Milk Bread Cinnamon Rolls

After testing dozens of cinnamon roll recipes over the years, I always felt like something was missing. Some were too dry, others lacked that signature gooey center, and none truly captured the soft, bakery-style texture of a real Cinnabon cinnamon rolls copycat. Then I heard about a local cinnamon bun pop-up that was using Shokupan dough for their rolls, and it sent me down a full research rabbit hole into milk bread techniques, tangzhong, and enriched doughs. After countless notes, tweaks, and late-night test bakes, this Milk bread cinnamon rolls recipe was tested five separate times to ensure it came out perfectly soft, fluffy, gooey, and worthy of becoming the ultimate homemade Cinnabon copycat.

I’ve always had a serious weakness for Cinnabon cinnamon rolls — honestly, if I’m anywhere near a location, the smell alone is enough to convince me to stop and grab a roll. For years, I’ve been trying to recreate that exact texture at home: the impossibly soft layers, the gooey cinnamon center, and that melt-in-your-mouth richness that makes Cinnabon so unforgettable. I tested recipe after recipe searching for that perfect balance, but nothing quite hit the mark until I discovered the magic of milkbread dough with tangzhong. After lots of experimenting, I finally achieved the texture and flavor I had been chasing for years — soft, fluffy, buttery, and incredibly close to the real thing.

Key Ingredients needed for this cinnamon bun recipe

For exact quantities and full list of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card

• Bread flour – Bread flour gives the milk bread dough its soft yet chewy texture, helping create the fluffy, pull-apart layers that make a cinnamon roll taste like a classic Cinnabon copycat.
• Whole milk – Whole milk adds richness, moisture, and tenderness to the dough, which is essential for achieving the signature pillowy milk bread texture.
• Ground cinnamon – Ground cinnamon delivers the warm, sweet-spiced flavor that defines the iconic filling in a bakery-style cinnamon roll.
• Brown sugar – Brown sugar melts into the cinnamon filling, creating the gooey caramel-like center that makes Cinnabon-style rolls extra indulgent.
• Cream cheese – Cream cheese is the key to the rich, tangy frosting that balances the sweetness and gives the rolls their authentic copycat finish.

What is "milk bread?"

Shokupan, often called “milk bread,” is a soft, fluffy Japanese-style bread known for its light texture, slightly sweet flavor, and cloud-like crumb. The word shokupan literally means “eating bread” in Japanese, referring to a simple everyday sandwich loaf. What makes this recipe different is the use of "tangzhong" — a cooked flour-and-milk) paste that helps the bread retain moisture and stay soft for days.

What is Tangzhong?

Tangzhong is a simple cooked flour paste used in Asian-style breads like shokupan to make them softer, fluffier, and longer-lasting. Cooking the flour before adding it to the dough helps the starches absorb and hold more liquid. That means:

• Softer bread
• More moisture
• Better rise
• Longer shelf life
• Cottony, pull-apart texture

That’s why tangzhong is a key technique in this Cinnabon copycat recipe.

Instructions to make this milk bread cinnamon roll recipe

Make the Tangzhong

• In a small sauce pot, add unbleached bread flour, milk, water and whisk. Turn heat to medium and cook for 3 minutes. Whisk constantly until everything is cooked and thickened. When it is done, whisking should leave tracks on the bottom of the pot and hold its shape like below.

Make the Dough

• In a stand mixer bowl (using a dough hook), add unbleached bread flour Mix the dry ingredients with the dough hook for a few seconds until they are evenly combined.
• Warm up the whole milk in the microwave - until it reaches 110° F
• To mixer bowl with dry ingredients, add warm milk, vanilla, honey, starter (Tangzhong) and 1 egg. Turn the mixer on low speed and knead for 5 minutes.
• Add softened unsalted butter to the dough in tablespoon increments a piece at a time and knead for 10 - 11 minutes. First at medium-low speed for a couple of minutes and then at medium speed until dough becomes smooth and stretchy but a little tacky.
• Transfer the dough with your hands to the buttered bowl. Shape it a bit with your hands to make it into a ball. Cover with a kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm location for 60 minutes or until it has doubled in size.

Form the rolls

• Once the dough has risen, make the filling. In a medium bowl, add the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Use a silicone spatula to mix together until it makes a paste. Set aside.

• Lightly grease a 9x13 baking pan with butter, set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out in a 20x12ish inch rectangle, it doesnt have to be perfect. Spread the cinnamon butter mixture all over the dough.

• Use a pizza cutter to cut eight, 2.5 inch strips. You should have about 8 large rolls. Roll each strip away from you, then carefully transfer them to a lightly greased 9x13 baking pan.

• Cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel. Allow the rolls to rise in a relatively warm environment for 60 minutes or until double in size.
• Once the rolls have doubled in size, preheat the oven to 350°F (190°C). Pour the heavy cream all over the cinnamon rolls.

• Bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. If you notice the tops are getting too brown too quickly, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil and continue baking. If you want to be precise about their doneness, their internal temperature taken with an instant read thermometer should be around 195–200°F when done.
• Remove pan from the oven and place pan on a wire rack as you make the icing.

Make the icing

• While the rolls are baking, make your icing. In a medium bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese on high speed until smooth and creamy.
• Add the butter and heavy cream, beat until smooth and combined. Then, beat in the confectioners’ sugar, salt and vanilla paste until combined.

• Using a small cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoon) Scoop the icing onto each roll. This ensures each roll gets an equal amount of icing. Otherwise, use a knife or icing spatula, spread the icing over the slightly warm rolls and serve immediately.
• When spreading the icing, you want the rolls to only be slightly warm. Otherwise the cream cheese frosting will melt completely.

Variations and substitutions for this cinnabon copycat recipe

• Swap the Filling Flavor: Replace some of the Ground cinnamon with pumpkin spice, chai spice, or cardamom for a unique twist.
• Use Different Sugars: Substitute dark brown sugar for light brown sugar to create a deeper caramel-like flavor in the filling.
• Dairy-Free Option: Use plant-based milk, vegan butter, and dairy-free cream cheese to make the recipe completely dairy-free while keeping the rolls soft.
• Bread Flour Substitute: All-purpose flour can replace bread flour, though the rolls may be slightly less chewy and fluffy.
• Add Texture: Mix chopped pecans, walnuts, or raisins into the filling for added crunch and sweetness.
• Chocolate Version: Sprinkle mini chocolate chips inside the cinnamon filling for a dessert-style variation.
• Overnight Cinnamon Rolls: Prepare the rolls the night before, refrigerate after shaping, and bake fresh the next morning.
• Maple Frosting Twist: Add maple syrup to the Cream cheese frosting for a warm bakery-style flavor variation.

Storage instructions for this cinnamon scroll recipe

• Room Temperature: Store the cinnamon rolls in an airtight container for up to 2 days to keep the milk bread texture soft and fluffy.
• Refrigerator: For longer freshness, refrigerate the rolls in a sealed container for up to 5 days; warm them slightly before serving for the best gooey texture.
• Freezing: Freeze unfrosted or frosted rolls individually wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months.
• Reheating: Microwave a roll for 15–25 seconds or warm in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes to restore the soft, bakery-style texture.
• Best Texture Tip: Store rolls with the Cream cheese frosting separately if possible to prevent excess moisture from soaking into the dough during storage.

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Print Recipe

Milk bread Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnabon copycat cinnamon rolls made with milkbread shokupan dough

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

proofing time2 hours hrs

Total Time2 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8

Author: Cari

Ingredients

Tangzhong

• 2.5 tablespoon unbleached bread flour
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup whole milk

Dough

• 2 ½ cups unbleached bread flour
• 2 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3½ tablespoon sugar
• ½ cup whole milk warmed to 110 degrees
• 1 large egg room temperature
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 4 tablespoon unsalted butter room temp, cut into small pieces
• ½ cup heavy cream

Icing

• ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla paste
• 3 tablespoon heavy cream
• 2 oz cream cheese room temperature

Instructions

Make the Tangzhong

• In a small sauce pot, add unbleached bread flour, milk, water and whisk. Turn heat to medium and cook for 3 minutes. Whisk constantly until everything is cooked and thickened. When it is done, whisking should leave tracks on the bottom of the pot and hold its shape like below.

Make the Dough

• In a stand mixer bowl (using a dough hook), add unbleached bread flour Mix the dry ingredients with the dough hook for a few seconds until they are evenly combined.
• Warm up the whole milk in the microwave - until it reaches 110° F
• To mixer bowl with dry ingredients, add warm milk, vanilla, honey, starter (Tangzhong) and 1 egg. Turn the mixer on low speed and knead for 5 minutes.
• Add softened unsalted butter to the dough in tablespoon increments a piece at a time and knead for 10 - 11 minutes. First at medium-low speed for a couple of minutes and then at medium speed until dough becomes smooth and stretchy but a little tacky.
• Transfer the dough with your hands to the buttered bowl. Shape it a bit with your hands to make it into a ball. Cover with a kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm location for 60 minutes or until it has doubled in size.

Form the rolls

• Once the dough has risen, make the filling. In a medium bowl, add the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Use a silicone spatula to mix together until it makes a paste. Set aside.
• Lightly grease a 9x13 baking pan with butter, set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out in a 20x12ish inch rectangle, it doesnt have to be perfect. Spread the cinnamon butter mixture all over the dough.
• Use a pizza cutter to cut eight, 2.5 inch strips. Roll each strip away from you, then carefully transfer them to a lightly greased 9x13 baking pan.
• Cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel. Allow the rolls to rise in a relatively warm environment for 60 minutes or until double in size.
• Once the rolls have doubled in size, preheat the oven to 350°F (190°C). Pour the heavy cream all over the cinnamon rolls.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. If you notice the tops are getting too brown too quickly, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil and continue baking. If you want to be precise about their doneness, their internal temperature taken with an instant read thermometer should be around 195–200°F when done. Remove pan from the oven and place pan on a wire rack as you make the icing.

Make the icing

• While the rolls are baking, make your icing. In a medium bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add the butter and heavy cream, beat until smooth and combined. Then, beat in the confectioners’ sugar, salt and vanilla until combined.
• Using a small cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoon) Scoop the icing onto each roll. This ensures each roll gets an equal amount of icing. Otherwise, use a knife or icing spatula, spread the icing over the slightly warm rolls and serve immediately. When spreading the icing, you want the rolls to only be a tiny bit warm. If the rolls are too hot, the cream cheese frosting will melt completely and we don't want that.
• Cover leftover frosted or unfrosted rolls tightly and store at room temperature for a day or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

Variations and substitutions for this cinnabon copycat recipe

• Swap the Filling Flavor: Replace some of the Ground cinnamon with pumpkin spice, chai spice, or cardamom for a unique twist.
• Use Different Sugars: Substitute dark brown sugar for light brown sugar to create a deeper caramel-like flavor in the filling.
• Dairy-Free Option: Use plant-based milk, vegan butter, and dairy-free cream cheese to make the recipe completely dairy-free while keeping the rolls soft.
• Bread Flour Substitute: All-purpose flour can replace bread flour, though the rolls may be slightly less chewy and fluffy.
• Add Texture: Mix chopped pecans, walnuts, or raisins into the filling for added crunch and sweetness.
• Chocolate Version: Sprinkle mini chocolate chips inside the cinnamon filling for a dessert-style variation.
• Overnight Cinnamon Rolls: Prepare the rolls the night before, refrigerate after shaping, and bake fresh the next morning.
• Maple Frosting Twist: Add maple syrup to the Cream cheese frosting for a warm bakery-style flavor variation.

Storage instructions for this cinnamon scroll recipe

• Room Temperature: Store the cinnamon rolls in an airtight container for up to 2 days to keep the milk bread texture soft and fluffy.
• Refrigerator: For longer freshness, refrigerate the rolls in a sealed container for up to 5 days; warm them slightly before serving for the best gooey texture.
• Freezing: Freeze unfrosted or frosted rolls individually wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months.
• Reheating: Microwave a roll for 15–25 seconds or warm in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes to restore the soft, bakery-style texture.
• Best Texture Tip: Store rolls with the Cream cheese frosting separately if possible to prevent excess moisture from soaking into the dough during storage.