Nothing better than this homemade cinnamon rolls recipe! Soft, fluffy rolls swirled with a buttery cinnamon sugar, then topped with a sweet cream cheese frosting. You won’t be able to resist this classic sweet treat.
Skip the large batch and make my small batch cinnamon rolls instead!
CINNAMON ROLL RECIPE
These classic cinnamon rolls are going to become your go-to recipe! Easy and fluffy dough swirled with cinnamon sugar and smothered in a homemade cream cheese frosting. Enjoy this easy cinnamon rolls recipe on Christmas morning, holidays, when hosting or for a sweet treat at the end of the day!
WHAT YOU NEED-
- Heavy Whipping Cream– Adding heaving whipping cream over the cinnamon rolls before baking, helps give you moist and gooey buns! I highly recommend you do not skip this step!
SWEET BUNS
- Flour– Be sure to use a high-quality all-purpose flour, I like to use Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose flour.
- Sugar– To sweeten the dough, this recipe calls for granulated sugar.
- Yeast– These cinnamon rolls call for rapid rise yeast, or instant yeast, for a quicker rise time! Be sure the yeast that you are using is fresh and active!
- Milk– You want to use whole milk in the dough; it helps soften the rolls and gives fluff!
- Butter– This recipe calls for unsalted butter for the dough. The butter enriches the flavor of the buns and makes them softer. If you use salted butter, leave out the salt in the dough.
- Egg– Adding eggs to the dough, adds texture. You can use either brown or white, whichever you prefer.
- Salt– For added flavors, add salt to the dough!
CINNAMON FILLING
- Butter– The swirl filling is key to achieve a warm gooey cinnamon roll! Use softened unsalted butter for the swirl!
- Cream Cheese– I love to add a little bit of cream cheese to the filling to give it a creamier and more gooey filling! You can leave out the cream cheese and just do more butter if preferred.
- Cinnamon– These rolls wouldn’t be cinnamon rolls without the CINNAMON! You want to use ground cinnamon.
- Sugar– This recipe calls for brown sugar, either light or dark brown sugar can be used. You can also substitute it for granulated sugar.
CINNAMON ROLL ICING
- Cream Cheese– Be sure to use softened regular cream cheese for the frosting. You can swap out the regular cream cheese for low-fat cream cheese.
- Butter– The frosting calls for softened unsalted butter, I do not recommend you use salted butter. Be sure the butter is softened!
- Vanilla– For extra flavors, add vanilla extract to the frosting.
- Sugar– To sweeten the cinnamon roll frosting, this recipe calls for powdered sugar, also known as confectioners’ sugar. You can adjust the sweetness level of the icing, depending on preference.
HOW TO MAKE CINNAMON ROLLS
There are several steps to make a good cinnamon roll, but it is totally worth it!
- Prepare the sweet buns dough and allow it to rise until doubled.
- Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
- Transfer the dough to your flour dusted workspace and roll out into a large rectangle.
- Spread the cinnamon sugar mixture onto the dough, covering all the dough evenly.
- Shape the dough into 12 even sized cinnamon rolls. (See below for 2 different shaping methods.)
- Transfer the buns to the line baking sheet and cover with a kitchen towel and allow them to rise, until buns have doubled. (Or cover and let rise in the fridge for up to 12 hours.)
- Preheat the oven. Pour the heavy whipping cream over the cinnamon rolls.
- Bake until the cinnamon buns are fluffy and slightly golden.
- Remove from the oven and cool for a couple minutes.
- Using a spoon or spatula spread the icing over the tops and crevasses of the warm cinnamon rolls.
- Serve while warm!
SHAPING CINNAMON ROLLS
There are two different methods for shaping the dough into cinnamon rolls!
METHOD 1– This method gives you perfectly shaped, clean-cut cinnamon rolls!
- Starting with the longer side, with a knife, divide the dough into 12 pieces, marking as you go.
- With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut along the marks creating 12 dough strips.
- Take one strip at a time and roll it into a tight bun, pinching the end to seal.
- Repeat the process to create 12 cinnamon rolls.
METHOD 2– This classic method is another great way to get cinnamon rolls!
- Working with the longer side of the rectangle, start rolling the dough tightly, forming a log.
- Continue rolling until fully rolled. Pinch together the dough to seal the rolls shut.
- Mark the dough into 12 even shaped pieces. Then with a sharp knife, cut into 12 rolls.(Be careful not to smush the rolls when cutting.)
CINNAMON ROLL FROSTING-
You can’t forget the icing on top, literally! This homemade cream cheese frosting brings together the entire dessert, and it is so easy to make!
- In a bowl, mix the cream cheese and butter until creamy.
- Once creamy add the vanilla and powdered sugar and mix again to combine.
- Use immediately or store in the fridge until ready to use.
| Making Frosting Ahead of Time– You can make the frosting up to 2 weeks ahead of time, storing it in the fridge. Just allow it to come to room temp before using it. |
QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE:
Yes, there is a difference! Instant yeast, also called rapid rise yeast, does not need to be proofed first. It also requires less time to rise in recipes. Active dry yeast is another type of yeast that needs to be activated through warm water. This yeast is used most, especially in baking and bread and requires a longer rise time.
If after 10-15 minutes, your yeast is not foamy or bubbly, then your yeast is dead, or you killed it by using milk that was too hot. You will have to restart and make sure you use fresh yeast.
This usually means that you added too much flour to the dough! Don’t forget that your dough will still be a little sticky after kneading, before rising. It should be sticky but not stick to your hands.
Because you did not let the buns cool! Hot buns combined with frosting, causes the frosting to melt. That is why you cannot skip the short cooling time.
Once the buns are cooled, store them in an airtight container, or covered in room temp for 2 days. Or in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Yes, you can totally freeze these buns, be sure to freeze without the frosting! Once the buns are cooled, transfer to a freezer safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months! Then when ready to enjoy, thaw, top with frosting and enjoy!
Once you assemble the cinnamon rolls, cover them and then keep in the fridge for up to 8-12 hours! Adding them to the fridge before the second rise time, slows down the rise, allowing you to hold off for up to 12 hours. Then when ready to bake, allow to rise a final time at room temp and bake!
Yes! Once the cinnamon rolls are assembled (do not do the second rise), add them to parchment paper and flash freeze until hard. Transfer to a freezer safe bag and freeze for 1 month. Remove them and add the baking sheet to thaw overnight in the fridge and then bake!
Yes! For a detailed overnight cinnamon roll schedule, check out my small batch cinnamon rolls recipe.
OTHER CINNAMON ROLL INSPIRED RECIPES-
If you love all things cinnamon rolls, check out these other delicious cinnamon roll recipes:
Best Cinnamon Roll Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Dough-
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 2/3 cup warm whole milk 110-115°F
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 3 tsp instant yeast
- 2 2/3 cup all-purpose flour sifted
- 2 eggs
Cinnamon Sugar Filling-
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter softened
- 3 oz cream cheese softened
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
Cinnamon Roll Frosting-
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Dough-
- Sift together the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine warmed milk, melted butter, yeast and a pinch of sugar. Allow the mixture to sit for about 10 minutes, allowing the yeast to proof and become bubbly or foamy. (Be sure the milk and melted butter is between 100-115°F to not kill the yeast!)
- Once the yeast is foamy or bubbly, pour the mixture into the flour along with the whisked eggs. Knead the dough until combined. (The dough will be sticky to the touch, but it should not stick to your hands when pinching it.)
- Cover with a towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until the dough doubles in size.
Assemble the Cinnamon Rolls-
- Line a 9×13 baking pan or casserole dish with parchment paper.
- Dust the counter with flour and transfer the dough to the counter. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a 12×22-inch rectangle.
- In a small bowl, mix the softened butter, softened cream cheese, brown sugar and cinnamon until well combined.
- Scoop the cinnamon butter mixture throughout the rolled-out dough and then evenly spread, covering all the dough in the cinnamon butter.
- Method 1– Starting with the 22-inch side, with a knife, divide the dough into 12 pieces, marking as you go. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut along the marks creating 12 even sized strands.
- Carefully, start rolling a strand into a tight round bun, pinching together the dough at the end to seal the roll. Repeat the process to create 12 cinnamon rolls.
- Method 2– Starting with the WHICH SIDE-inch side, roll the dough tightly, forming a log. Once you have a log shape, evenly cut into 12 rolls with a sharp knife. (Be careful not to smush the rolls when cutting.)
- Carefully transfer the 12 cinnamon rolls to the lined baking sheet, cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for another hour. (Or cover and let rise in the fridge for up to 12 hours.)
Bake the Cinnamon Buns-
- After the second rise time, the cinnamon rolls will be doubled in size and ready to bake!
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and pour the heavy whipping cream over the cinnamon rolls.
- Bake at 350℉, uncovered for 28-30 minutes or until the rolls are golden. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 15 minutes.
- Using a spoon or spatula spread the icing over the tops and crevasses of the warm cinnamon rolls.
- Serve while warm!
Cinnamon Roll Icing-
- In a bowl, mix the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Once creamy add the vanilla and powdered sugar and mix again to combine. (Prepare up to 2 weeks ahead of time and store in the fridge. Be sure to remove and soften before adding onto buns.)
Notes
- Once the cinnamon rolls are assembled, transfer the rolls to the baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet with a towel and place them in the fridge overnight for up to 12 hours.
- When ready to bake, remove from the fridge and allow to rise an hour at room temp.
- Bake at 350℉ for 28-30 minutes or until golden.
- Remove and allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Top with frosting and enjoy!
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