Clone of a Cinnabon

This is the bread-machine shortcut that makes the mall-famous cinnamon roll accessible on a weekend morning. The machine handles the kneading and first rise while you prep everything else, which removes the intimidation of working yeasted dough from scratch.

Two and a half tablespoons of cinnamon in the filling sounds extreme, but that’s the actual Cinnabon signature move. The ratio against brown sugar and softened butter creates that melted cinnamon-caramel center as the rolls bake. Spread the butter to the very edges of your 16-by-21-inch rectangle so every bite gets coverage.

Cream cheese frosting is what separates a good cinnamon roll from a great one. Spreading it on while the rolls are still warm (not hot) lets it soften into the grooves without completely melting away. Room-temperature cream cheese is required here. Cold cream cheese will leave you with lumpy frosting no matter how hard you beat it.

Baking at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes hits the sweet spot: puffed, golden tops, gooey centers, and edges that don’t dry out.

Pro Tips

• Roll the dough into a rectangle longer than it is wide. A 16×21 inch shape produces 12 rolls with tight spirals.
• Use dental floss (unflavored) to cut the rolls. Slide it under the log, cross the ends over the top, and pull. Cleaner cuts than a knife and no squishing.
• Let rolls rise to nearly doubled before baking. Underproofed rolls turn dense and tight.
• Watch the tops. If they brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil to finish baking.

Variations

• Add chopped toasted pecans to the filling for crunch.
• Stir raisins or currants into the cinnamon sugar mixture.
• Swap cream cheese frosting for a simple powdered sugar-milk glaze for a lighter finish.