Pioneer Woman Cinnamon Rolls have gained legendary status for a reason. These aren’t just any cinnamon rolls; they are tender, flaky, buttery, and bursting with cinnamon sweetness, all topped with a unique and delectable maple frosting. If you’re searching for the ultimate comfort food or a crowd-pleasing treat, look no further than Ree Drummond’s renowned recipe.
First introduced in 2011, the Pioneer Woman’s cinnamon roll recipe was designed for sharing. The original recipe was generous, yielding enough rolls to fill multiple pans, perfect for gifting to friends, family, and neighbors. But don’t worry, you don’t have to bake for an army to enjoy these incredible rolls.
Three pans of baking cinnamon rolls, no frosting
Alt text: Unfrosted Pioneer Woman cinnamon rolls rising in baking pans, ready for the oven.
Why Pioneer Woman’s Cinnamon Rolls Are a Baking Game Changer
Have you ever been disappointed by homemade cinnamon rolls that were dense, didn’t rise properly, or were simply lackluster? Many bakers have faced cinnamon roll fails, but the Pioneer Woman’s recipe is celebrated for its foolproof nature. It’s remarkably easy to follow, even for novice bakers, and incredibly forgiving. This recipe takes away the guesswork and delivers consistently delicious, bakery-worthy cinnamon rolls every single time.
Recipe Tweaks for Home Bakers: Perfectly Portioned and Detailed
While the original Pioneer Woman cinnamon rolls recipe was designed for large gatherings, this version is perfectly scaled down for home baking. The recipe has been thoughtfully adjusted, halving the original quantities and refining ingredient measurements for accuracy. You’ll also find more detailed, step-by-step instructions to guide you through each stage of the baking process, ensuring success from start to finish. This updated recipe retains all the magic of Ree’s original while being more manageable for the average home baker.
The Secret to Irresistible Flavor: Filling and Frosting Perfection
What exactly makes Pioneer Woman’s Cinnamon Rolls so incredibly good? It’s a combination of factors working in perfect harmony. Firstly, the dough is rolled exceptionally thin, creating those beautiful, delicate layers in each roll. This thin dough-to-filling ratio allows for a generous swirl of melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon in every bite. The balance is simply divine.
Three pans of fresh from the oven cinnamon rolls.
Alt text: Golden brown Pioneer Woman cinnamon rolls, freshly baked and cooling in pans.
This resized recipe conveniently makes approximately 30 cinnamon rolls, perfectly fitting into three 9-inch pans. This quantity is ideal for sharing with a smaller group or having enough to enjoy throughout the week (if you can resist eating them all at once!). Be warned: these cinnamon rolls are seriously addictive! Their gooey, sweet, and cinnamon-spiced goodness is truly irresistible. You can also bake them in four 7-inch foil pans for easy gifting or four 8-inch cake pans if preferred.
The Unforgettable Maple Frosting: A Flavor Revelation
Beyond the delightful cinnamon filling, the maple frosting is another key element that sets Pioneer Woman’s Cinnamon Rolls apart. This isn’t your average sweet glaze. The frosting is made with powdered sugar, maple extract, milk, melted butter, and a surprising ingredient: a touch of strong brewed coffee.
This hint of coffee might sound unexpected, but it creates a unique depth of flavor that beautifully complements the maple and cinnamon. It’s a flavor combination you might not have considered, but it works wonders, adding a sophisticated note to these comforting sweet rolls. Generously drizzled over warm cinnamon rolls, this maple frosting is the perfect finishing touch.
Fresh, warm cinnamon rolls on a plate
Alt text: Close-up of warm Pioneer Woman cinnamon rolls, drizzled with creamy maple frosting on a white plate.
The Unique Dough: Baking Powder and Soda for Perfect Texture
The secret to the incredibly soft and tender texture of these cinnamon rolls lies in the dough itself. Unlike many yeast dough recipes, this one incorporates baking powder and baking soda in addition to yeast. This combination of three leavening agents is unusual but genius. It contributes to the rolls’ wonderfully soft, almost sweet-bread like texture and enhances the yeasty flavor we all love in a classic cinnamon roll.
This clever combination of leaveners also means these cinnamon rolls require only a short 30-minute rise time after shaping. Furthermore, baking them at a slightly lower oven temperature allows them to rise fully before the tops become too browned. The result? Soft, puffy, flaky rolls that practically melt in your mouth, never chewy or dense.
Make-Ahead and Freezing Tips: Baking Convenience
Want to get ahead on your baking? The Pioneer Woman cinnamon roll dough is perfect for that! You can prepare the dough up to 3 days in advance. Simply keep it well-covered in the refrigerator, and check on it daily, punching it down if it gets too large. The short 30-minute rise time after shaping makes these rolls incredibly convenient for baking fresh whenever you desire.
While freezing the unbaked rolls isn’t recommended, you can freeze baked, unfrosted cinnamon rolls with great success. This makes them ideal for preparing in advance for holidays or special occasions.
Need to bake for a crowd? Doubling this cinnamon roll recipe is easy. If you double the recipe, be sure to use a large pot or Dutch oven for the overnight rise in the refrigerator, as the dough will expand significantly.
A pan of fresh baked cinnamon rolls being drizzled with icing
Alt text: Maple frosting being drizzled over a pan of freshly baked Pioneer Woman cinnamon rolls.
Pioneer Woman’s Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 day 2 hours 15 minutes
Yield: 30 rolls
Course: Bread, Breakfast or Brunch
Author: Tricia (Adapted from Pioneer Woman)
Rating: 5 stars from 105 votes
Equipment:
- Instant read thermometer
- Rolling pin
- 3 (9-inch) cake pans
Ingredients:
For the Cinnamon Rolls:
- 2 cups whole milk (16oz)
- ½ cup vegetable oil (4oz)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (110g)
- 1 (.25 ounce) package Active Dry Yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour, separated (586g)
- ½ teaspoon heaping baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Filling:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for greasing pans)
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (6oz)
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar (135g)
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
For the Maple Frosting:
- 4 ounces powdered sugar, sifted (1 cup or 115g)
- ½ teaspoon maple flavoring
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon strong brewed coffee
- Pinch of salt
Instructions:
To Make the Dough:
- In a small saucepan, combine milk, vegetable oil, and sugar. Warm over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture reaches 95-100°F (lukewarm). Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure accurate temperature. Remove from heat and pour into a large mixing bowl. Cool if necessary to reach 95-100°F.
- Sprinkle yeast over the lukewarm milk mixture and let stand for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
- Add 4 cups of flour and stir until combined, using a wooden spoon or the dough hook of a stand mixer. Cover and let rise in a warm location for one hour, or until bubbly and puffed.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the remaining ½ cup flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the risen dough and mix until fully incorporated. Loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for up to two days. If refrigerating for more than a day, punch down the dough if needed to prevent overflowing.
To Make the Cinnamon Rolls:
- Grease three 9-inch cake pans with melted butter and set aside.
- Generously flour a large, clean work surface. Lightly punch down the chilled dough and scrape it onto the floured surface.
- Using floured hands and a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a large, thin rectangle, approximately 30 inches wide and 18-20 inches deep. The dough should be very thin.
- Brush 12 tablespoons of melted butter evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border along the far 30-inch side.
- Sprinkle ⅔ cup of sugar over the butter, followed by ground cinnamon.
- Starting from the 30-inch side closest to you, tightly roll the dough into a log. Pinch the seam to seal.
- Using a ruler as a guide, cut the log into 30 (1-inch) slices. Use a sharp knife or dental floss for clean cuts.
- Place the rolls, cut side down, in the prepared pans.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Let the rolls rise in a warm place for 30-40 minutes, until puffed and lightly doubled in size. To check if risen enough, gently press the edge of a roll; if it springs back slowly, it’s ready.
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15-20 minutes, or until light golden brown.
- Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool slightly while preparing the frosting.
To Make the Maple Frosting:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together sifted powdered sugar, maple flavoring, milk, melted butter, brewed coffee, and salt until smooth. The frosting should be thick but pourable.
- Generously drizzle the maple frosting over the warm cinnamon rolls. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
- Storage: Leftover cinnamon rolls can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For best flavor and texture, bring chilled rolls to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. Unfrosted rolls can be stored at room temperature.
- Recipe Adaptation: This recipe is adapted from the original Pioneer Woman recipe.
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