Many bakers swear they have the secret to the ultimate cinnamon rolls. Maybe you opt to get a head start with overnight rolls or stick with a classic like our taste test-winning Quick Cinnamon Rolls. Or perhaps you call in an assist from cake mix, frozen bread dough, canned biscuits, refrigerated crescent dough, or Jiffy for a semi-homemade sweet roll often indistinguishable from its made-from-scratch peers. Some simply crack open a can (we’re partial to Immaculate Baking’s Ready-to-Bake Cinnamon Rolls), top them with eggnog, and blow everyone away with the fluffy treats that emerge from the oven.
If you ask The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, though, nothing can compare to the Best Cinnamon Roll recipe she originally shared back in 2007—and still makes to this day. After whipping up a batch with daughter Paige, then posting about it on Instagram, Drummond says, “I can say without question that they are the best things you’ll ever eat.”
The Pioneer Woman followers agree, raving that they are “the BEST cinnamon rolls ever” and confirming that “this cinnamon rolls recipe ruined it for me. After the first time I made it years ago when you shared it on your website, all other cinnamon rolls seemed inferior to yours!” Some folks are so devoted to these rolls that they “made 80 pans of these this year for Christmas gifts. They’re everyone’s favorites!”
The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond’s, Best Cinnamon Roll Recipe
The yeast dough is classic, calling for baking staples like all-purpose flour, milk, oil, sugar, and salt, as well as baking powder and soda. The filling is traditional, too, featuring melted butter and cinnamon sugar.
So, what makes these cinnamon rolls shine? Two small but mighty details: Following Ree’s lead and refrigerating the rolls for at least 1 hour before baking. Then, once they’re baked but still warm, douse them in an easy maple frosting that’s “so yummy” and “heavenly,” according to fans.
“The best part is the maple frosting,” Drummond explains on her website. “Don’t be afraid to drown them puppies. Be sure to get frosting around the perimeter of the baking pan, too, so the icing will coat the outside of the rolls. The frosting will settle in and become one with the cinnamon rolls. And you’ll be another step closer to being the most popular person…wherever you call home.”
How To Make The Pioneer Woman’s Cinnamon Roll Maple Frosting
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To make enough of Drummond’s maple frosting to coat a whopping 50 rolls, whisk together a 2-pound bag of confectioners’ sugar, 2 teaspoons maple flavoring (which is milder than extract), 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 cup melted butter, 1/4 cup brewed coffee, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Taste and add any of those ingredients until you’re pleased with the balance and until the consistency is “somewhat thick but still very pourable,” Drummond advises.
After removing your cinnamon rolls from the oven, “immediately drizzle icing over the top,” she instructs. “As they sit, the rolls will absorb some of the icing’s moisture and flavor. They only get better with time…not that they last for more than a few seconds. Make them for a friend today! It’ll seal the relationship for life. I promise.”
With hints of coffee and maple flavor permeating every crumb, we can see why fans (and Drummond’s family) are so fond of this cinnamon roll recipe. That said, her base is far from the only thing you can coat in the dreamy maple frosting. We can’t wait to try it on Cinnamon Roll Pancakes or a slice of Easy Cream Cheese Pound Cake, Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll Cake, Pumpkin Cake, and Carrot Cake. Or—why not?—savor it straight from the spoon.
