đź’¬ Featured Comment: “Your cinnamon rolls are outstanding, I’d love the recipe. I’ve never found any other with the same texture… I can’t imagine a Christmas morning without them!”–Dani B.
A Bakery Recipe
This Soft and Gooey Bakery-Style Cinnamon Rolls recipe was a favorite at Amycakes Bakery and became a tradition on “Cinnamon Roll Fridays.” During peak holiday weeks we baked as many as 100 dozen. The dough is pillowy and soft right to the edges, requires no kneading, and uses instant yeast for a quicker rise.
What’s the secret to a soft cinnamon roll?
- Soft dough is essential: use a lower flour-to-liquid ratio. The dough will be sticky and needs gentle handling while rolling, but the result is tender and fluffy edges.
- Instant Clearjel and vegetable oil add moisture and a softer texture. Instant Clearjel is a neutral-tasting modified cornstarch used in bakeries to improve moisture retention and thickness in fillings.
- Place rolls no more than ½ inch apart in the pan so they rise into one another. This keeps the edges soft instead of crispy or dark.
What’s the perfect pan size for cinnamon rolls?
This small-batch recipe yields six large cinnamon rolls, which fit a 9x13x2″ cake pan. To make a dozen, double the recipe and use an 11x15x2″ pan. You can also bake two 9×13 pans if you prefer. If using a different pan, make sure it is at least 2 inches tall and that each roll is placed no more than ½ inch from the pan edge before rising.
What makes an extra gooey cinnamon roll filling?
The filling relies on plenty of brown sugar and cinnamon plus a mixture of flour and Instant Clearjel blended into softened salted butter. This combination thickens the butter so it stays in place during rolling and baking instead of leaking into the pan, resulting in a rich, gooey interior.
Split the Work Between Two Days
I recommend a two-day approach for best texture and easier handling: make the dough on Day One and finish the rolls on Day Two. The chilled dough is firmer and simpler to roll, and it develops better flavor and structure after a rest in the refrigerator.
Here’s the schedule I use:
Day One:
- Prepare the dough and let it rise until doubled, then refrigerate overnight (at least 4 hours, up to 24). Chilling stops the rise and firms the dough so it’s easier to roll the next morning.
- Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon filling and store it airtight overnight.
- Remove salted butter from the fridge the night before or in the morning so it’s softened and ready to use.
Day Two:
- Roll out the chilled dough and assemble the rolls.
- Let the shaped rolls rise about one hour or until doubled.
- Bake, glaze, and serve warm. Rolls are best the day they’re baked.
I’d love to hear your feedback—comment below or tag @amycakesbakes with a photo of your rolls. Enjoy this bakery-style recipe!
Thanks for Reading. ❤️
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đź“– Recipe & Step-by-Step Instructions
Soft and Gooey Bakery-Style Cinnamon Rolls
This recipe produces soft, gooey cinnamon rolls that stay tender to the edge. No kneading is required—just stir until the dough becomes stretchy. For best results, prepare the dough on Day One and roll it out on Day Two.
Equipment
Ingredients
Cinnamon Roll Dough Ingredients
- 400 grams (3 cups) All-Purpose Flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon Instant Clearjel (for a softer dough)
- 1 Tablespoon Instant Yeast
- 1 large Egg
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 37 grams (3 Tablespoons) Sugar
- 3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
- 1 cup Hot Water (around 120°F)
Cinnamon Roll Filling Ingredients
- 227 grams (1 cup packed) Light Brown Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon + 1 ½ teaspoons Cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons Instant Clearjel (for gooier filling)
- 1 ½ teaspoons All-Purpose Flour
- ½ stick (2 ounces) Salted Butter, softened (not melted)
Glaze Ingredients
- 141 grams (1 ÂĽ cups) Powdered Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons room-temperature Water
Other Ingredients
- ÂĽ stick (1 ounce) Salted Butter, melted (for brushing)
- ¼–½ cup flour, for dusting (use only as needed)
Instructions
Day One: Make Cinnamon Roll Dough
- Whisk the flour, Instant Clearjel, and instant yeast together in a medium bowl and set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, stir the egg, salt, sugar, and oil until combined.
- Ensure water is about 120°F. Pour hot water over the egg mixture but don’t stir yet.
- Add the flour mixture to the hot water and stir with a sturdy spatula until a cohesive dough forms. The dough will be sticky and will thicken as you stir.
- Stir until the dough becomes stretchy, scraping the sides of the bowl for 2–3 minutes. No kneading required.
- Let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled, about one hour.
- Loosely cover and refrigerate the risen dough overnight (4–24 hours).
Day One: Prepare Filling Ingredients
- Mix brown sugar and cinnamon, breaking up any clumps. Store airtight until Day Two.
- Whisk Instant Clearjel and flour for the filling together and store airtight until Day Two.
- Bring salted butter to room temperature so it’s softened and ready in the morning.
Day Two: Prepare Pan
- Brush the pan(s) generously with melted butter on bottom and sides. For one batch, use a 9x13x2 pan (six rolls). For two batches, use an 11x15x2 pan (twelve rolls).
Day Two: Roll Out Cinnamon Rolls
- Dust the counter with about ÂĽ cup flour.
- Scrape the chilled dough onto the floured surface. Avoid overworking or shaping into a tight ball—lightly dust sticky spots and press into a rough rectangle.
- Roll the dough into a 9″ by 16″ rectangle (for a 1x batch). Use extra flour sparingly where needed.
- Mix softened butter with the prepared Instant Clearjel mixture and spread it evenly to the edges of the dough.
- Spread the brown sugar–cinnamon mixture evenly over the butter up to the edges.
- Roll the dough tightly, tucking edges slightly. When one inch of dough remains, pinch it tightly to seal the seam.
- Dust the seam, place seam-side down, even out thickness, and cut into six equal rolls with a bench scraper or knife.
- Place rolls in the prepared pan, roughly ½ inch from the pan edge and lightly touching each other. Brush with melted butter and allow to rise until doubled, about one hour.
Bake the Cinnamon Rolls
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Bake on the middle or top rack for 12 minutes, then reduce temperature to 325°F. Bake 6–8 more minutes for six rolls in a 9×13 pan, or 12–16 more minutes for twelve rolls in an 11×15 pan. Rolls are done when golden and spring back when lightly tapped.
- While the rolls bake, whisk powdered sugar and water until smooth; the glaze should be thin enough to melt slightly into the hot rolls.
- Brush the baked rolls with melted butter, then drizzle the glaze over each hot roll.
- Serve warm the same day for the best soft texture. Enjoy!
Notes
Notes for 2x batches: 3 tsp = 1 Tbsp. 4 Tbsp = ÂĽ cup.
About Instant Clearjel: Instant Clearjel is a modified cornstarch used to retain moisture and thicken fillings. Always whisk it with dry ingredients before adding to wet ingredients to prevent clumps. Use product labeled “Instant.”
Recipe update: The recipe originally made 12 rolls. It now starts as a small batch for 6; select “2x” to double to 12.
Calories are estimated using a nutrition calculator and may not include linked or additional recipe components.
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