Delicious Knotted Cinnamon Buns Recipe

School holidays are always a nice excuse to slow things down a bit — and for me, it’s a great chance to spend time with Nisha doing something we both enjoy: baking.

We both love cinnamon buns, especially the knotted kind that look fancy but are really just a clever twist on a regular roll. So, with her on term break and me keen for something warm and sweet in the kitchen, we went looking for a recipe to try.

We found a lovely one from Cupcake Jemma and decided to give it a go. The video made it look simple enough — clear instructions, relaxed style — so we got stuck in, measured everything out, and followed along.

Freshly baked knotted cinnamon rolls resting on a cooling rack, showcasing their beautiful golden brown color and a sprinkle of brown sugar on top. — Freshly baked knotted cinnamon buns cooling on a wire rack, showing their golden brown colour and swirled cinnamon filling.

Well… let’s just say our first attempt didn’t quite go to plan! The dough was all wrong — stiff, grainy, and not rising at all. But instead of giving up, we regrouped, did a bit of troubleshooting (and a little Googling), and started again.

Second time around, we got it right. The dough came together beautifully, the knots were (mostly) tidy, and the buns came out soft, golden, and full of that lovely cinnamon swirl. We had one warm out of the oven with a cuppa — and the rest didn’t last long!

Freshly baked knotted cinnamon rolls cooling on a wire rack.

My Take on the Recipe

I wasn’t sure what “strong white bread flour” was — we don’t usually see that label here in New Zealand. I had plain and high-grade flour in the pantry, so I used high-grade, which is what I normally use in my breadmaker.

I also used Edmonds Surebake yeast — it’s what I always have on hand. But here’s where things went a bit off! I followed the video and threw everything in: wet ingredients, then butter, flour, and yeast, all into the KitchenAid with the dough hook. This turned into a stiff, grainy mess. The yeast hadn’t activated properly and the dough just didn’t come together nicely. Straight into the compost bin.

Second time around, I did a bit of reading and realised Surebake yeast needs activating first. So I stirred 3 teaspoons of yeast with 1 teaspoon of sugar into some warm water and let it sit in the oven at 30°C until it puffed up nicely. Then I started fresh with 400g of high-grade flour, added the rest of the ingredients, and adjusted with a bit more milk and flour as needed until the dough felt soft and smooth. Admittedly it was a bit wetter than I’d usually make, but at least it was soft. I let it rise in the oven at 30°C for 40 minutes before shaping into little knotted buns and proving again.

And let’s be honest — who actually keeps unsalted butter in the fridge? I used salted butter for both the dough and the filling, and the buns still turned out beautifully. The house is pretty chilly at the moment, so the butter didn’t soften much at room temperature. I had to gently warm the filling mixture in the oven, right alongside the proving dough, to get it to a smooth and spreadable consistency.

Oh and lastly, I didn’t have caster sugar so to finish off I rolled them in brown sugar and cinnamon which gave them a much more rustic look.

What I’d Do Next Time

Next time, I’d activate the yeast right from the start and hold back a little on the liquid until the dough feels just right — mine was a bit wetter than ideal. I’d also like to try making the buns a bit smaller, especially if I’m baking for a group.

Nisha’s Choice

Nisha said she would also love to try a different twist on the flavours: maybe a cardamom-spiced version, or even raspberry and white chocolate for something a bit more decadent.

And I’d definitely double the batch… they didn’t last long at all!

It’s always nice when a recipe works first time… but second time’s just as sweet — especially when you’re making it together. 😊

🌀🍞🍯🍳🍂✨🌀

Freshly baked knotted cinnamon rolls, golden and swirled, perfect for sharing and enjoying warm.

Recipe Card

To print the recipe, simply click the ‘Print’ button below and save your PDF for easy reference!

🌀🍞🍯🍳🍂✨🌀

Knotted Cinnamon Rolls (Cupcake Jemma Style)

Servings: 6
Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Difficulty: Moderate
Rating: ★★★★★
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Tip: You can use plain flour instead — increase to 450g if swapping for bread flour.

Finishing Touch: Brush with egg wash and top with cinnamon sugar before baking.

Recipe Credit: Adapted from Cupcake Jemma — watch the original video.

Ingredients

For the Dough:

135ml whole milk (room temperature)
1 large egg
7g fast action dried yeast
40g caster sugar
300g strong white bread flour
5g salt
100g soft unsalted butter

For the Filling:

130g soft light brown sugar
80g soft unsalted butter
2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp vanilla extract

To Finish:

1 egg + splash of milk (for glaze)
Extra caster sugar + ground cinnamon (for topping)

Directions

Activate: Mix milk, egg, yeast and sugar in a bowl. Stir in flour, butter and salt.
Knead: Mix to form dough. Knead by hand or in Kitchen Aid for 8–10 mins until smooth.
First Rise: Cover and prove 40 mins until doubled in size.
Make Filling: Mix brown sugar, soft butter, cinnamon, and vanilla until spreadable.
Roll + Fill: Roll dough into a rectangle (approx. 30x50cm). Spread filling evenly over surface.
Fold + Slice: Fold like a letter (top third down, bottom third up). Cut into 6 long strips.
Knot: Slice each strip up the centre twice to create 3 legs (leave top attached), plait the legs, and roll into a knot.
Second Rise: Place on tray, cover loosely, and rise again for 40 mins.
Preheat Oven: Heat to 185°C.
Glaze + Bake: Brush the rolls with egg wash. Bake 15 mins until golden.
Cool + Serve: Let cool slightly, roll in caster sugar and cinnamon before serving warm.