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Soft Homemade Cinnamon Rolls 🍰
Is there anything that makes a house smell more like love than cinnamon rolls in the oven? These are soft and pillowy and gooey in the middle, with a cream cheese frosting that melts right down into the warm swirls. They are what my family comes running for on a slow Sunday. I will be honest, the dough needs a little patience while it rises, but almost none of it is hands-on, and not one bite tastes like it came from a can. Make them once and they become the thing everyone asks for.
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 3/4 cup warm whole milk (105-110 degrees)
- 1 1/4 oz packet instant/quick rise yeast
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 4 tbsp salted butter melted
- 3 cups 360 grams bread flour
- 1 tsp salt
For the Cinnamon Sugar Filling
- 4 tbsp salted butter softened
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 cup heavy cream prior to baking
For the Frosting
- 1/2 block 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 4 tbsp butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer, combine warm milk, yeast, sugar, and eggs. Beat until just combined. Add melted butter and beat again.
- Add bread flour and salt and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined (do not overmix — a little flour in the dough is okay).
- Knead for 8-10 minutes in a mixer with attachment or by hand. The dough will be a little sticky, but is ready once you poke a finger to it and the dough bounces back.
- Place dough in a bowl coated with some oil and cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Allow to rise for about an hour (it should double in size).
- Once it has risen, roll dough out on a well-floured surface to a rectangle, about 14×9 and about 1 inch thick.
- Spread softened butter on dough, then sprinkle brown sugar/cinnamon mixture on top. Pat into butter so it sticks.
- Tightly roll dough into a log-like shape. Cut into 1-inch pieces. You should get about 9-10 pieces.
- Place in a greased 9×9 baking dish. Pour 1 cup heavy cream on top. If you have any leftover cinnamon sugar filling, you can sprinkle on top. Cook in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.
- While baking, combine all frosting ingredients: cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Top the cinnamon rolls immediately once they come out of the oven and allow the frosting to melt. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Tips for Making This Recipe
Make sure your milk and butter are warm, not hot. Too hot and you’ll kill the yeast, too cold and the dough won’t rise. Think comfortably warm bath water.
Let the dough rise somewhere draft-free. A turned-off oven with the light on is my favorite proofing trick.
Use floss or a sharp serrated knife to cut clean rolls without squishing all that pretty swirl.
Frost while the rolls are still warm so the frosting melts down into the layers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make cinnamon rolls the night before?
Why didn’t my dough rise?
How do I store leftover cinnamon rolls?
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Shop What I Used
A few recipe-appropriate kitchen tools that make this one easier:
- A stand mixer with a dough hook, or a big bowl and a little elbow grease
- A 9×13 baking dish
- An offset spatula for spreading the filling and frosting
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