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Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Glaze Recipe
Make cinnamon rolls with maple glaze at home; fluffy dough, rich cinnamon filling, and sweet maple icing for a bakery-style breakfast.
Homemade cinnamon rolls with maple glaze are a sweet, yeast-risen pastry made by rolling a soft, enriched dough around a buttery cinnamon-sugar filling, slicing it into individual spirals, and baking until tender and golden. The rolls are finished with a smooth glaze flavored with maple syrup—often combined with confectioners’ sugar, butter, and a splash of vanilla—which seeps into the warm swirls to create a rich, aromatic coating. Common pantry staples such as all-purpose flour, milk, eggs, butter, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon form the base of the recipe, while active dry yeast provides lift and a characteristic pillowy texture. Typically served warm, these cinnamon rolls are popular as a breakfast or brunch centerpiece, a weekend baking project, or a festive treat for holidays and special gatherings.
Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Glaze Recipe
The dough can be prepared the night before and cold-proofed in the fridge, letting you slide a pan into the oven first thing for fuss-free, bakery-level results. The base recipe also welcomes tweaks—swap in whole-wheat flour for a nutty note or fold in toasted pecans and dried fruit—so every batch feels custom-made.
Prep Time
140 minutes
140 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes
25 minutes
Total Time
165 minutes
165 minutes
Ingredients
Whole milk 1 cup (240 ml)
- Unsalted butter 5 tbsp melted and cooled, plus 6 tbsp softened for filling, plus 2 tbsp melted for glaze (total 13 tbsp)
- Granulated sugar ⅓ cup (67 g)
- Active dry yeast 2 ¼ tsp (1 standard packet, 7 g)
- Large eggs 2
- All-purpose flour 4 cups (about 480 g)
- Fine sea salt 1 tsp
- Dark brown sugar ¾ cup tightly packed
- Ground cinnamon 2 tbsp
- Ground nutmeg ¼ tsp (optional but recommended)
- Pure maple syrup ¼ cup (60 ml)
- Confectioners’ (powdered) sugar 1 ½ cups (about 180 g), sifted
- Vanilla extract ½ tsp
- Milk or heavy cream 1–2 tbsp, as needed to thin glaze
- Pinch of salt for glaze
- Chopped pecans ½ cup (optional mix-in or topping)
- Raisins ⅓ cup (optional)
- Fresh orange zest 1 tsp (optional flavor boost)
Method
Warm milk until just lukewarm and pour into a mixing bowl
- Sprinkle yeast over the milk and let it sit until foamy
- Whisk in granulated sugar melted butter and beaten eggs until blended
- Stir in flour and salt a little at a time to form a soft dough
- Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic
- Grease a clean bowl set the dough inside cover and let it rise until doubled in size
- Gently deflate the dough and roll it into a large rectangle on the floured surface
- Brush the surface of the rectangle with melted butter leaving a narrow border
- Combine brown sugar and ground cinnamon and scatter it evenly over the buttered dough
- Roll the dough tightly from the long edge into a log sealing the seam
- Cut the log into equal slices and place them cut-side up in a greased baking dish
- Cover the dish and let the rolls rise again until puffed and touching
- Preheat the oven to the specified temperature while the rolls rise
- Bake the rolls until golden brown and cooked through in the center
- Whisk powdered sugar pure maple syrup and a splash of milk to make a smooth glaze
- Cool the baked rolls slightly then drizzle them generously with the maple glaze
- Serve the warm glazed cinnamon rolls right away
Nutrition (whole recipe)
Calories
5368 kcal Protein
73 g Fat
184 g Carbs
860 g Fiber
22 g Sugar
477 g
5368 kcal Protein
73 g Fat
184 g Carbs
860 g Fiber
22 g Sugar
477 g
Notes
For clean, uniform spirals, cut the rolled log with unflavored dental floss instead of a knife—no squashed layers. Brown the filling butter first, then cool slightly before spreading; the nutty depth survives baking and intensifies the maple glaze’s caramel notes.
why this recipe
These cinnamon rolls with maple glaze marry pillowy, buttery dough with a warmly spiced swirl and a silky topping that fuses earthy maple sweetness with delicate hints of vanilla. The dough rises to feather-light softness thanks to a patient, foolproof proofing method, while the fragrant cinnamon filling caramelizes just enough to form those coveted gooey pockets in every spiral. A quick whisk of real maple syrup into the glaze elevates the rolls from familiar comfort food to bakery-level indulgence, delivering depth of flavor without extra complexity. Whether you’re celebrating a special morning or simply upgrading a weekend brunch, this recipe rewards every minute invested with irresistible aroma, melt-in-your-mouth texture, and a finish that lingers long after the last bite.
FAQs
FAQ acf
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I prepare the cinnamon rolls the night before and bake them in the morning?
Yes. Assemble the rolls, place them in the pan, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight (the cold slows fermentation without harming rise). In the morning, let the pan sit at room temperature 45–60 minutes until the rolls look puffy, then bake as directed.
Can I freeze the unbaked cinnamon rolls and bake them later without compromising texture?
Yes—shape the rolls, wrap the pan (or individual rolls) airtight, and freeze immediately after the second rise, before they start to puff significantly. When you’re ready to bake, thaw the frozen rolls in the refrigerator overnight, then let them sit at room temperature 60–90 minutes until fully risen and pillowy before baking as usual; texture and lift will be virtually identical to fresh.
How do I store and reheat leftover cinnamon rolls so they stay soft and gooey?
Let the rolls cool completely, then store them airtight—either wrapped individually in plastic or sealed together in a lidded container—at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for 4–5 days (add a quick layer of plastic wrap directly on the cut surfaces to prevent drying). To revive, warm a single roll in the microwave for 15–20 seconds or reheat a pan, tented with foil, in a 325 °F (165 °C) oven for about 10 minutes; a light splash of milk/cream before reheating keeps the centers extra gooey.