Cinnamon Roll Icing

I know cream cheese frosting is like, so popular on cinnamon rolls. I get it. Who doesn’t love cream cheese frosting?! But with these delicate cinnamon rolls, we’re going for a more delicate icing — an icing without cream cheese.

It’s simple to make, again requiring no special equipment, only a bowl, and a spoon.

This powdered sugar icing – or glaze – is one of those old-fashioned icings that you can put on cut-out sugar cookies or muffins (or is that just my family?!). It’s simply a mixture of powdered sugar and milk. And the beauty of it is that you can adjust its thickness to your preferences.

We love using maple-flavored icing; its unique and sweet combination is really delicious!

Use a maple extract for the most maple flavor, or maple syrup in a pinch, although the maple flavor will be much more subtle with the syrup.

For a more traditional icing, use vanilla extract for a flavor burst. Maybe even add a little cinnamon in there? Or hey, ok, go ahead and try a brown sugar cream cheese frosting if you must.

If your frosting is thick and spreadable, spread it on the rolls once they’ve slightly cooled. If it’s thinner, drizzle it across the rolls. And if you’re a super icing lover, make sure there’s extra to serve alongside the rolls, too.

What to Serve with Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon rolls are a delicious breakfast or brunch treat on their own, or they can be part of a larger spread. On Christmas morning we serve them with savory winter strata and mimosas for an indulgent brunch.

That might be a lot if you’re making them for a lazy Saturday though, in which case they’re great when served with a side of fruit, softly scrambled eggs, or bacon for the meat-eaters.

Common Questions when Baking Cinnamon Rolls

Please be sure to leave a comment below if you have a specific question (and I love it when you review the recipe!). Be sure to see below to see if a question you might have has been answered already.

Can I let buttermilk cinnamon rolls rise overnight?

I totally get that waking up a little early to make cinnamon rolls for brunch the morning of could be an inconvenience, but I will say that making them fresh yields the very best results.

I have tested them overnight and it does work, however, the dough will have more of a fermented yeast flavor from their extended overnight rise (similar to when making sourdough).

If you’re ok with this, then yes, you can, I would just recommend keeping the overnight rise to a minimum (no longer than 12-14 hours) to prevent over-proofing.

Here’s how: prepare the cinnamon rolls to the point that they are sliced in the pan. Cover well (so no other fridge scents seep in) and place in the fridge overnight. In the morning, remove them from the fridge and let them come to room temperature while the oven preheats, allowing any additional rising that needs to happen, happen. Bake as directed.

Why is my cinnamon roll dough tough?

There are a few reasons this can happen, the two most common culprits are too much flour or too much kneading. If you overwork the dough, too much gluten develops and the dough will feel tight and tough – not soft and elastic that we want. At this point, it can’t really be fixed, so be aware when you’re kneading the dough.

Too much flour can also contribute to the tough dough and hard rolls. Only add additional flour in small increments to be sure you don’t add too much while preparing the dough.

What happens if cinnamon rolls rise too long?

If the cinnamon rolls rise too long (as can happen with the overnight rise I described above) they can ferment too much and the result is a more sour tasting dough. It can also result in a tighter crumb.

How should I store cinnamon rolls?

Cover the cinnamon rolls in the pan and store them at room temperature for 1-2 days, after that, store them in the fridge for 1-2 additional days as needed. Reheat in the microwave for 10-15 seconds for best results (longer if they’ve been chilled).

Can I freeze cinnamon rolls?

Yes, you can freeze the rolls after they have baked once they’ve completely cooled, without frosting. Wrap them tightly and place them in an airtight container in the freezer. Let thaw and warm to enjoy again.

I haven’t had success freezing the shaped cinnamon rolls before baking. The Kitchn recommends parbaking the rolls, then freezing. I haven’t tried this myself but would be curious if you do!

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review in the form below. I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!