Cinnamon Rolls Lab · Decision tree
Find your cinnamon roll
Three questions sort all 364 recipes into 8 groups. Each question is about one of the ingredients recipes disagree on most, and splits the recipes in front of it at their own median, so each answer keeps about half of them. Every group ends with its median recipe in grams and the real recipes nearest it.
The questions
Question 1
More egg than most, or less?
Eggs enrich the dough; some recipes use none.
All 364 recipes: median 11% of the flour weight, 55 g per 500 g of flour; middle half 8.3% to 18%; 14% use none.
Question 2
More sugar than most, or less?
Sugar feeds the yeast and softens the crumb; the filling's brown sugar is counted separately as an extra.
All 364 recipes: median 14% of the flour weight, 70 g per 500 g of flour; middle half 11% to 20%.
Asked within each answer to question 1, split at the median of the recipes that gave it.
Question 3
More butter than most, or less?
Butter in the dough (not the filling) makes it rich and tender, closer to brioche at the top of the range.
All 364 recipes: median 16% of the flour weight, 80 g per 500 g of flour; middle half 13% to 21%.
Asked within each answer to question 2, split at the median of the recipes that gave it.
The key
Read left to right: pick an answer to question 1, then one of the answers beside it for question 2, and so on to a group. Each cell gives the answer, its bound in grams per 100 g of flour, and how many recipes give it.
| 1. Egg | 2. Sugar | 3. Butter | Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moreover 11%197 | Moreover 15%97 | Moreover 20%47 | A47 |
| Less20% or less50 | B50 | ||
| Less15% or less100 | Moreover 14%55 | C55 | |
| Less14% or less45 | D45 | ||
| Less11% or less167 | Moreover 13%83 | Moreover 17%42 | E42 |
| Less17% or less41 | F41 | ||
| Less13% or less84 | Moreover 14%50 | G50 | |
| Less14% or less34 | H34 |
The 8 groups
Each median recipe is the median of every ingredient over the group's recipes, scaled to 500 g of flour, beside the typical pan of all 364. Bold rows are the ingredients the questions asked about.
Group A · 47 recipes · 12% of all
More egg, more sugar and more butter
Egg over 11%, sugar over 15% and butter over 20% of the flour weight.
| At 500 g flour | Group A | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 500 g | 500 g |
| Liquid | 255 gabout 1 cup | 265 g |
| Butter | 145 gabout 2/3 cup | 80 g |
| Sugar | 130 gabout 2/3 cup | 70 g |
| Egg | 90 gabout 2 large eggs | 55 g |
| Yeast | 9 g | 8 g |
| Salt | 4 g | 5 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 25 minutes, the medians of the 38 recipes here that state a temperature and the 43 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group A
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Easy Cinnamon Rolls Recipe · natashaskitchen.comegg 13% · sugar 26% · butter 30%
- Zweedse kaneelbroodjes · 24kitchen.nlegg 12% · sugar 26% · butter 36%
- Zimtschnecken · kuechengoetter.deegg 18% · sugar 31% · butter 22%
- Overnight Cinnamon Rolls Recipe · natashaskitchen.comegg 13% · sugar 27% · butter 34%
- Kerstmis cinnamon rolls met cream cheese · laurasbakery.nlegg 13% · sugar 31% · butter 29%
Group B · 50 recipes · 13% of all
More egg, more sugar and less butter
Egg over 11%, sugar over 15% and butter 20% or less of the flour weight.
| At 500 g flour | Group B | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 500 g | 500 g |
| Liquid | 255 gabout 1 cup | 265 g |
| Butter | 75 gabout 1/3 cup | 80 g |
| Sugar | 100 gabout 1/2 cup | 70 g |
| Egg | 85 gabout 1 1/2 large eggs | 55 g |
| Yeast | 8 g | 8 g |
| Salt | 5 g | 5 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 25 minutes, the medians of the 43 recipes here that state a temperature and the 48 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group B
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting · kannammacooks.comegg 18% · sugar 18% · butter 15%
- Best Cinnamon Rolls Recipe (Better than Cinnabon)! · joyfoodsunshine.comegg 18% · sugar 20% · butter 15%
- Easy Quick Gooey Cinnamon Rolls · thebakingchocolatess.comegg 20% · sugar 21% · butter 15%
- Cinnamon Rolls Recipe · tasteofhome.comegg 19% · sugar 19% · butter 14%
- Cinnamon Rolls · dinneratthezoo.comegg 19% · sugar 20% · butter 16%
Group C · 55 recipes · 15% of all
More egg, less sugar and more butter
Egg over 11%, sugar 15% or less and butter over 14% of the flour weight.
| At 500 g flour | Group C | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 500 g | 500 g |
| Liquid | 235 gabout 1 cup | 265 g |
| Butter | 85 gabout 1/3 cup | 80 g |
| Sugar | 55 gabout 1/4 cup | 70 g |
| Egg | 90 gabout 2 large eggs | 55 g |
| Yeast | 8 g | 8 g |
| Salt | 6 g | 5 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 25 minutes, the medians of the 46 recipes here that state a temperature and the 54 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group C
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Cinnamon Roll Wreath · bakerbettie.comegg 21% · sugar 10% · butter 18%
- Best Cinnamon Rolls · thesaltymarshmallow.comegg 18% · sugar 12% · butter 20%
- Receta de rollos de canela caseros · comedera.comegg 18% · sugar 13% · butter 15%
- Rosemary Lemon Cinnamon Rolls · bakerbettie.comegg 21% · sugar 10% · butter 15%
- Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting · bettycrocker.comegg 14% · sugar 10% · butter 17%
Group D · 45 recipes · 12% of all
More egg, less sugar and less butter
Egg over 11%, sugar 15% or less and butter 14% or less of the flour weight.
| At 500 g flour | Group D | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 500 g | 500 g |
| Liquid | 280 gabout 1 1/4 cups | 265 g |
| Butter | 55 gabout 1/4 cup | 80 g |
| Sugar | 55 gabout 1/4 cup | 70 g |
| Egg | 65 gabout 1 1/2 large eggs | 55 g |
| Yeast | 9 g | 8 g |
| Salt | 6 g | 5 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 23 minutes, the medians of the 41 recipes here that state a temperature and the 42 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group D
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Easy Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Icing · thecafesucrefarine.comegg 16% · sugar 11% · butter 13%
- Mini Cinnamon Rolls · mybakingaddiction.comegg 15% · sugar 11% · butter 12%
- Homemade Cinnamon Rolls · jessicagavin.comegg 15% · sugar 15% · butter 8.3%
- Malted Cinnamon Buns: Bake with Jack · bakewithjack.co.ukegg 12% · sugar 13% · butter 9.3%
- Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls · houseofnasheats.comegg 19% · sugar 13% · butter 11%
Group E · 42 recipes · 11% of all
Less egg, more sugar and more butter
Egg 11% or less, sugar over 13% and butter over 17% of the flour weight. 17 of the 42 use no egg.
| At 500 g flour | Group E | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 500 g | 500 g |
| Liquid | 270 gabout 1 cups | 265 g |
| Butter | 145 gabout 2/3 cup | 80 g |
| Sugar | 100 gabout 1/2 cup | 70 g |
| Egg | 31 gabout 1/2 large egg | 55 g |
| Yeast | 7 g | 8 g |
| Salt | 4 g | 5 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 23 minutes, the medians of the 36 recipes here that state a temperature and the 39 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group E
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Brioches suédoises à la cannelle Kanelbullar · chefsimon.comegg 6.7% · sugar 20% · butter 32%
- Kanelbullar · chefsimon.comegg 6.7% · sugar 23% · butter 32%
- Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls · biggerbolderbaking.comegg 8.8% · sugar 20% · butter 30%
- Cinnamon roll cake · chiarapassion.comegg 10% · sugar 18% · butter 28%
- Cinnamon rolls (Girelle alla cannella) · chiarapassion.comegg 10% · sugar 18% · butter 26%
Group F · 41 recipes · 11% of all
Less egg, more sugar and less butter
Egg 11% or less, sugar over 13% and butter 17% or less of the flour weight. 10 of the 41 use no egg.
| At 500 g flour | Group F | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 500 g | 500 g |
| Liquid | 270 gabout 1 cups | 265 g |
| Butter | 60 gabout 1/4 cup | 80 g |
| Sugar | 85 gabout 1/2 cup | 70 g |
| Egg | 37 gabout 1/2 large egg | 55 g |
| Yeast | 7 g | 8 g |
| Salt | 4.5 g | 5 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 28 minutes, the medians of the 38 recipes here that state a temperature and the 40 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group F
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Korvapuustit (Finnish Cinnamon Rolls) · tarasmulticulturaltable.comegg 10% · sugar 20% · butter 14%
- Brioches roulées à la cannelle · cuisine.journaldesfemmes.fregg 10% · sugar 16% · butter 16%
- Kanelbullar, brioches suédoises à la cannelle · cuisine.journaldesfemmes.fregg 6.7% · sugar 13% · butter 16%
- Easy Homemade Cinnamon Rolls · lecremedelacrumb.comegg 7.3% · sugar 15% · butter 12%
- Cinnamon Buns Recipe · baking-sense.comegg 7.8% · sugar 13% · butter 8.9%
Group G · 50 recipes · 13% of all
Less egg, less sugar and more butter
Egg 11% or less, sugar 13% or less and butter over 14% of the flour weight. 14 of the 50 use no egg.
| At 500 g flour | Group G | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 500 g | 500 g |
| Liquid | 300 gabout 1 1/4 cups | 265 g |
| Butter | 80 gabout 1/3 cup | 80 g |
| Sugar | 55 gabout 1/4 cup | 70 g |
| Egg | 42 gabout 1 large egg | 55 g |
| Yeast | 9 g | 8 g |
| Salt | 5 g | 5 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 25 minutes, the medians of the 47 recipes here that state a temperature and the 49 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group G
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- Kanelbullar (brioche à la cannelle) · cuisine.journaldesfemmes.fregg 6% · sugar 12% · butter 20%
- Cinnamon Rolls · tastesbetterfromscratch.comegg 11% · sugar 11% · butter 16%
- Overnight Cinnamon Rolls · tastesbetterfromscratch.comegg 11% · sugar 11% · butter 16%
- Cinnamon rolls au Companion · cuisineaz.comegg 10% · sugar 12% · butter 20%
- Cranberry Orange Cinnamon Rolls · mybakingaddiction.comegg 8.4% · sugar 11% · butter 14%
Group H · 34 recipes · 9% of all
Less egg, less sugar and less butter
Egg 11% or less, sugar 13% or less and butter 14% or less of the flour weight. 11 of the 34 use no egg.
| At 500 g flour | Group H | All |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 500 g | 500 g |
| Liquid | 280 gabout 1 1/4 cups | 265 g |
| Butter | 60 gabout 1/4 cup | 80 g |
| Sugar | 55 gabout 1/4 cup | 70 g |
| Egg | 41 gabout 1 large egg | 55 g |
| Yeast | 7 g | 8 g |
| Salt | 4.5 g | 5 g |
Bake350°F (175°C) for about 23 minutes, the medians of the 33 recipes here that state a temperature and the 33 that state a time.
Nearest the middle of group H
Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.
- The Best Cinnamon Buns · thereciperebel.comegg 10% · sugar 10% · butter 11%
- Kanelbullar (recette suédoise) : la meilleure recette · marmiton.orgegg 2.1% · sugar 12% · butter 12%
- Ooey Gooey Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls · bromabakery.comegg 8.9% · sugar 12% · butter 13%
- Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls With Freshly Milled Flour · farmhouseonboone.comegg 11% · sugar 11% · butter 13%
- Cinnamon Rolls · thebakingexplorer.comegg 9.1% · sugar 9.1% · butter 14%
How the questions are chosen
Each ingredient is ranked by how much recipes disagree on it: the width of the middle half of recipes (25th to 75th percentile) divided by the median, less 4% for each place it sits down this lab's list of ingredients, so the ones that define the dish win near ties. For cinnamon rolls the order is egg (0.81), sugar (0.65), butter (0.53), yeast (0.44) and liquid (0.32), and the first 3 are asked. Salt is never asked about: recipes differ on it mostly by brand and taste.
Every split is at the median of the recipes in front of it, rounded to the percentage shown. Recipes exactly at the median go to whichever side leaves the two halves more even. No answer may keep fewer than 5 recipes; a group that could not be split further says so.
The recipes listed under each group are the 5 nearest its median on every ingredient at once, each scaled by how much recipes vary on it. Every recipe page links to the original for the method.