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The Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

The Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

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Indulge in incredibly soft and fluffy homemade cinnamon rolls, featuring a rich, gooey cinnamon-sugar filling and a luscious cream cheese glaze. This recipe is perfect for special occasions and guarantees delicious swirls every time, elevating your baking with classic comfort.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Dough:
4 to cups all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
½ cup granulated sugar
2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
1 cup milk, warm (105-115°F)
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
For the Filling:
1 cup light brown sugar, finely packed
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
For the Cream Cheese Glaze:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups powdered sugar
23 tablespoons milk

Instructions

Prepare the Dough:
In a large bowl, whisk together 4 cups of flour, granulated sugar, yeast, and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together warm milk, melted butter, and eggs.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, if the dough is too sticky. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky.
Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
Prepare the Filling:
In a medium bowl, combine light brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
Assemble the Rolls:
Punch down the risen dough. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.
Roll the dough into a large rectangle, approximately 12×18 inches.
Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough, leaving a small border around the edges.
Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture evenly over the buttered dough.
Starting from one of the long sides, tightly roll up the dough.
Cut the roll into 12 equal slices.
Place the cinnamon roll slices into a greased 9×13 inch baking pan, cut-side up.
Cover the pan loosely and let the rolls rise for another 30-45 minutes, or until puffy.
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
Prepare the Glaze:
While the rolls are baking, beat together the softened cream cheese and softened butter until smooth.
Beat in the vanilla extract.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, alternating with milk, until the glaze reaches your desired consistency.
Glaze the Rolls:
Once the cinnamon rolls are out of the oven and slightly cooled, drizzle or spread the cream cheese glaze over the warm rolls.

Notes

Ensure your milk is warm but not hot, as too hot will kill the yeast. Scalding the milk (heating it until just before boiling and then letting it cool to lukewarm) can also help create a softer texture. Don’t over-knead the dough; stop when it’s smooth and elastic. For a richer dough, use whole milk. Store leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

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