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Disney fans love Gaston's giant cinnamon rolls. Here's how to make them at home

The cinnamon-sugar fragrance that had been wafting through my house during the process had been luring us in all morning — and we were not disappointed.
One of these gigantic cinnamon rolls can feed a family of four.
One of these gigantic cinnamon rolls can feed a family of four.Harper Point Photography
/ Source: TODAY

No one's slick as Gaston, no one's quick as Gaston …

And, until now, the arrogant "Beauty and the Beast" villain was also the best at serving up warm, delicious cinnamon rolls.

If you're unfamiliar with Gaston's famed sweet treat, inside Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World lies Gaston's Tavern, an eatery decorated with antlers (shocker!) that serves the most gigantic (each roll is 8 square inches) cinnamon rolls I've ever seen. They're also the best cinnamon rolls I've ever tasted, and if the cult-following the super-sized pastries have is any indication, I'm not alone in my opinion.

The "real" cinnamon roll from Gaston's Tavern at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom Park.
The "real" cinnamon roll from Gaston's Tavern at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom Park.Terri Peters/TODAY

The rolls, drizzled with cream cheese frosting and melted butterscotch, are large enough to feed a family of four. And, at about $6 a pop, they're often a go-to treat for my Disney-loving family when we're visiting Magic Kingdom.

But thanks to the "Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook" by Ashley Craft, we've recently been enjoying copycat versions of the rolls from the comfort of our own home.

Gaston's Giant Cinnamon Rolls

I tried Craft's Gaston's Giant Cinnamon Rolls recipe out for myself, and while the effort they involve is as enormous as the treat itself, there's a sweet payoff when the work is finished.

The ingredients for Craft's cinnamon roll recipe are simple: eggs, yeast, flour and other pantry staples.
The ingredients for Craft's cinnamon roll recipe are simple: eggs, yeast, flour and other pantry staples.Terri Peters/TODAY

The recipe calls for a dough made from basic ingredients like flour, eggs, milk and yeast, formed into a ball in a stand mixer. After a bit of rising, the dough gets rolled out into a huge (3- by 2-foot) rectangle and sliced into two giant rolls. There's more rising, followed by baking the rolls to golden-brown, cinnamon perfection.

These rolls are so epic, they get two kinds of icing: Craft's recipe includes both cream cheese frosting and a butterscotch drizzle. It's a total sugar rush, in the best way possible.

My cinnamon roll dough, ready to be rolled and sliced.
My cinnamon roll dough, ready to be rolled and sliced.

There's about an hour of prep and rising time for the rolls, followed by baking time and the time it takes to make each type of icing. It's a labor of love, but it's worth it.

When my Gaston copycats came out of the oven, my family could not wait to dive in. The cinnamon-sugar fragrance that had been wafting through my house during the process had been luring us in all morning — and we were not disappointed.

The recipe makes two gigantic cinnamon rolls, enough to feed a family of four with leftovers for the next day.
The recipe makes two gigantic cinnamon rolls, enough to feed a family of four with leftovers for the next day.Terri Peters/TODAY

The week before, I snagged the real deal for comparison, bringing one of the cinnamon rolls from Gaston's Tavern home from a day trip to Magic Kingdom so the flavors were fresh in my family's mind.

When I asked my kids how my version compared, they agreed that the homemade version was better because it was fresh out of the oven, warmer and more gooey and buttery than the original.

I'd have to agree.

One of the two huge cinnamon rolls I baked with Craft's copycat recipe.
One of the two huge cinnamon rolls I baked with Craft's copycat recipe.Terri Peters/TODAY

As the head pastry chef in my household, I'd save this recipe for special occasions. It's labor-intensive and requires a lot of time in the kitchen, but I can see it becoming a family holiday tradition, everyone chowing down on freshly baked cinnamon rolls in their pajamas as a perfect start to the day.

And Gaston shouldn't worry: I'll still be making my way to his tavern for Disney's version any time I visit Magic Kingdom. One can never have too many favorite cinnamon rolls, after all.