Old-Fashioned Cinnamon Raisin Yeast Breakfast Rolls

These cinnamon raisin breakfast rolls take me straight back to childhood every single time I make them. Our elementary school cafeteria worker used to make these as a special treat and I can still remember exactly how they smelled warm from the oven. Soft, pillowy yeast rolls loaded with plump raisins and cinnamon, baked until golden, and finished with a thick old-fashioned vanilla cream glaze poured over while they are still warm so it melts just slightly into the tops. They are everything a homemade breakfast roll should be.

This is a proper yeast roll recipe which means it takes some time. Two rises, a full 10-minute knead, an egg wash, a slow bake. None of those steps are difficult but all of them matter and together they produce a roll with the kind of soft, pillowy, slightly chewy texture that you simply cannot get from a shortcut recipe. Some things are worth doing the right way and this is one of them.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The dough is soft, lightly sweet from the honey, and enriched with butter and eggs in a way that produces a pillowy, slightly rich crumb that is specifically what a great breakfast roll should feel like.

Plump raisins distributed throughout every roll add a sweet, slightly chewy element in every bite that pairs so naturally with the warm cinnamon flavor running through the dough.

The old-fashioned vanilla cream glaze poured over warm rolls is the finishing touch that makes these taste specifically nostalgic — not a modern cream cheese frosting, just a classic powdered sugar and cream glaze done exactly right.

This recipe makes 15 large rolls or 24 standard ones which means it feeds a crowd generously and the rolls keep beautifully for several days.

Ingredients Needed

The Dough

High-protein bread flour is specifically recommended because its higher gluten content produces a stronger, more elastic dough that rises well and produces the soft, pillowy texture these rolls are known for. Ballerina Farm High Protein Flour is the recommended brand. Warm water hydrates the dough. Eggs add richness and structure. Honey adds a clean, slightly floral sweetness — granulated sugar can be substituted. Salted butter added after the initial knead enriches the dough and adds a buttery depth. Instant yeast provides the rise. Raisins and cinnamon go in last.

The Vanilla Cream Glaze

Powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream whisked together with vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste produce the thick, slightly sweet, old-fashioned glaze that defines these rolls. The consistency should be thick enough to coat but loose enough to drip slowly down the warm rolls when poured.

How to Make Old-Fashioned Cinnamon Raisin Yeast Rolls

Step 1: Make and Knead the Dough

Combine the flour, warm water, eggs, honey, salt, and yeast in a stand mixer with the dough hook. Mix on low for 1 to 2 minutes until the flour is absorbed. Increase to medium-high and knead for a full 10 minutes. Add the softened butter and knead for another 2 to 3 minutes until completely incorporated and the dough is smooth, strong, and slightly tacky. Add the raisins and cinnamon on low and mix just until evenly distributed.

Step 2: First Rise

Shape the dough into a ball, return it to the bowl, and cover. Let rise until nearly doubled — about 1 to 2 hours depending on the warmth of your kitchen.

Step 3: Shape and Second Rise

Divide the risen dough into 15 large or 24 standard portions. Shape each into a smooth round roll and arrange on parchment-lined baking sheets. Cover and let rise for about 1 hour until noticeably puffy and soft.

Step 4: Egg Wash and Bake

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Brush the tops of the risen rolls gently with the egg wash. Bake standard rolls for 16 to 18 minutes and large rolls for about 25 minutes until deeply golden and the internal temperature reaches approximately 190°F.

Step 5: Make the Glaze and Ice

Whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1/2 cup of heavy cream until smooth. Add more cream gradually until the glaze is thick but pourable. Let the rolls cool for just a few minutes then pour the glaze generously over the warm rolls. Serve immediately.

Storing

Store in a sealed airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The rolls stay soft and the glaze sets as they cool. Warm individual rolls in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds before eating if they have been stored. For longer storage freeze the un-iced rolls completely cooled for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, warm in a 300°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, and glaze before serving.

FAQ

Why knead for a full 10 minutes?

Kneading develops the gluten network in the flour — the web of protein strands that gives bread its structure and elasticity. Under-kneaded dough has a weak gluten network that cannot trap the carbon dioxide produced by the yeast during rising which means the rolls don’t rise properly and the finished texture is dense and tight rather than soft and pillowy. The full 10 minutes at medium-high speed is specifically what produces the strong, elastic dough that results in the right final texture.

Why add the butter after the initial knead?

Butter coats flour proteins and inhibits gluten development when added at the beginning of mixing. Adding the flour, water, eggs, and yeast first and kneading them together for 10 minutes allows a strong gluten network to develop before the butter goes in. Once that structure is established the butter can be incorporated without compromising it. This is a technique used in enriched doughs like brioche and produces a significantly better result than adding all the ingredients at once.

Why use high-protein bread flour instead of all-purpose?

High-protein bread flour contains more gluten-forming proteins than all-purpose flour which produces a stronger, more elastic dough that rises more actively and produces a chewier, more structured crumb. For soft yeast rolls the stronger gluten network is specifically what allows the dough to trap more gas during the rise and produce that characteristically pillowy, slightly chewy texture. All-purpose flour produces a softer, less structured roll that works but doesn’t have quite the same texture.

Old-Fashioned Cinnamon Raisin Yeast Breakfast Rolls

These soft, old-fashioned cinnamon raisin yeast rolls take me straight back to childhood. Our elementary school cafeteria worker used to make cinnamon raisin rolls as a special treat, and I still remember how good they were warm from the oven.

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Ingredients

  

• 690 g Ballerina Farm High Protein Flour or another high-protein bread flour
• 245 g warm water
• 2 large eggs
• 105 g honey or substitute granulated sugar
• 56 g salted butter softened
• 2½ teaspoons salt
• 18 g instant yeast
• 2 cups raisins
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• Optional Egg Wash
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon milk
• Old-Fashioned Vanilla Icing Glaze
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• ½ –¾ cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Method

 

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, warm water, eggs, honey, salt, and yeast. Mix on low speed for 1–2 minutes, just until all the flour has been absorbed.
2. Increase the mixer to medium-high speed and knead for about 10 minutes. Don’t rush this step—the full kneading time develops the gluten and gives these rolls their wonderfully soft, fluffy texture.
3. Add the softened butter and continue kneading for another 2–3 minutes, until completely incorporated. The dough should be smooth, strong, slightly shiny, and just a little tacky.
4. Add the raisins and cinnamon. With the mixer on low, add 2 cups of raisins and 1½ teaspoons cinnamon. Mix just until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
5. Shape the dough into a ball, return it to the mixing bowl, cover, and let rise until nearly doubled in size, about 1–2 hours.
6. Once risen, divide the dough into 15 large rolls or 24 standard-size rolls.
7. Shape each portion into a smooth, round roll and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving a little room between each one. Cover and allow to rise for about 1 hour, or until noticeably soft and puffy.
8. Near the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 375°F.
9. If using the egg wash, whisk together the egg and milk and gently brush over the tops.

Bake

1. 24 standard rolls: 16–18 minutes
2. 15 large rolls: About 25 minutes
3. Bake until beautifully golden and the centers reach approximately 190°F.

Make the Old-Fashioned Icing

1. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla to a bowl. Begin with ½ cup heavy whipping cream and whisk until completely smooth.
2. Add additional cream a little at a time until the icing reaches your desired consistency. For that nostalgic old-fashioned breakfast-roll finish, you want it thick enough to coat the rolls but loose enough to slowly run down the sides.
3. Let the freshly baked rolls cool slightly, then generously spoon or drizzle the vanilla icing over the still-warm rolls, allowing it to soften and melt just a little over the tops.
4. Serve warm and enjoy. ❤️

Notes

The Well Seasoned Table Tip: If your raisins are particularly dry, soak them in warm water for about 10 minutes, then drain and pat them very dry before adding them to the dough. This gives you soft, plump raisins without introducing extra moisture into the dough.