Cinnamon Rolls
intro
Fluffy, gooey cinnamon-swirled soft rolls spiced with warm cinnamon, slathered in tangy cream cheese glaze—ideal for cozy winter holiday mornings.
Ingredients
Steps
Mix and knead dough
In a large mixing bowl, combine warmed 240ml whole milk, 7g instant yeast, 50g granulated sugar, and cooled melted 57g dough butter. Stir in 1 room-temperature large egg and 1 tsp fine sea salt, then gradually add 480g all-purpose flour, mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 8 minutes, or with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook on medium-low speed for 5 minutes, until dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls cleanly away from bowl sides.
First dough rise
Form the kneaded dough into a tight ball, place it back in the lightly greased bowl, and cover with a damp cotton kitchen towel. Let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot (24°C/75°F) for 60 minutes, until it doubles in volume and holds a 2cm deep indent when poked with a floured finger.
Roll and fill dough
Punch the risen dough firmly to release all trapped air, then roll it out on a lightly floured surface into an even 30x40cm (12x16 inch) rectangle, 6mm (1/4 inch) thick. Spread the softened 85g filling butter evenly across the entire dough surface, leaving a 1cm (1/2 inch) plain border along the top long edge. Mix 150g packed light brown sugar and 2 tbsp ground cinnamon together, then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the butter, pressing gently to help it stick.
Cut and proof rolls
Starting with the long edge opposite the plain border, roll the dough tightly into a uniform log, pinching the plain border to seal the seam closed. Use unflavored dental floss or a sharp serrated knife to cut the log into 12 equal 4cm (1.5 inch) thick rolls. Arrange rolls cut-side up in a greased 23x33cm (9x13 inch) baking pan, cover with a damp towel, and let rise for 30 minutes until puffed up and touching one another.
Bake rolls until golden
Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F) while the rolls finish their second proof. Bake the uncovered rolls for 20-22 minutes, until the tops are light golden brown and the internal temperature of the center rolls reaches 88°C (190°F); avoid overbaking, as this will result in dry, tough rolls. Let the baked rolls cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before glazing.
Glaze and serve rolls
While the rolls cool, make the cream cheese glaze by beating 113g softened cream cheese in a small bowl on medium speed for 1 minute, until completely smooth and lump-free. Add 120g powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract, beating for 1 additional minute until silky and spreadable. Drizzle or spread the glaze evenly over the warm rolls, then serve immediately.
Tips
2.If your kitchen is cold in winter, create an ideal rising environment by placing covered dough inside a turned-off oven with the interior oven light on; this maintains a consistent 24-27°C (75-80°F) draft-free space perfect for yeast activity.
3.For easy morning serving, prep the cut, unrisen rolls the night before, cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator. Let the rolls sit at room temperature for 45 minutes to rise before baking as directed.
OMG these cinnamon rolls are INSANE. I made them for my kid’s soccer team potluck last weekend and every single parent asked for the recipe! My own kid ate three rolls in one sitting and asked if we could have them every Saturday morning. The cream cheese glaze is the perfect balance of tangy and sweet, not too cloying like the goopy glaze on the store-bought canned rolls. I was a little nervous about tackling a yeasted dough since I’m pretty new to baking, but the instructions were so straightforward even I didn’t mess it up. 10/10 will be making these for every holiday brunch from now on!
These were SO good but I will say, give yourself the full 2+ hours of time, don’t try to rush the rise like I did first try! My first batch came out a little dense because I cut the first rise short by 20 minutes when I was running late for book club. Second go around I followed the timing exactly and they were pillowy soft, exactly like the giant gooey rolls I get from my favorite local bakery. Total game changer for weekend meal prep too—they reheat perfectly in the microwave for 15 seconds with a tiny pat of butter!
Made these for my roommate’s birthday breakfast and she cried actual happy tears lmao. The dough is so buttery and the cinnamon-sugar filling has the perfect ratio, I added a tiny bit of extra cardamom because I love that warm, cozy spice and it paired so well with the cinnamon. Only note is I wish the base glaze recipe made a little more— I’m a total glaze fiend so I ended up making a 1.5x batch to cover every single roll completely, no dry bites allowed. No ragrets. My ‘kids’ (okay, my two very chonky tabby cats) were hovering by the oven the whole time waiting for crumbs to drop.