Cinnamon Rolls

Homemade cinnamon rolls are easy to make with simple ingredients. These classic cinnamon rolls are soft, fluffy, and topped with cream cheese frosting.

Course Breakfast or Brunch, Desserts

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Servings people

Calories 703kcal

Author Jessica Robinson

Ingredients

Cinnamon Roll Dough

2 ¼ teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
¼ cup lukewarm water
1 ½ cups milk warm (scalded and cooled to warm)
½ cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs room temperature
5 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter softened

Cinnamon Roll Filling

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
ground cinnamon

Cinnamon Roll Icing

3 cups powdered sugar
4 ounces cream cheese softened
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoons whole milk

Instructions

Cinnamon Roll Dough

In a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the warm milk, sugar, and eggs. Add the dough hook attachment, and stir in the flour and salt. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl occasionally with a rubber spatula. Cut the butter into small pieces and incorporate into the dough. Scrape the bowl a few times. Beat the dough until it becomes smooth, about 5-7 minutes.
Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for 5-6 minutes, making a smooth dough. This dough is going to be sticky when you turn it out. After kneading, shape into a round ball and place back into the greased mixing bowl. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and drape with a clean kitchen towel. Place in a warm area and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead the dough for a few minutes. Turn back into the greased bowl (spray with cooking spray again if needed) and let rise again until doubled, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and roll out with a rolling pin. Making it into a rectangle shape, about ½-3/4-inch thick. Spread the melted butter evenly with a pastry brush. Sprinkle the brown sugar and granulated sugar evenly over the melted butter. Sprinkle generously with ground cinnamon.
Roll up, starting at the long end fairly tight. Brush the edge of the dough with melted butter and press to seal. Cut the dough into 2 inch rolls.
Place the cinnamon rolls evenly into greased baking pans or a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper and sprayed with cooking spray. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen cloth and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Cinnamon Roll Icing

While they are rising, whisk together your icing. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside. You want it to be fairly thick.
To make the icing; mix the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, softened cream cheese, and milk in a bowl with a whisk or heavy duty spoon. Adjust the milk amount as needed based on how thick or thin you prefer your icing.

Cinnamon Rolls

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Once the cinnamon rolls have doubled in size, brush gently with an egg wash. Place the baking pan in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. Let cool on a baking rack for 15 minutes before spooning the icing over top the cinnamon rolls.

Notes

Cinnamon Rolls:

This is a sticky dough. Use plenty of flour on your work surface as needed so the dough doesn't stick to your work area.

Make Ahead Cinnamon Rolls:

Make the dough the day before. After the second rise, place the entire bowl in the fridge. Cover the top of the bowl loosely with plastic wrap. Spray the plastic wrap with cooking spray so the dough doesn't stick to it! In the morning, simply roll out the dough and shape into cinnamon rolls. Let rise or warm up for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Bake as directed.

Egg wash is 1 large egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon of water and a pinch of salt

Nutrition