Using hard butter or melted butter

It's not the spice that makes a perfectly gooey, gooey cinnamon roll — it's the butter. When preparing cinnamon rolls, always use slightly softened butter rather than rock-hard or melted butter. Butter is an important softener in the dough that keeps it supple. If the butter is melted, it will leak out of the dough as it bakes. Too-hard butter will leave pockets in the dough after it melts.

Allow your butter to come to room temperature before making your cinnamon rolls. You don't have to be concerned about food safety because the butter is usually pasteurized and will be cooked in the oven anyway. When you can easily slice through the butter with a butter knife, it's at the perfect consistency. In a pinch, place a stick of butter underneath a glass to soften it. The ambient heat will perfectly soften the butter.