Homemade cinnamon rolls are the
perfect Sunday morning treat; they're glazed, sweet, buttery, and gooey.
Homemade cinnamon rolls are the ultimate morning treat when you're having a leisurely breakfast at home. In an emergency, opening a can is acceptable, but nothing compares to the homemade version with cream cheese frosting.
These cinnamon, brown sugar, and butter-filled swirled buns are the most comforting thing you'll ever see, and they're perfect for a lazy Sunday with a cup of coffee. The process of making your own cinnamon rolls isn't too different from baking simple bread.
If you’re in the mood for more sweet morning treats, check out our 25 Best Breakfast Desserts for ideas galore.
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Ingredients to Make Cinnamon Rolls
- One package of active dry yeast (1/4 ounce)
- One cup, warm 2% milk (between 110° and 115°)
- Half a cup of sugar
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- Two large eggs at room temperature
- One teaspoon of salt
- Four to four and a half cups all-purpose flour
- Yield: 16 rolls
Filling
- 3/4 cup of brown sugar, packed
- Two tablespoons of ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup melted butter, separated
Frosting
- Half a cup of softened butter
- 1/4 cup softened cream cheese
- Half a teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
- One and a half cups of confectioners' sugar
Steps to Make Cinnamon Rolls
- You will begin the recipe by proofing the yeast, just like you would with any other yeasted bread. This recipe for cinnamon rolls uses warm milk rather than warm water, as you would with many simple bread recipes. However, the procedure is the same. Simply mix a cup of warm milk with your yeast packet. When heating the milk, take care not to let it get too hot. The ideal temperature range is 105°F to 115°F. Give this mixture a few minutes to sit. When it begins to get slightly frothy, the yeast is active and ready to be added to the other ingredients. The dough should be stirred once the yeast is ready. Depending on how intense you want your workout, you can either do this by hand or in your stand mixer with a dough hook. Mix the yeast mixture, eggs, salt, sugar, melted butter, and two cups of flour to make the dough. Until smooth, beat on medium speed (or stir, stir, stir until smooth). To create a soft, slightly sticky dough, add more flour (up to 2-1/2 cups more), one tablespoon at a time.
- After the dough has come together, transfer it to a surface dusted with flour and begin kneading it until it is elastic and smooth. It should take roughly eight minutes to complete. You can always add a bit more flour if necessary if the dough is extremely sticky. You can use your stand mixer to knead the dough if you already have it out. You'll save some elbow grease that way. After kneading, place the cinnamon roll dough in a bowl that has been oiled and turn it once to coat it. The dough will rise higher because it won't be working against the bowl when it is in a greased bowl, and it will also be easier to remove after proofing. Depending on your home's temperature, cover and let the dough rise for approximately an hour, or until it has doubled in size.
- Make the cinnamon filling during the time the dough is proofing. It's easy: Simply mix the cinnamon and brown sugar together. Break up all of the brown sugar clumps with a fork or tiny whisk.
- Punch down the dough after it has risen. This entails applying pressure with your knuckles to slightly deflate the dough. After taking the dough out of the bowl, split it in half. To keep the dough from sticking, tearing, and stretching, lightly flour the work surface before rolling it out. Using a rolling pin, roll each portion into an approximately 11 by 8-inch rectangle. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top, leaving a half-inch perimeter, after brushing with melted butter.
- Roll out the dough like a jelly roll, beginning with the long side. Work cautiously and slowly. Pinch the long seam to seal the dough after it has been rolled up. Your rolls should not unwind.
- Next, cut off the ends of each roll with a sharp knife or bench scraper (you can bake these scraps as an extra treat). Each roll should then be cut into eight equal pieces.
- Put eight rolls in each of two 13 x 9-inch pans that have been greased. Because the rolls will expand during this proof, make sure to leave space between them. The rolls should double in size after a second proofing, covered with a kitchen towel. It should take an hour or so.
- After proofing, place the pans in an oven set to 350°F and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden. Place the pans on wire racks to cool after baking. Wondering if the cinnamon rolls have been completed? Be aware that the ideal cinnamon roll should have an internal temperature of between 190° and 200° and be a deep golden brown color. The rolls should feel firm, not squishy, when gently pressed in the middle.
- Spend some time creating the delectable icing while the rolls cool. This is a very easy part. Simply beat the softened cream cheese, softened butter, salt, and vanilla until thoroughly combined. After that, beat in the confectioners' sugar gradually until the icing is nice and thick.
- Cover the rolls with as much icing as you like once they have cooled slightly (they can be warm but not hot). The cinnamon buns' warmth will facilitate the icing's drip along each spiral. Take the cinnamon rolls out of the pan once they are frosted.
Nutrition
|
1 roll |
364 calories |
|
Fat |
15 g |
|
Saturated fat |
9 g |
|
Cholesterol |
66 mg |
|
Sodium |
323 mg |
|
Carbohydrate |
53 g |
|
Sugars |
28 g |
|
Fiber |
1 g |
|
Protein |
5 g |
Love that soft, homemade vibe? Our Banana Bread Recipe brings those same comforting flavors in loaf form.
Because of the cream cheese, keep any frosted extras in the refrigerator if you can't eat them all at once. Buns that aren't frozen can be frozen or kept in an airtight container for a few days. Top with fresh icing and quickly reheat in a warm oven to revitalize them.
If you enjoy that warm spice and cream cheese pairing, our Carrot Cake Pancakes bring the same cozy flavor in pancake form.
We have another cinnamon rolls
recipe for you which you can try as well.
The best cinnamon rolls ever are these. Drenched in a rich, buttery brown sugar cinnamon caramel sauce on the bottom, they are soft and fluffy with a gooey brown sugar cinnamon filling and frosted with cream cheese frosting.
Yield: 12 rolls
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cook time:
30 minutes
Proofing time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Total: 3 hours 45 minutes
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 300 milliliters (1 1/4 cups) of heated whole milk (about 110 degrees)
- 2 1/4 teaspoons of dry active yeast
- One teaspoon of granulated white sugar (for yeast bloom)
- Level and spoon 4 3/4 cups (593 g) of all-purpose flour.
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
- Two tablespoons (25 grams) of white sugar granules
- Two whisked eggs
- One tablespoon of vanilla
- 1/2 cup (112 g) of highly softened unsalted butter
For the cinnamon caramel sauce:
- 1/2 cup (112 g) of highly softened unsalted butter
- One cup (220 grams) of packed light brown sugar
- Two teaspoons of cinnamon
- 116 g, or 1/3 cup honey
- Half a tablespoon of vanilla
- 45 ml (3 tbsp) heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
For the cinnamon filling:
- 1/2 cup (112 g) of highly softened unsalted butter
- One cup (220 grams) of packed light brown sugar
- Two tablespoons of cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 60 milliliters, or 1/4 cup (For pouring between the rolls) heavy cream
For the cream cheese frosting:
- Six tablespoons (84 grams) of highly softened unsalted butter
- 6 ounces (170 grams) of cold cream cheese
- 97 grams, or 3/4 cup, of powdered sugar
- Half a tablespoon of vanilla
Looking
for a quick sweet breakfast? Try our French Toast Recipe—same comfort, faster
on the stove.
Instructions to Make These Cinnamon Rolls
For the dough:
- Let your yeast bloom first. After combining your warm milk, sugar, and active dry yeast, let it sit for ten minutes until it foams on top.
- Next, combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
- Add the softened butter, vanilla, and whisked eggs to the dry ingredients and stir.
- Pour in the yeast mixture and stir until well combined. To make the dough pull away from the bowl's edges, form a ball, and bounce back when pressed, use a dough hook and knead on medium speed for 7 to 10 minutes.
- Create a ball out of the dough. Put the dough in a big bowl that has been oiled. For one to one and a half hour, or until the dough has doubled in size, cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and place in a warm location to rise (outside or in a cold oven with the light on works well for this).
For
the cinnamon caramel sauce:
- In a medium bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, honey, vanilla, heavy cream, and salt to make the sticky caramel sauce for the bottoms of the rolls while the dough is rising.
- A 9 x 13-inch casserole dish should be greased. Evenly distribute the mixture across the pan's bottom.
For the
cinnamon filling:
- In a small bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt to make the filling while the dough is rising. (If the filling is too solid and difficult to spread, gradually add heavy cream until it is spreadable.)
If
you love cozy baked goods but want something even quicker, our Quick and Easy Coffee Cake Recipes are just a click away.
Baking and assembling the cinnamon rolls:
- Remove the dough from the bowl, punch it out to release the air, and then roll it out on a lightly floured surface after it has had time to rise. Make a rectangle out of the dough that is roughly 18 by 12 inches. It ought to have a thickness of 1/4 inch.
- Using an offset spatula, evenly distribute the cinnamon sugar filling over the dough.
- Beginning at the end nearest to you, tightly roll the dough into a long log shape. To make the log even, trim a small portion off the ends. Using a very sharp knife or unflavored floss, cut 12 rolls about 1 1/2 inches wide.
- Pour room-temperature heavy cream between each roll after placing the rolls in the casserole dish with the cinnamon caramel sauce mixture. After wrapping them in plastic wrap, place them in a warm location to proof for approximately one hour, or until they have doubled in size.
- About fifteen minutes before the rolls are finished proofing, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- After the second rise is finished, bake the rolls for 29 to 32 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Usually, 30 minutes is ideal! (If they're starting to turn too brown, cover with aluminum foil for the final five minutes.)
For the
cream cheese frosting:
- As they bake, prepare the cream cheese frosting by putting the softened butter in a medium bowl and using an electric mixer set to high speed until the butter is light and fluffy.
- On medium speed, add the cream cheese and stir until combined.
- A small amount at a time, sift the powdered sugar into the mixture, then mix on low speed until everything is combined. (If you prefer a sweeter frosting, you can add more powdered sugar.)
- Then, on medium speed, mix in the vanilla until the frosting is smooth.
- After ten minutes of cooling, cover the warm rolls with the cream cheese frosting. Next, serve!
Craving something fruity? Our Blueberry Breakfast Cake offers the same soft, indulgent warmth with juicy berries.