13 Cinnamon Roll Recipes to Make Any Breakfast a Special Occasion

2016-05-09
13 Cinnamon Roll Recipes to Make Any Breakfast a Special Occasion

With their pretty swirls, lush icing, and spicy-sweet aromas, homemade cinnamon rolls are practically irresistible. Here you'll find just the recipe you're seeking. Keep it classic, or try something new, like our peanut butter cinnamon roll. If you're looking for something simple, choose an easy recipe that starts with frozen bread dough—you'll find plenty of those here, too.

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Potato Cinnamon Rolls

Shh ... we're about to let you in on a top secret: Even the best cinnamon rolls are better when made with mashed potatoes. That's right, the spuds not only add moisture to this recipe, but they keep the rolls perfectly shaped.

02 of 13

Giant Cast-Iron Cinnamon Roll

Loaves of frozen white bread dough make this recipe for a giant cinnamon roll nearly effortless. Simply roll sugared strips of the prepared dough into a giant wheel and place them in a cast-iron pan. Homemade cream cheese frosting makes a big difference, but canned does the trick nicely as well.

03 of 13

Nutty Honey Mini Rolls

We love a good mini cinnamon roll recipe. These nutty, honey treats have "cute" written all over them. Best of all, they call for store-bought chilled crescent rolls, making them truly easy to make.

04 of 13

Our Best-Ever Cinnamon Rolls

Our best cinnamon roll recipe lives up to its name with a tender, flaky texture and filling that's just the right mix of sweet and spice. With pecans and golden raisins, this family favorite bursts with flavor. Transform uneaten rolls (if there are any) into adorable caramel apple cinnamon roll bites on a stick.

05 of 13

Jumbo Apple Cinnamon Rolls

A homemade apple filling makes all the difference in this cinnamon roll recipe, which makes six jumbo rolls. They should fit nicely inside a 10- to 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Top the rolls—while they're hot—with a homemade cream cheese frosting, and let it seep into the rolls' creases and crevices.

06 of 13

Peanut Butter Cinnamon Rolls

No, peanut-butter lovers, you're not dreaming. We just added your favorite ingredient to this popular morning treat. For these tasty cinnamon rolls, we use two hits of the sticky stuff—one in the batter and one in the frosting.

07 of 13

Crescent Roll Cinnamon Rolls

The flaky crust on these crescent roll cinnamon rolls is irresistible—especially once drizzled with our homemade icing. This entire recipe takes just 25 minutes from start to finish, making it one of our fastest cinnamon roll recipes ever, thanks to store-bought crescent roll dough. Add a splash of orange juice to the icing for a bright twist.

08 of 13

People-Pleasing Cinnamon Rolls

These overnight cinnamon rolls come together just when hunger strikes, first thing in the morning. They also come with a sweet surprise, a fabulous filling of orange zest, chocolate, raisins, and nuts. With a lineup like that, we couldn't resist if we tried.

09 of 13

Creamy Caramel-Pecan Rolls

A mixture of powdered sugar and whipping cream sprinkled with pecans gives these easy cinnamon rolls a rich, creamy topping with a crunch. Frozen white bread dough cuts down on the prep time, and you can even make these rolls the night before. Simply cover them in wax paper coated in oil, then wrap in plastic and refrigerate until you're ready to bake this easiest of overnight recipes.

10 of 13

Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

Spice this cinnamon roll recipe with ground ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and molasses. Once baked, slather on a rich spiced brown butter frosting. Want to try a new shape? We're sharing a tutorial for making star-shaped cinnamon rolls.

11 of 13

Sourdough Cardamom Rolls with Honey Cream Cheese Icing

This twist on a classic cinnamon roll recipe is the perfect blend of sweet and slightly tangy flavors. Balance the flavor of the sourdough with a sweet brown sugar and cardamom filling. Finish the rolls with either a homemade caramel sauce or honey cream cheese icing.

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Bacon-Caramel Rolls

If you often find cinnamon rolls too sweet, try these bacon pecan rolls. Adding crisped bacon to the recipe adds a salty, savory flavor that perfectly balances the rich caramel.

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Peanut Butter and Jelly Breakfast Rolls

There's peanut butter in both the dough and frosting in this creative cinnamon roll recipe. Echo the classic sandwich by adding a swipe of melted strawberry jam on top.

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