How to Make Cinnamon Roll Bread

Warm and gooey with just a hint of spice, you can’t go wrong with cinnamon roll bread fresh from the oven. Learn how to make this bakery favorite at home with our tips and tricks, along with a cinnamon roll bread recipe you can make with your KitchenAid^® stand mixer and accessories.

What Is Cinnamon Roll Bread?

Cinnamon roll bread is a shareable, loaf-sized version of the beloved bakery cinnamon roll. Much like babka, this treat is somewhere between bread and confection with layers of brown sugar, cinnamon and butter rolled up inside and topped off with a simple but classic glaze. While the ingredients are fairly simple, making cinnamon roll bread by hand can be a bit messy as the dough tends to be sticky. But, using a stand mixer to mix and knead the dough can help keep your hands and countertops clean in addition to streamlining your overall bread making process.

What is Cinnamon Roll Quick Bread?

Traditional cinnamon rolls use yeast, but you may also find some quick bread versions of cinnamon roll bread. Quick breads use a leavening agent other than yeast, such as baking soda or baking powder. They’re called “quick” because they do not need to proof, or rise, before being baked. A yeast bread will require at least one proofing that usually takes a minimum of 30 minutes.

Cinnamon Bread Ingredients

You can find a wide range of cinnamon roll bread recipes, all with a slightly different take on this crowd-pleasing sweet. However, many share some similar ingredients for the bread dough, filling and glaze. Here are some common ingredients you’ll want to have on hand when making cinnamon roll bread:

Bread Ingredients

• Milk

• Yeast

• Sugar

• All-purpose flour

• Egg

• Butter

• Salt

Filling Ingredients

• Brown Sugar

• Butter

• Cinnamon

Glaze Ingredients

• Butter

• Cream Cheese

• Powdered Sugar

• Vanilla Extract or Paste

• Pinch of salt

• Milk or Heavy Cream

What Kitchen Tools are Needed to Make Homemade Cinnamon Roll Bread?

If you’re making this recipe by hand, you’ll need the following kitchen tools to bake up your own version of cinnamon roll bread:

Making by Hand:

• Mixing bowl

• Spoon or mixing accessory

• Whisk

• Scale or measuring cups

• Proofing bowl with cover

• Rolling pin

• Pastry spatula

• Knife

• Parchment paper

Recommended Kitchen Tools

Make the job even easier and a bit less messy with a stand mixer and specialized accessories. Here are some tools from KitchenAid brand that can help:

• Stand Mixer: A stand mixer outfitted with a dough hook provides quick, thorough and efficient kneading compared to doing it by hand. Choose from tilt-head stand mixers or bowl-lift models to take on multiple batches at once.

• Sifter + Scale Attachment: This stand mixer attachment weighs and then adds dry ingredients to your mixer bowl, ensuring you get the right amounts for precise baking.

• Bread Bowl with Baking Lid: The KitchenAid^® Bread Bowl accessory pairs perfectly with select KitchenAid^® tilt-head stand mixers and allows you to mix, knead, proof and even bake all in the same bowl.

How to Make Cinnamon Roll Bread

Unless you are making a cinnamon roll quick bread recipe, you’ll find that cinnamon roll bread is similar to making individual cinnamon rolls. You’ll find many of the same ingredients along with similar mixing and kneading instructions. 

To make your cinnamon roll bread, start by combining milk or water with sugar and yeast. The sugar acts as a catalyst for the yeast so the mixture should be left to sit for several minutes. This resting period gives the yeast a chance to bloom. Next, simply add the rest of your ingredients and mix, then knead your dough. Most recipes will require a brief proofing of around 30 minutes 

Roll the dough out and slather with your butter, sugar and cinnamon filling. Next is assembly. For bread, you’ll roll your dough into one large loaf instead of multiple smaller rolls. This may help keep your recipe moist inside as there is less surface area exposed in the oven. It can also cut down on assembly time since you’re rolling just one piece, instead of portioning out and rolling individual servings. Once you’ve assembled your roll, place it in your bakeware and bake per your recipe instructions. For exact instructions and a full list of ingredients, try this cinnamon roll bread recipe from yummly. Here’s an overview:

Step One: Prep

Before making your cinnamon roll bread, gather your equipment and ingredients for all three parts of the recipe: Dough, filling and icing. If using the KitchenAid^® Bread Bowl accessory, fill it with hot water, empty and pat dry. This will help create a warm environment to encourage the yeast to bloom.

Step Two: Activate the Yeast

Add your liquid (either water or milk), sugar and yeast and give it a quick whisk to combine. Let it sit for several minutes to allow the yeast to bloom.

Step Three: Add Ingredients and Knead

Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix with a spoon. When the dough begins to form, take it out of the bowl and knead it on a lightly floured surface until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 7-9 minutes. If using a stand mixer, simply set it to speed 4 and let the mixer do the work for you. When the dough begins to slap the side of the bowl, it’s ready for the next step. Using a stand mixer can cut your knead time down to about 4-6 minutes.

Step Four: Proof the Dough

Transfer the dough to a proofing container and cover. If using the Bread Bowl accessory, you can proof in the bowl, using the included baking lid to cover it. It’s best to keep your dough in a warm place while it rises. Check your recipe, but proofing should only take about 30 minutes for this type of dough.

Step Five: Prepare filling

While your dough is proofing, mix up the sugar and cinnamon along with any other dry ingredients for your filling and soften the butter if needed. Keep the butter separate.

Step Six: Add Filling

Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until it’s around a quarter inch thick. Spread your softened butter over the dough, then sprinkle with your filling mixture.

Step Seven: Roll Up the Dough

This step depends on what kind of bakeware you are using. If using a loaf pan, you may roll individual cinnamon rolls and then stack them throughout the pan. If using the Bread Bowl accessory or other flat bakeware, you can roll the dough into one large cinnamon roll. Do this by cutting into about four strips, then rolling each into the next for a continuous roll.

Step Eight: Proof Again 

If using a loaf pan, set your rolls a few inches apart and cover with a cloth. If you have one large roll, place it on your bakeware and cover. Let the dough rise for another 30 minutes before baking. Now is a good time to preheat your oven per your recipe settings.

Step Nine: Bake

Place your bakeware on a center rack and bake according to your recipe instructions. If following the Yummly recipe, you will drizzle the roll with heavy cream about halfway through.  Prepare your glaze while your bread bakes and your home fills with tempting aromas.

Step Ten: Glaze

Let your cinnamon roll bread cool for around 10 minutes, then get to glazing. Depending on the consistency of your glaze or icing, you may drizzle or spread with a pastry spatula. This easy cream cheese frosting recipe is fluffy and decadent. 

Cinnamon Roll Bread Tips

Homemade cinnamon roll bread is a recipe you can master, then make your own with flavor additions or different kinds of icing. Try an orange glazed roll for a citrus twist, or a caramel apple edition for Fall. Once you slice off a piece to savor with your morning coffee, breakfast will never be the same. To make the best homemade cinnamon roll bread, follow the tips and tricks below.

• Don’t over-knead: Follow your recipe instructions on the kneading time and don’t overdo it. If adapting a recipe for use with a stand mixer, try kneading for 4-6 minutes or until the dough begins to smack against the sides of the bowl. 

• Don’t overhandle the dough: Try not to handle the dough more than necessary after kneading and proofing. Using the KitchenAid^® Bread Bowl accessory  lets you mix, knead, proof and bake in the same bowl for minimal transfer and handling.

• Roll tightly: To prevent the filling from pooling at the bottom of the pan, make sure you wrap your dough into tight cylinders.

• Match up edges of your dough strips: When making one large roll, place each completed cylinder at the edge of the next strip of dough, being sure to match up the edges. 

• Line bakeware with parchment paper: You may want to line your bakeware with parchment paper to prevent sticking and for easier cleanup.

• Let bread cool before icing: Though it’s tempting to add the finishing touches right away, icing and glaze will simply run off of your bread if it’s too warm.

How to Store Your Cinnamon Roll Bread

Cinnamon roll bread is at its peak just after icing. But, if you can’t enjoy a piece right away, you can store it at room temperature on your countertop for a few days. Cover your cinnamon roll bread with tin foil or store in an airtight container. Plastic wrap is more likely to stick to the icing so should be avoided.

But if at all possible, fresh bread straight from the oven is best. Perfect for Mother's Day brunch or a shareable dessert, this recipe is a simple showstopper that everyone will love. Fill your home with the irresistible aroma of melting butter, cinnamon and sugar just before inviting your guests over to help you enjoy it.

Elevate your Bread Making with a KitchenAid^® Bread Bowl Accessory

If you have a KitchenAid^® stand mixer, the KitchenAid^® Bread Bowl with Baking Lid is the perfect companion for homemade bread, start to finish. Mix, knead, proof and bake all in one bowl. The accessory features a lid that traps steam when baking to create an environment similar to a traditional steam oven. The ceramic bowl design retains and delivers even heat throughout the baking process, giving your bread a crispy crust and thorough bake. Make cinnamon roll bread at home along with other craft-quality breads like traditional white, chocolate cherry rye, brioche, cranberry oat walnut, banana bread and more. Shop essential bread-making tools from KitchenAid, or explore all stand mixer attachments.