Cinnamon Rolls
Soft enriched dough rolled with cinnamon-sugar filling and topped with cream cheese frosting. The dough is the make-or-break — needs enough fat and eggs for pillowy texture but enough gluten to hold the spiral. Worth the time.
Prep Time
12 min
Cook Time
11 min
Servings
4
Calories
376 cal
🛠 Interactive Recipe Tools — Use them right here on this page
Smart Servings Scaler
- Flour2 cups
- Cinnamon1 tsp
- Sugar½ cup
- Butter¼ cup
- Milk1 cup
- Yeast1 tsp
- Eggs2
All quantities scaled automatically from 4 servings.
Ingredients
Makes 4 servings · Use the Servings Scaler above to adjust
- Flour2 cups
- Cinnamon1 tsp
- Sugar0.5 cup
- Butter0.25 cup
- Milk1 cup
- Yeast1 tsp
- Eggs2
Instructions
- 1
Activate 2¼ tsp instant yeast in ¾ cup warm milk (105°F) with 1 tsp sugar. Wait 5 minutes — should foam.
- 2
Mix the yeast mixture with 1 egg, ⅓ cup melted butter, ¼ cup sugar, 1 tsp salt, and 3½ cups bread flour. Knead 10 minutes by hand or 5 with a stand mixer. Dough should be smooth, slightly tacky.
- 3
Place in an oiled bowl, cover, rise in a warm spot for 60-90 minutes until doubled in size. (Cold ferment overnight in the fridge for deeper flavor — totally worth it.)
- 4
Roll dough on a floured surface into a 12x18 inch rectangle. Spread with ½ cup softened butter, then sprinkle evenly with a mix of ¾ cup brown sugar + 3 tbsp cinnamon. Roll tightly from the long side into a log.
- 5
Cut into 12 rolls using unflavored dental floss (slide under, cross over the top, pull — clean cuts, no squashing). Place in a buttered 9x13 pan. Cover and rise 30-45 minutes until puffy.
- 6
Bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes until deeply golden. Cool 5 minutes, then spread with cream cheese frosting (8 oz cream cheese + ½ cup butter + 1½ cups powdered sugar + 1 tsp vanilla, beaten smooth). Pull apart and eat warm.
Watch how to make Cinnamon Rolls
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💡 Expert Tips
- 1.Overnight cold rise is the upgrade. Mix the dough at night, refrigerate, shape and bake in the morning. The slow ferment develops flavor you can't get any other way.
- 2.Dental floss > knife for cutting. A knife squishes the spiral. Floss makes clean cuts that maintain the swirl pattern.
- 3.Spread frosting while rolls are warm but not hot. Hot rolls melt the frosting into a glaze (good); cold rolls don't absorb it (less good). Warm-ish is perfect.
- 4.Make-ahead trick: shape and place in the pan, cover, refrigerate overnight. In the morning, let warm 30 min on the counter, then bake. Fresh cinnamon rolls for breakfast.
🔬 Why It Works
Enriched yeast dough (with butter, egg, milk) develops slower than lean dough but produces a softer, richer crumb. The fat coats gluten strands, preventing them from forming too tight a structure — this is what makes the dough pillowy. The roll-up creates layers; during baking, the steam separates them slightly, giving cinnamon rolls their characteristic pull-apart texture. Cream cheese frosting adds tangy contrast to the sweet rolls and provides moisture that keeps them tender for days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why didn't my rolls rise?▾
Can I freeze cinnamon rolls?▾
Why is my frosting too runny?▾
Can I make these dairy-free?▾
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