Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Ree Drummond’s Famous Recipe

Do you want to learn how to make tender, flaky, buttery cinnamon rolls that you can share with all of your friends and family this year? This homemade cinnamon rolls recipe is a foolproof way to do just that!

The boys and I have had a tradition of making these around the holidays since they were small. We plan a day, turn on some tunes, and spend the afternoon hanging out making these delicious treats and making the house smell amazing in the process. It’s messy, it’s fun, and I look forward to it every year.

Ethan has moved out, but even though Jacob is 17, he still participates in our little ritual. This was the first year that I didn’t know if we were going to be able to pull it off. With very little counterspace in our RV we had to get creative. We put the insert into our sink to give us a little more space and set to work!

Here is how you can make homemade cinnamon rolls that you can share with your loved ones too!

Let’s Gather Up The Ingredients

• Yeast – Instant or active will both work for cinnamon rolls.

• Milk – Whole milk works the best but you could substitute 2% if that’s all you had. The dough will be richer if you use whole milk.

• Butter – Plenty of it! This is what is going to make the rolls ooey and goey so slather it all the way to the edges. You’ll need it for the frosting too.

• Vegetable Oil– You will need a cup for the dough. We prefer to use butter here, but they turn out delicious either way. I just think the butter gives the dough a richer more luxurious texture and flavor.

• Flour – all-purpose flour works the best for these cinnamon rolls.

• Baking soda and baking powder – this is what makes this recipe unique from other cinnamon roll recipes.

• Salt– For a balance of flavor.

• Sugar– Ree’s recipe only calls for white and powdered sugar, but we like to add brown sugar to ours.

• Cinnamon– for the filling. Don’t be shy. Pile it on!

• Maple Flavoring– I substitute vanilla extract here, but that is just because I don’t care for maple flavoring. Feel free to change it up.

• Freshly brewed coffee– Make it strong.

For the dough

• Heat the milk, vegetable oil (or butter), and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil. Set aside and cool to warm. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute.

• Add 8 cups of the flour. Stir until just combined, then cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the remaining 1 cup flour. Stir thoroughly to combine. You will need some muscle strength here. This part is a workout. Use the dough right away, or place in a mixing bowl and refrigerate for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl. (Note: The dough is easier to work with if it has been chilled for at least an hour or so beforehand.)

• To assemble the rolls, remove half the dough from the bowl. On a floured baking surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 by 10 inches. The dough should be rolled very thin. Even in our RV we still had just enough room on our counter, but if yours isn’t large enough, clear off the dining table. You’ll have plenty of room.

• To make the filling, pour 3/4 cup to 1 cup of melted butter over the surface of the dough. Use your fingers to spread the butter evenly. Generously sprinkle half of the ground cinnamon and 1 cup of the sugar (or a combination of white and brown sugar like us) over the butter. Don’t be afraid to drizzle on more butter or more sugar! Gooey is the goal. 

• Now, beginning at the end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly towards you. Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll tight. Don’t worry if the filling oozes as you work; that just means the rolls are going to be divine. When you reach the end, pinch the seam together and flip the roll so that the seam is face down. When you’re finished, you’ll wind up with one long buttery, cinnamon-y, sugary, gooey log. I like to leave this part to my handsome assistant 🙂 Isn’t he cute?!

• Slip a cutting board underneath the roll and with a sharp knife, make 1/2-inch slices. One log will produce 20 to 25 rolls. Pour a couple of teaspoons of melted butter into disposable foil cake pans (or regular 9-inch round cake pans) and swirl to coat. Place the sliced rolls in the pans, being careful not to overcrowd them. (Each pan will hold 7 to 9 rolls.)

• Repeat the rolling/sugar/butter process with the other half of the dough and more pans. Preheat the oven to 375°. Cover all the pans with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise on the countertop for at least 20 minutes before baking. Remove the towel and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t allow the rolls to become overly brown.

• While the rolls are baking, make the icing: In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, butter, coffee, and salt. Splash in the maple flavoring (or flavor of choice). Whisk until very smooth. Taste and add in more maple, sugar, butter, or other ingredients as needed until the icing reaches the desired consistency. The icing should be somewhat thick but still very pourable.

• Remove the pans from the oven. Immediately drizzle icing over the top. Be sure to get it all around the edges and over the top. As they sit, the rolls will absorb some of the icing’s moisture and flavor. They only get better with time.

Make these homemade cinnamon rolls a tradition in your family. You’ll get to spend quality time with the kiddos, your house will smell amazing, and you will make the lucky people you share them with very happy.

They do take some work, but even in our small kitchen, this fullproof recipe turned out great! We had to bake in batches. Using my Ninja Foodi Oven, ( I love this oven, and wouldn’t be able to cook in my RV the same without it) we were able to bake two pans at a time. Like I said, this is a process, but have fun with it! Don’t be intimidated, by having a small area to work or small appliances to work with. With a little creativity, there is no recipe that you won’t be able to successfully duplicate.

If you are looking for some more fun ideas to make with the kids for the holidays, try these Grinch Oreo Balls. They are adorable and delicious!

Christmas Donuts are another fun family project that we always try to squeeze in during the holidays. Give them a try! They are fun to make and who doesn’t love donuts??

If you want tips and tricks for cooking in an RV kitchen, check out my post 10 Essential Tools for RV Cooking

If you decide to make these Homemade Cinnamon Rolls or any of my other recipes, please be sure to give it a rating and let me know how yours turned out. I love hearing your feedback and I will do my best to answer any questions you have as quickly as I can. 

As always, I will be back next week with more delicious recipes from my RV kitchen to yours!

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