Homemade Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
Cinnamon Rolls
Soft, fluffy cinnamon rolls with sweet cream cheese frosting. Perfect for weekend breakfasts and special occasions.
Nutrition (per serving)
There's nothing quite like the aroma of cinnamon rolls baking in your oven on a lazy Sunday morning. These homemade rolls are wonderfully soft and pillowy, with a generous filling of cinnamon and brown sugar that creates those irresistible swirls. When you top them with silky cream cheese frosting, you've got a breakfast that tastes like a hug and feels like a special treat.
What I love most about making cinnamon rolls at home is that you can prepare them the night before and let them rise slowly in the refrigerator overnight. This actually improves the flavor and makes your morning so much easier. Just pop them in the oven while your coffee brews, and you'll have warm, fragrant rolls ready to enjoy within minutes. Pure bliss.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour:3.5 cups
- Whole milk, warmed:1 cup
- Granulated sugar:0.25 cup
- Unsalted butter, melted:4 tbsp
- Egg:1 large
- Salt:0.5 tsp
- Active dry yeast:2.25 tsp
- Brown sugar:1 cup
- Ground cinnamon:2.5 tbsp
- Unsalted butter, for filling:4 tbsp
- Cream cheese, softened:4 oz
- Unsalted butter, for frosting:2 tbsp
- Powdered sugar:1.5 cups
- Vanilla extract:0.5 tsp
Instructions
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In a small bowl, combine warm milk, yeast, and a pinch of granulated sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
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In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, salt, and the yeast mixture. Add the melted butter and egg, then mix until a soft dough forms.
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Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise for 1 hour until doubled.
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Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out the dough into a 16x12 inch rectangle. Brush with 4 tbsp melted butter.
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Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the buttered dough, leaving a small border at the top.
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Starting from the long side, roll the dough tightly into a log. Cut into 12 equal pieces and place in a greased 9x13 inch baking pan.
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Cover and let rise for 30 minutes until puffy. Bake for 22-25 minutes until golden brown.
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While rolls bake, prepare frosting by beating cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla, beat until creamy.
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Remove rolls from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Spread frosting generously over warm rolls and serve.
Tips & Notes
- For overnight rolls, prepare through step 6, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, remove from fridge, let sit 30 minutes, then bake.
- Don't overbake — rolls should be golden but still soft. The frosting will melt slightly into the warm rolls, which is perfect.
- Use a sharp serrated knife or dental floss to cut the dough cleanly without squishing the rolls.
- Room temperature ingredients help the dough rise more evenly and predictably.
