Cinnamon Rolls Abm

Homemade cinnamon rolls with a buttery yeast dough, a brown sugar and raisin filling, and a sweet vanilla glaze brushed on while they’re still warm from the oven. This recipe makes a big batch, so there’s plenty to share or freeze for later.

The dough uses bread mix as its base, which keeps things simpler than measuring out flour, sugar, and salt separately. You still knead it, let it rise, and roll it out, so you get the satisfaction of working with real yeast dough without the extra steps. Rolling it into a thin rectangle and spreading the cinnamon filling before slicing into rounds is the fun part.

The filling has real character: brown sugar and butter for sticky sweetness, cinnamon for warmth, chopped nuts for crunch, and raisins for little pops of fruit.

Chef Tips

• Use a sharp knife, not a serrated one, for cutting the rolled dough into slices. A sharp blade slices cleanly without squishing the spiral flat.
• Let them rise the full time after cutting. Rushed rolls come out dense instead of fluffy.
• Brush the glaze on while the rolls are still hot so it soaks in slightly and creates that glossy, sticky finish.
• Space them on the baking sheet with room to expand. They’ll puff up during that second rise.

Variations

• Skip the raisins and add dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots instead.
• Use cream cheese frosting in place of the sweet glaze for a richer topping.
• Add a pinch of cardamom to the cinnamon sprinkle for a Scandinavian twist.