Soft, homemade cinnamon rolls filled with a sweet, cinnamon mixture and topped with a creamy frosting. A delicious way to start the day.
Homemade cinnamon rolls are my favorite breakfast indulgence. I love the smell of sweet, cinnamon sugar as it permeates the kitchen while cinnamon rolls bake. It's such a warm and cozy scent. And what's not to love about biting into a warm roll out of the oven, as the frosting slowly drips down the side. YUM! Let's be honest, the best part of any cinnamon roll is the center. It's the softest part and full of the cinnamon mixture.
Taking the time to make homemade cinnamon rolls beats any store-bought kind. It's absolutely worth the time and effort. When I was pregnant with our son, I woke up one morning craving a cinnamon roll, and of course it had to be homemade. I called all the breakfast spots near us until I found a place that made them from scratch. And boy was it delicious!! Pregnancy craving satisfied.
There are no crazy ingredients that go into creating delicious homemade cinnamon rolls. Just simple pantry staples. The key is to ensure the dough is mixed just enough without being over mixed, having ingredients at the proper temperature, and proofing your dough in a warm place.
Making homemade cinnamon roll dough
- Kneading. You can certainly knead the dough by hand. It just requires more elbow grease and more time. However, if you have a stand mixer with the dough attachment I would suggest this option as it is much easier (less of a mess as well)!
- Yeast. This recipe calls for instant yeast. So simple to use, just add to your dry ingredients. Doesn't require any activation with a warmed liquid (my favorite part of instant yeast). Keep any leftover yeast in the refrigerator to maximize its shelf life and ensure it maintains its leavening power.
- Proofing. This dough will proof for about 1 hour once it is mixed. Alternatively, you can proof in the refrigerator overnight. I typically like to make the dough the night before and allow it to proof overnight so in the morning I only have to proof it once (30 minutes for the second proof). Gives you extra time to sleep in!
- Rolling. Be sure to roll the dough nice and tight to keep your filling from spilling out. I always prefer to roll the dough away from me. Using a technique of stretching and rolling the dough helps keep it tight.
- Slicing. Once rolled trim ends of dough. Slice log into 12 pieces. Alternatively, you can slice the log into 10 rolls and bake them in a round pan.
Filling ingredients
- Butter - acts as the glue for the filling. Make sure the butter is soft enough to easily spread across your dough.
- Light brown sugar - adds a really nice flavor to your filling. Brown sugar is moister and has a stronger flavor than granulated sugar.
- Cinnamon - gives the homemade cinnamon rolls that delicious spice factor!
Cream cheese frosting
You can't have a homemade cinnamon roll without a delicious frosting. My go-to frosting is cream cheese based! It's creamy and rich, leaving you wanting more! Begin by beating cream cheese and butter on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and beat until fluffy. Finally, add the heavy cream to thin out slightly. Frost the cinnamon rolls while they are slightly warm so that the frosting easily spreads.
Enjoy making these homemade cinnamon rolls. They are delicious for breakfast with a fresh cup of coffee and equally delicious as an afternoon treat with a cold glass of milk. Happy Baking!
Love cinnamon rolls? Try these other recipes...
PrintHomemade Cinnamon Rolls
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 cinnamon rolls 1x
Description
Soft, homemade cinnamon rolls filled with a sweet, cinnamon mixture and topped with a creamy frosting. A delicious way to start the day.
Ingredients
For the dough
- 530 g (4 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
- 7 g (2 1/4) teaspoons instant yeast
- 5.6 g (1 teaspoon) salt
- 75 g (⅓ cup) unsalted butter, melted
- 75 g (⅓ cup) granulated sugar
- 60 g (¼ cup) sour cream
- 50 g (1 large) egg
- 240 g (1 cup) warm whole milk
For the filling
- 113 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 165 (¾ cup) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 6 g (1 tablespoon) ground cinnamon
- 50 g (1 large) egg, lightly beaten
For the frosting
- 113 g (½ cup) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 20 g (1½ tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 180 g (1½ cups) powdered sugar
- 14 g (1 tablespoon) heavy cream or whole milk
Instructions
For the rolls
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, yeast, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the melted butter, sugar, sour cream, and egg. With the mixer on low speed, add half of the flour mixture followed by the milk, and mix until combined. Switch to the dough hook attachment and add the remaining flour mixture. Beat on medium speed for 5-7 minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic.
- Lightly grease a large bowl with vegetable oil or cooking spray. Place the dough in the bowl. Rotate the dough so that it is greased on all sides. Loosely cover and allow to rise in a warm place (75°F/24°C) until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Grease a 13x9-inch baking pan with butter or cooking spray.
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and lightly punch down to release some of the gases. Roll dough into an 18x12-inch rectangle.
For the filling
- Spread softened butter onto the dough. In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on the dough allowing for a ½-inch border along one of the long edges. Brush edge without sugar with beaten egg.
- Begin with the long edge that has the sugar mixture and roll the dough into a log. Pinch seam to seal, trim ends, and slice into 12 rolls. Place in prepared pan. Allow the rolls to rise in a warm place (75°F/24°C) until rolls are puffed, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F/176°C.
- Bake cinnamon rolls 30-35 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Allow the rolls to cool 15 minutes before frosting.
For frosting
- In a mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add powdered sugar, beating until fluffy. Add milk and mix until combined. Spread onto warm rolls.
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
Keywords: cinnamon rolls, breakfast, pastry, enriched yeast dough
Raiza
Hello Maria,
Can the cinnamon rolls be made with brioche dough instead?
★★★★★
Maria
Hi Raiza! Yes, it definitely can be made with brioche dough. It will add a lovely flavor. You can use my Brioche Roll recipe 🙂