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Easy Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls with a Secret Ingredient

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Categories Bread, Recipes, Sweet Yeast Bread and Coffee Cakes

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Preview: These easy bread machine cinnamon rolls are a traditional cinnamon roll frosted with cream cheese icing. They have a secret ingredient that will remind you of pecan twirls.

Do you remember the pecan twirls we used to have for breakfast sometimes as kids?  They came in a foil pan with round molded places for each roll.  When you slowly unrolled them, the pecans would fall out everywhere. What fun! (Unless you are the person who gets to sweep the floor.)

I think I figured it out. 

Adding the tiniest bit of ground cloves to the filling of these cinnamon rolls makes them memorable and reminds me of those old-fashioned pecan twirls.

Written for mixing and kneading in a bread machine, but you can also use a stand mixer or do it by hand. See the recipe notes.

bread machine cinnamon roll on a plate with fork

This recipe is actually a variation on these classic dinner rolls I posted a few days ago. I ALWAYS make them in my bread machine but NEVER bake in it.  That would be pretty hard to do with cinnamon rolls anyway.

How to roll out bread machine cinnamon rolls:

getting the dough ready to roll out
After the dough has risen, remove it from the bread pan, punch down gently and divide the dough in half. On a generously floured surface, roll each half into a rectangle size.
rolling out cinnamon rolls
Spread each rectangle with approximately 2 tablespoons of softened or melted butter, then the filling, then chopped nuts, if using.
rolling and cutting bread machine cinnamon rolls
Roll up the dough the long way. Slice into 8 equal pieces. Place cut side down in greased 8 or 9-inch pan or glass dish.

Best eaten the day they are baked.  However, they can be frozen and are pretty tasty when zapped very briefly in the microwave and eaten immediately.

How to make a homemade flour shaker:

homemade flour shaker

It’s a homemade flour shaker–or at least that’s what I call it.  The next time you have an empty glass leftover with a secure lid, poke holes in the top. 

I used an awl (think that’s what it’s called– Tim the tool man I’m not.)  This is more than handy whenever you make bread, pie crusts, or rolled cookies.

If you love your sweets to come with cinnamon, check out these posts:

How To Make Cinnamon Rolls with the Tangzhong Technique

These cinnamon rolls are so soft, flaky, buttery, and ooey-gooey, they probably won't last more than one day. But if you have leftovers, you'll be surprised how yummy they are.

Soft Cinnamon Cookies with Browned Butter Icing

Kid-favorites!! Cake-like, cinnamon-spiced cookie frosted with a browned butter icing

Twisted Cinnamon-Pecan Breakfast Yeast Bread

Twisted Cinnamon-Pecan Breakfast Yeast Bread is a yeast bread in the same family as cinnamon rolls--directions for mixing and kneading in a bread machine included.

Cinnamon Crispy Toasts

In taste and appearance, these resemble the cinnamon toast crisps sold at the Corner Bakery.

Homemade Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Oatmeal Pop-Tarts

Although a little extra effort is involved, these pop-tarts are a special treat for a memorable breakfast.

Whole Wheat Apple Pie Yeast Bread

A sweet yeast bread to mix and knead in a bread machine, then baked in a conventional oven

If you enjoyed this recipe, it would help others and me if you gave it a five-star rating inside the recipe card below. 🤩 No comment required. Thank you.

Hope to see you again soon!
Paula

p.s. Questions or suggestions? Please email me: Paula at saladinajar.com.

Yield: 16 rolls

Bread Machine Cinnamon Roll Recipe

Bread Machine Cinnamon Roll Recipe

My Best Cinnamon Rolls are traditional cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing. Written for mixing in a bread machine.

Prep Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup warm milk (227 gr)
  • 1 teaspoon salt (6 gr)
  • 1 egg (50 gr)
  • 3 tablespoons sugar (37 gr)
  • 1/4 cup butter (57 gr) + 2 tablespoons softened butter for filling (28 gr)
  • 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (360 grams or 13 oz)
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons bread or instant yeast (7 gr)

Filling

  • 1 cup brown sugar (213 gr)
  • 2 teaspoon cinnamon (5 gr)
  • A pinch of ground cloves (the secret ingredient).

Icing

  • 2 cups powdered sugar (227 gr)
  • 1/4 cup cream cheese (30 gr)
  • 2 tablespoons coffee (28 gr)

Instructions

  1. Place ingredients into bread machine in order listed. Select dough cycle. After about 5 minutes, check the dough. It should stick to the sides and then pull away. If too wet, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time. If too dry, add water or milk one tablespoon at a time. See pictures of what dough should look like here. When finished, the dough should be doubled in size and light. If not, allow the dough to stay in the bread machine for a few more minutes till risen. (This may happen if the house is cold.)
  2. After the dough has risen, remove it from the bread pan, punch down gently and divide the dough in half. On a generously floured surface, roll each half into a rectangle size. The bigger the better--gives more surface to layer the good stuff, like butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Don't roll it too thin, however, or it will tear and cause you all kinds of frustration.
  3. Spread each rectangle with approximately 2 tablespoons of softened or melted butter.

Filling

  1. Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and cloves.
  2. Distribute half of this mixture over the first rectangle and half over the second. Sprinkle about 1/4 c. chopped, toasted, pecans over the brown sugar-cinnamon layer.
  3. Roll up the dough the long way. Slice into 8 equal pieces. Place cut side down in greased 8 or 9-inch pan or glass dish.
  4. Cover and let rise till double in a warm, moist place.
  5. Preheat oven to 375˚F. Bake rolls for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Frosting

  1. Combine the powdered sugar, cream cheese, and coffee. You may need more or less coffee depending on how thick you like your icing. Milk will substitute for coffee.

Notes

Alternate Mixing Instructions:

Directions for making bread with a stand mixer or by hand: 

  • To make this recipe in a heavy-duty stand mixer, add ingredients to the bowl in the same order. Turn on low to mix until all ingredients are moistened. Using a dough hook, turn speed to 2 or 3 and continue beating/kneading until dough becomes smooth and elastic (about 5-10 minutes). Cover and allow to rise in a warm place. Deflate dough gently and shape as indicated in the recipe.
  • If making by hand, combine all ingredients into a shaggy ball in a large bowl. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead with your hands until dough becomes smooth and elastic, a process that will likely take 10-20 minutes depending on your experience. Place the dough ball into a greased bowl. Cover and allow to rise until double. Deflate dough gently and shape as indicated in the recipe.

How to substitute active dry yeast for bread-machine yeast or instant yeast:

If you substitute regular yeast for instant or bread-machine yeast, you must dissolve it first before adding to the dry ingredients. Stir it into about 1/4 cup of the lukewarm liquid called for in the recipe. Let sit for about 10 minutes. Add to other wet ingredients and then add dry ingredients. Proceed as directed to knead and shape the dough.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 196Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 191mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 1gSugar: 14gProtein: 4g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

© Paula of saladinajar.com
Cuisine: American / Category: Bread

Elaine

Monday 13th of July 2020

I made these yesterday and they were really yummy, in fact, my husband ate three of them straight away....and he never puts on any weight, lol! I followed your excellent instructions and pics, and was so delighted with the result, that I can see these cinnamon rolls becoming a sticky favourite in our house. Thanks again. :-)

Paula

Monday 13th of July 2020

Hi Elaine,

I'm so envious of your husband!!! #1 because he never puts on weight, and #2 because he has you to make these cinnamon rolls for him.

Ju

Monday 8th of April 2019

Can I sub the butter with oil? Thanks.

MerryChristmas Claus

Sunday 2nd of April 2017

It's too long of a story but I have a special bread maker which belonged to a now-deceased friend of my mother's. I am 61 and my mother passed away in 1985, her friend in 2004. I use her bread machine sparingly to preserve it and found your website while looking up a question on Yogurt starter and have spent several hours glued to your site. This is the last recipe for tonight but tomorrow I will pull it out and make one of your bread recipes, maybe cinnamon rolls in her honor, maybe the dinner rolls which would have been my mom's favorite. Either way, thanks for an enjoyable evening.

Even Santa was happy with the Salad in a Jar idea. Thanks. I have now bookmarked your site so I can remember where I found all these fabulous recipes.

Mrs. Claus

Le

Friday 29th of April 2016

Do you leave the flour in it? If so, how do you keep from getting moisture in it? I love your recipes-you inspired me to get my first bread maker! Used the dough cycle for first time today...bread is rising now so we shall see!

Amy

Monday 17th of August 2015

Hi, newbie here. Came across your recipe and I made the cinammon rolls last night and it was yummy when hot. However, the base will tend to burn before the roll is done... how do I avoid that? Also, when eaten the next day, it tends to be a little dry and slightly hard when eaten. How do I avoid that? (I toasted it slightly the next day)

Thanks for your great recipe but please help with my problems

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