Cinnamon Rolls

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls knock store-bought out of the park. An easy recipe that just requires a bit of patience. You can even prepare the cinnamon rolls the night before and bake fresh in the morning. Step-by-step photos teach you how to make homemade cinnamon rolls. Once you have made cinnamon rolls from scratch you will not go back!

These past 2 ½ weeks have been mental! I took on the position of General Manager for two restaurants. Boy have I been busy! I absolutely love being organized and things are not at the restaurants- well they are getting there! Needless to say, the blog has been on the back burner :/ I always have a post scheduled but those posts all went out already. Oops! But today is Easter/My birthday so I decided to take some ME time and write a blog post! LOL

Tomorrow (well today when this post goes live) I will be visiting Glen Ivy Hot Springs for a fabulous spa day with all my best girlfriends! Except for kitty kat in NYC! 🙁 I will also be receiving a facial! WOO HOO!! And because I have serious baking issues I have decided to ask everyone over for breakfast before we head to the spa. I will be making bagel bombs and these babies! I love cinnamon rolls and this dough is honestly spectacular I LOVE IT!!!

I make these rolls the night before I want them. Because who really wants to spend all morning making cinnamon rolls? I sure as hell don't. I want to wake up and have them before my stomach starts eating away, yelling at me not for feeding it! We love to make these on Christmas Eve for Christmas morning breakfast.

I hope you give this a try and fall in love with these babies like I have!

Let's get to the recipe.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Tips and Tricks
• More breakfast recipes
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Ingredients

There are three components for this recipe; the rolls, cinnamon filling, and the cream cheese frosting.

For the bread mixture you will need:

• Active Dry Yeast. Your rolls will not work out unless your yeast is fresh and activated properly.
• Warm Water. Make sure to check the temperature of your yeast mine is 120F-130F for it to be activated.
• Sugar. Just a little bit of sugar gives the rolls a nice rounded, balanced flavor.
• Unsalted Butter. I love having butter in my dough for a bit of richness.
• Dry Milk Powder. This is the key ingredient. I have tried subbing milk instead of the water and not using the milk powder but I prefer the taste of milk powder.
• Salt. Just a smidge!
• Flour. You will only need all-purpose flour also known as plain flour. The amount you will need will vary depending on the moisture in the air and the protein content in your flour.

For the filling you will need:

• Unsalted Butter. You will need softened and melted butter.
• Light Brown Sugar. You could use dark brown sugar if you wanted but I prefer light.
• Ground Cinnamon. You can't have cinnamon rolls without cinnamon!
• Heavy Cream. You will pour the heavy cream on just before baking the rolls, it creates even softer rolls with an extra gooey filling. We did a side by side taste test with and without heavy cream and everyone chose the heavy cream version it just gives them that little something extra. I found this recipe tip at Tastes of Lizzy T.

Some don't want cream cheese frosting on their cinnamon rolls, my family? We love the frosting, so if you want to make a glorious frosting to top the rolls you will need:

• Cream Cheese. It is key that the cream cheese is completely softened to room temperature.
• Unsalted Butter. It is also crucial that the butter is softened to room temperature
• Vanilla Extract. Use the real stuff!
• Heavy Whipping Cream. This really helps make the frosting extra creamy.
• Confectioners Sugar. Just make sure you have sifted the powdered sugar so there are no lumps.

Instructions

In a large bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment dissolve the yeast in warm water, make sure you use the recommended temperature of water your brand of yeast recommends, you don't want to burn the yeast and kill it with too hot water.

Leave the yeast/water mixture for five minutes, the yeast should have dissolved and go sort of foamy. If your yeast doesn’t foam up then your yeast is dead and the rolls will not turn out.

Add sugar, butter, milk powder, salt, and two cups of flour.

Mix until smooth. Slowly add in the remaining flour to form a soft (not super sticky) dough.

If using a dough hook, switch out the paddle attachment for the dough hook and knead for 5-6 minutes in the electric mixer. I take the dough out of the mixer every minute or so and knead it by hand. If not using a dough hook put the dough on a floured work surface and knead for 5-6 minutes.

You want a smooth dough ball, not super sticky though.

For the rolls to rise properly you want to place them in a warm place. Some people use their dryer but I like to use my oven. Preheat the oven to 200F/93C and then turn the oven OFF.

Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough inside and move the dough around so it's oiled on all surfaces, this helps prevent a skin from forming. Place a clean kitchen towel on top of the bowl and place the bowl in warm but not turned on oven to proof. Please keep in mind this may take more or less time depending on the temperature and humidity of the space in which you proof the dough. 

Check the dough after an hour it should have doubled in size, punch down and place on a floured work surface.

Roll the dough into a 16-inch by 12-inch rectangle.

I like to grease a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan and set aside now before my hands get all dirty with the cinnamon sugar. Brush the dough with 2 Tablespoons of melted butter.

In a small bowl mix together brown sugar and cinnamon.

Sprinkle sugar mixture on top of the dough and slice the 6 tablespoon of butter thinly and layer on top of the sugar.

Roll the dough lengthwise tightly, just start by tucking one end in closely and start rolling.

I use a tape measure to cut, cut rolls with a sharp serrated knife into 12 pieces, or use unflavored dental floss.

You can also cut the dough in half then cut each half into half and cut those sections into 3's. 

Place rolls into prepared pan, at this point you can lightly cover with a clean kitchen linen and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size 45 minutes to an hour OR  cover with plastic wrap, and place in the fridge overnight.

The next day take the cinnamon rolls out of the fridge and set them on the counter, ideally in a warm place, to rise/thaw for 45 ish minutes, they should rise they should double in size.

Slightly warm the heavy cream in the microwave or stovetop then gently and evenly pour the cream over the top of the unbaked rolls just before placing the rolls in the oven. I saw this being done over at Tastes of Lizzy T and hello genius, what isn't made better with the addition of heavy cream? I am so thankful for this great tip! It seriously takes the rolls one notch up, we always include cream now.

You need to warm the cream slightly so the temperature different doesn't shock the dough. Just like when you are making cookies you need room temperature butter and eggs, using cold eggs could destroy the batter.

Preheat oven to 350F/180C and bake for 22-28 minutes. The rolls should be lightly golden brown, I use a thermometer to check the temperature has reached 190F/87C. Let the rolls sit for 5-10 minutes before putting cream cheese frosting on.

You can prepare the frosting the night before and store it in the fridge then pull it out when you take the rolls out for their second rise OR prepare after you have rolled the dough and make the frosting and chill while they are rising and then pull out of the fridge when you place them into the oven OR prepare while baking the cinnamon rolls. 

In a large bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat cream cheese and butter for 2 minutes.

Pour in vanilla extract, heavy cream, and powdered sugar.

Beat all together for 4 minutes.

Slather on top of cinnamon rolls. Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge.

Tips and Tricks

• Working with live yeast can be tricky but if you follow directions you are golden. One necessary part is to add the right temperature of water to activate your Yeast, generally around 100F-125F. Check the directions on the yeast you are using for the exact temperature.
• Make sure to knead your dough for the full time, you need the yeast and flour to really combine for the gluten formation to happen.
• I highly suggest investing in an instant-read thermometer. I get SOOO much use out of my Thermapen Mk4 (affiliate link). From cooking filet mignon, tempering chocolate, roast turkey, making caramel and more! I use the thermometer to check the temperature of the water used to activate the yeast and use it to check that the cinnamon rolls are baked through.
• Make sure your cream cheese and butter are at room temperature, if it is too cold you will not have a smooth cream frosting. To speed the room temp process I suggest cutting your block of cream cheese and butter into small chunks and setting them on a plate for 30 ish minutes. You want to be able to easily push the cream cheese in.

More breakfast recipes

For a savory pairing you should try my Vegetarian Quiche recipe.

An easy quick recipe that my friends love are my Rhubarb Muffins.

My friend Ari makes the most gorgeous Cheddar Biscuits!

★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!

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This post was originally published on April 1, 2013 as of January 7, 2021 the photos and text have been updated.