Lunch Lady Cinnamon Rolls
Remember the Lunch Lady Cafeteria Rolls I posted last week. They make AMAZING Cinnamon Rolls.
The recipe made about 24 cinnamon rolls. As much as I wanted to eat them all myself, I let my husband take about half of them into work. He called to tell me they were gone within minutes, and there had been a little fight over the last two when three co-workers went for them at the same time. Mind you, the cinnamon rolls were almost three days old at this point.
These Lunch Lady Cafeteria Cinnamon Rolls seriously ROCK!
More Rockin’ Breakfast Recipes
- Amy’s Amazing Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cheesy Ham and Potato Breakfast Casserole
- Best Ever Blueberry Muffin Recipe
- Overnight Butterscotch Monkey Bread
- The Best Easy Baked French Toast
- Crustless Quiche Egg Casserole
The weather here is so cold and snowy today. I think I am going to have to make another batch. These Lunch Lady Cafeteria Cinnamon Rolls are just too dang delicious!
how to make lunch lady cafeteria cinnamon rolls
- Roll dough out into a large rectangular shape, about 2- 2 1/2-feet long and 12-15 inches wide. You want it to be about 1/4-inch thick.
- Spread butter evenly over rolled-out dough with your hands.
- Sprinkle generously with cinnamon.
- Next, sprinkle with white sugar.
- Roll the dough up gently, yet as tightly as you can. You want to do it in the direction that will give you an almost 2-foot or so roll to slice up like the picture.
- Slice into 24 cinnamon rolls, approx. 1- 1 1/2 inches thick. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet, cover, and let them sit in a warm place while you preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Let them rise for 20-30 minutes.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes at 400 degrees or until golden brown on tops and edges.
- Let cool completely before frosting.
- Frosting:
- In a medium-size mixing bowl with a hand mixer, combine softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough cream or milk to get your desired consistency.
- Frost rolls and enjoy!!!
Tips for making Lunch Lady Cafeteria Cinnamon Rolls
- Did I mention they work great to make at night, rise in your fridge, and bake fresh in the morning? So dangerous! Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet, cover, and place them in the fridge. Do not use stone or glass pans, as they could break when placed in the oven in the morning if still cold.
- When I sprinkle the cinnamon on the dough, I don’t measure it, but cover the entire surface lightly. I probably use no more than 1 1/2-2 tbsp cinnamon.
- I always sprinkle the sugar on after the cinnamon instead of before. It helps to have the cinnamon down first because it is hard to tell how much you are sprinkling against the light-colored dough. It is approx. 1/4 cup sugar.
baker’s tools for Cinnamon Rolls:
If you love Lunch Lady Cinnamon Rolls, you'll love these...
Lunch Lady Cafeteria Cinnamon Rolls {TMH}
Cook time
Total time
Just like the cinnamon rolls my school cafeteria made growing up. YUM!
Author: Maria
Recipe type: Cinnamon Rolls
Cuisine: Brunch
Serves: 20
Ingredients
- ½ batch of Lunch Lady Cafeteria Roll Dough
- 2-3 tbsp butter, softened
- Cinnamon
- White Sugar
- Frosting:
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2-4 tablespoons cream, milk, or evaporated milk
Instructions
- Roll the dough out into a large rectangular shape. Mine ends up being about 2- 2½-feet long and 12-15 inches wide. You want it to be about ¼-inch thick.
- Next, spread butter evenly over rolled-out dough with your hands.
- Sprinkle generously with cinnamon. Get the entire surface lightly covered. I don’t measure the cinnamon and probably use no more than 1½-2 tbsp cinnamon.
- Sprinkle with white sugar, (I always do this after the cinnamon instead of before because it is hard to tell how much you are sprinkling against the light-colored dough. It helps to have the cinnamon down first.) It is approx. ¼ cup sugar.
- Roll the dough up gently, yet as tightly as you can. You want to do it in the direction that will give you an almost 2-foot or so roll to slice up like the picture.
- Slice into 24 cinnamon rolls, approx. 1- 1½ inches thick. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. If you are planning to bake in the morning, cover and place them in the fridge. (Do not use stone or glass pans, as they could break when placed in the oven in the morning if still cold.) If you want to bake them now, just cover and let them sit in a warm place while you preheat the oven to 400 degrees. They need to rise for 20-30 minutes.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes at 400 degrees or until golden brown on tops and edges.
- Let cool completely before frosting.
- Frosting:
- In a medium-size mixing bowl with a hand mixer, combine softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough cream or milk to get your desired consistency.
- Frost rolls and enjoy!!!
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Look delicious and I can’t wait to try them!
They sound delish. One of our Christmas family traditions is to have sausage biscuits and cinnamon rolls (which are always store bought LOL) so I would love to make these for Christmas morning.
If I’m making the rolls the next morning, do I get them out, let them warm up so they will rise or just let the oven preheat and bake them?
Hi Glenda, sorry it took me so long to respond, When you get them out give them a little time to come to room temperature, but they will probably already have risen even in the fridge.
Where is the recipe for the lunch lady dough? Am I missing it? Thank you so much!
Here you go. https://reallifedinner.com/lunch-lady-cafeteria-rolls-step-by-step-pictures-and-instructions-no-mixer-needed/
Where can I purchase the dough used for this?
Hi Jay, here is the link. https://reallifedinner.com/lunch-lady-cafeteria-rolls-step-by-step-pictures-and-instructions-no-mixer-needed/
Jay, Can’t purchase the dough. It is made from scratch
I made these but they were hard. How do I keep them soft? I followed all steps and same thing turned out the second time around as well. Yours look soft and pretty and mine were just well not lol.
This really surprises me Desirea. Did you let them raise until doubled. Sometimes if rolls don’t rise long enough they can be a little dense and hard.
Okay thank you! I’m making them tonight and will try that!
I made these for my family. They were the best. I made them for a fundraiser for church and they got rave reviews. Making for church again. They are easy but coughs soft and light not heavy or tough. I won’t share my resource for recipe. I want it to myself for awhile longer.
I love it! So glad you found the recipe.
I can’t wait to make these and the rolls. Would you be able to post pictures step by step like you did the rolls? I am trying to picture in my head how to roll the dough after you place the cinnamon and sugar on it. Thank you
I am sorry Brit, I do not have step by step pics of that, next time I make them I will try to remember to take pictures and post them.
Here is another frosting option. I like to heat my milk and add the butter, 1 tsp corn syrup, the vanilla and just a couple drops of almond extract, then the powdered sugar. This is more of a glaze than a frosting. I always wait until the rolls are completely cooled before glazing.
I love love these! I’ve been looking for the perfect cinnamon roll recipe and have finally found it. So soft and fluffy and not “yeasty” tasting. ❤️
Yay! That is why I like them so much too, Janet. No yeasty undertone!
My mom worked in the lunch room for years. She would make these all the time. We never thought to write the recipe down when we were young. Now my mom has Alzheimer’s and she doesn’t remember the recipe and we couldn’t find it. But she does remember the cinnamon rolls taste and the rolls taste she said she made them. We make them for her because it brings her some joy. Thank you for these memories.
When making the rolls into cinnamon rolls – do I skip the rising step and only let them rise in the frig overnight?
If you want to bake them in the moring, yes.
Why do you use a wooden spoon ?
Hi Sam, I just prefer wooden spoons and do most of my cooking baking with them, any spoon is fine.
Delicious! Just made these – first time making rolls – for Christmas Eve dinner. Had to sneak one soon as it came out of oven. Can’t wait for everyone to try. Mom and husband loved them – couldn’t leave them out of the taste test. Have cinnamon rolls in fridge for baking in the morning.
Yay!!! I love hearing this Linda! I just made these last weekend and ate 5 with butter and Jam right after they came out. I couldn’t stop!
I made these last night and kept one pan out to eat, then put the other in the freezer. The dough was very easy to work with and baked up so soft and fluffy. They made for a delicious dessert and breakfast. Will definitely make these again! #febgiveaway
Yay!!! Jealous you have some in your freezer now. So glad you like the recipe!
What brand of flour, do u use & how many cups do u measure to make the 24 cin-rolls.
What brand of flour, do u use & how many cups do u measure to make the 24 cin-rolls. I don’t know how u can make them without the main ingredient.
Hi Arthur, You need to click the link in the ingredient list that takes you to my orginal recipe for lunch lady rolls. This recipe is an explanation of how to turn that dough into cinnamon rolls. I use all-purpose flour, but I’m not particular about the brand name.
These are the best cinnamon rolls ever! It makes a ton. I love that I can divide the dough to make roll and still get a whole jelly roll sheet of Cinnamon rolls. Everyone who I make these for loves them.
Yay! This makes me so happy Tiffany!
The frosting for these cinnamon rolls is SO delicious! My family asks me to make extra icing so they can eat it by itself with a spoon. You have to be fast if you want some! I highly recommend trying this icing… you will not be disappointed!
Smart family you’ve got there. 🙂
can you make this with soy milk and plant butter, my granddaughter is allergic to milk. I would love to make her some fresh cinnamon rolls.
Hi, Joy. We have never made them with soy milk or plant butter, but if you do, let us know how they turn out.