Few things feel more comforting than a pan of warm homemade cinnamon rolls covered in rich cream cheese frosting. These soft, gooey rolls are made completely from scratch with a tender dough, a buttery cinnamon-sugar filling, and a smooth frosting that melts beautifully over the tops. They taste bakery-worthy, but the process is simpler than many people expect.
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Homemade cinnamon rolls are the kind of breakfast treat that makes any morning feel special. The best part is often the soft, gooey center, but this recipe gives you so much more to love. The dough bakes up fluffy and tender, the cinnamon filling is sweet and warmly spiced, and the cream cheese frosting adds the perfect creamy finish.
This recipe is a great choice for weekends, holidays, brunch gatherings, or any time you want a fresh-baked breakfast that feels extra special. If you are serving a crowd, consider making a double batch because these rolls tend to disappear quickly.
If you have worked with homemade dough before, the steps will feel familiar and manageable. If you are new to baking with yeast, this is still a friendly place to start. The dough is mixed in a stand mixer, rested, rolled, filled, sliced, and baked until golden. With a little patience during the rise times, you will have soft cinnamon rolls that taste fresh, sweet, and wonderfully homemade.
The key to the best texture is not adding too much flour. The dough should remain slightly sticky while still pulling away from the sides of the mixing bowl. This helps keep the finished rolls soft instead of dry.
How to Make Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
The recipe includes a few stages, but each one is straightforward. Most of the time is spent waiting for the dough to rise, so the hands-on work is very manageable. Follow the steps carefully and give the dough enough time to become light and puffy.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Add the warm milk, eggs, and melted butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
- Add the dry ingredients. Add the bread flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Mix on low speed until a dough forms, then knead for about 5 minutes.
- Rest the dough. Let the dough sit undisturbed for 10 minutes. This short rest helps hydrate the flour and improves the dough structure.
- Knead again. Knead for another 5 minutes with the dough hook. If the dough looks too wet, add a little more flour, but do not overdo it. The dough should be slightly sticky and pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Let it rise. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 to 40 minutes.
- Prepare the filling. While the dough rises, combine melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl.
- Roll the dough. Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough into a rectangle. Aim for about 18 inches in length so you can cut 12 even rolls.
- Add the filling. Spread the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the dough, covering the surface well.
- Roll and slice. Roll the dough tightly from the long side into a log. Pinch the seam to seal, then cut into 12 pieces.
- Let the rolls rise again. Place the rolls in a greased 9×13 baking dish. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 to 40 minutes.
- Bake. Bake at 375°F for 18 to 23 minutes, or until the rolls are cooked through and lightly golden.
- Make the frosting. While the rolls bake, mix the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, and salt until smooth.
- Frost and serve. Spread the cream cheese frosting over the warm rolls. Let them cool for a few minutes before serving.
Can I substitute active dry yeast for instant yeast?
Yes. If using active dry yeast, activate it first. Add the yeast to the warm milk with one tablespoon of the sugar and let it sit for about 5 minutes. The mixture should become foamy. Once activated, continue with the remaining ingredients as directed.
Can I make these cinnamon rolls the night before?
Absolutely. Prepare the recipe through the step where the rolls are sliced and placed in the 9×13 baking dish. Cover the pan tightly and refrigerate overnight. The rolls will slowly rise while chilled. In the morning, remove the pan from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes. Preheat the oven, then bake as instructed.
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour?
You can use all-purpose flour if needed, but bread flour is recommended. Bread flour has more protein, which helps strengthen the dough and supports a better rise. It also helps give homemade cinnamon rolls their soft, chewy, bakery-style texture.
More Sweet Breakfast Ideas
- Banana Pancakes
- Easy Monkey Bread
- Cinnamon Roll Casserole
- Overnight French Toast Casserole
- Belgian Waffles
- Bananas Foster Cinnamon Rolls
Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Equipment
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1 baking dish
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1 cup whole milk, warmed to 110°F
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 4 ½ cups bread flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
Filling:
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
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Attach the dough hook to a stand mixer.
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Add the warm milk, eggs, and melted butter to the mixer bowl.
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Add 4 cups of bread flour, the granulated sugar, instant yeast, and salt on top of the wet ingredients. Try to keep the yeast and salt separate when adding them.
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Mix on low speed until the dough comes together, then knead with the dough hook for 5 minutes.
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Stop the mixer and let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
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Knead again for 5 minutes. If the dough seems too wet, slowly add some of the remaining 1/2 cup flour. The dough should be slightly sticky and pull away from the sides of the bowl.
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Grease a large bowl with cooking spray. Transfer the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 to 40 minutes.
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While the dough rises, make the filling by combining the melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl.
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Lightly flour a flat surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 18 inches long.
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Spread the cinnamon-sugar filling evenly over the dough.
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Starting from the long side, roll the dough into a log. Pinch the seam to seal.
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Cut the log into 12 pieces and place them in a greased 9×13 baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 to 40 minutes.
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Preheat the oven to 375°F while the rolls finish rising.
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Bake for 18 to 23 minutes, or until the rolls are lightly golden and baked through.
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While the rolls bake, prepare the frosting.
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Beat the cream cheese and butter together for about 1 minute, or until smooth. Mix in the vanilla, then slowly add the powdered sugar and salt. Mix until fully combined.
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Spread the cream cheese frosting over the warm cinnamon rolls.
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Let the rolls cool for a few minutes before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container.
Notes
To reheat, microwave a roll for 20 to 25 seconds. The frosting softens and the roll tastes warm and fresh again.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 84g,
Protein: 9g,
Fat: 22g,
Saturated Fat: 13g,
Cholesterol: 83mg,
Sodium: 281mg,
Sugar: 47g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used only as an approximation.