This giant cinnamon roll has everything you love about classic cinnamon rolls—soft, fluffy yeast dough, buttery cinnamon-sugar layers, and creamy cream cheese frosting—baked as one impressive oversized roll. Instead of shaping a tray of individual rolls, strips of filled dough are wrapped together to create one beautiful cinnamon roll that you can slice and serve like a cake.
It’s perfect for breakfast or brunch when you want something a little special, and you can prepare it ahead using the overnight method or make the dough in a bread machine for added convenience.
As a mom of two who bakes at home almost daily, I’ve learned that sometimes, the simplest bakes are the ones that bring the most joy. My kids love cinnamon rolls, but making a whole batch on a busy weekend isn’t always practical. One morning, we decided to turn the idea on its head and make one giant cinnamon roll instead, and it instantly became a new tradition. We all get to sit around the table, pulling apart warm, gooey spirals, with sticky fingers and big smiles—exactly the kind of memory I want them to have from our kitchen.
Why You’ll Love This Giant Cinnamon Roll
- A fun twist on classic cinnamon rolls – All those soft, buttery cinnamon-sugar layers baked into one impressive giant spiral.
- Made for sharing – Slice it like a cake and serve it for breakfast, brunch, holidays, or a special weekend treat.
- Soft, fluffy, and gooey – Tender yeast dough with plenty of buttery cinnamon-sugar filling in every layer.
- Flexible and make-ahead friendly – Make it overnight, prepare the dough in a bread machine, or freeze it for later.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Flour: Bread flour for extra fluffiness, or all-purpose for convenience.
- Yeast: Instant yeast for simplicity; active dry can also be used with proofing.
- Milk: Whole milk for richness, but 2% also works.
- Butter: Adds flavor and softness; unsalted recommended.
- Sugar: Brown sugar for the filling, white sugar or honey for the dough.
- Eggs: For structure and richness.
- Cinnamon: Use fresh, high-quality cinnamon for the best flavor.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: Cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a splash of milk for drizzling.
Step-by-step: Giant cinnamon roll recipe
- Prepare the Dough: Warm milk, mix with yeast, sugar (or honey), butter, and eggs. Combine with flour and salt, knead until soft, elastic, and slightly sticky. Then, place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled (about 45–60 minutes).
- Make the Cinnamon Sugar Filling – Mix softened butter, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla until combined.
- Assemble the Roll – Roll the dough into a large rectangle (about 14 x 18 inches). Then, spread the cinnamon sugar filling evenly to the edges. Next, slice into long 1.5-inch strips. Roll the first strip into a spiral, then continue adding strips around it to form a giant roll.
- Proof and Bake – Place in an 8-inch greased springform pan or cake ring. Cover and let rise until puffy (about 30–45 minutes). Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake for 40–45 minutes, tent with foil if browning too quickly.
- Frost and Serve – Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth. Drizzle over the warm roll or wait until it cools for a cleaner finish. Slice and enjoy!
Storage, Make Ahead, and Freezing
Storage: Store the unfrosted giant cinnamon roll covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. Once topped with cream cheese frosting, keep it covered in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature or warm individual slices briefly before serving.
Overnight method: Assemble the giant cinnamon roll in the pan, cover well, and refrigerate overnight before the second rise. The next morning, remove it from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature and become puffy, about 45–60 minutes, before baking.
Bread machine: You can prepare the dough using the dough cycle of your bread machine. Add the ingredients according to your machine manufacturer’s recommended order. Once the dough cycle and first rise are complete, remove the dough and continue with rolling, filling, shaping, the second rise, and baking as directed.
Freezing: Freeze the baked roll preferably without frosting. Cool completely, wrap well, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, warm gently, and frost before serving.
Giant Cinnamon Roll
Here's how to make a giant cinnamon roll like a cake instead of the classic cinnamon rolls. The recipe is surprisingly simple and easy, resulting in a soft buttery slice loaded with cinnamon sugar and cream cheese.
Video
Ingredients
- 240 ml (1 cups) Warm milk 100°F
- 60 g (4 tbsp) Butter unsalted, room temperature
- 9 g (2¼ tsp) Instant dry yeast
- 15 g (1 tbsp) Sugar white
- 100 g (2 large) Eggs
- 500 g (4 cups) Bread flour or 50/50 Bread and all-purpose flour
- 9 g (1 tsp) Salt
- 6 tbsp (6 tbsp) Butter (4 oz) unsalted, room temperature
- 80 g (⅓ cups) Brown sugar for eggwash
- 50 g (¼ cups) White sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp Ground Cinnamon
- 228 g (8 oz) Cream cheese
- 3 – 4 tbsp (60 g) Powdered sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Method
- Prepare the Dough: Warm milk, mix with yeast, sugar (or honey), butter, and eggs. Combine with flour and salt, knead until soft, elastic, and slightly sticky. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled (about 45–60 minutes).240 ml Warm milk, 60 g Butter, 9 g Instant dry yeast, 15 g Sugar, 100 g Eggs, 500 g Bread flour, 9 g Salt
- Make the Cinnamon Sugar Filling – Mix softened butter, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla until combined.6 tbsp Butter, 80 g Brown sugar, 50 g White sugar, 1 tsp Vanilla extract, 1 tbsp Ground Cinnamon
- Assemble the Roll – Roll dough into a large rectangle (about 14 x 18 inches). Spread the cinnamon sugar filling evenly to the edges. Slice into long 1.5-inch strips. Roll the first strip into a spiral, then continue adding strips around it to form a giant roll.
- Proof and Bake – Place in an 8-inch greased springform pan or cake ring. Cover and let rise until puffy (about 30–45 minutes). Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake for 40–45 minutes, tent with foil if browning too quickly.
- Frost and Serve – Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth. Drizzle over the warm roll or wait until it cools for a cleaner finish. Slice and enjoy!228 g Cream cheese, 3 – 4 tbsp Powdered sugar, 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Notes
- The dough should be soft, elastic, and slightly sticky after kneading; avoid adding unnecessary flour.
- Cut the dough into approximately 1½-inch-wide strips so the giant spiral bakes evenly. Your current recipe uses an 8-inch springform pan or cake ring.
- During the second rise, let the assembled roll become noticeably puffy rather than relying strictly on time.
- If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent with aluminum foil and continue baking until the center is cooked through.
- Drizzle the cream cheese frosting over a warm roll for a softer, melty finish, or let the roll cool first if you want the frosting to stay thicker and more defined.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Mention @veenaazmanov_kitchen or tag #veenaazmanovkitchen!Tips for Success
- Keep the dough soft. Add only enough flour to make a soft, elastic dough that is slightly sticky. Too much flour can make the baked roll dense.
- Roll the dough evenly. An even rectangle and evenly sized strips help the giant spiral bake more uniformly.
- Don’t wrap the strips too tightly. Give the dough a little room to expand during the second rise and baking.
- Let it rise until puffy. Use the appearance of the dough rather than relying only on the clock, especially in a cool kitchen.
- Watch the top while baking. Because the roll is large and thick, the top can brown before the center is finished. Loosely tent it with foil if necessary.
more sweet cinnamon rolls recipes
- Cinnamon Crescent Rolls
- Easy Cinnamon Rolls (Cream Cheese or Condensed Milk Glaze)
- Perfect Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
- Braided Cinnamon Buns
- Chocolate Rugelach
- Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels
- See all sweet Bread recipes
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Cause & Fix |
|---|---|
| Roll is dense | The dough may have had too much flour or didn’t rise enough. Keep the dough soft and allow both rises to develop fully. |
| Center is still doughy | A giant roll takes longer to bake through than individual cinnamon rolls. Tent the browned top with foil and continue baking until the center is done. |
| Roll rises unevenly | The strips may be different widths or wrapped too tightly. Cut even strips and build the spiral without stretching the dough. |
| Filling leaks out | Some leakage is normal, but very soft butter or too much filling near the edges can make it worse. Use softened, not melted, butter and spread evenly. |
Frequently asked questions
This giant cinnamon roll recipe will keep at room temperature for 2 days without frosting. Once frosted, it needs to be in the fridge because cream cheese is a perishable frosting. In addition, you can keep it in the fridge for a week. You can also freeze it for up to a month.
Yes! Can I make this giant cinnamon roll ahead of time? and place in the pan, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Let it come to room temperature for 45–60 minutes before baking.
Bake, cool, and slice into portions before freezing for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave or wrapped in foil in the oven.
Warm slices in the microwave for 20–30 seconds, or cover with foil and reheat in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes.
Ideally, if it’s a large cinnamon roll, you can just unroll it like the small cinnamon rolls, but a giant one like this is best cut into slices like a cake. In our home, we like to place the roll on a large platter and peel it off just like a small one.
more cinnamon recipes
- Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
- Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels
- Moist Cinnamon Swirl Cake
- Cinnamon Apple Bread Recipe
- Moist Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin Cake
- Apple Turnovers with Puff Pastry and Cinnamon Glaze
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Hi, I’m Veena
I’m the recipe developer, baker, and food photographer behind Veena Azmanov Kitchen.
I’ve spent years developing and testing recipes, from everyday meals and homemade breads to cakes and desserts.
I share the practical tips and little details I’ve learned along the way so you can get great results in your own kitchen.
?Another great recipe Veena. I made the giant cinnamon roll with orange icing. I had so much fun making this. My only setback was that I didn’t cut the long pieces into a set size. Although it looked rustic, it was absolutely delicious.
Thank you, Lucy. I am so happy to hear you enjoyed it.
Bloomin heck that really is a family size portion. Looks great!
Thanks, Jacqueline
Oh wow, this looks epic. I wouldn’t want to share it.
I hope you try it Dannii.
It’s beautiful! A giant cinnamon roll in all its glory- definitely my kind of weekend breakfast. Can’t wait to try it!
Thanks, Farah
This is such a comforting and delightful recipe. I love cinnamon rolls and will certainly try this out.
Thanks, Rachna
I was looking for a recipe for giant cinnamon roll and yours is the only one I found that’s so detailed. Love the step-by-step pics. This is going on my list of things to try before Christmas!
Thank you, Alice