Grandma’s Famous Holiday Cinnamon Rolls & Yeast Rolls: ONE Recipe

My grandma was known in her community for her yeast rolls. Luckily for her family and friends, the recipe was good enough and large enough to make both breakfast and dinner with a single bread-making dough. While I have shared my grandma’s yeast roll recipe before in another blog post, I’m happy to take those rolls a step further. Taking notes from grandma, I’m sharing how to make her yeast rolls and cinnamon rolls from one recipe with one preparation. With the holidays around the corner, this recipe will save you time, energy, and make most everyone you know happy. 😋

My Cinnamon Roll & Yeast Roll Inspiration

While I have blogged about my grandma’s rolls before and provided the recipe, this post is special as it combines both holiday-type breads in one recipe; cinnamon rolls and yeast rolls. My grandmother made both with one recipe, and I wanted to honor that this year. Thanks to my family and close friends for whom I have made both of these rolls recently. They (the people and the bread-making process) reminded me of what a wonderful southern cook and baker my grandmother was. This is the time of year I spend in the kitchen baking, being thankful and recalling those who have positively impacted my life. Let’s get to it!

Yeast Roll & Cinnamon Roll Ingredients

For the yeast roll ingredients, you’ll need yeast, granulated sugar, water, salt, shortening, eggs, and all-purpose flour. In addition, for the cinnamon roll filling and frosting, you’ll need butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, powdered sugar, vanilla, and cream or milk of any kind.

How do we produce 2 breads from 1 dough?

So, here’s a quick rundown of these rolls. We first make 1 batch of yeast roll dough. From that, we divide the dough in half. We use one half to make a batch of yeast rolls and the other half to make a batch of cinnamon rolls. It’s that simple. We end up with a large pan of 24 yeast rolls and a large pan of 12 cinnamon rolls.

Make the Yeast Dough for Both Breads

Activate the Yeast

To make the dough, we begin by activating the yeast. In a small bowl, mix 14 grams (2 packages or 4½ teaspoons) of active dry yeast. In a separate small bowl, measure out 38 grams (3 tablespoons) of granulated sugar. From that, remove 13 grams (1 tablespoon) of granulated sugar and mix it with the yeast. Pour in 118 milliliters (½ cup) of warm water heated to 100˚F-110˚F (38˚C-43˚C). Stir the mixture and set it aside for about 10 minutes to become doubled, bubbly, and frothy.

TIP: If the yeast doesn’t rise or become bubbly, it’s likely old and needs to be thrown out and replaced with a fresh batch.

Melt the Shortening

Meanwhile, boil 472 milliliters (2 cups) of water over the stove or in the microwave. In a large bowl, add 96 grams (½ cup) of diced shortening. Pour the boiling water over the shortening and stir to break up the shortening even more. Allow about 2 minutes for the shortening to melt.

TIP: Dicing the shortening first creates less mass allowing it to melt quicker.

Add Sugar & Salt to Melted Shortening

To the melted shortening, add the remaining 25 grams (2 tablespoons) of granulated sugar and 23 grams (1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon) of salt. Stir until the sugar and salt dissolve; it only takes a few seconds. Allow the water to cool down to 100˚F-110˚F (38˚C-43˚C), which will take 5-10 minutes.

Add Activated Yeast & Eggs to the Cooled Shortening

Once the shortening has cooled, stir in the yeast mixture. In the same bowl we activated the yeast, add 2 eggs, one at a time. Beat each egg slightly. Pour each into the bowl with the shortening and yeast mixture. Stir the mixture well.

Add the Flour in 2 Stages

Measure out 480 grams (4 cups) of all-purpose flour and sift it. I prefer to sift my flour for these rolls, because sifted flour produces a light and airy bread. However, I have made these rolls (rarely) without sifting the flour and that is also fine.  Add the flour to the mixture and whisk or stir well. The mixture will be the texture of cake batter. Add the remaining 360 grams (3 cups) of all-purpose flour (sift if desired) and stir well. The dough will be sticky and shaggy.

TIP: Use a sturdy spoon to stir in the last cups of flour since the flour will produce a stiff, dense dough.

Cover Dough to Rise

Cover the dough with a towel or plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray and set the dough aside in a warm area to double in size which will take about 1 hour. You can place the covered dough OVER an oven set at 200˚F (93˚C) or IN the oven turned OFF with the oven incandescent light ON. Or on a warm day, why not set it outside away from drafts? 😉

Prepare Baking Pans

Grease two 9-x13-inch casserole dishes using butter, shortening, or cooking spray. I prefer to grease my pans with butter, because the butter adds richness and saltiness to the exterior of the bread. Besides, that’s how my grandma did it. 😊

Knead & Knead Some More

When the dough has doubled in size, scoop the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead ~ 10 minutes. Add enough flour during kneading until the dough is no longer sticky. The dough should be tacky but not stick to the surface. Since this is a wet dough, you may need as much as 1 cup of additional flour when kneading. That’s OK as long as you stop adding flour when the dough becomes tacky, and it is no longer sticking to your hands or the work surface.

Divide and Conquer

Divide the dough in half. You can eyeball the cut or weigh the whole dough and divide in half. Set one half back in the bowl and cover it with a towel. Knead the other half separately for another 3-5 minutes; the dough should be elastic and not sticky. Switch the dough halves, so the half (just kneaded) can rest. Go ahead and knead the other half for another 3-5 minutes. Let both dough halves rest for a few minutes.

Make the Yeast Rolls: Use 1 Dough Half

Place one dough half on a floured work surface while the other half remains covered in a bowl. Push or roll out the dough to a 1½ -inch-thick disk. Use a small ~2 -inch biscuit or cookie cutter or small drinking glass (something that is round) to cut out the rolls. Place the rolls touching in one of the prepared baking dishes. Gather the remaining dough, shape the dough scraps into another disk, and cut out more rolls until all the dough is used. You should get 22-24 rolls out of the dough half and be able to fit them all in one pan.

Cover to Rise OR Cover to Store

At this point, you can choose to bake them today, tomorrow, or weeks down the road. If making them today, cover the rolls to rise for 30-60 minutes. If baking them tomorrow, cover the rolls well in plastic and store them in the fridge overnight. They will rise during the night requiring less time to rise prior to baking. For making them days or weeks later, wrap the pans well and store them in the freezer. From frozen, place the pans in the fridge overnight to thaw and rise. From the fridge, remove them about 45 minutes prior to baking them and place them on the counter or in a warm area, so they finish rising. Then bake as directed.

Make the Cinnamon Rolls: Use 1 Dough Half

Prepare the Cinnamon & Brown Sugar Filling

To a small bowl, add 216 grams (1 cup firmly packed) dark brown sugar. Dark brown sugar has more molasses flavor than light brown sugar providing more flavor depth; I find dark brown sugar the better option in this recipe.  Add 10 grams (~1½ tablespoons) of ground cinnamon. Stir the mixture until combined and set it aside.

Ceylon Versus Cassia Cinnamon

I prefer to use Ceylon cinnamon (known as “true cinnamon”) in all my cooking and baking. Ceylon is more difficult to find than typical Cassia cinnamon, the common unspecified cinnamon found in grocery stores. Comparing the two, Ceylon cinnamon is more expensive and a little less potent in flavor. It naturally contains almost negligible amounts of coumarin (0.04%), a toxic chemical found in many plant species, but more in cinnamon than any other. Whereas Cassia cinnamon contains about 1% coumarin. While there are no exact daily dose recommendations for how much coumarin humans can consume without negative effects, it appears to be somewhere around 1 teaspoon total (per day) for all foods that contain it. So, if you consume, cook, and bake using Ceylon cinnamon, you can safely eat more of it. See a previous post on Pumpkin Pie Spice for more information on Ceylon and Cassia cinnamon.

Flatten Dough to a Rectangle

Pat or roll out the remaining dough half to about an 18×12-inch rectangle. Use the back of a spoon or spatula to spread 113 grams (1 stick) of softened butter evenly all over the dough from edge to edge.

TIP: If the butter is too cold and not spreadable, cut it into chunks and heat it in the microwave for 10 seconds. Stir and add another 5 seconds or so just until softened.

Sprinkle on Cinnamon & Brown Sugar Mixture

Spread all the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture evenly over the butter. Pat it lightly into the dough so it sticks to the butter.

Roll Up Cinnamon Roll

Start at one short end and roll up the dough. Cut the log into 12 “equal” slices. To cut into 12 relatively equal pieces, cut the dough in half. Cut each half in half again to get quarters. Cut each quarter now into thirds. That should equal 12 rolls. Place each roll in the other well-greased 9×13- inch pan touching each other (3 rows across and 4 rows down).

TIP: Cut the 12 slices using a serrated knife (or unflavored dental floss), so the cuts are smooth.

Cover to Rise OR Cover to Store

At this point, you can choose to bake them today, tomorrow, or weeks down the road just like with the yeast rolls. If making them today, cover the rolls to rise for 30-60 minutes. If baking them tomorrow, cover the rolls well in plastic and store them in the fridge overnight. They will rise during the night requiring less time to rise prior to baking. For making them days or weeks later, wrap the pans well and store in the freezer. From frozen, place them in the fridge overnight to thaw and rise. From the fridge, remove them about 45 minutes prior to baking them and place them on the counter or in a warm area, so they finish rising. Then bake as directed.

Bake the Rolls

Bake either rolls when you’re ready at the same temperature and for the same time. If baking both rolls on the same day as you make them, while the cinnamon rolls rise, you can go ahead and bake the yeast rolls. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) during the last 30 minutes of the rise. Place the yeast rolls in the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Do the same with the cinnamon rolls when ready.

TIP: If making both rolls ahead of time, you might want to bake the cinnamon rolls in the morning for breakfast and the yeast rolls in the evening for dinner or whenever you want them.

Butter the Baked Yeast Rolls

Once the yeast rolls are out of the oven, immediately rub the tops of the rolls with salted butter. Now they are ready to serve. Cut and serve while hot with more salted butter.

TIP: To easily butter the tops of the rolls, cut a tablespoon and stab it with a fork or knife. Rub the butter over the tops of the rolls and watch it melt and ooze. You can also take a stick of butter, holding half of the butter in the wrapper, and just rub the other end (wrapper pulled back) along the tops of the rolls keeping your hands clean in the process. 😉

Frost the Baked Cinnamon Rolls

Make the Cinnamon Roll Frosting

In a small bowl, add 360 grams (3 cups) of powdered sugar. For my grandma’s yeast rolls, I go all in with lots of frosting. This is double the amount of frosting I use in my regular go-to cinnamon roll recipe. Then, add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract (clear vanilla will keep the frosting white like snow). Whisk in 4-8 tablespoons of cream or milk, 1 tbsp at a time, until you reach the consistency you want. If I have cream, I prefer to use that because the thick, milky white coloring keeps the frosting a pretty white or tan if using regular vanilla. If I don’t have cream, I use milk. I have used all sorts milk from whole milk to skim milk to plant-based alternatives like almond milk. Any of those work fine.

Frost the Cinnamon Rolls

Frost the cinnamon rolls whenever you’re ready. If they are warm, the frosting will ooze down into the crevices adding yummy goo throughout each roll. However, if you want a thick, frosting-like top, wait until the cinnamon rolls have cooled, then frost them like a cake. Use a spoon to spread the frosting over the rolls. There is enough frosting to cover the tops of each roll as thick as frosting on a cake.

Cinnamon Rolls and Yeast Rolls Close Up

Yeast Rolls

The yeast rolls are nicely brown on top and bottom. They have a substantial rise from the yeast. The crumb is soft and stretchy. The rolls are light and airy just as my grandma made them. Enjoy a house with smells of baked buttery, yeasty bread… just like homemade bread should smell.

Cinnamon Rolls

The cinnamon rolls are frosty on top and golden brown with cinnamon and brown sugar goo on the bottom. They have a substantial rise like the yeast rolls. The cinnamon and brown sugar are dispersed well throughout the layers. The bread crumb is soft, light, and airy like the yeast rolls. You can’t go wrong with the sweet frosting. This is certainly Heaven on a plate screaming indulgence and holiday time.

Cinnamon Rolls and Yeast Rolls Storing Suggestions

You can store both the yeast rolls and cinnamon rolls covered at room temperature for several days. Keep in mind that the longer they sit, the more they dry out. I prefer to store them both wrapped well in the freezer, removing only what I want and microwaving them until heated through. This way they stay fresh while frozen.

Cinnamon Rolls and Yeast Rolls Final Thoughts

If you’re looking to make both yeast rolls and cinnamon rolls this holiday season, or whenever you get a hankering for fresh bread, I highly recommend my grandma’s version. It’s a total 2 for 1 deal saving lots of time and effort during a very busy time, not to mention, they are incredibly good.

Baker’s Perspective

Making and baking homemade yeast bread is never very easy. My grandma’s yeast roll recipe is no exception. However, during the holidays, so many of us want that homemade baked bread smell in our homes and on the table. While my grandma was mainly a homemaker, baked everything from scratch, and busy raising 6 children, I love how she took her famous yeast roll recipe and turned it into two breads for two different meals. It is such a time and energy saver using one dough and one dough prep to make two breads. Such a great idea for busy moms and dads who want to serve incredible homemade bread during the holidays.

Taster’s Perspective

Well, this yeast roll recipe is my grandma’s, so what can I say. Her yeast rolls taste and smell of my childhood full of many wonderful memories. So, obviously, they are the best in my book. Yeasty, light, airy, melt-in-your mouth bread… I can never resist these rolls. The cinnamon rolls are to die for. With that extra bit of cinnamon and frosting, flavors and sweetness are never ending. Both rolls, without a doubt, are total indulgence. 😋

Check out my YouTube video on making both of these rolls. “Cinnamon Rolls & Yeast Rolls: 2 Breads from 1 Dough Saving Time & Energy During the Holidays.”

Check out these holiday recipes.

Finnish Pinwheel Cookies

Vegetarian Tamales: Vegan & Meat Friendly

Holiday Rolled Baklava: Pistachios, Pomegranates, & Orange

Holiday Squash & Cranberry Muffins

British Hot Cross Buns

Grandma’s Crispy Crust Moist Skillet Cornbread

Canadian Tourtière: Holiday Meat Pie

Austrian Apple Strudel

3 Simple & Flavorful Pie Crusts

Sweet Potato Swirled Babka Bread

Cinnamon Rolls

Venezuelan Pan de Jamón (Ham Bread)

French Pain d’Épices (Spice Bread)

Crispy Ginger Snap Cookies

Greek Vasilopita New Year’s Cake

Spanish King Cake (Rascón de Reyes Epiphany Bread)

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, please share it. Check out my YouTube Channel as well to see videos of kitchen tips, blog bakes, and dishes.