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Grammy’s BEST Cinnamon Roll Recipe

If you want to make the very best cinnamon rolls then you will love my Grammy’s cinnamon roll recipe. They are easy to make and taste deliciously old fashioned. 

This is the BEST Homemade Cinnamon Roll Recipe that you will find, made from scratch and so delicious!

Grammy’s BEST Cinnamon Roll Recipe

But I can’t take the credit, this is my Grandma Betty’s original recipe, that my mom has played with and perfected over the years. She makes this EVERY Christmas Eve for use to enjoy on Christmas Day. And truly, this is the best homemade cinnamon roll recipe I’ve ever made.

This recipe won’t let you down, so amazing and it these definitely have that “made from scratch” awesomeness.

Ingredients for BEST Cinnamon Rolls

1 C. Milk (2% or whole milk work best) 
1/4 C. Shortening
1 package active dry yeast (I prefer Fleischmann’s RapidRise for a better rise, but any yeast will work)
2 well beaten eggs
1/4 C. Sugar
1 t. salt
1/4 C. warm water
3 1/2 Cups Flour (All Purpose Flour or Bread Flour)
Butter (to spread on rolled dough)
Ingredients for cinnamon sugar mixture for sprinkling: Sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon

How to make Grandma Betty’s Cinnamon Rolls

Combine milk, shortening, sugar and salt.

Cook on stove just until bubbles form around edge of pot. (don’t boil)

Cool to lukewarm. I then add the warm milk mixture to my mixing bowl and do everything from this point on in the mixer.

Add yeast to 1/4 cup very warm water (check temperature on yeast package to activate) then add water/yeast mixture to the lukewarm milk mixture.

Add Eggs. Gradually stir in flour to form soft dough. Beat vigorously. Cover with damp cloth and let the dough rise. For this first rise, let it rise until double – turn out onto a floured surface; knead dough slightly. For the second rise – let rise again for 10 minutes (covered).

Use a rolling pin to roll out to 1/4″ – spread on butter and then sprinkle with white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins (optional). How much you add is really up to you, I like to do a nice thin coat of white sugar and then follow with a matching amount of brown sugar and then the cinnamon.

Roll it up (like a rug, literally) and then cut into slices. Place the unbaked rolls in pans and cover, let rise again to double.

Bake at 350degrees for 15 minutes (or until cinnamon buns are golden brown)

cinnamon rolls in a pan

Once they come out of the oven, make your icing (I use 4 cups powdered sugar and just add milk – it doesn’t take much at all, so add very slowly and carefully) and a touch of vanilla. Spread/drizzle icing over the top of the warm rolls and let them continue to cool.

Pure heaven right there in your kitchen, and you’ll love the fragrance of that very first batch, so good!

I have started using parchment paper under my rolls and I don’t think it necessarily makes them taste or bake any better, but it does help with easy of serving and clean up.

I have also started using Fleischmann’s RapidRise yeast packets and I feel like I get a better rise out of them however, that might vary depending on where you live, climate, etc. Another pro tip: the more butter, the more flavor they’ll have so if you really want to make them extra heavenly, you can add extra butter (don’t add too much butter or the only thing they’ll be greasy) but I have learned that a little bit more does make them even more delicious in terms of yummy gooey cinnamon rolls go.

This recipe is also a wonderful one for making gifts for family members and friends. It’s a simple recipe that is wonderful for any special occasion and as I mentioned, it really is the best homemade cinnamon rolls recipe that I’ve tried. It makes wonderfully fluffy cinnamon rolls and is so much better than other recipes I’ve tested over the years.

I have tried these with cream cheese frosting, so that’s another option if you are looking for ways to change them up. It’s such a delicious recipe that you can kind of play with the different options once you’ve made it a few times. It’s been one of the most popular recipes on my blog for years and I get compliments on it all the time.

To store your cinnamon rolls cover with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. They’ll stay fresh until the next day – that is – if you have any left over!

If you want to get creative, you could even turn these into fun Santa Cinnamon Rolls like we did last year!

As I  mentioned above, my mom always sends us home with a pan of these on Christmas Eve. Such a fun part of our Christmas, a tradition that we look forward to every year. What Christmas traditions do you have? 
 
Grammy’s BEST Cinnamon Roll Recipe

Grammy’s BEST Cinnamon Roll Recipe

The very BEST Cinnamon Roll recipe is my Grammy's recipe. It's one that never disappoints and we make it every year. So easy and perfect for the holidays or any time of year. You can make this with or without raisins.

Ingredients

  • 1 C. Milk
  • 1/4 C. Shortening
  • 1 package yeast (I prefer Fleischmann’s RapidRise for a better rise, but any yeast will work)
  • 2 well beaten eggs
  • 1/4 C. Sugar
  • 1 t. salt
  • 1/4 C. warm water
  • 3 1/2 C. Flour

Instructions

    Butter (to spread on rolled dough)
    Ingredients for sprinkling: Sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon
    Combine milk, shortening, sugar and salt.
    Cook on stove just until bubbles form around edge of pot. (don’t boil)
    Cool to lukewarm. I then add the milk mixture to my mixing bowl and do everything from this point on in the mixer.
    Add yeast to 1/4 cup very warm water (check temperature on yeast package to activate) then add water/yeast mixture to the lukewarm milk mixture.
    Add Eggs. Gradually stir in flour to form soft dough. Beat vigorously. Cover with damp cloth. Let rise until double – turn out onto a floured surface; knead dough slightly. Let rise 10 minutes (covered).
    Roll out to 1/4″ – spread on butter and then sprinkle with white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins(optional). How much you add is really up to you, I like to do a nice thin coat of white sugar and then follow with a matching amount of brown sugar and then the cinnamon.
    Roll it up (like a rug, literally) and then cut into slices. Place in pans and cover, let rise again to double.

    Bake at 350degrees for 15 minutes (or until golden)

Notes

Once they come out of the oven, make your icing (I use 4 cups powdered sugar and just add milk (doesn’t take much at all, so add very slowly and carefully) and a touch of vanilla. Spread/drizzle icing over the top of them and let them continue to cool.

I have started using parchment paper under my rolls and I don’t think it necessarily makes them taste or bake any better, but it does help with easy of serving and clean up. I have also started using Fleischmann’s RapidRise yeast packets and I feel like I get a better rise out of them however, that might vary depending on where you live, climate, etc.

Did you make this recipe?

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Meet the author – Keri Lyn

The creative and frugal mind behind She Saved for over 12 years now, Keri Lyn shares her adventures in parenting along with her love for family travel, country living and brand marketing. A self-proclaimed “brand loyalist”, Keri Lyn is known for her strong and enthusiastic voice when it comes to the products and brands that she loves. She Saved has become a community for like-minded consumers who appreciate saving money, time and sanity by getting the best deals on quality products and experiences.

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12 Comments

  1. I haven’t baked a bread since the start of the lockdown. I’m in the city and my baking equipment and supplies are back home in our float cabin. – Margy

  2. These sound delicious. I want to learn to make cinnamon rolls to share with friends and family but have a couple of guestions. Do you use self rising or plain flour and does your mom send you home with a pan of unbaked rolls to cook on Christmas morning or all ready baked?

  3. I was excited about trying these for New Year’s Day breakfast, but must have done something wrong; the dough was super wet and tacky. I managed to muddle through and they’re in the oven now. Hoping they come out ok, but not very optimistic.

  4. You don’t say how much of each ingredient in the sprinkling mix. Could you let me know this?

  5. You don’t say how much of each ingredient in the sprinkling mix. Could you let me know this? BTW, this is from the cinnamon rolls.

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