Welcome to the ultimate guide to the perfect homemade cinnamon rolls recipe. Forget the food court and pre-packaged tubes of dough. We are about to embark on a journey to create the softest, fluffiest, and most incredibly gooey cinnamon rolls you’ve ever tasted, all from the comfort of your own kitchen. This recipe is designed to be foolproof, guiding you through each step to ensure bakery-quality results every single time. Get ready to fill your home with the intoxicating aroma of cinnamon and fresh-baked bread.
Whether you’re baking for a special holiday breakfast, a lazy weekend brunch, or just because you deserve a treat, this is the only recipe you’ll ever need. Let’s get baking!
Why This Is the Best Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
There are countless cinnamon roll recipes out there, but this one stands apart. It’s crafted for the home cook, balancing simple techniques with professional-grade results. The dough is incredibly soft and forgiving, enriched with milk and eggs for a tender crumb that melts in your mouth. The filling uses melted butter to create that signature gooey center, and the rich cream cheese frosting provides the perfect tangy counterpoint to the sweet roll. This recipe doesn’t just give you instructions; it gives you the secrets to success.
Key Ingredients for Perfect Cinnamon Rolls
The magic of this recipe lies in using simple, high-quality ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to create these irresistible treats.
For the Dough
- Whole Milk: The fat in whole milk creates a richer, more tender dough.
- Active Dry Yeast: This is the key to a light and airy rise. Ensure your yeast is fresh and active!
- Granulated Sugar: A touch of sugar feeds the yeast and adds a hint of sweetness to the dough.
- Eggs: Provide structure, richness, and color.
- Unsalted Butter: Using melted butter incorporates easily and adds incredible flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the perfect balance of strength and tenderness for a soft, chewy roll.
- Salt: Crucial for controlling the yeast and balancing the flavors.
For the Filling
- Unsalted Butter: Melted butter makes the filling extra gooey and easy to spread.
- Brown Sugar: Provides a deep, molasses-like sweetness that is classic in cinnamon rolls.
- Ground Cinnamon: The star of the show! Use a good quality, fragrant cinnamon.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream Cheese: Use a full-fat, block-style cream cheese for the best texture and flavor. Make sure it’s softened to room temperature.
- Unsalted Butter: Also softened to room temperature for a smooth, lump-free frosting.
- Powdered Sugar: Sift it to avoid any clumps.
- Vanilla Extract: A splash of pure vanilla extract enhances all the flavors.
How to Make Homemade Cinnamon Rolls (Step-by-Step)
This easy cinnamon rolls recipe breaks down the process into simple, manageable steps. Follow along closely, and you’ll have perfect rolls in no time.
Step 1: Activate the Yeast
Warm your milk to about 110°F (43°C). It should feel like a warm bath, not hot. Pour the warm milk into the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast and one tablespoon of sugar over the milk. Give it a gentle stir and let it sit for 5-10 minutes, until it becomes foamy and fragrant. This process, called “blooming,” proves your yeast is alive and active.
Step 2: Make the Dough
Once the yeast is foamy, add the remaining sugar, melted butter, and eggs to the bowl. Whisk to combine. Attach the dough hook to your mixer. Add the flour and salt to the bowl. Mix on low speed until a shaggy dough begins to form. Increase the speed to medium and let the mixer knead the dough for 7-8 minutes. The dough should become smooth, elastic, and pull away from the sides of the bowl. If you’re a fan of sweet breads, you might also love this Cranberry Orange Bread recipe.
Step 3: First Rise (Proofing)
Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or cooking spray. Form the dough into a ball and place it in the bowl, turning it over to coat lightly in oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place for 60-90 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.
Step 4: Make the Cinnamon Sugar Filling
While the dough is rising, prepare your filling. In a medium bowl, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon until it forms a smooth, thick paste. Set it aside.
Step 5: Roll and Cut the Dough
Once the dough has doubled, gently punch it down to release the air. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 18×12 inches, with the long side facing you. Spread the cinnamon-sugar filling evenly over the dough, leaving a small half-inch border along the top edge. Tightly roll the dough up into a log. Use a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss to cut the log into 12 equal-sized rolls.
Step 6: Second Rise
Arrange the cut rolls in a greased 9×13-inch baking pan. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise for another 30-45 minutes in a warm place, until they are puffy and have filled most of the pan. While they rise, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Step 7: Bake to Golden Perfection
Bake the cinnamon rolls for 20-25 minutes, or until they are lightly golden brown and the centers are cooked through. If they start to brown too quickly, you can tent the pan with aluminum foil for the last 5-10 minutes of baking.
Step 8: Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
While the rolls are baking, make the frosting. In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and beat on low speed until combined, then increase to high speed and beat for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Let the rolls cool for 5-10 minutes before spreading the frosting over them generously.
Pro Tips for the Fluffiest, Gooiest Cinnamon Rolls
Want to guarantee success? Follow these expert tips.
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: For the dough and frosting, using room temperature ingredients (especially eggs and butter) helps everything combine smoothly for the best texture.
- Don’t Overheat Your Milk: Milk that is too hot (above 115°F) will kill the yeast. A digital thermometer is your best friend here.
- Flour Your Surface Lightly: Using too much flour when rolling out the dough can make your rolls dry and tough. Use just enough to prevent sticking.
- Roll Tightly: A tight roll is the secret to getting that perfect spiral and keeping the filling packed inside.
- Don’t Overbake: Pull the rolls from the oven when they are just golden brown. Overbaking is the number one cause of dry cinnamon rolls.
Make-Ahead and Overnight Cinnamon Rolls Instructions
This cinnamon rolls recipe is perfect for preparing ahead of time. To make them overnight, follow the recipe through Step 5 (rolling and cutting). Place the cut rolls into your prepared pan, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 18 hours. The next morning, remove the pan from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 45-60 minutes to take the chill off and complete the second rise. Then, bake as directed. It’s a fantastic way to enjoy a stress-free holiday morning, much like these make-ahead breakfast sandwiches (coming soon).
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover cinnamon rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. To reheat, simply microwave an individual roll for about 20-30 seconds. They will taste just as fresh and gooey as when they first came out of the oven! For another delicious breakfast idea, check out our Cinnamon Roll Overnight Oats.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Absolutely! This recipe is perfect for making ahead. After cutting the rolls and placing them in the pan, cover them tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, let them rise at room temperature for about 45-60 minutes before baking.
To test your yeast, you ‘bloom’ it. Sprinkle the yeast and a little sugar over warm milk (around 110°F). Let it sit for 5-10 minutes. If it becomes foamy and smells yeasty, it’s active and ready to use. If not, your yeast is likely expired.
While bread flour can be used for a slightly chewier texture, this recipe is optimized for all-purpose flour. It provides the perfect balance of structure and tenderness, resulting in soft, fluffy rolls.
The secret to soft rolls is using enriched dough (with milk and eggs), not adding too much flour, and being careful not to overbake them. Pull them from the oven as soon as they are lightly golden brown for the best texture.
The most common causes for dry cinnamon rolls are adding too much flour to the dough or overbaking. Be sure to measure your flour correctly (spoon and level method) and watch the rolls closely in the oven, removing them once they are just golden.
The Ultimate Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Cinnamon Rolls Recipe (The Best, Easiest & Gooiest)
Ingredients
Equipment
Instructions
- Warm the milk to 110°F. In a stand mixer bowl, combine warm milk, yeast, and 1 tbsp sugar. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
- To the yeast mixture, add the remaining sugar, melted butter, egg, and egg yolk. Whisk to combine. Attach the dough hook and add the flour and salt.
- Knead on medium speed for 7-8 minutes until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes, or until doubled.
- While the dough rises, mix the filling ingredients (melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon) in a small bowl to form a paste.
- Punch down the risen dough. On a floured surface, roll it into an 18x12-inch rectangle. Spread the filling evenly over the dough.
- Tightly roll the dough into a log and cut into 12 equal rolls. Place in a greased 9x13-inch pan.
- Cover and let the rolls rise for 30-45 minutes until puffy. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Let cool slightly.
- To make the frosting, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.
- Spread the frosting generously over the warm cinnamon rolls and serve immediately.
Notes
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Share Your Masterpiece!
You’ve done it! You’ve mastered the art of the homemade cinnamon roll. There’s nothing left to do but pour a cup of coffee and enjoy the sweet reward. We know you’ll love this recipe as much as we do. If you make them, be sure to leave a comment below and share your creations with us on Pinterest! Your feedback and shares help our community grow.
