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Need to make cinnamon rolls for a crowd? This recipe for Big Batch Cinnamon Rolls makes 54 rolls!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
We have been blessed with wonderful neighbors and just a few houses down live Rod and Carmen who are retired empty nesters. They are wonderful grandparents who spend a lot of time loving and supporting their children and grandchildren.
One of the ways Carmen shows her love is by making big batch cinnamon rolls. She sends them off to her family members that do not live nearby. So not only is her cinnamon roll recipe perfect for a large group, it can be shipped off to loved ones.
One day I was lucky enough to stop by when she was making a big batch cinnamon rolls and she showed me how she did it.
Ingredients Needed
- Active dry yeast
- Water 105 to 115 degrees
- Instant nonfat dry milk powder
- Granulated sugar
- Vegetable oil
- Salt
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- All purpose flour
- Butter, salted and melted
How to Make Big Batch Cinnamon Rolls
This recipe makes 54 rolls. Eight pans of cinnamon rolls, with 7 rolls in each pan! Disposable metal pie tins work well if you are planning to mail the cinnamon rolls or give them away to friends and neighbors.
- Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large mixing bowl; let stand 5 minutes
- Add dry milk and next 5 ingredients; beat at medium speed until well mixed
- Gradually stir in enough flour to make a very soft dough
- Place dough in a well greased bowl, turning once to grease top
- Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight
- Punch dough down; divide dough into 4 portions
- Working with one portion of dough at a time, turn dough out onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, adding extra flour, if necessary
- Roll dough into a 14 x 9 inch rectangle
- Combine 2 cups sugar, cinnamon and butter, mixing well
- Spread one fourth of cinnamon mixture on dough
- Roll dough jellyroll fashion, starting at long side
- Pinch seam to seal (do not seal ends)
- Cut roll into 14, 1 inch slices; (I use thread or dental floss to do this, wrapping the thread around the roll of dough and then using the thread to cut through the dough) place rolls in 2 greased 9 inch round cake pans (pie pans), with 7 rolls in each pan
- Repeat process with remaining 3 portions of dough
- Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees) free from drafts, 40 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for 13 to 15 minutes
- Allow pans to cool on wire racks
Tips for How to Mail Big Batch Cinnamon Rolls
- Bake rolls according to directions in recipe card.
- Allow them to cool completely.
- Next, cover them with foil and place each pan into a large Ziploc bag and freeze.
- After the rolls are frozen, take them directly to the post office and ship them a Priority Mail box.
- The rolls arrive at her children and grandchildren’s homes ready to be warmed up. She includes a package of glaze, secured in a ziploc bag, in each package.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast?
Yes, you can. You can skip the step where you add the yeast to the warm water and let it sit. Just add the dry yeast in with the other dry ingredients.
What is the best way to rewarm a big batch cinnamon roll?
Oven Method: Wrap in foil and place in a 350 degree F oven for 5-7 minutes.
Microwave Method: Microwave on high for 20-30 seconds, depending on size of cinnamon roll.
Wouldn’t you love to receive a box of fresh baked cinnamon rolls just ready to be warmed up and enjoyed!!
For some smaller batch cinnamon roll recipes try these:
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Big Batch Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
- 4.5 tsp dry active yeast
- 4 cups warm water 105 to 115 degrees
- 1 cup instant nonfat dry milk powder
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 11 cups all purpose flour up to 12 cups
- melted butter
Cinnamon Roll filling:
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup butter melted
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup orange juice up to 1/2 cup
Instructions
- Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large mixing bowl; let stand 5 minutes
- Add dry milk and next 5 ingredients; beat at medium speed until well mixed
- Gradually stir in enough flour to make a very soft dough
- Place dough in a well greased bowl, turning once to grease top
- Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight
- Punch dough down; divide dough into 4 portions
- Working with one portion of dough at a time, turn dough out onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, adding extra flour, if necessary
- Roll dough into a 14 x 9 inch rectangle
- Combine 2 C sugar, cinnamon and butter, mixing well
- Spread one fourth of cinnamon mixture on dough
- Roll dough jellyroll fashion, starting at long side
- Pinch seam to seal (do not seal ends)
- Cut roll into 14, 1 inch slices; (I use thread or dental floss to do this, wrapping the thread around the roll of dough and then using the thread to cut through the dough) place rolls in 2 greased 9 inch round cake pans (pie pans), with 7 rolls in each pan
- Repeat process with remaining 3 portions of dough
- Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees) free from drafts, 40 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
- Bake at 375 for 13 to 15 minutes
- Cool on wire racks
- Combine powdered sugar and orange juice, stirring until smooth
- Drizzle or pipe glaze over warm rolls
- Yield – about 4 1/2 dozen
To freeze
- Prepare and bake rolls as directed; let cool.
- Omit glaze
- Wrap in foil; freeze
- To serve let rolls thaw, and bake in foil at 375 for 5-10 minutes
- Drizzle with glaze
Tips & Notes:
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Nutrition Facts:
jessica says
I would love to send these to my brother, serving a mission in California. Do you think I could half the recipe? or use another, smaller recipe with the same technique? (cook, freeze, mail)
Ann Marie says
So glad to find this post with a great sounding recipe AND instructions for mailing, which is what I was searching for. My son in the Army requested cinnamon rolls and I was trying to figure out the best way to mail them so they would stay fresh. He’s in the US but it will still take several days to arrive. They don’t have access to a kitchen, so the;y will be eaten cold – I guess he can sit them in the sun (in an ant-free zone!) for a few minutes!
Betsy from Belly Feathers says
These how-to instructions are so helpful! I had to share on my blog post about shipping handmade treats today! Care Package Ideas for Homemade Goodies
KLB says
do you think it would be okay to half or quarter the recipe?
Leigh Anne says
Toni,
They did have nuts in them, you could just use the nut of your choice, chopped and raisins. Just sprinkle on when you add the filling using as much as you like. Personally I prefer cinnamon rolls without nuts or raisins! Pecans or walnuts would be good.