Make a batch of soft and fluffy homemade cinnamon rolls for a special breakfast treat. They're filled with cozy cinnamon brown sugar and topped with a velvety cream cheese frosting.
Heather's recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Fluffy rolls are filled with cinnamon brown sugar and topped with gooey cream cheese frosting. A classic cinnamon roll recipe.
Yield: 9 large rolls
One rise. Instant yeast makes quick work of this cinnamon roll recipe and requires only one 60-minute rise.
Similar to: Orange Cinnamon Rolls and Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Milk - Whole milk works best to create a rich, tender dough, but lower fat milks can work in a pinch.
- Yeast - You'll need one packet of instant yeast for this recipe. Check the expiration date on your yeast to ensure it's not out of date. Old yeast can prevent your rolls from rising as they should.
- Butter - Unsalted butter can be substituted with salted butter if desired (cut the listed salt in half).
How to make cinnamon rolls
- Carefully heat milk and butter in the microwave, using 20 second bursts, until they reach 100-110F. If it's too hot, it can ruin the yeast.
- Whisk in the yeast until dissolved.
- Pour yeast into your dry ingredients and add an egg.
- Stir until a sticky dough forms.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3 to 5 minutes. Rest it in a greased bowl for 10 minutes.
- Roll dough out into a 14x9 rectangle and spread with softened butter.
- Top with your brown sugar cinnamon mixture and starting at the long side, carefully roll into a log.
- Use a serrated knife to slice the log into 9 even rolls.
- Place rolls in a greased 9x9 pan and cover lightly with a towel.
- Allow to rest for 60 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- Bake your cinnamon rolls until they reach 195-200F in the center.
- Your rolls will look golden brown across the top when they're done.
- Prepare the frosting while your cinnamon rolls bake. Use a hand mixer and room temperature ingredients for a smooth and creamy frosting.
- Frost cinnamon rolls while hot from the oven. This allows the frosting to melt slightly and fall into every little crag and crevice.
Heather's Top Tip
An instant-read thermometer is one of my most highly recommended kitchen tools. Use it to test the temperature of your milk (prevents ruining the yeast) and again to test the doneness of your cinnamon rolls (prevents doughy or dry results).
Tips and tricks
Knead until no longer sticky - Knead the dough using the heels of your hands on a lightly-floured countertop. Keep kneading until the dough no longer feels sticky and begins to form a smooth ball. Add more flour to your counter top as needed during this step.
Rise until doubled in size - During the 60-90 minute rise, your dough will double in size. I recommend storing your rolls in a warm, room temperature or slightly warmer environment for best results. If the environment is very cold, your dough will take longer to rise.
Testing for doneness - Visually, your cinnamon rolls will look golden brown and set across the tops. If you have an instant-read thermometer, test the center of the middle cinnamon roll. They're done when they reach 195-200F.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, cinnamon rolls freeze well for up to 3 months. I've included directions in the recipe card below on how to freeze baked or raw cinnamon rolls for optimal results.
This recipe must be stored in the refrigerator because the frosting includes cream cheese. Unfrosted cinnamon rolls can be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Yes! After assembling your cinnamon rolls, cover and transfer to the refrigerator to rise overnight (this replaces the 60-90 minute rise). In the morning while your oven preheats, allow the cinnamon rolls to warm up on the counter top before baking. I also include these directions in the recipe card notes below.
Cinnamon rolls turn out dry if they're overbaked. I recommend testing your rolls with an instant-read thermometer to ensure they've reached 195-200F in the center before removing them from the oven to cool.
Your cinnamon rolls will turn out doughy if they're undercooked. I recommend testing your rolls with an instant-read thermometer to ensure they've reached 195-200F in the center before removing them from the oven to cool.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 ¾ cups (330 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (170 g) whole milk
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast, one standard packet
- 1 large egg, room temperature
Filling
- ¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup (106 g) brown sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons cinnamon
Cream cheese frosting
- 4 ounces (113 g) cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup (85 g) confectioner's sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Dough
- Lightly grease a 9x9 square baking dish or 9-10 inch round cake or pie pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In a microwave safe bowl, add milk and butter. Microwave in 20 second increments until butter has melted and mixture is warm to the touch, but not hot (about 110 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Whisk in yeast and continue whisking until yeast has dissolved. Pour yeast mixture into dry ingredients. Add the egg and stir with a sturdy wooden spoon until a soft dough forms.
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using floured hands, knead the dough for 3 to 5 minutes, or until dough looks smooth (not sticky).
- Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl, lightly cover, and allow to rise for 10 minutes.
Filling
- Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 14x9 rectangle.
- Spread room temperature butter evenly across the dough. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle evenly over the butter.
- Starting at the long 14 inch side, roll dough up into a log. Using a serrated knife, slice into 9 even rolls and place into prepared baking dish.
- Lightly cover and allow rolls to rise at room temperature for 60-90 minutes, or until they've doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Transfer dish to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 25-28 minutes, or until golden brown across the top and rolls reach 195-200 degrees Fahrenheit in the center (use an instant read thermometer to test internal temperature). If rolls are browning too quickly, lightly tent with foil for the remaining baking time.
- While the rolls bake, prepare the frosting.
Cream cheese frosting
- In a medium bowl, add cream cheese and butter. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat until creamy and smooth. Add confectioner's sugar and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Using a knife, spread frosting over warm cinnamon rolls and serve immediately.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Overnight directions: After assembling the cinnamon rolls, cover and transfer to the refrigerator to rise overnight (this replaces the 60-90 minute rise). In the morning, remove cinnamon rolls from the refrigerator and uncover while the oven preheats. Bake as directed in the recipe card above.
- Leftovers: Store leftover cinnamon rolls covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Unfrosted cinnamon rolls will keep for 2 days at room temperature. Cream cheese frosting must be refrigerated.
- Freezing baked rolls: Baked cinnamon rolls freeze well and keep for up to 3 months.
- Freezing unbaked cinnamon rolls: Follow the directions above for assembly and rising, using a disposable foil pan (or other freezer-safe pan you don't mind freezing for a while). Bake your cinnamon rolls at 350F for 10 minutes. They should look risen and par-cooked, but not yet browned. Cool completely, then cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Transfer to the refrigerator to thaw overnight. In the morning, preheat your oven to 350F and bake for the remaining 15-18 minutes.
- Vanilla icing variation: Whisk 1 cup (113g) confectioner's sugar with 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 tablespoons whole milk until smooth. Drizzle over warm cinnamon rolls and serve.
These look so good, I am going to give this recipe a go. Thank you 😊
I had so much fun creating this recipe! I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do. If you have a question, check out the post above, which is packed with information about the recipe. Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts — leave a comment and a star rating to share your feedback!