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    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    Cinnamon Rolls

    Published: Oct 25, 2022 · Modified: Aug 10, 2023 by Sherri · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    closeup of a homemade cinnamon rolls with icing on a white plate.

    These easy Cinnamon Rolls are made with a soft fluffy dough, a swirl of buttery cinnamon sugar, then baked until golden and topped with cream cheese icing for the best-tasting buns around!

    Need a few other easy breakfast recipes? Try these Homemade Crepes, these Blueberry Waffles or this easy Coffee Cake recipe.

    closeup of a cinnamon roll with thick icing on a white plate with two forks on the side of the plate.

    Table of contents

    • Easy Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
    • Ingredients/shopping list
    • Variations/ Substitutions
    • How to Make these Perfect Cinnamon Rolls
    • Tips
    • FAQ’s

    Easy Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

    The smell of homemade fluffy cinnamon rolls in the morning is the kind of aroma that lets you know it’s going to be a good day!

    I usually reserve making them from scratch for a special occasion, but even when I’m just in the mood for no apparent reason, I do skip the store-bought packages and get to baking! They’re easy to make, especially if you’ve never worked with yeast before, but these sweet rolls are decadent and indulgent, so they are definitely an occasional tasty treat!

    They make the best Christmas morning or brunch, Thanksgiving or Easter dessert, and birthday breakfast-in-bed pastries! Anything left means the next morning you’re just really lucky!

    white plate with a cinnamon roll with white frosting with a fork sticking in the top.

    Freshly baked cinnamon buns are warm and gooey and the kind of thick and fluffy pastry you take a big bite of without a care in the world. You’re nose-deep in delectable cream cheese icing and you can’t wait for more!

    Ingredients/shopping list

    several bowls of ingredients for homemade cinnamon rolls - yeast, flour, butter, sugar, two eggs, vanilla, and milk.
    three glass bowls of brown sugar, spices and butter.
    For the Filling

    For the Dough

    • Milk: Yeast thrives in a warm place so we’ll need to make sure that the milk is warmed to 100-110 degrees F. If it’s too hot it’ll kill the yeast, if it’s too cold, it won’t activate it.
    • Sugar: This is what feeds the yeast and helps it grow and foam to do what it needs to do for our sticky buns.
      Yeast: active dry yeast is what I use. You want to make sure your yeast is still active, so do a little test. If it’s dead, discard it and pick up fresh yeast.
    • Eggs: They help to form the dough by binding everything together. The yolk adds richness keeping it nice and moist.
    • Butter: Melted butter adds a buttery flavor to the fluffy dough and helps to give it softness and that melt-in-your-mouth quality. I love using unsalted butter.
    • Vanilla extract: A warm flavor that enhances the taste of everything around it, making it even more delicious.
    • All-purpose flour: Used for the structure of the cinnamon rolls. Making sure to measure it correctly is crucial! Use a kitchen scale or the spoon and level method to make sure you don’t use too much flour.

    For the Filling

    • Butter: Softened and spreadable butter helps to adhere the cinnamon mixture onto the dough and as it melts in the oven it gives the filling a nice gooey syrupy consistency.
    • Flavor: This filling consists of brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a bit of salt to round out the flavors. A traditional filling for a classic cinnamon rolls recipe.

    For the Cream Cheese Icing

    A quick blend of cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream makes the best cream cheese icing which is the perfect sweet and tangy pairing for these cinnamon rolls!

    Variations/ Substitutions

    • You can use instant yeast and skip the first 5 minutes of proofing in step 1.
    • I prefer to use whole milk for the dough, but you can use 2% or even almond milk if preferred.
    • Leave out the nutmeg if you would rather just stick with the cinnamon.
    • For the icing, you can substitute milk for heavy cream.

    How to Make these Perfect Cinnamon Rolls

    This recipe requires just one full rise to get that rich buttery dough nice and fluffy, it’s swirled with a cinnamon sugar filling and then topped with a simple 4-ingredient icing!

    big glass measuring cup with yeast powder.
    big glass measuring cup with melted butter and egg mixture.

    Step 1: Proof the yeast by adding warm milk and sugar to a large bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle yeast overtop. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes until it foams.

    homemade cinnamon roll dough.

    Step 2: Whisk in the eggs, melted butter, and vanilla and combine well. Then, slowly add the flour and use the dough hook attachment to blend at low speed. The dough should come together in a smooth ball around the attachment.

    big glass bowl with dough.
    big glass bowl with raw dough that has risen.

    Step 3: Continue kneading for 5 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky. Place the ball of dough into a greased bowl and cover with a towel. Let the dough rise in a warm draft-free area for about an hour until it has doubled in size.

    cinnamon sugar mixture in a small tan bowl.
    cinnamon roll dough rolled out with cinnamon sugar mixture spread over top.

    Step 4: Towards the end of the rise time, combine the cinnamon, brown sugar, nutmeg, and salt in a small bowl. Mix well and set it aside.


    Step 5: Grab the dough, and roll it out into a large rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Keep it about ¼ of an inch thick. Spread the butter on the whole surface area and then sprinkle a generous amount of the cinnamon-sugar mixture overtop.

    cinnamon roll dough being rolled up with a cinnamon sugar mixture in the middle.
    six uncooked cinnamon rolls in a white rectangle baking dish.

    Step 6: Starting with one of the longer sides, roll the dough up tightly into a log. Pinch the seam once it’s rolled up all the way so that it doesn’t unroll.

    Step 7: Use a serrated or sharp knife to cut the rolled dough into 1-inch discs. Place the unbaked rolls in a single layer in a greased baking dish and cover them for a second rise while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees. They should bulk up a bit more as they wait.

    white rectangle baking dish with six cooked cinnamon rolls.

    Step 8: Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and then allow the cinnamon rolls to cool for 10 minutes before adding the frosting.

    ingredients for cream cheese icing - powdered sugar, cream cheese, milk and vanilla extract.

    To make the cream cheese icing, mix the softened cream cheese and gradually, the powdered sugar on low speed. Use either the bowl of a stand mixer and paddle attachment or a hand mixer.

    Slowly add the vanilla extract and heavy cream and blend on low speed until fully combined.

    silver mixing bowl with cream cheese frosting mixed.

    Beat on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until the icing is fluffy, scraping down the sides as you go. Once the cinnamon rolls have cooled for about 10 minutes, spread the icing overtop each one.

    Then, dive in!

    rectangle baking dish with six cinnamon rolls with icing on top.

    Tips

    • Test your yeast! I can’t stress this enough. You don’t want to get to the point of wondering why your dough isn’t rising.
    • If the dough is sticking to the sides of the bowl, add 1 Tablespoon of flour at a time just until it no longer sticks to the bowl.
    • Flour the rolling pin just a bit so that it doesn’t stick.
    • Bring butter and cream cheese to room temperature well ahead of time so that they are ready when you need them.
    • Allow the cinnamon buns to cool before adding the icing otherwise the heat will melt the frosting making it too thin and runny.
    • If using instant yeast, the dough will usually rise a bit faster too, so check on it at about 45 minutes.

    Other Favorite Frostings!

    There is no shortage of ways to glaze a cinnamon bun! You can swap the cream cheese icing for any of the following:

    • Maple glaze
    • Vanilla icing
    • Cinnamon frosting
    • Brown butter frosting
    • Marshmallow frosting
    • Maple cream cheese icing

    FAQ’s

    Can I make these ahead of time?

    Absolutely! You can do most of the work the night before and then pop them in the oven in the morning! All you need to do is prepare the rolls up until you place them into the prepared dish. Cover with plastic wrap them and refrigerate them overnight. Bring them to room temperature 30 minutes before you’re ready to bake.

    How to store leftover cinnamon rolls?

    These babies can stay at room temperature for up to 3 days! They’ll be gone long before then, but in case, you can also keep them refrigerated for up to 5 days. Just be sure to cover them in an airtight container.

    How to reheat them?

    Simply put them in the microwave. Nothing fancy and it’s the best way to get them nice and soft again.

    Do cinnamon rolls freeze well?

    Cinnamon rolls can be kept frozen for up to 3 months. Be sure to cool them completely, then wrap them tightly. I like to wrap them individually so they don’t freeze together and I can just take out 1 or 2 at a time when needed.

    Can I make cinnamon rolls without an electric mixer?


    You can! It’ll just take a bit of kneading by hand and it’s smooth sailing after that. Steps 1 and 3 will require a whisk and a wooden spoon. Once you begin forming the dough, you’ll use your hands to knead for about 5-7 minutes until the desired soft and slightly sticky consistency has been reached. Then, continue as directed.

    You can also make the icing with a bowl and a whisk!

    If you like this recipe, please leave us a comment and rate the recipe below. You can also find us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram!

    closeup of a cinnamon roll with icing on a plate with 2 forks.

    Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

    These easy Cinnamon Rolls are made with a soft fluffy dough, a swirl of buttery cinnamon sugar, then baked until golden and topped with cream cheese icing for the best-tasting buns around!
    5 from 3 votes
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    Course: Breakfast, brunch
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Rise Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12 rolls
    Calories: 380kcal
    Author: Sherri Hagymas

    Ingredients

    For The Dough

    • ¾ cup milk warmed to 100-110° F
    • ¼ cup white sugar
    • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
    • 2 large eggs
    • 4 tablespoons butter melted
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

    For the Filling

    • 4 tablespoons butter softened
    • ½ cup brown sugar
    • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    For the Cream Cheese Icing

    • 4 ounces cream cheese softened
    • 2 cups powdered sugar
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 2 tablespoons heavy cream

    Instructions

    Making the Dough

    • Add the warm milk and white sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Sprinkle the yeast over top and allow it to sit for 5 minutes, or until foamy. (see below for instructions without an electric mixer).
      ¾ cup milk, ¼ cup white sugar, 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
    • Add the eggs, melted butter, and vanilla and whisk to combine well.
      2 large eggs, 4 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • Slowly add the flour and blend on low speed.
      3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
    • Once all of the flour is added, the dough should come together into a smooth ball around the hook attachment. If it is sticking to the sides of the bowl, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time just until the dough no longer sticks to the bowl.
    • Knead the dough on low speed for 5 minutes, or until it is smooth and tacky. (The dough should be slightly sticky and soft).
    • Lightly grease a large bowl and shape the dough into a ball. Place it in the greased bowl and cover with a towel. Place the dough in a warm place and allow it to rise for about one hour until doubled in size.
    • After the dough has risen, place it on a flat, lightly floured surface and roll it into a ¼” thick rectangle. I like to flour the rolling pin slightly so it doesn’t stick.
    • Spread softened butter over the rolled out dough.
      4 tablespoons butter

    Making the Cinnamon Filling

    • In a small bowl, add the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and mix well.
      ½ cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon salt
    • Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the butter.
    • Tightly roll the dough into a log and pinch the seam closed so it doesn’t unroll.
    • Using a sharp serrated knife, slice the log into 1 inch thick pieces.
    • Grease a 13×9 or two 8×8 baking dishes with butter or cooking spray. You can also line them with parchment paper.
    • Place the rolls in the pan(s).
    • Cover the rolls with a towel and place them on the stovetop to rise while you preheat the oven.

    Baking the Rolls

    • Preheat the oven to 350° F.
    • When the cinnamon rolls almost completely fill the pan, it’s time to bake!
    • Bake the cinnamon rolls for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown.
    • Remove the cinnamon rolls from the oven and allow them to sit for 10 minutes before frosting.

    Making the Icing

    • While the cinnamon rolls cool, add the softened cream cheese to a medium mixing (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment).
      4 ounces cream cheese
    • Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed.
      2 cups powdered sugar
    • After the powdered sugar is mixed in, slowly add the vanilla extract and heavy cream and vanilla and blend in on low speed until blended in.
      2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons heavy cream
    • Then turn the mixer on medium-high speed and beat for about 2 minutes until the icing is fluffy. (scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times while blending).
    • Spread all of the icing over the cinnamon rolls.

    Notes

    Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave for 20-30 seconds before serving.
    Use instant yeast if desired and skip the five minutes of rest in Step 1. Additionally, the dough will usually rise quicker so check after about 45 minutes to see if it has doubled in size.
    Although I recommend whole milk for the proofing or activating the yeast, you can use 2% milk or almond milk if you prefer.
    Be sure to measure the flour using the spoon and level method as adding too much flour will make dry and dense cinnamon rolls.
    Leave out the nutmeg if you’d like and just use cinnamon.
    Use milk instead of heavy cream in icing, if desired.
    Making Cinnamon Rolls without an electric mixer
    Complete Step 1 & 3 as directed and use a large mixing bowl and a wooden spoon or dough whisk.
    When the dough comes together in a shaggy ball, place it on a well-floured surface and knead by hand for 5-7 minutes until the dough is smooth and slightly sticky then continue as directed.
    For the frosting – an electric hand mixer can be used in place of a stand mixer. You can also make the frosting in a large bowl using a sturdy whisk or wooden spoon.
    Making Cinnamon Rolls Ahead
    Follow the recipe as written, but after slicing the rolls and placing them in the baking dish, cover the dish with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator overnight.
    In the morning, allow the rolls to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes on the counter while you pre-heat the oven.
    Bake as directed and follow the recipe for icing.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1roll | Calories: 380kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 166mg | Potassium: 118mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 383IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 2mg

    Nutritional Disclosure

    Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.

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