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If you’ve ever dreamed of sinking your teeth into a giant cinnamon roll the size of your plate, this recipe is for you! These huge, soft cinnamon rolls are made with fluffy bread dough, a decadent cinnamon sugar filling, and topped with tangy cream cheese frosting that melts into every nook and cranny. Whether it’s Christmas morning, Father’s Day, or any special occasion, these homemade jumbo cinnamon rolls will steal the show at your breakfast table. The best part? The process is easy enough for beginners yet satisfying enough for seasoned bakers to perfect their cinnamon roll game.
The Chemistry of Giant Cinnamon Rolls
Cinnamon roll dough uses instant yeast to create a soft, fluffy structure. The yeast mixture, combined with warm water and heavy cream, activates the yeast, which then ferments and produces carbon dioxide, causing the dough to rise. During baking, the dough rises even more in the oven – a phenomenon called oven spring – thanks to steam generated by wet ingredients like milk and eggs. Meanwhile, the sugars in the cinnamon sugar filling caramelize, creating a gooey, sticky layer that’s the hallmark of the best cinnamon rolls.
Pro Tip: When choosing yeast at the store, always choose instant yeast instead of active dry yeast. Active dry yeast is dried aggressively, has many dead microorganisms, and does not rise like instant yeast.
Ingredients You Need to Giant Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
Yeast
Provides flavor and carbon dioxide, making your dough rise. It must be mixed with a warm liquid and sugar in order to activate.
Heavy Cream
Adds richness to the dough. Use room temperature heavy cream for best results.
Granulated Sugar
Adds sweetness, provides a caramelized flavor and crisp texture. Sugar assists with rising when creamed with butter. It helps add moisture to your treat and helps it evenly spread as it melts into a liquid in the heat of the oven. Sugar also helps with naturally preserving your baked treat.
Warm Water
The key to activating the yeast mixture is to ensure it’s not too hot or cold! Close to body temperature is best (95-100 degrees F)
Unsalted Butter
It is always important to use unsalted butter when baking. If you use salted butter, you have no way of knowing how much salt you are adding to your dough or batter and it will result in an overly salted treat.
Butter adds fats to your dough or batter which helps with moistness, flavor and texture. Butter melts at body temperature, which creates a ‘melt in your mouth’ sensation.
When baking with butter, the temperature is important. If the butter is too warm, your treat will melt too fast and overspread in the oven, leaving you with a greasy, flat mess. If your butter is too cold, it will have the opposite problem and not melt down enough, leaving your treat too thick.
Eggs
Adds both a protein (egg whites) and fat (egg yolks). The egg whites help with rising because, when foamed, little air pockets get trapped inside the egg white mixture. The water content in egg whites encourages steam while baking, which helps with gluten formation, resulting in nice and thick treats. Egg yolks have emulsifying properties that bring batters and doughs together and help them from collapsing. Unless otherwise specified, always use large eggs.
Fine Sea Salt
Enhances flavor, adds balance, masks any bitter flavors. Salt is the most powerful and oldest preservative. Always make sure to use fine sea salt so it melts down at the right speed in the heat of the oven. If you use larger granule salt, it will not melt down fully when baked and will leave salt crystals throughout your treat, making it crunch like you dropped it into sand. All of my favorite salts are from Redmond and I have a discount code for you to get 15% off.
All-purpose Flour
Builds structure as it absorbs liquids and expands. All-purpose flour falls in the middle of bread flour (high in gluten) and cake flour (low in gluten). It’s exactly what it is named, all-purpose, the most universal flour that can be used in most baked goods.
Brown Sugar
Is granulated sugar with a little molasses mixed in. Molasses is a somewhat smoky flavored natural sweetener, which makes brown sugar a bit sweeter than granulated sugar. Brown sugar draws more moisture into your treat, keeping it softer for longer. It’s also more acidic, which means it will help activate your baking soda.
Cinnamon
A seasoning that adds a nice spice to your treat.
Cornstarch
Helps create a crumbly tender texture to toppings. Softens cookies, brownies and cakes. And it can also thicken sauces and fillings.
Melted Butter
It is important to use melted butter when it is called for. Melted butter evenly coats the gluten in the recipe and helps bind the ingredients. You can also use melted butter as a substitute for vegetable oil.
Cream cheese
Provides a unique, tangy flavor. When baked it adds moisture to your treat.
Unsalted butter
Often the main ingredient of frosting, it adds structure to your buttercream. It also adds a smooth and velvety texture. Butter melts at body temperature, so it will make your frosting have a melt-in-your-mouth sensation.
Powdered Sugar
Is just finely ground granulated sugar. It will absorb moisture in your batter or dough. It dissolves easily, ensuring a smooth texture without grittiness. Because it is so fine, it can melt quickly in the oven and spread cookies out more. Powdered sugar also stabilizes and thickens the frosting, thanks to the small amount of cornstarch it contains.
Heavy Cream
Adds richness and a smooth consistency to the frosting.
Vanilla Extract
When using pure vanilla extract, as opposed to imitation flavoring, it will add the deep rich flavor that everybody wants in a treat.
Step by Step How to Make Giant Plate-Sized Cinnamon Rolls
Prepare the Dough
- Mix warm water, heavy cream, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a small bowl. Let sit for 5-1o minutes until bubbly.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine sugar, room temperature butter, eggs, and salt. Mix on low speed.
- Add the yeast mixture and stir until combined. Gradually add the 7 cups of flour. Knead on medium speed until a ball of dough forms.
- Transfer to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 2-3 hours. If it’s a cold day, turn your oven light on and place the bowl inside with the oven door shut.
Make the Filling
- In a medium bowl, mix brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and cornstarch.
Assemble the Rolls
- Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick.
- Spread melted butter evenly across the dough. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture, ensuring even coverage.
- Starting from one long end, roll the dough tightly. Use a sharp knife to slice into 8 giant rolls.
- Place rolls in a greased 13×18 baking dish or two 9×13 baking dishes, leaving space between them. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 2 hours for the second rise.
Bake the Rolls
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 27-30 minutes until the rolls are set and golden brown. Cover with aluminum foil if they brown too quickly.
Make the Frosting
- In a medium bowl with a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, whip cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream on low speed until the ingredients combine. Turn the speed on high and whip for 2 minutes.
- Scoop frosting onto the rolls right out of the oven and let it melt over the warm rolls.
Storage Tips
Store rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week. Reheat individual rolls in the microwave for a warm roll experience! For longer storage, freeze unfrosted rolls for up to 3 months. Reheat on a wire rack for a fresh-from-the-oven taste.
Prepare Cinnamon Rolls Ahead of Time
Assemble the rolls the night before and refrigerate them for a stress-free breakfast. After rolling the rolls, let them rise in the pan, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. The following day, let them sit at room temperature for the second rise before baking.
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Giant Cinnamon Rolls Trouble Shooting
What makes cinnamon rolls soft and fluffy? The key to giant fluffy cinnamon rolls is allowing enough rise time. Letting the dough rise in a warm place ensures the yeast ferments properly, creating light, airy rolls.
Can I use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour? Yes! Bread flour contains more gluten, which can give your rolls a slightly chewier texture. Both options work for this recipe.
Why You Should Make Giant Plate-Size Cinnamon Rolls
Cinnamon rolls are the highlight of every holiday morning in my house. It’s become a family tradition to make these for special occasions. But the only thing better than traditional cinnamon buns? Giant fluffy cinnamon rolls that double as a meal! I remember the first time I made this recipe – it felt like a warm hug straight from the oven. The smell of cinnamon goodness filling the kitchen was worth every second of the long rise time. Trust me, once you try them, they’ll become a staple at your home too.
These giant cinnamon rolls are perfect for Christmas morning, Father’s Day, or just because. The long rise time is worth every second, delivering soft, fluffy rolls bursting with cinnamon goodness. Give them a try, and let me know how they turn out, tag me on social media to show off your creation!
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Giant Plate-Size Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Rolls
- 2 tbsp Instant yeast
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup +1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 cup unsalted butter **melted
- 3 eggs
- 1 tbsp fine sea salt
- 7 cups all-purpose flour
Filling
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cinnamon
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp heavy cream
Instructions
Rolls
- Add 1 cup warm water & 1/2 cup cream together. Make sure the mixture is warm but not hot, if too hot the yeast will die. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar & 2 tablespoons of instant yeast. Mix and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it bubbles up. If mixture doesn’t bubble, your yeast is dead and you must start over with new yeast.
- In a standing mixer with the dough hook attachment add 1 cup sugar, 1 cup butter, 3 eggs & 1 tablespoon fine sea salt. Stir until combined
- Add yeast mixture to standing mixer, stir until combined
- Slowly add 7 cups of flour & knead in mixer until it is 1 ball of dough
- Cover bowl and let sit for 2-3 hours or until doubled in size
Filling
- Once dough has doubled, 1 cup brown sugar and 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup cinnamon & 1/4 cup cornstarch together
Assemble
- Roll out your dough on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle. I like my dough about ¼ inch thick
- Spread 1/2 cup melted butter all over your dough
- Sprinkle sugar mixture and spread until evenly distributed on the dough
- Roll the dough up tightly in a spiral.
- Cut the dough into large rolls. This recipe only makes 8. These are giant cinnamon rolls.
- Place the rolls on a large, light metal colored, greased 13×18 pan or two 9×13 pans.
- Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let sit for another 2 hours
Baking
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, bake for 27-30 minutes until set and lightly golden
Frosting
- While baking, mix all the frosting ingredients in a standing mixer with the paddle attachment: 8 ounces of cream cheese, 1 cup of unsalted butter, 5 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream. Mix on low until the frosting is combined, then whip on high speed for 2 minutes until fluffy
- Frost while still warm. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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