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Close up shot of homemade cinnamon rolls in a pan.

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

These homemade cinnamon rolls are made with a pillowy soft dough filled with cinnamon filling and are topped with cream cheese frosting.
5 from 14 votes
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Rise time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 55 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 12
Calories 499 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

The dough

  • 5 ½ cups Bread flour
  • 1 tablespoon Instant yeast
  • ⅓ cup Granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cups Milk
  • 2 Eggs room temp
  • ¼ cup Butter melted and cooled

Cinnamon filling

  • ½ cup Butter softened, unsalted
  • 2 tablespoon Cinnamon
  • 1 cup Brown sugar

Cream cheese icing

  • ¼ cup Butter room temp, unsalted
  • 4 oz Cream cheese room temperature
  • ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 2 cups Powder sugar

Instructions
 

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, instant yeast, and granulated sugar. Stir with a spoon to blend, then add the salt and mix again.
  • Add the eggs, warm milk, vanilla extract, and melted (but cooled) butter. Using the dough hook, start mixing on low speed until the dough comes together.
  • Increase to medium speed and knead for 8–10 minutes, or until the dough is soft, smooth, and slightly elastic.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let the dough rise in a warm spot for 1–2 hours, or until it doubles (or even triples) in size.
  • Punch down the risen dough and transfer it to a floured work surface. Roll into a large rectangle about ¼ inch thick, making sure the bottom doesn’t stick to the surface.
  • Spread an even layer of very soft butter all over the dough, then sprinkle the brown sugar evenly on top. Use your hands to spread it out, pressing lightly so it sticks. Sprinkle the cinnamon evenly over the sugar.
  • Starting at the long side, roll the dough tightly into a log and pinch the seam closed. Use a serrated knife or unflavored dental floss to cut into 12 even rolls.
  • Arrange the rolls in a greased 9x13-inch pan, cover, and let them rise again until doubled in size, about 30–45 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Bake the rolls for 20–25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown but the centers are still soft. Be careful not to overbake—this keeps them gooey and tender.

Make the cream cheese frosting

  • In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Whisk until smooth and creamy.
  • Spread the glaze generously over the warm rolls so it melts into the swirls. Serve immediately and enjoy that gooey, bakery-style goodness!

Notes

  • Use room temperature ingredients. When your eggs, milk, and butter are at room temp, they blend into the dough more smoothly and evenly. This helps your dough rise properly and bake up soft and fluffy.
  • Measure your flour the right way. Don’t scoop the flour straight from the bag with your measuring cup. It packs it down and gives you too much. Instead, fluff the flour with a spoon, spoon it into the cup, and level it off with the back of a knife.
  • Don’t overheat the milk. If your milk is too hot (over 110°F / 43°C), it can kill the yeast. Warm milk should feel like a comfy bath—just slightly warm to the touch.
  • Check that your yeast is active. If you’re unsure about your yeast, test it by mixing 1 teaspoon of yeast with ¼ cup of warm water and a pinch of sugar. If it gets bubbly after 10 minutes, it’s good to go.
  • Be patient with the rise. Give the dough time to rise until it’s doubled (or even tripled) in size. This step is key to making the rolls light and airy.
  • Flour your surface, not the dough. When rolling out your dough, lightly flour your surface to prevent sticking, but avoid adding too much flour to the dough itself, or it can become dense.
  • Use super soft butter for the filling. The butter should be spreadable but not melted. This helps coat the dough evenly and keeps the cinnamon-sugar filling from leaking out.
  • Roll the dough evenly and snug. Roll it up tightly but gently so the cinnamon swirl stays inside and the rolls bake evenly. Pinch the edge to seal the log before slicing.
  • Cut the rolls with floss. Use unflavored dental floss or a serrated knife to cut your rolls cleanly without squishing them out of shape.
  • Don’t overbake. Take the rolls out when they’re golden on top but still soft in the center. Overbaking will dry them out—go for gooey and tender instead!

Nutrition

Calories: 499kcalCarbohydrates: 89gProtein: 10gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 81mgSodium: 420mgPotassium: 157mgFiber: 2gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 685IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 87mgIron: 1mg
Keyword easy cinnamon rolls, Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
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