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one cinnamon roll covered in peanut butter on a blue plate.
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4.89 from 9 votes

Peanut Butter Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Fluffy from scratch cinnamon roll dough filled with peanut butter and cinnamon.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time25 minutes
Rising Time2 hours
Total Time3 hours 25 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 rolls
Calories: 521kcal
Author: Dorothy Kern
Cost: $7

Ingredients

For the Dough:

  • 1 package (8g) active dry yeast (about 2 ¼ teaspoons)
  • ¾ cup (177ml) milk (see note)
  • cup (67g) granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter , softened
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 cups (372g) all-purpose flour plus more for dusting

For the Filling:

  • cup (134g) packed brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ cup (67g) peanut butter
  • 1 cup (170g) mini chocolate chips (optional)

For the Frosting:

  • ½ cup (145g) creamy peanut butter
  • 4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter , softened
  • 2 cups (226g) powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Instructions

Make the Dough:

  • Place milk in a microwave safe measuring cup. Heat for 30-45 seconds in the microwave, until it’s about 110-120°F. Add yeast and ½ teaspoon of the granulated sugar (from the ⅓ cup called for) and stir. Let it sit for a few minutes to proof and bubble up.
  • Place remaining granulated sugar, butter, salt, and egg in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
  • Mix until the butter is distributed throughout the liquids, although it may be chunky. Pour in the milk/yeast mixture and stir for a few seconds.
  • Add flour and stir with the paddle attachment just until the mixture starts to stick to the paddle.
  • Replace the paddle with the dough hook. Continue mixing on low speed until the dough forms a ball in the center of the bowl.
  • Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough ball in it. Spray the top of the dough ball with cooking spray (lightly) and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let sit for 1-2 hours until it doubles in size.
  • Note on rising: if your house is warm, it should rise no problem. If it’s cold in your house, it may take longer for the dough to rise, so plan accordingly!

Prepare your Rolls:

  • Stir together brown sugar and cinnamon.
  • Place the peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 30-60 seconds or until pourable.
  • Once the dough is risen, roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle, about 12” by 9”. Spread the peanut butter as evenly as possible over the rectangle, making sure to reach to the sides so the outer rolls have enough filling. Sprinkle with brown sugar mixture.
  • Roll the dough up tightly from the long end. Slice it into 12 equal rounds. Place the rolls into a 9x13-inch baking pan that's been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
  • At this point, you can let them rise for about 1 hour, or until they are swelling up in the pan and bake as directed. Or you can cover with plastic wrap and stick in the refrigerator overnight until ready to bake.
  • When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. If the rolls have been in the refrigerator, remove them and let them come to room temperature while the oven is preheating. Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 15-25 minutes, or until they are golden brown.

Make the frosting (if desired):

  • Mix peanut butter and butter with a hand mixer until well blended. Mix in powdered sugar until crumbly. Add vanilla and 2 tablespoons heavy cream and mix until desired consistency, adding more cream slowly as needed. Frost warm rolls.
  • Store rolls loosely covered for up to 2 days on the counter. Wrap well with plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months.

Video

Notes

  • Use any kind of milk (regular, non-dairy, low fat or fat free)
  • This recipe has only been tested with no-stir peanut butter (not natural).
  • When making the frosting, you can use any kind of milk in place of the heavy cream, but you'll probably need less (less fat = less needed to bind your frosting). So start with 1 tablespoon and work up from there.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cinnamon roll | Calories: 521kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 195mg | Potassium: 184mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 49g | Vitamin A: 342IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 2mg