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A ball of cinnamon roll dough on a countertop with some ingredients in the background.
Cinnamon Roll Dough
Prep Time
20 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 
You can make cinnamon rolls with store-bought bread dough, but making your own cinnamon roll dough is infinitely better.
Course: Desserts/Sweets
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Breakfast/Brunch, Holiday Favorites
Servings: 12 Cinnamon Rolls
Calories: 202 kcal
Author: The Blue Jean Chef, Meredith Laurence
Ingredients
  • ½ cup milk
  • teaspoons active dry yeast
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 4 tablespoons butter melted and cooled
  • 1 egg yolk
  • teaspoons vanilla extract
  • cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
Instructions
  1. Warm the milk and ½ cup of water to take the chill off. Bring the liquid to roughly 100ºF. Sprinkle the yeast on top with a pinch or two of the sugar. Let the yeast “proof” and foam. This will prove that the yeast is indeed active. If there is no foaming, you will need to start again with new yeast.
  2. Add the melted (and cooled) butter, the egg and the vanilla to the yeast mixture.
  3. Combine the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. With the mixer working with the dough hook attachment, poor in the yeast mixture until a sticky soft dough forms. Let the stand mixer knead the dough for about 5 to 10 minutes or until it is soft and elastic.
  4. Shape the dough into a ball and let it rest, covered with plastic wrap, until it has doubled in size (about one hour).
  5. You can use the dough at this stage if you’re in a hurry. Punch the dough down and follow the recipe for Cinnamon Rolls. For enhanced flavor, however, punch the dough down, knead it back into a ball and return it to the bowl. This will re-distribute the yeast in the dough. Cover the dough again with plastic wrap and let it rise for a second time. You could do all these steps a day ahead of time and let the second rise take place in the refrigerator overnight.
  6. Follow instructions for making cinnamon rolls here.

Recipe Video

Nutrition Facts
Cinnamon Roll Dough
Amount Per Serving (1 of 12 portions)
Calories 202 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Saturated Fat 3g15%
Cholesterol 27mg9%
Sodium 186mg8%
Potassium 74mg2%
Carbohydrates 34g11%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 155IU3%
Calcium 20mg2%
Iron 1.8mg10%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.