Soft Cinnamon Rolls
A cozy and easy recipe for soft, tender cinnamon rolls with a gooey cinnamon sugar swirl and creamy cream cheese icing, perfect for rainy days and family gatherings.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 rolls
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour (about 4 cups / 480g)
- Granulated sugar (1/4 cup / 50g)
- Instant yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons / one packet)
- Warm whole milk (1 cup / 240ml) at about 110°F (43°C)
- Unsalted butter (1/4 cup / 57g), melted and slightly cooled
- Large egg (1), room temperature
- Salt (1 teaspoon)
- Brown sugar (3/4 cup / 150g), packed
- Ground cinnamon (2 tablespoons)
- Unsalted butter (1/4 cup / 57g), softened
- Cream cheese (4 ounces / 115g), softened
- Unsalted butter (2 tablespoons / 28g), softened
- Powdered sugar (1 1/2 cups / 180g)
- Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon)
- Milk (1-2 tablespoons / 15-30ml), to thin icing if needed
Instructions
- Activate the yeast by warming the milk to about 110°F (43°C). Pour into a large bowl, sprinkle instant yeast and a pinch of sugar on top, and let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
- Add melted butter, sugar, egg, and salt to the yeast mixture and stir to combine. Gradually add flour about 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition until dough pulls away from sides.
- Knead dough by hand for 8-10 minutes or with a stand mixer dough hook for 5-6 minutes until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky. Add flour sparingly if too sticky.
- Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until doubled in size.
- Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl for the filling. Set aside softened butter.
- Punch down risen dough and roll out on floured surface into a 16×12 inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.
- Spread softened butter evenly over dough, then sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture on top, pressing lightly.
- Roll dough tightly from the long edge into a log. Cut into 12 even pieces using a sharp knife or dental floss.
- Arrange rolls cut-side up in a greased 9×13-inch pan, leaving space between each. Cover and let rise 30-45 minutes until puffy.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake rolls for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Tent with foil if tops brown too fast.
- While baking, beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add milk a tablespoon at a time to desired consistency.
- Let rolls cool 10 minutes, then drizzle cream cheese icing over top. Serve warm.
Notes
Use a warm spot or inside a turned-off oven with light on for rising. Use dental floss to cut rolls for clean slices without squishing. Tent rolls with foil if browning too fast. Let rolls cool slightly before icing for best glaze texture. For dairy-free, substitute milk and butter with plant-based alternatives. For gluten-free, use a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour blend with xanthan gum.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cinnamon roll
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 20
- Sodium: 250
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 5
Keywords: cinnamon rolls, soft cinnamon rolls, easy cinnamon rolls, homemade cinnamon rolls, cinnamon roll recipe, cream cheese icing, cozy baking, rainy day baking