The Pioneer Woman’s Cinnamon Rolls Recipe Produces Sweet and Gooey Buns You’ll Want to Make All the Time

Biting into a soft and gooey cinnamon roll feels like it can melt the day’s stressors—even just for a little while. Luckily, the Pioneer Woman’s recipe for cinnamon rolls fit the bill when you’re willing to go the extra mile for a homemade treat. The aroma of these sweet and spiced rolls baking will get your taste buds watering. You can also prep the dough in advance to save time later on. Here’s how to recreate Ree Drummmond’s signature cinnamon roll recipe without hassle! 

What makes the Pioneer Woman’s cinnamon roll recipe special

Drummond’s recipes are tried-and-true dishes to satisfy the whole family—and her cinnamon rolls recipe is no different. It follows the standard method of filling a yeast dough with a cinnamon-sugar mixture and rolling it. But instead of producing one rolled dough log, her recipe creates two logs for a big batch of cinnamon rolls. 

Once cooled and baked, the rolls are drizzled with a maple and coffee icing that’s sweet with a hint of molasses flavor. Following her recipe to a T guarantees the most delicious and fluffy cinnamon rolls for any occasion!

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Easy make-ahead trick for homemade cinnamon rolls 

Want to get ahead on prepping the rolls? Place the dough in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to three days. If you see the dough rise to the top of the bowl, punch it down so it doesn’t spill over. Then, continue following Drummond’s recipe and serve your freshly baked cinnamon rolls while they’re warm.

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How to make the Pioneer Woman’s cinnamon rolls

Below, you can find Drummond’s recipe for homemade cinnamon rolls that are truly worth the effort. “They only get better with time… not that they last for more than a few seconds,” she says. “Make them for a friend today! It’ll seal the relationship for life. I promise.”

Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 1 quart whole milk
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 packages active dry yeast (4½ tsp)
• 9 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 
• 1 heaping tsp baking powder
• 1 scant tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp salt

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Filling:

• 2 cups melted unsalted butter, plus more as needed
• ¼ cup ground cinnamon, for sprinkling
• 2 cups granulated sugar, plus more as needed

Maple Icing:

• 2 lb powdered sugar
• ½ cup whole milk
• 6 tbsp (¾ stick) unsalted butter, melted
• ¼ cup strongly brewed coffee
• Dash of salt
• 1 tbsp maple flavoring or maple extract

Directions:

• Active: 50 mins 
• Total time: 2 hr. 35 mins
• Yield: 40 to 50 rolls

1. For the dough: Heat the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat to just below a boil. Set aside and cool to warm. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit on the milk for 1 minute.
2.  Add 8 cups of the flour. Stir until just combined, then cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the remaining 1 cup flour. Stir thoroughly to combine. Use the dough right away, or place in a mixing bowl and refrigerate for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl. (Note: The dough is easier to work with if it has been chilled for at least an hour or so beforehand.)
3. To assemble the rolls, remove half the dough from the bowl. On a floured baking surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 by 10 inches. The dough should be rolled very thin.
4. To make the filling, pour ¾ cup to 1 cup of melted butter over the surface of the dough. Use your fingers to spread the butter evenly. Generously sprinkle half of the ground cinnamon and 1 cup of the sugar over the butter. Don’t be afraid to drizzle on more butter or more sugar! Gooey is the goal. 
5. Now, beginning at the end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly towards you. Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll tight. Don’t worry if the filling oozes as you work; that just means the rolls are going to be divine. When you reach the end, pinch the seam together and flip the roll so that the seam is face down. When you’re finished, you’ll wind up with one long buttery, cinnamon-y, sugary, gooey log.
6. Slip a cutting board underneath the roll and with a sharp knife, make ½-inch slices. One log will produce 20 to 25 rolls. Pour a couple of teaspoons of melted butter into disposable foil cake pans (or regular 9-inch round cake pans) and swirl to coat. Place the sliced rolls in the pans, being careful not to overcrowd. (Each pan will hold 7 to 9 rolls.)
7. Repeat the rolling/sugar/butter process with the other half of the dough and more pans. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover all the pans with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise on the countertop for at least 20 minutes before baking. Remove the towel and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t allow the rolls to become overly brown. 
8. While the rolls are baking, make the maple icing: In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, butter, coffee, and salt. Splash in the maple flavoring. Whisk until very smooth. Taste and add in more maple, sugar, butter or other ingredients, as needed, until the icing reaches the desired consistency. The icing should be somewhat thick but still very pourable.
9. Remove the pans from the oven. Immediately drizzle icing over the top. Be sure to get it all around the edges and over the top. As they sit, the rolls will absorb some of the icing’s moisture and flavor.