Description
Bakery-soft, gooey homemade cinnamon rolls with buttery cinnamon-sugar spirals and an easy cream cheese icing. Includes overnight, freeze-ahead, and quick no-yeast options.
Ingredients
DOUGH
- 3/4 cup whole milk (105–115°F)
- 2 1/4 tsp instant or active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk (room temp)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted & cooled
- 3 to 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
FILLING
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, very soft
EASY CREAM CHEESE ICING
- 4 oz cream cheese, very soft
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, very soft
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1–2 Tbsp milk or heavy cream, as needed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch fine sea salt
Instructions
1. Warm milk to 105–115°F. If using active dry yeast, whisk with sugar and let foam 5–10 minutes (instant yeast can mix with flour).
2. Whisk egg, yolk, and melted butter into milk mixture. Add 3 cups flour and salt; knead until smooth and slightly tacky (6–10 minutes). Add up to 1/4 cup more flour only if needed.
3. First rise: Cover and let double (60–90 minutes).
4. Mix filling: brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt; keep butter very soft.
5. Roll to 12×16 inches. Spread butter, sprinkle filling evenly. Roll tightly from long side; pinch seam.
6. Trim ends; slice into 9–12 pieces with dental floss. Arrange in a greased 9×9 (12 medium) or 8×8 (9 large) or 9×13 pan.
7. Second rise: Cover until puffy, 35–60 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
8. Bake 22–28 minutes until lightly golden and about 195–200°F inside; don’t overbake.
9. Icing: Beat cream cheese and butter smooth; add powdered sugar, vanilla, salt; thin with milk/cream to spreadable.
10. Frost warm rolls so icing melts into spirals; add a second swoop after 5–10 minutes for a glossy finish.
Notes
Overnight: Shape, cover, and refrigerate 8–16 hours; bring to room temp 45–60 minutes and bake.
Freeze unbaked: Freeze after shaping; thaw overnight, proof until puffy, and bake. Freeze baked up to 2 months; reheat gently.
Extra-gooey: Pour 3–4 Tbsp cream over rolls just before baking.
Orange rolls: Add 1 Tbsp orange zest to dough/icing and swap milk with orange juice in icing.
Quick no-yeast option: Use a buttermilk biscuit dough (see post) and bake 18–22 minutes at 375°F.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 23g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 51g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 65mg