Cinnamon roll baker's percentage
A soft, enriched cinnamon roll dough with milk, butter, sugar and egg, written in baker's percentages. Set how many rolls and how heavy, and get the dough — then use the table for the filling and the pan.
Formula baker's % of total flour
Batch size
Preferment
Water temperature
Use water at 68°F
78 × 3 − (70 + 72 + 24) = 68
This dough has no added water, so use the temperature for the liquids you add (milk, eggs).
Your recipe
| Ingredient | Baker's % | Total formula | Mix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bread flour | 100% | 502 g | 502 g |
| Water | 0% | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Salt | 1.8% | 9.0 g | 9.0 g |
| Instant yeast | 1.2% | 6.0 g | 6.0 g |
| Whole milk | 55% | 276 g | 276 g |
| Butter | 15% | 75 g | 75 g |
| Sugar | 15% | 75 g | 75 g |
| Eggs (whole) | 15% | 75 g | 75 g |
| Total | 203% | 1,020 g | 1,020 g |
Cinnamon rolls formula at a glance
Yield 12 rolls · 1,020 g dough · 61.5% effective hydration from eggs, milk and butter · about 4 hours start to finish.
| Ingredient | Baker's % |
|---|---|
| Bread flour | 100% |
| Water | 0% |
| Salt | 1.8% |
| Instant yeast | 1.2% |
| Whole milk | 55% |
| Butter | 15% |
| Sugar | 15% |
| Eggs (whole) | 15% |
Rolls per pan, with filling
Filling per 100 g of dough flour: 20 g soft butter, 30 g brown sugar, 3 g cinnamon.
| Pan | Rolls | Dough | Flour | Soft butter | Brown sugar | Cinnamon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 × 8 in square | 9 × 70 g | 630 g | 310 g | 62 g | 93 g | 9.3 g |
| 9 in round | 8 × 85 g | 680 g | 335 g | 67 g | 100 g | 10 g |
| 9 × 13 in | 12 × 85 g | 1,020 g | 502 g | 100 g | 151 g | 15 g |
| 12 × 17 in half sheet | 24 × 85 g | 2,040 g | 1,005 g | 201 g | 301 g | 30 g |
| Jumbo (9 × 13 in) | 6 × 170 g | 1,020 g | 502 g | 100 g | 151 g | 15 g |
Why these percentages
Cinnamon roll dough is an enriched dough, so its hydration comes from milk and eggs rather than water. The calculator shows 0% hydration but about 62% effective hydration — milk is 87% water and eggs 75% — which is typical for a soft, rollable dough. If you prefer to use water and milk powder, set water to 48% and add 6% milk powder for the same feel.
Butter and sugar at 15% each make the crumb tender without slowing the yeast too much. Above about 10% sugar, yeast starts to struggle, which is why the instant yeast is 1.2% — about double a lean bread. If you push sugar to 20% or more, switch to osmotolerant yeast or raise the yeast again.
The filling is not part of the dough formula, but it scales the same way. Per 100 g of dough flour this formula uses 20 g soft butter, 30 g brown sugar and 3 g cinnamon — the table below gives the grams per pan.
Method
- Mix. Mix the flour, sugar, yeast, warm milk and egg, knead 4 minutes, then add the salt and soft butter and knead 6–8 minutes until smooth and stretchy.
- Bulk ferment. Cover and let rise at about 78°F (25°C) until doubled, 1–1½ hours.
- Roll and fill. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 16 × 12 in (40 × 30 cm) for 12 rolls. Spread the soft butter, then sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon mixed together.
- Roll and cut. Roll up tightly from the long side and cut into equal pieces with floss or a sharp knife — weigh one to check.
- Proof. Place in the buttered pan and proof 45–60 minutes until puffy and touching.
- Bake. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 22–28 minutes until golden and 190°F (88°C) in the center roll. Ice while warm.
Tips
- 85 g of dough per roll for a 9 × 13 pan of 12
- Cut with unflavored dental floss
- Filling: 20% butter, 30% brown sugar, 3% cinnamon of flour
- Overnight: shape, refrigerate, proof 1–2 h next morning
Baker's percentages work for any bake with flour. See baker's percentages explained, or compare all the sweet and pan bakes.
FAQ
What is the baker's percentage for cinnamon roll dough?
About flour 100%, milk 50–60%, butter 10–20%, sugar 10–20%, eggs 10–20%, instant yeast 1–1.5% and salt 1.5–2%. Effective hydration ends up around 60–65%.
How many cinnamon rolls fit in a 9 × 13 pan?
12 rolls of about 85 g dough (a 4 × 3 grid). A 9 in round takes 8 rolls and an 8 × 8 in square 9 smaller rolls of about 70 g.
How much filling for 12 cinnamon rolls?
For about 500 g of flour: 100 g soft butter, 150 g brown sugar and 15 g cinnamon (about 2 tablespoons).