Easy homemade cinnamon rolls
Ingredients:
Dough:
2 and 3/4 cups (344g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter
2 and 1/4 teaspoons Platinum Yeast from Red Star or any instant yeast (1 standard packet)
1 large egg, at room temperature
Filling:
3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter, extra softened
1/3 cup (67g) packed light or dark brown sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
Cream Cheese Icing:
4 ounces (113g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2/3 cup (80g) confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Vanilla Icing:
Whisk 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and 2–3 Tablespoons of milk
Instructions
Make the dough: Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
Combine the milk and butter together in a heatproof bowl. Microwave or use the stove and heat until the butter has melted and the mixture is warm to the touch (about 110°F/43°C, no higher). Whisk in the yeast until it has dissolved. Pour mixture into the dry ingredients, add the egg, and stir with a sturdy rubber spatula or wooden spoon OR use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on medium speed. Mix until a soft dough forms.
Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Using floured hands, knead the dough for 3-5 minutes. You should have a smooth ball of dough. If the dough is super soft or sticky, you can add a little more flour. Place in a lightly greased bowl (I use non-stick spray), cover loosely, and let the dough rest for about 10 minutes as you get the filling ingredients ready.
Fill the rolls: After 10 minutes, roll the dough out in a 14×8-inch (36×20-cm) rectangle. Spread the softened butter on top. Mix together the cinnamon and brown sugar. Sprinkle it all over the dough. Roll up the dough to make a 14-inch log. Cut into 10–12 even rolls and arrange in a lightly greased 9- or 10-inch round cake pan, pie dish, or square baking pan.
Rise: Cover the pan with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the rolls to rise in a relatively warm environment for 60–90 minutes or until double in size. (For a tiny reduction in rise time, see my answer to Where Should Dough Rise? in my Baking with Yeast Guide.)
Bake the rolls: After the rolls have doubled in size, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake for 24–27 minutes, or until lightly browned. If you notice the tops are getting too brown too quickly, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil and continue baking. If you want to be precise about their doneness, their internal temperature taken with an instant read thermometer should be around 195–200°F (91–93°C) when done. Remove pan from the oven and place pan on a wire rack as you make the icing. (You can also make the icing as the rolls bake.)
Making the icing:
Mix the ingredients together until you reach a smooth consistency then cover the cinnamon rolls
Cover leftover frosted or unfrosted rolls tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Hope you enjoyed these as much as I did. ❤️🫶🏼
Hey baking buddies! You know that magical moment when your shaped cinnamon rolls puff up, practically begging to be slid into the oven? It's one of my favorite parts of the process, and getting it right is key to those soft, fluffy results we all crave! Often, when we're looking at pictures of unbaked cinnamon rolls close up, we're trying to figure out if ours look 'right.' Just like the image of my rolls before baking, you want to see them visibly doubled in size. They should look plump and soft, not dense or saggy. I like to do a gentle 'jiggle test' – if they wobble slightly and feel airy, they’re usually good to go! Another trick is to lightly press one with a floured finger; if the indentation slowly springs back, they're perfectly proofed. If it springs back too quickly, they might need a little more time. If it doesn't spring back at all and feels deflated, they might be over-proofed. So, what helps achieve that perfect rise? A warm, draft-free spot is your best friend. My go-to is usually a slightly warmed oven (turned off, of course, just for a few minutes before putting the rolls in), or even just on top of the fridge. Covering the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel is also super important to prevent a dry crust from forming, which can hinder the rise. And don't forget, fresh yeast makes all the difference! If your yeast is old, your rolls might struggle to get off the ground. But what if your unbaked cinnamon rolls aren't rising like they should? Don't panic! If they're not rising enough, it could be a cold kitchen, inactive yeast, or even too much flour making the dough too stiff. Try moving them to a warmer spot, or giving them more time. If they seem to be rising too much and look airy, almost bubbly, and then start to collapse, that's over-proofing. This can sometimes happen if the environment is too warm or they're left too long. Over-proofed rolls can sometimes taste a bit yeasty or alcoholic, and they won't hold their shape as well when baked. While not ideal, they'll usually still taste pretty good with that sweet icing! For those who love to plan ahead, you can actually prepare your unbaked cinnamon rolls the night before! After you've shaped and placed them in the pan, instead of letting them rise at room temperature, cover them tightly with plastic wrap and pop them in the fridge overnight. The cold slows down the yeast. The next morning, take them out and let them come to room temperature and finish rising for about 60-90 minutes before baking as usual. This is a game-changer for fresh-baked morning treats without the early start! Just make sure they truly double in size before they hit the oven. Seeing those plump, ready-to-bake cinnamon rolls is such a satisfying sight!
