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, and the result is a soft buttery slice loaded with cinnamon sugar and cream cheese.
Table of Content
Giant cinnamon rolls are tasty treats that have popped up all over the country. It is not just a sweet dessert. It’s a work of art. Don't you think?
We had a birthday in the family recently and she loves cinnamon rolls so I thought instead of making her the reguar cinnamon rolls let's just make her one giant cinnamon roll cake! Needless to say, it was a huge success.
Why make a giant cinnamon roll?
- Honestly, it is so much fun to make a giant version of your favorite treat.
- Most of the ingredients are simple pantry staples you can make them any time at all
- The recipe is very simple and easy to make just like most standard enriched bread recipes.
- The dough can be proofed for as little as 20 minutes or kept in the fridge overnight which is perfect for breakfast or brunch over the weekends.
- The roll is filled with delicious cinnamon sugar but you can also try adding chocolate to your filling.
- Today, I am using cream cheese but of course, condensed milk, sugar, honey, maple, orange, or chocolate glaze instead.
Timeline and process
- Prepare the dough - 10 minutes
- Rise the dough - 45 to 60 mins or up to overnight
- Fill and shape the giant bun - 15 mins
- Proof - 30 to 45 mins
- Bake - 20 - 25 mins
- Glaze - 10 mins
Ingredients and substitutes
- Flour - I like to use bread flour as it gives a nice soft fluffy bun but I have often used all-purpose and it works beautifully too.
- Instant dry yeast - I like to use instant yeast because I've always had great success with it.
- 2 ¼ teaspoon or one package of active dry yeast
- 21 grams of fresh yeast
- Sugar/Honey - You can use honey or sugar for the dough but you must use brown sugar for the filling.
- Butter - Butter adds a wonderful flavor but 2 tablespoon of oil for the dough would work too. The filling must be made with soft room temperature softened butter that can be creamed easily..
- Cinnamon - Use good quality ground cinnamon from a trusted source that will give you that cinnamon flavor, not just the woody texture.
Giant cinnamon rolls
Dough
- Yeast mixture - In the large bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, combine warm whole milk (110 F), yeast, honey, butter, and eggs.
- Dry ingredients - Measure the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the yeast mixture and combine well.
Pro tip - If you do not like kneading, I highly recommend using a stand mixer with the hook attachment. - Knead
- By hand - transfer to a well-dusted worktop and knead for 5 to 6 minutes
- Stand mixer - once all the flour is well incorporated knead on medium for 4 to 5 minutes
- Bowl - When the dough is soft and elastic, shiny, but still slightly sticky shape it into a ball. Place the dough in an oiled bowl seam side down. Coat the surface with oil to prevent drying. Cover with a clean kitchen cloth or plastic wrap.
- Rise - Leave in a warm place. Let rise for 45 to 60 minutes until it doubles in volume.
Pro tip - If you place the bowl in a warm oven with the light on, the dough will rise in just about 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can leave the dough in the fridge overnight. Thaw it for an hour before shaping.
Assemble
- Cinnamon sugar - In a medium bowl combine both sugars, butter, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Set aside.
- Roll - Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Roll with a rolling pin into a 14-inch square or 14 x 18-inch rectangle.
Pro tip - The measurement is a guideline. You want to roll the dough to about ⅛ thickness. Too thin will make the rolls hard and too thick will make bulky cinnamon rolls. - Spread - Drop spoonfuls of the cinnamon mixture on top of the dough then use an offset or soft rubber spatula to spread evenly making sure to get to all the edges too.
- Cut - Using a knife or pizza cutter and a ruler, cut into long strips about 1 ½ inches each as shown in the video. (for a taller roll cut 2-inch wide strips)
- Shape - Roll the first strip onto itself, followed by the second round the first. Place it in an 8-inch springform pan or cake ring. Continue spiraling the remaining strips around the first two.
Pro tip - To make it easier to work, open the springform pan, and work on the base. Once you finish rolling the strips, add the rest of the pan. Today, I used a ring cake pan but you can also use a pie pan. - Proof - Cover and leave to rise until almost double in volume for about 30 to 45 minutes.
Pro tip - If you place them in a warm oven with the light only they will rise in just 20 minutes. - Oven - About 10 minutes before baking preheat the oven at 375°F /190°C / Gas Mark 5
- Bake - Transfer to the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is lightly golden brown.
- Cool - Remove from the oven and cover for 10 minutes to keep it soft. Then, cool to room temperature on a wire rack.
Pro tip - If necessary, tent the top with foil to prevent browning too much.
Cream cheese frosting
- Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk until smooth.
- Then slather generously over the warm cinnamon rolls. Or pipe it over the cinnamon rolls.
Pro tip - You can also serve some cinnamon rolls without glaze because these are delicious on their own too.
Tips for Success
- The timeline is a guide to use and can be adjusted to your own convenience.
- Use a kitchen scale when baking with bread because that will give you an accurate measure.
- The dough has 63% hydration. This means the dough is not very loose. However, the high-fat content in the dough means the dough is very soft to work with. Chilling the dough makes it easier to work. Similarly, the bench scraper is your best working tool.
- Ideally, it would take about 45 to 6 minutes for the dough to rise and about 30 to 45 minutes for the dough to proof at room temperature. Of course, putting them in a warm oven will make the rise/proof faster, and placing them in the fridge will slow the rise/proof.
- I like to slow-proof the buns in the fridge overnight when I am making them for breakfast the next morning
- I love to make a spread by stirring the butter, sugar, and cinnamon powder together in a bowl but you could also brush the butter on the dough, then sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon powder if you prefer.
- For the best rise, make sure to preheat your home oven for no less than 10 minutes before baking.
- Cool the buns until barely warm otherwise, the frosting will melt and soak into the buns.
- I like to frost only half the tray at a time and serve some without frosting. This gives people the option to choose other toppings.
Variations
The most common glaze used on cinnamon rolls is cream cheese but you can use others too such as condensed milk, caramel, butterscotch, sugar glaze, ganache, or frosting.
- Cream cheese cinnamon rolls - make the traditional cinnamon dough and then top it with cream cheese frosting
- Chocolate cinnamon rolls - add cocoa powder to the
- Sugar glaze - combine 2 cups of powdered sugar with just enough (4 tbsp) milk to make a thick pouring glaze. Then spread it over the cooled cinnamon rolls
- Maple glaze - combine 2 cups of powdered sugar with just enough (4 tbsp) maple syrup to make a thick maple glaze.
- Chocolate glaze - make a ganache with 8 oz dark chocolate and 4 oz heavy cream until smooth. You can also use white chocolate to make a white chocolate glaze.
- Giant cinnamon roll - You can make one large cinnamon roll and bake it in a 9-inch baking pan. Top with your favorite cinnamon topping.
- Orange glaze- is 2 cups of powdered sugar with 4 tablespoon orange juice and 1 teaspoon orange zest.
More sweet bread recipes
How long will this cinnamon roll keep?
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.
How can I keep my cinnamon roll soft?
Once it's out of the oven, wrap it with a clean kitchen cloth so the steam stays in the roll, keeping it soft.
How do you serve a large cinnamon roll?
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.
Printable Recipe
Giant Cinnamon Roll
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save Grow Coooking Temperature: 375°F /190°C / Gas Mark 5
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 552kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 9 servings
Description
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, and the result is a soft buttery slice loaded with cinnamon sugar and cream cheese.
Video
Ingredients
Dough
- 240 ml (1 cups) Warm milk (100°F)
- 60 g (4 tablespoon) Butter (unsalted, room temperature)
- 9 g (2¼ teaspoon) Instant dry yeast
- 15 g (1 tablespoon) Sugar (white)
- 100 g (2 large) Eggs
- 500 g (4 cups) Bread flour (or 50/50 Bread and all-purpose flour)
- 9 g (1 teaspoon) Salt
Cinnamon filling
- 6 tablespoon (6 tablespoon) Butter ((4 oz) unsalted, room temperature)
- 80 g (⅓ cups) Brown sugar (for eggwash)
- 50 g (¼ cups) White sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon Ground Cinnamon
Cream cheese topping
- 228 g (8 oz) Cream cheese
- 3 - 4 tablespoon (60 g) Powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
Dough
- Yeast mixture - In the large bowl of a stand mixer with the hook attachment, combine warm milk (110 F), yeast, honey, butter, and eggs.240 ml Warm milk, 60 g Butter, 9 g Instant dry yeast, 15 g Sugar, 100 g Eggs
- Dry ingredients - Measure the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the yeast mixture and combine well.Pro-tip - if you do not like kneading I highly recommend using a stand mixer with the hook attachment.500 g Bread flour, 9 g Salt
- Knead - By hand - transfer to a well-dusted worktop and knead for 5 to 6 minutes Stand mixer - once all the flour is well incorporated knead on medium-low speed for 4 to 5 minutes
- Bowl - When the dough is soft, elastic, and shiny, but still slightly sticky shape it into a ball. Place the dough in an oiled bowl seam side down. Coat the surface with oil to prevent drying. Cover with a clean kitchen cloth or plastic wrap.
- Proof - Leave in a warm place. Let rise for 45 to 60 minutes until it doubles in volume. Pro-tip - If you place the bowl in a warm oven with the light on, the dough will rise in just about 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can leave the dough in the fridge overnight. Thaw it for an hour before shaping.
Assemble
- Cinnamon sugar - In a medium bowl, combine both sugars, butter, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Set aside.80 g Brown sugar, 50 g White sugar, 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon Ground Cinnamon, 6 tablespoon Butter
- Roll - Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Roll into a 14-inch square or 14 x 18-inch rectanglePro tip - the measurement is a guideline. You want to roll the dough to about ⅛ thickness. Too thin will make the rolls hard and too thick will make bulky cinnamon rolls.
- Spread - spread spoonfuls of the cinnamon mixture on top of the dough then use an offset spatula to spread evenly making sure to get to all the edges too.
- Cut - Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter and a ruler, cut into long strips about 1 ½ inches each as shown in the video.
- Shape - Roll the first strip onto itself, followed by the second around the first strip. Place it in an 8-inch springform pan or cake ring. Continue spiraling the remaining strips around the first two.Pro tip - To make it easier to work, open the springform pan, and work on the base. Once you finish rolling the strips, add the rest of the pan. Today, I used a ring cake pan but you can also use a pie pan.
- Proof - cheeseclothsCover and leave to rise until almost double in volume for about 30 to 45 minutes. Pro tip- if you place them in a warm oven with the light only they will rise in just 20 minutes. Or leave in the fridge overnight to cold-proof until morning.
- Oven - About 10 minutes before baking preheat the oven at 375°F /190°C / Gas Mark 5
- Bake - Transfer to the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the top is lightly golden. Pro tip - If necessary, tent the top with foil to prevent browning too much.
- Cool - Remove from the oven and cover for 10 minutes to keep it soft. Then, cool to room temperature on a cooling rack.
Cream cheese frosting
- Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk until smooth.228 g Cream cheese, 3 - 4 tablespoon Powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- Then slather generously over the warm cinnamon rolls. Or pipe it over the cinnamon rolls. Pro tip - you can also serve some cinnamon rolls without glaze because these are delicious on their own too.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Quick cinnamon roll
- If you don't have time to proof the roll.
- Before you start the dough turn the oven on 35 C / 100 F
- Prepare the dough and place in an oiled bowl (step 13)
- Turn the oven OFF and place the bowl in the oven.
- The dough will get double in size in about 20 minutes.
- Remove the dough from the oven and warm the oven again to 35 C/ 100 F
- Prepare the cinnamon roll - fill and slice then place it in the baking pan.
- Turn the oven OFF and proof the roll in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove the roll from the oven.
- Preheat the oven, then bake the cinnamon rolls as directed above.
- Overnight Cinnamon Roll
- Once you have prepared and cut the cinnamon roll - place it in the baking pan. (fill the rolls step 6)
- Cover them with plastic or aluminum foil (to prevent it from drying out)
- Keep it in the fridge for 8 to 12 hours.
- The next morning - remove them from the oven and let them thaw for about 1 to 1 ½ hours.
- Preheat the oven at 190 C / 375 F
- Eggwash (optional)
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown
- Make-ahead cinnamon roll dough
- Prepare the dough (step 13) but instead of proving it on the counter for an hour
- Place the bowl in the fridge for 8 to 12 hours.
- Remove from the fridge - thaw, and proof until double in volume. This can take 2 to 2 ½ hours because the dough has to thaw first.
- Once doubled continue with the recipe above - to fill, slice, proof, and bake.
- Freezing unbaked cinnamon roll
- This can be done if you want to make a quick cinnamon roll on holidays and weekends without having to wait hours for the rolls to thaw and proof.
- You follow the recipe above until baking.
- Bake the cinnamon roll for just 15 minutes - It will be underbaked of course.
- Remove it from the oven - let cool completely.
- Once cooled wrap with cling wrap and aluminum foil (double wrap to prevent freezer burn)
- Freeze for up to a month
- Thaw in the fridge overnight then on the counter for an hour to bring to room temperature.
- Continue baking at 190 C 375 F for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Freezing baked cinnamon roll
- I like to freeze rather than put the leftover cinnamon roll in the fridge. The fridge dries bread out easily
- Once baked cool it completely. Cut into portions so you can remove a few at a time.
- Place them in freezer-safe storage bags
- Freeze for up to three months.
- Best to thaw in the fridge overnight then warm them in the oven wrapped in foil.
- My kids just put the frozen cinnamon roll in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds. The condensation helps keep them moist.
- Bread machine - this dough can be easily made in a bread machine.
- Pour all ingredients in the pan set to dough or manual.
- Start and let the dough run its cycle for about 9 to 10 minutes
- Continue with the recipe as shown above.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 552- kcalCarbohydrates: 70- gProtein: 9- gFat: 27- gSaturated Fat: 16- gCholesterol: 107- mgSodium: 245- mgPotassium: 154- mgFiber: 3- gSugar: 25- gVitamin A: 891- IUCalcium: 85- mgIron: 3- mg
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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Lucy-Sarah Raymond Gounder
🙌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.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Lucy. I am so happy to hear you enjoyed it.