Bity
I bought my bread machine for sandwich loaves, and then discovered that bread machine cinnamon rolls are the reason to actually keep it on the worktop. The machine does the kneading and the first rise, which is the fiddly, sticky, forty-minute part, and hands you a soft enriched dough that behaves.
From there it is roll, fill, slice, prove, bake. So a Sunday morning tray of twelve is genuinely realistic, and you can even shape them the night before and leave them in the fridge.
Quick Breakdown
Why You’ll Love These Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls
- No kneading by hand. The machine handles a sticky, buttery dough that would coat your worktop otherwise.
- Properly soft. Because two eggs and melted butter go into the dough, the crumb stays tender for days.
- Make-ahead friendly. In fact, shaping them the night before makes the morning almost effortless.
- A real vanilla glaze. Meanwhile the pinch of salt in it stops the icing tasting flat.
- Eight to twelve rolls. So you can cut them thick and generous, or smaller for a crowd.
Ingredient Notes
- Bread flour. Four cups of it. The higher protein builds the gluten that holds a spiral through rolling and proving, and all-purpose gives a squatter, softer roll.
- Warm whole milk. Around 110F, which is roughly the temperature of a baby’s bath. However, milk above 140F starts killing the yeast, so do not guess with boiling water.
- Two eggs, at room temperature. Cold eggs slow the rise down noticeably.
- Butter, in two places. Melted in the dough for tenderness, then softened for the filling so it spreads without tearing.
- Brown sugar and cinnamon. Three quarters of a cup of sugar sounds like a lot, and it is, so it is worth knowing where Harvard’s Nutrition Source puts the sensible daily limit before you eat three in a row.
- Active dry yeast. Two and a quarter teaspoons, or one standard sachet. Bread machine yeast works identically here.
Which Bread Machine Cycle to Use
The Dough cycle, and only the Dough cycle. It mixes, kneads, and runs the first rise, then stops and beeps at you with a soft ball ready to shape. That takes about 90 minutes on most machines, and it is the whole reason bread machine cinnamon rolls are a weekend job rather than a project.
Do not use Basic, White, or Sweet. Those cycles bake as well, which would give you a spiced loaf rather than rolls. If you want that instead, my bread machine cinnamon bread is built for exactly that job, and bread machine cinnamon raisin bread takes the fruit route.
How to Cut the Rolls Without Squashing Them
A knife pushes down through the log and flattens the bottom of every slice, which is why home-made rolls often look lopsided. Unflavoured dental floss solves it in one move.
Slide a length of floss under the log, cross the ends over the top, and pull. It cuts through cleanly from every direction at once, leaving a perfectly round spiral. Alternatively, use the longest, thinnest knife you own and saw gently instead of pressing.
How To Make Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls
1. Load the pan. First add the warm milk, eggs and melted butter, then the bread flour, sugar and salt on top. Make a small well in the flour and spoon the yeast in last, keeping it clear of the liquid.
2. Run the Dough cycle. Next press start and walk away. When it finishes, the dough should be soft, smooth and just a little tacky.
3. Mix the filling. Then stir the brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl, and leave the softened butter somewhere warm.
4. Roll it out. After that turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a rectangle roughly 16 by 12 inches.
5. Fill and roll. Spread the softened butter to the edges, scatter the cinnamon sugar evenly over it, then roll the dough up tightly from the long edge into a log.
6. Slice and arrange. Cut into 8 to 12 equal rounds with floss, and set them cut side up in a greased 9 by 13 inch dish.
7. Second rise. Cover loosely and leave somewhere warm for 30 to 45 minutes, until they have puffed up and are touching.
8. Bake and glaze. Finally bake at 350F (180C) for 22 to 26 minutes, then whisk the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and salt together and drizzle it over while the rolls are still warm.
Why They Come Out Dry
Overbaking is the usual answer, and it happens fast with an enriched dough. Bread machine cinnamon rolls are richer than a plain bun, so they colour sooner. Pull them when the tops are lightly golden, not deep brown. If you want certainty, ThermoWorks puts the target for rich sweet doughs at 190F to 195F in the centre, which is a few degrees below a plain loaf.
The other cause is too much flour on the worktop. Every extra dusting works its way into the dough as you roll, and a stiffer dough bakes drier. Use the lightest possible dusting and lift the dough rather than dragging it.
Tips for the Best Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls
- Weigh the flour if you can. Scooped cups vary by up to 20 percent, which is enough to change the texture.
- Check the dough five minutes into the cycle. It should form a soft ball, so add a tablespoon of milk if it looks dry.
- Spread softened butter, never melted. Melted butter squeezes out as you roll and pools in the bottom of the dish.
- Let the dough rest ten minutes if it springs back while you are rolling.
- Glaze while warm for a soaked-in finish, or once cool for a thicker white layer that sits on top.
Storage and Reheating
- Room temperature. Bread machine cinnamon rolls keep covered for one day. After that the glaze starts to weep.
- Fridge. Up to 4 days in a sealed container. Because chilling firms the crumb, always warm them before eating.
- Freezer. Freeze unglazed rolls for up to 2 months, then thaw and glaze fresh.
- Overnight method. Shape the rolls, cover the dish, and refrigerate for up to 12 hours. Meanwhile let them come back to room temperature for an hour before baking.
- Reheating. Twenty seconds in the microwave, or ten minutes at 300F under foil.
Variations and Substitutions
- Cream cheese icing. Beat 100 g of cream cheese into the glaze for the bakery version.
- Nuts or raisins. Scatter a handful over the filling before rolling.
- Richer dough. Push the butter further and you are heading towards bread machine brioche, which uses the same cycle.
- By hand. No machine? Knead for 10 minutes, prove until doubled, then carry on from step 3. My soft dinner rolls follow that same route.
What to Serve With Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls
Strong coffee, mostly. Bread machine cinnamon rolls are sweet enough that anything alongside should be salty or sharp rather than sugary.
Scrambled eggs and bacon turn them into a proper brunch. Alternatively, a tray of sheet pan pancakes and a bowl of berries makes a spread that feeds a houseful without anyone standing at the stove.
Frequently Asked Questions
Machine and Method
Can you make cinnamon rolls in a bread machine?
Yes, using the Dough cycle. The machine mixes, kneads and proves, then you shape, fill and bake in the oven. A full bake in the machine would give you a loaf instead.
Do I have to use a bread machine?
No. The dough can be made by hand or in a stand mixer. However, bread machine cinnamon rolls exist precisely because this dough is sticky and tiring to knead.
Which yeast should I use?
Active dry or bread machine yeast, one sachet. Add it last, in a well in the flour, so it does not sit against the salt or the warm milk.
How warm should the milk be?
About 110F. Warm to the touch but not hot. Anything above 140F will kill the yeast before the cycle even starts.
Make Ahead and Storage
Can I prepare them the night before?
Yes, and this is the best way to do it. Shape the rolls, cover the dish and refrigerate for up to 12 hours, then bring them to room temperature before baking.
Can I freeze them?
Freeze the baked, unglazed rolls for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight, warm through, then glaze so the icing looks freshly made.
Can I add nuts or raisins?
Of course. Scatter chopped pecans or raisins over the cinnamon sugar before you roll the log up. Half a cup is about right for this quantity.
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 cup warm whole milk about 110°F
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 4 cups bread flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast or bread machine yeast
For the Cinnamon Filling
- 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter softened
For the Vanilla Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons whole milk 3 to 4, to loosen
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- salt a pinch
Instructions
- Add the dough ingredients to the bread machine pan in the order recommended by your manufacturer, usually liquids first, then dry ingredients, with the yeast added last.
- Select the Dough cycle and start the machine.
- Allow the cycle to complete. The dough should be soft, smooth and slightly tacky.
- In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon until combined, and set the softened butter aside.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a rectangle about 16 by 12 inches.
- Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly across the surface.
- Roll the dough tightly from the long edge into a log.
- Slice into 8 to 12 equal rolls using a sharp knife or unflavoured dental floss.
- Arrange the rolls in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Cover loosely and let them rise in a warm place for 30 to 45 minutes, until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Bake for 22 to 26 minutes, until lightly golden and cooked through.
- Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and salt until smooth, adjusting the consistency with more milk if needed.
- Drizzle the glaze over the warm cinnamon rolls.
