’Tis the season, friends! The season to sit around the table with your favorite people, eating fun Christmas food as you ghost your Fitbit, bathroom scale, and any other Debbie Downers. They’ll only make you feel guilty for enjoying delicious holiday treats, so who needs ’em?!   

Personally, I say mindful portion sizes shouldn’t go back into effect until AFTER the New Year. We all deserve to let loose right now and then.  

This time of the year, I’m super excited to get in the kitchen and start whipping up some of my go-to treats. High on the list is my all-time favorite holiday pastry. It’s a classic cinnamon roll recipe passed down from generation to generation in my family. It’s a recipe created by great-grandma, so I’m definitely biased! There’s some extra love packed into each tablespoon, and I know you and your loved ones will taste that in every bite. But that’s not the only reason it’s become a family tradition in our Christmas festivity.  

The real reason? It’s just downright mouth-watering. And while this recipe is good enough to keep in the family, I also know that I love them too much to keep to myself. That’s why I’m so excited to share the recipe with you so that you, too, can taste these delicious treats and get just as addicted to them as my family and I have. Drum roll, please… 

What You’ll Need 

You’d think that making the ultimate cinnamon rolls would require you to source the top ingredients, but thankfully, my great-grandma kept it simple! All the ingredients you need are likely already in your cupboard or are a quick Instacart shopping trip away. Take a look at what you’ll need! 

Ingredients: 

• 4 tbsp yeast 
• 2 cups warm water 
• 3 cups milk; heat to hot 
• ¾ cup oil 
• ¾ cup sugar 
• Four eggs 
• 15 cups flour 
• 1 ½ cubes melted butter 
• 2 cups white sugar 
• 2 cups brown sugar 
• ¼ cup cinnamon 

Frosting Ingredients: 

• 1 cube melted butter 
• 5 tsp vanilla 
• 9 cups powdered sugar 
• 1 can of evaporated milk 

Heads up! This is a *very* loose method I use for the frosting! Usually, this is my base, and then I add powdered sugar, milk, or vanilla per the demands of my tastebuds. Feel free to do whatever will make the kids (and even adults) fight over the last lick of the spoon! 

Utensils: 

• Large mixing bowl (or electric mixer—I have a Bosch!) 
• Basic measuring cups  
• Baking sheet 

Once you’ve got everything ready to go, make sure to turn up your favorite Christmas tunes. It makes the fun of cooking these so much sweeter.  

How to Make the Ultimate Cinnamon Rolls 

Let me say this before we hop into this classic cinnamon roll recipe: this is one of those recipes that’s all about the moments in between. It’s a holiday pastry that requires more patience in the process, but honestly, for a holiday treat, that’s what I love about it.   

While waiting for the dough to rise, you can sit around the kitchen reading your favorite Christmas story with the kids. Or, as you get to work crafting the rolls, you can belt out “Jingle Bells” at the top of your lungs. This recipe is sweet. But trust me when I say the intentionality you put in making it an experience will be even tastier. Let’s get started! 

Directions: 

Step 1: Mix 4 tbs of yeast into warm water and let it rise. 

Step 2: In your Bosch or large mixing bowl, add milk, oil, sugar, eggs, salt, and blend. 

Step 3: Add yeast mixture and mix. 

Step 4: Add 8 cups of flour and mix. Once mixed, slowly add 6-7 more cups of flour. Mix for 10 minutes. 

Step 5: Leave the mixture to rise until doubled. 

Step 6: Once doubled, take it out of the mixture bowl, divide it into thirds, and roll it out ½ inch thick. 

Step 7: Spread melted butter onto the dough. 

Step 8: Sprinkle cinnamon, white sugar, and brown sugar on ⅓ of each section of dough. 

Step 9: Gently roll the dough. It’s a holiday pastry that requires more patience in the process, but honestly, for a holiday treat, that’s what I love about it.  

Step 10: Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. 

Enjoy them while you can because your family will devour them before you know it! 

Other Sweet Treats 

The moment you bite into these rolls, you won’t want to stop. And because this is the season to indulge in all the delicious holiday goodies, I say enjoy as many as possible before your family starts fighting over them—because they will fight over them.  

Whether you’re in charge of hosting the Christmas dessert table this year or you’re just looking for some extra fun Christmas food to indulge in, make sure you try these out, too. They’re perfect for snacking on while you watch your favorite Christmas flick: 

• Easy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies 
• Caramel rolls 

They’re just a few of my other favorite holiday foods I’ve shared with my followers on Instagram. And because they’ve fallen just as in love with the recipe as my family and I have, I’m excited to hear if it’ll be the same for you! 

Can’t Get Enough? 

It’s official! Now that you have my great-grandma’s classic cinnamon roll recipe, you’re a part of the Flip Hubb family, and there’s no going back.  

Tag and share with me on Instagram once you’ve tried the recipe out! I want to know all the fun you and your family have while making them, any changes or personalizations you make, and how much you fight over the last bite. And remember to try out the other sweet treats (like the easy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies) before the holiday’s over.  

Mark my words: once you’ve tried any of those recipes, no Christmas festivity will ever be the same without them.  

Hungry for more? Follow me on Instagram for more DIY inspiration—everything food and renovation-related!