Cinnamon Rolls & the Science of Smell:

There are certain smells that feel like doorways. One whiff, and you’re no longer standing in your own kitchen....you’re transported. For me, one of those doorways is the smell of cinnamon rolls.

Anytime I sell them, I’m suddenly back in my great-grandmother’s tiny kitchen. I can see the sunlight glinting off the old white coated cast iron sink I didn’t know I’d miss. I can hear her warm laugh, the gentle clink of measuring cups, and those wise words that seemed to pour effortlessly from her. Flour dusted our shirts like snow, and the air was thick with the swirl of cinnamon, sugar, and yeast. That scent is the thread that stitches me right back into those moments, no matter how far away they are in time.

The Science of Olfactory Memory

Our sense of smell has a direct hotline to memory. While other senses take the scenic route through the brain, smell goes straight to the limbic system.....the seat of emotion, memory, and instinct. That’s why the scent of cinnamon rolls isn’t just “pleasant” for me.....it’s a full-bodied return to a place and time, complete with sights, sounds, and feelings.

Neuroscientists call it “olfactory memory,” but to me, it’s living proof that smell is a kind of magic. A single aroma can hold an entire world inside it.

Making Your Own Olfactory Memories

You don’t have to wait for a smell to find you. You can create them....intentionally weaving scents into your rituals so that they carry you back to a moment you’ll want to remember.

Brew a certain tea when you write your morning pages. Light the same candle every time you gather with your family. Bake bread or cinnamon rolls on the first chilly day of fall. Over time, those scents will become your time travelers.....anchors to moments that matter.

And maybe, years from now, someone will catch that scent in the air and smile, because it carries you with it.

Want to try our recipe ? here you go! 

Big Batch Cinnamon Rolls (about 22)

Dough

• 1 ¾ cups warm milk (about 110°F / 43°C)

• 4 tsp instant yeast (just under 2 packets)

• ¾ cup granulated sugar

• 3 tbsp + 2 tsp unsalted butter, melted

• 3 large eggs, room temperature

• ¾ tsp salt

• 7–8 cups all-purpose flour (start with 7, add more if needed)

Filling

• 1 ¾ cups brown sugar, packed

• 4 ½ tbsp ground cinnamon

• ½ cup + 1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

Optional Add-ins

• 1 ¾ cups mini chocolate chips

• 1 ¾ cups chopped walnuts

Cream Cheese Icing

• 7 oz cream cheese, softened

• 7 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

• 2 ¾ cups powdered sugar

• ¾ tsp vanilla extract

• 3–5 tbsp milk or cream (to desired consistency)

Instructions
The steps are exactly the same as the smaller recipe — the only difference is you’ll roll your dough into two rectangles instead of one so they’re easier to manage:

1. Activate yeast in the warm milk with sugar. Let foam.

2. Add melted butter, eggs, and salt. Stir in flour until a soft dough forms.

3. Knead 6–8 minutes, then let rise 1–1 ½ hours until doubled.

4. Divide dough in half, roll each to about 16x12 inches.

5. Spread butter, sprinkle cinnamon-sugar, add chocolate chips or walnuts if desired.

6. Roll each rectangle, slice each into 11 rolls = 22 total.

7. Arrange in 2 greased pans, cover, rise 30–40 minutes.

8. Bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes.

9. Spread icing over warm rolls.