Wake up to warm, fresh, cinnamon goodness with these maple cinnamon rolls.
This recipe is brought to you in partnership with Red Star Yeast.
What sets these homemade cinnamon rolls apart from the rest is that they are maple flavored, which makes them an instant favorite if you have tastebuds. Pure maple syrup is worked both into the cinnamon swirl AND the sweet glaze on top.
Double the maple, double the goodness.
For my melt-in-your-mouth maple cinnamon rolls, we’re using my trusty dough recipe. This is the same dough I use for my overnight cinnamon rolls and raspberry sweet rolls. Which means (1) it’s dependable—I’ve used this dough at least 30x in the past couple years and am extremely confident with it—(2) it’s a make-ahead recipe, but doesn’t necessarily have to be.
Making The Dough
It’s not too complicated, I promise. First, you’ll need some yeast. Don’t let yeast send you running for the hills! It’s just an ingredient. My go-to brand is Red Star Yeast; I’ve been working with them for a few years and am always, always pleased with the results. Their Platinum line is fantastic and makes working with yeast… easy! I use a little more yeast in this recipe compared to my easy cinnamon rolls (a great beginner recipe, new bakers!) because today’s rolls are about twice the size. The butter and eggs both make the dough fabulously rich and tender. It will melt in your mouth. I actually use this same base dough in my cinnamon roll wreath and strawberry sweet rolls, too!
Melt. In. Your. Mouth.
This recipe is prepared in a stand mixer, but you can mix by hand if needed. Feel free to reference my How to Knead Dough video tutorial if you need extra help with this step. Once the dough is prepared, allow it to rise until doubled in size. This will be the first rise.
Once risen, roll the dough out and fill with a combination of softened butter, pure maple syrup, granulated sugar, and cinnamon. How can you not love something with THOSE FOUR ingredients? And when those four ingredients are melted together inside a warm, buttery roll, it’s pure bliss. You should try this filling in the no yeast cinnamon rolls, too!
Then the rolls rise a second time or sit in the refrigerator and rise again in the morning.
Bake until golden brown. Then, cover them in maple glaze.
Unwind each doughy roll and dip into the pools of maple glaze/cinnamon goo on your plate. Then, 5 seconds later, melt into a pool of maple love. I believe this is the only acceptable way to eat maple cinnamon rolls, by the way.
Rich, buttery, soft, maple bread. Now THIS is a cinnamon roll done right!!
As always, I encourage you to read the recipe before beginning. This is so important to do when it comes to yeast/dough recipes. There are a few moving parts—and I’m very thorough in my instructions. Have fun and let the good times “roll.” 😉
More Cinnamon Roll Varieties:
- Cinnamon Rolls
- Apple Cinnamon Rolls
- Blueberry Sweet Rolls with Lemon Glaze
- Raspberry Sweet Rolls (my favorite!!)
- Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
- Maple Pecan Sticky Buns
- Lemon Sweet Rolls
- Orange Sweet Rolls
- Birthday Cake Cinnamon Rolls
Maple Cinnamon Rolls
- Prep Time: 4 hours (includes rises)
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours, 40 minutes (or overnight)
- Yield: 12 rolls
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Wake up to warm, fresh, cinnamon goodness with these maple cinnamon rolls.
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk*, warmed to about 100°F (38°C)
- 2/3 cup (135g) granulated sugar, divided
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons (14g) Platinum Yeast from Red Star (2 standard size packets)*
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature and cut into 4 pieces
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 and 1/2 cups (563g) all-purpose flour or bread flour (spooned & leveled), plus more for dusting/rolling
Filling
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60ml) pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
Maple Icing
- 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) pure maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) whole milk
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: Whisk the warm milk, 2 Tablespoons sugar, and the yeast together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Cover and allow mixture to sit for about 5 minutes or until foamy on top. *If you do not own a mixer, you can do this in a large mixing bowl and in the next step, mix the dough together with a large wooden spoon/silicone spatula. It will take a bit of arm muscle. A hand mixer works, but the sticky dough repeatedly gets stuck in the beaters. Mixing by hand with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula is a better choice.*
- On medium speed, beat in the remaining sugar (which should be 1/2 cup/100g) and the softened butter until it is slightly broken up. Add the eggs and salt and beat on medium speed until combined. The butter won’t really be mixing into the mixture, so don’t be alarmed if it stays in pieces. Switch the mixer down to low speed and with it running, add 1 cup of flour at a time, making sure it’s fully incorporated before adding the next. After 4 cups have been added, add the last 1/2 cup and beat until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 3 minutes. Dough will be soft.
- Knead the dough: Keep the dough in the mixer and beat for an additional 5 full minutes, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 5 full minutes. (If you’re new to bread-baking, my How to Knead Dough video tutorial can help here.) If the dough becomes too sticky during the kneading process, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour at a time on the dough or on the work surface/in the bowl to make a soft, slightly tacky dough. Do not add more flour than you need because you do not want a dry dough. After kneading, the dough should still feel a little soft. Poke it with your finger—if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise. You can also do a “windowpane test” to see if your dough has been kneaded long enough: tear off a small (roughly golfball-size) piece of dough and gently stretch it out until it’s thin enough for light to pass through it. Hold it up to a window or light. Does light pass through the stretched dough without the dough tearing first? If so, your dough has been kneaded long enough and is ready to rise. If not, keep kneading until it passes the windowpane test.
- 1st Rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or use nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise in a relatively warm environment for 2 hours or until double in size. (I always let it rise on the counter and it takes about 2 hours. For a tiny reduction in rise time, see my answer to Where Should Dough Rise? in my Baking with Yeast Guide.)
- Grease the bottom and sides of a 9×13 baking dish or line with parchment paper.
- Roll out the dough: Punch down the dough to release the air. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough into a 12×18-inch rectangle. Make sure the dough is smooth and evenly thick. If the dough keeps shrinking as you roll it out, stop what you’re doing, cover it lightly, and let it rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten. When you return to the dough, it should stretch out much easier.
- For the filling: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter and maple syrup together on medium-high speed until combined and creamy. Add the sugar and cinnamon, beating until combined. Spread the maple mixture all over the dough. Tightly roll up the dough to form an 18-inch-long log. Cut into 12 even rolls, about 1.5 inches each. Arrange in the prepared baking pan.
- 2nd Rise: Cover the rolls tightly and allow to rise until puffy, about 90 minutes. (Or use the overnight option in the Notes below.)
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (191°C).
- Bake for about 25 minutes, until they are lightly browned on top. About halfway through the bake time, tent a piece of aluminum foil over the pan to prevent the tops from browning too quickly. Remove pan from the oven and place pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes as you make the icing.
- Make the icing: Whisk all of the icing ingredients together. If it’s too thin, add a little more confectioners’ sugar. Drizzle icing over warm rolls.
- Cover leftover frosted or unfrosted rolls tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions – Overnight: To prepare the night before serving, prepare the rolls through step 7. Cover the rolls tightly and refrigerate for 8–12 hours. The next morning, remove from the refrigerator and allow to rise on the counter for 1–2 hours before continuing with step 9.
- Make Ahead Instructions – Freezing: Baked rolls can be frozen up to 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm up before enjoying. You can also freeze the unbaked rolls and here’s how: Bake the rolls in step 9 for only about 10 minutes at 375°F (191°C). Cool completely, then cover tightly and freeze. To serve, take the rolls out of the freezer and put into the refrigerator a few hours before serving. Then, finish baking them for 15–20 minutes right before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Stand Mixer | Rolling Pin | 9×13-Inch Glass Baking Pan or Metal Baking Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls
- Milk: I recommend using whole milk for the best, richest-tasting dough. You could also use buttermilk. Reduced-fat, low-fat, or nondairy milk works in a pinch. Do not use nonfat milk.
- Yeast: I always use Platinum Yeast from Red Star, an instant yeast. You can use an active dry yeast instead, if needed. The rise times could be slightly longer. Reference my Baking with Yeast Guide for answers to common yeast FAQs.
After refrigerating I put the rolls in 2 pans 6 each to cook. They cooked thoroughly. Also the icing was a bit runny and lacking flavor. Think it was my syrup. Put cream cheese in and saved it. Thinking Maple flavoring might be better if ever I make any other maple flavored recipes.
Has anyone tried these with adding bacon?
Why do you use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour? Which flour do you recommend for this recipe and any additional changes to the recipe? Thank you!
Hi Elle, Bread flour has a higher protein content and is best for chewier baked goods like breads and bagels. We prefer all purpose flour here, but you could use the same amount of bread flour with no other changes for chewier rolls.
I want to make these for Christmas morning but I need to make up the dough on the morning of Dec. 23. Would leaving the dough in the refrigerator for 48 hours result in any change in taste or texture of the rolls? Thanks for your help! Your recipes are the best! I haven’t tried one yet I don’t absolutely love!
Hi Janet, We don’t recommend refrigerating them for longer than 8-12 hours. If over-proofed, they will likely deflate in the oven and/or have a sour or unpleasant yeast aftertaste. If you need to make them that far in advance we recommend using the freezer method as described in the recipe notes. Let us know if you try it!
These are my new favorite cinnamon rolls. Incredible!
I made these last week. They were my 4th batch of cinnamon rolls this past month (and in my life). They were the best by far.
I am making them again today but have a dilemma. I will have enough time to get them to the 1st rise only today. I’ve made bread in the past with an overnight 1st rise and the second rise on the counter. Can I do these the same way? Roll them out, fill, cut, place in pan and rise the second time after an overnight first rise? I’m sorry if I’m not wording things correctly, I’m newish to yeast products.
Thank you for an amazing recipe, btw.
I have made these rolls so many times I can’t remember all. They always turn out perfect other than seemingly uneven sizes due to the roll-up being skinny on the ends. The bigger rolls seem to pop up their middles when baking. I usually push them back down and it certainly does not take away any of the luscious taste! Do you have any tips on how to roll them up tightly and even from end to end? These rolls are fantastic!
Hi Susan! We’re so glad to hear you enjoy these maple cinnamon rolls. A little unevenness is normal, but the more uniform your rectangle of dough is to start, the more uniform it will be when you roll it up. Go slowly to ensure you’re rolling it tight enough throughout. If you’d like, you can discard the small end pieces of dough and then cut your 12 rolls from there. Hope this helps for next time!
Thank you for the tip !!! They actually came out great either way :)))
Everything was going smoothly until I went to roll up the roll into a log 🙁 I’m not sure if it was the humidity today but the dough got really soft on me & all the filling started oozing out and making a big ol mess. When I went to put them on the tray the shape got distorted from how soft they were. They are currently in the fridge and hopefully come out okay once I bake them, but I’m not sure what to do if this happens again on a humid day. Any tips?
Hi Alma! You can always pop to dough (in whatever stage you’re in) in the fridge for a bit until it’s easier to handle. This should help!
We LOVE your overnight cinnamon rolls and had to try the maple version when in Vermont! I added maple extract (on hand from a Sally’s cookie recipe) to both the dough and the icing for a little extra maple. Eight thumbs up from our crew! The maple was subtle but . Our kids don’t appreciate the greatness of cream cheese glaze so next time I’m adding bourbon to it…
The rolls were very good but I didn’t get the pronounced maple flavor I was hoping for. I used Vermont robust syrup. I’m thinking for next time to boil down the syrup for a few minutes and glaze the rolls with it. What do you think?
These are amazing! It was my first time making any sort of dough ( I’ve alway been put off because I thought it would be too hard) Man was I wrong! The recipe was so clearly explained and easy to follow. I had to add a little extra flour when making the dough but they turned out so good and are soft and so so so yummy! I will definitely be making these again
Everytime I’ve used this or the pizza dough recipe to the exact quantity written, my dough is very soft. It was very hard to roll the dough and it turned out very soft. I live in a hot and humid climate, could you please give alternate ways to ensure the dough stays rigid
Hi Maria, try adding a little more flour when you are rolling it out. Add enough until you are easily able to shape it.
Hi,
I made 2 batches and freeze one of them. Today, I left them at room temperature for at least 40 mins and baked it at 350 degrees for 15 mins, they were done (golden brown) and I put on the icing, but when I ate it, it tasted cold for some reason. And compared with the batch I made fresh which tasted amazing, this one is more dry and crunchy than I like.
Disappointed. The maple flavor did not shine. I used dark robust maple syrup from Vermont but it needed maple extract for a more pronounced maple flavor.
This recipe is DELICIOUS! Perfect as is. Thank you! It was great therapy during this pandemic. Will try some more of your stuff!
I want to make the “Easy Cinnamon Rolls” (because it’s my first time!) but I really like the looks of the Maple Cinnamon Rolls (because I love maple syrup!).
Could I substitute this maple-cinnamon filling for the “Easy Cinnamon Roll” filling?
Hi Gord, Yes you should be able to use this filling with that dough. Enjoy!
Just incredible!!!! Hail to the Baking Queen!!!!!!!!
Hi Sally,
I’m so glad I found your website. My family and I have made several of your recipes and they’ve all turned out great. I have a few questions about these Maple Cinnamon Rolls, I want to try adding some bacon crumbles to the filling. Do you think this would work? Any adjustments to the recipe? Also, how about a maple frosting rather than glaze? Too sweet? Thanks.
YES to the bacon crumbles! No need to adjust the recipe if you add them. You can certainly try a maple frosting instead of the glaze, I’d try a maple cream cheese frosting! The salty bacon will help to offset some of the sweetness.
These taste so good! I think next time, I’d probably sprinkle the bacon on top of the frosting rather than putting in with the filling.
Thanks.
Dear Sally, thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
I added some vanilla sugar to the dough and walnuts to the filling, which was a great addition. They came out super yummy.
I am planning on making this and giving to a friend. Would you recommend giving them unbaked and a batch of the glaze, so that they can bake it themselves then add the glaze? Or would it be better to bake it and glaze it then give it to them?
I would bake the cinnamon rolls and gift them with the glaze, so they can reheat and glaze the rolls when they’d like. They can also freeze the baked rolls and the glaze this way too.
Hi Sally, I have a question about freezing the baked rolls. Do you put on the glaze before freezing or after. I’m planning on making two pans of these rolls for a Christmas teacher luncheon where I work. Baking and freezing will be a big help! I have access to an oven. Could the rolls be warmed up in a low oven prior to serving, and then glazed? Thank you.
I’ve done it both ways, but they truly are BEST with fresh glaze/icing. So I recommend freezing them without it, then glazing before serving. 🙂
And yes, warm up in an oven prior to glazing/serving too!
Only had time to proof in the fridge for about 4 hours. Also, I didn’t need to cover halfway through baking with foil. The recipe’s baking time yielded lightly golden, perfectly baked rolls. Normally, I follow America’s Test Kitchen’s cinnamon roll recipe, but this one is far superior. Hands down, the best batch I’ve ever made. They got rave reviews from my hubby’s coworkers. Making again, this time for keeps. Thanks, Sally!
These were so delicious, perfect for Christmas morning present-opening! Love the maple flavor, and not to brag, but I’d say these were my most successful cinnamon rolls to date. 😉 Your method for rising dough has been a game-changer for me, I used to avoid yeast dough altogether but not anymore. I’m consoling myself by having to be back at work this week with the last leftover roll!
Hi Sally 🙂 Just got them out of the oven, the smell is amazing!!! I was a bit worried because the dough was very sticky at first, but they turned out perfect! Cinnamon rolls are one of my mom’s favorite and I’m sure she will love these just as much 😀 Thank you so much for all your recipes
Sally, I’ve made your recipes more times than I can count (I stopped counting when I hit the 100th recipe a year ago ;)) and so far this and the Big Giant Cinnamon Roll Cake are the only ones that haven’t worked for me. The Roll Cake was just a bit off, but these rolls were a total and utter flop. Although they looked lovely, the dough was crumbly and cake-y and the entire filling leaked out and melted into a puddle at the bottom of the glass pan. I’m quite heartbroken, as I followed this recipe to a tee and both your Overnight and Quick Easy Cinnamon Rolls have always turned out (a dream on Sunday brunch). I feel like the filling was way too liquid due to the maple syrup and the 2 eggs in the dough were an overkill. Do you have any idea what I could do to solve this? Thanks so much and thank you for your awesome recipes.
Hi Nathalie! That’s so interesting because these maple cinnamon rolls is the exact same dough as the overnight cinnamon rolls you love! It’s my go-to dough. Are you thinking of a different recipe? And the giant cinnamon roll cake is basically the same dough as the easy cinnamon rolls recipe too 🙂
The filling here could be an issue, I see that. Make sure the filling butter isn’t too soft. If it’s a little more solid, the filling itself won’t be as greasy and melty.
WHOA
…these are DEE LISH US!!!!!! I just made these and dang it they are yummy. THanks!!!!
I’m making these rolls as I write! (1st round of proofing) A bakery I used to frequent had these delicious cinnamon rolls with a maple icing, and they were my absolute favorite thing there. I’ve been meaning to make them for a while; I am excited for tomorrow morning! Thanks for the recipe!
You will love them Alyx!
They are delicious! I expressly followed the baking directions, cooking them uncovered for 13 minutes and then covering them loosely for the remaining 12. However, the dough wasn’t completely cooked through (to my husband’s liking- my daughters and I don’t mind the gooey!) towards the center of the pan. Next time, I think I will set them slightly apart. But OMG, sooo delicious. Thanks again!
I made these last Sunday for the man and I, and boy can I just say that these are phenomenal! His exact words were ‘oh my God they’re melting in my mouth.’ At which point I excitedly whipped out my laptop to show him the title of the recipe. You’ve given me such confidence in baking over the time that I’ve been following your blog-thank you so much for all that you do for us readers! xoxo
Hi Sally, I’ve used your easy cinnamon rolls recipe and was very excited to see a maple syrup version. As I read the recipe and blog I was dismayed to realized the time line is so drastically different and has two rises. Are they so different or is this the new, improved version for cinnamon rolls? It certainly has different ratios, bottom line is can I use this filling for the easy rolls or would I be better served sticking to this recipe?? Thanks for the amazing idea of incorporating maple!
Kerri, this is a completely different dough recipe formulated to be made the night ahead of time. You can use this filling for another one of my cinnamon roll dough recipes of course.