Cinnamon Butterflake Rolls are flaky, pull-apart rolls baked with cinnamon and sugar and topped with vanilla icing. If you are looking for more of a dinner roll, check out my buttery Butterflake Rolls.
Cinnamon Butterflake Rolls
If you love cinnamon rolls then you will love these easy pull-apart rolls. These flaky rolls are made by cutting and stacking strips of dough and baking the stacks in a muffin tin. The end result is twelve rolls that fan out into multiple layers of deliciousness! And then, when you drizzle the vanilla icing over the tops of the rolls, you have a sweet roll! These would be a yummy breakfast or snack, or even a sweet dessert.
Rolls Ingredients
There are three parts to this recipe–the dough, the cinnamon sugar topping, and the icing.
Flour: All-purpose flour is what we used in this recipe. We have not tested the rolls with other kinds of flour, so I can’t speak to their effectiveness.
Yeast: Use instant yeast, which is also called quick rise or fast-rising yeast.
Topping: Brush some melted butter over the top of the rolled-out dough with a cinnamon and sugar mixture sprinkled over the top.
Icing: The vanilla icing is so simple but adds some more sweetness to the rolls. However, you could enjoy them without the icing, too.
How to Freeze
Bake the rolls according to the recipe below, but do not add the icing on top. Let them cool completely in the pan, then wrap them tightly in aluminum foil. (Do not use plastic wrap here; it could trap in condensation and make the rolls soggy.) Place the rolls in a freezer bag or storage container and freeze for up to 2-3 weeks. Be sure to label and date the packaging.
Can I Use Store-Bought Rolls?
Yes! To save some time, you could grab some Rhodes rolls and make 4 to 5 cuts on the tops of the rolls. Then, add some of the cinnamon and sugar topping in each slit that you just created. Place the rolls into the muffin tin and bake! These will still be impressive sweet rolls to serve and share!
More Bread Recipes
Cinnamon Butterflake Rolls
Ingredients
Dough
- 4 cups (512 g) all-purpose flour, or more if needed, divided
- 2 envelopes (about 4½ teaspoons) instant yeast
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ cups (367 g) whole milk, warmed (about 110-120°F)
Topping
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Vanilla Icing
- 1½ cups confectioners' sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons whole milk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Dough
- Combine 3 cups flour, undissolved yeast, sugar, egg, and salt in a large bowl or in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with dough hook.
- Add warm milk to the flour mixture. Knead 2 minutes at medium speed, scraping the bowl occasionally if needed. Add ½ cup flour; knead for 2 more minutes.
- Add the remaining ½ cup flour and continue kneading until the dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl and very soft. (If the dough seems too wet you may need more flour. Add in ¼ cup increments until the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl while kneading.)
- Spray a bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Place the dough into the bowl and cover with a clean towel. Let it rest 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.
Topping
- When ready, roll the dough into a square that is about ½-inch thick. Brush the melted butter over the top of the dough so it covers the entire surface.
- In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
- Spread brown sugar mixture over dough making sure it covers the entire surface.
Assembly
- Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 12 strips of equal size, approximately 1½ inches wide.
- Group and stack the strips into 2 separate sections (6 strips each stack). Cut each stack into 6 pieces for a total of 12 stacks of dough. Each stack will be a roll.
- Place each stack into the prepared muffin tin on their sides, cut-side up.
- Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rest 30-40 minutes, or until the dough doubles in size. (Each roll should be about 1 inch higher than the muffin tin.)
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until golden brown.
- While the rolls are baking, mix together the icing.
Vanilla Icing
- In a medium bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, 1 tablespoon of milk, and vanilla. Add more milk if needed to reach your desired consistency.
- Drizzle the icing over the rolls while they are still warm. Enjoy!
Did you make this recipe?
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I’m just wondering if they taste overly yeasty? That’s a lot of yeast used. Look delicious though and I’m still gonna try them
Nope, not even a little “yeasty” taste. 🙂
anytime I make cinnamon rolls I add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the flour in the dough, really makes a difference, it would be great in these also!
Amanda… Love, Love, Love your recipes! THANK YOU
I doubled the filling and there still was no taste whatsoever but a yeasty dough with a slight sugar taste. Doubled the icing too. I like the idea of how these are formed but will use my own cinnamon roll filling and dough next time. If you put a tablespoon of whipping cream on these before you bake them they will be gooey but without I wouldn’t say this is a flaky roll. Just a cinnamon roll cut differently.
Is there any chance you aren’t feeling well? There is no need to double the filling, but you did and STILL couldn’t taste anything? Something just isn’t adding up here.
I like this recipe and will give it a try , is it ok to use 2 Prozent milk , that’s the only one we buy !
Do you know if you could mix the dough and allow it to proof over night in the fridge? I’d like to bake these on Christmas morning, but I’d like to cut down one of the rise times if possible. Thank you!
I made the butterflake rolls for Thanksgiving and they were a huge hit!
Yes, you can mix the dough and allow it to proof overnight in the refrigerator! Cold proofing slows down the yeast activity, which not only cuts down on the rise time the next day but also enhances the flavor of the rolls. After kneading the dough and placing it in a greased bowl, cover it tightly with plastic wrap or a damp towel and refrigerate overnight. (Since the recipe calls for two rise periods -one after kneading and another after assembly-, refrigerating the dough overnight effectively replaces the first rise)
On Christmas morning, let the dough come to room temperature for about 30-60 minutes before rolling it out and assembling the rolls as per the recipe. This way, you can save time and still have fresh, warm rolls for your holiday breakfast!
So glad to hear the Butterflake Rolls were such a hit for Thanksgiving—I’m sure your family will love these too. 😊 Happy baking!