Cinnamon Rolls

These homemade cinnamon rolls feature a soft and fluffy dough wrapped around a brown sugar and cinnamon filling. The rolls are baked to golden brown perfection, then finished off with cream cheese frosting. The best cinnamon rolls I've ever had!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Rising Time 3

Total Time 3 50

Servings

Calories 517kcal

Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

For the dough

1/4 cup warm water 100-110 degrees F
1 packet active dry yeast
3/4 cup milk room temperature
2 eggs room temperature
1/2 cup +1 teaspoon granulated sugar divided use
1 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons butter melted
4 1/4 cups all purpose flour plus more if needed
cooking spray

For the filling

1/2 cup butter softened
1 cup dark brown sugar packed
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

For the frosting

1/4 cup butter softened
4 ounces cream cheese softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream

Instructions

For the dough

Place the water in the bowl of a stand mixer, along with the yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Stir to combine, then let the yeast mixture sit until foamy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the milk, eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, salt, butter and flour to the bowl. Mix with the paddle attachment for 1 minute, or until a dough forms.
Switch to the dough hook attachment. Knead for 4-5 minutes until a smooth, soft dough forms. You may need to add more flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, until you have a dough that's not overly sticky. The dough should not stick to the sides of the bowl, but it's ok if it sticks to the bottom.
Form the dough into a ball, then transfer to a bowl that's been coated in cooking spray. Coat the top of the dough with cooking spray, then cover with plastic wrap.
Let the dough rise in a warm place until it's doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
Line a 15" x 10" jelly roll pan with parchment paper, then coat the pan with cooking spray.
Roll the dough on a non stick surface into a 16" x 20" rectangle.

For the filling

Place the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Stir until thoroughly combined.
Spread the filling over the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border on all sides.
Start at the shorter end, and carefully roll up the dough.
Use a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss to cut crosswise to make 12 rolls.
Place the rolls on the prepared pan. Coat the tops of the rolls with cooking spray and cover with plastic wrap.
Leave the pan of rolls in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours. Alternatively, you can let the rolls rise overnight in the fridge. If you go this route, let the rolls come to room temperature the next day before you proceed with the rest of the recipe (this will take about 1 1/2 hours).
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Uncover the rolls, then bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.

For the frosting

While the rolls are in the oven, make the frosting.
Place the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a mixer. Beat until smooth and fluffy.
Add the vanilla extract, powdered sugar and milk, then beat until creamy.
You can add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to reach your desired consistency if needed.
Remove the rolls from the oven. Spread the frosting over the cinnamon buns while they are still warm. Let cool for 5 minutes, then serve.

Notes

Liquids like water and milk in the dough should be warm but not boiling to keep the yeast active. The liquids should be in the 90-100 degrees F range.

If your yeast is not foamy after dissolving in the sugar and water, your rolls will not rise. Discard the yeast and try again.

Make sure to roll your dough out thin to get more layers in your cinnamon buns.

For rounder rolls, leave a little space between the rolls when you bake them.

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