These pillowy-soft cinnamon rolls are the ultimate comfort food, featuring tender yeasted dough swirled with a fragrant cinnamon-sugar filling and topped with rich cream cheese glaze. What sets these apart is the careful balance of ingredients and technique that creates rolls with an incredibly soft, fluffy texture that stays fresh for days. The dough is enriched with butter, eggs, and milk, creating a brioche-like richness, while the filling combines butter, brown sugar, and warm cinnamon for that classic flavor everyone craves. Each bite delivers gooey cinnamon sweetness wrapped in the softest bread imaginable. This recipe makes 12 generous rolls, perfect for weekend breakfast, holiday mornings, or any time you want to fill your kitchen with the irresistible aroma of homemade cinnamon rolls.
Serves: Makes 12 large cinnamon rolls
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Rising Time: 2 hours 30 minutes total
Baking Time: 25 minutes
What You’ll Need
For the Dough
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup whole milk, warmed to 110°F
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Filling
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Cream Cheese Glaze
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Preparing the Dough
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Make sure the salt and yeast don’t touch directly, as salt can inhibit yeast activity.
In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, combine the warmed milk, melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. The mixture will look rough at this stage, which is perfectly normal.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until it becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. The dough should spring back when poked gently.
First Rise
Place the kneaded dough in a greased bowl, turning it once to coat all sides with oil. This prevents the surface from drying out during rising.
Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft-free location. Let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in size.
The dough is ready when you can gently press two fingers into it and the indentations remain. This indicates the gluten has relaxed and the dough is properly fermented.
Preparing the Filling
While the dough rises, prepare your filling by combining the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.
Mix everything together until you have a smooth, spreadable paste. The mixture should be well combined with no streaks of butter visible.
Set the filling aside at room temperature so it stays soft and easy to spread when you’re ready to assemble the rolls.
Rolling and Filling
Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter or cooking spray. This prevents sticking and makes cleanup easier.
Punch down the risen dough to release air bubbles, then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.
Roll the dough into a large rectangle, approximately 16×12 inches. The dough should be about 1/4 inch thick and as evenly shaped as possible.
Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the entire surface of the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border along one long edge. This clean edge will help seal the roll.
Shaping the Rolls
Starting from the long edge opposite the clean border, tightly roll the dough into a log. Keep the roll as tight as possible without tearing the dough.
Pinch the seam closed along the length of the roll to prevent unraveling during baking.
Using a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss, cut the log into 12 equal pieces. Dental floss creates cleaner cuts without compressing the delicate dough.
Second Rise
Place the cut rolls in the prepared baking pan, leaving small gaps between each roll. They’ll expand during rising and baking to create that classic pull-apart texture.
Cover the pan with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the rolls are puffy and touching each other.
The rolls should look noticeably larger and feel light and airy when gently touched.
Baking the Rolls
Preheat your oven to 350°F during the last 15 minutes of the second rise.
Remove the covering from the rolls and bake for 22-25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 190°F.
The rolls should sound hollow when tapped, and the edges should be set but not hard.
Making the Cream Cheese Glaze
While the rolls bake, prepare the glaze by beating the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until well combined. Add 3 tablespoons of milk, vanilla extract, and salt.
Beat until the glaze is smooth and pourable. If it’s too thick, add the remaining tablespoon of milk. If too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.
Glazing and Serving
Remove the rolls from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes before glazing. They should be warm but not scorching hot.
Pour or spread the cream cheese glaze generously over the warm rolls. The heat will help the glaze melt slightly and soak into the crevices.
Serve immediately while warm for the best texture and flavor. The contrast between the warm rolls and cool glaze is absolutely divine.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover cinnamon rolls covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. The soft texture actually improves slightly after a day as the flavors meld.
To reheat, warm individual rolls in the microwave for 20-30 seconds, or place the entire pan in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes.
For longer storage, wrap cooled rolls tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat as directed.
Make-Ahead Options
These rolls can be prepared the night before and refrigerated after cutting. Let them come to room temperature and complete the second rise in the morning.
You can also freeze the shaped, unbaked rolls. Place them on a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then store in freezer bags. Rise and bake directly from frozen, adding extra time as needed.
Troubleshooting Tips
If your dough isn’t rising, check that your yeast is active and your environment isn’t too cold. A slightly warm oven (turned off) can provide the perfect rising environment.
If the rolls are browning too quickly, tent them with aluminum foil for the remainder of the baking time.
Dry rolls usually result from too much flour or overbaking. Measure flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling off for accuracy.
Flavor Variations
For orange cinnamon rolls, add orange zest to the dough and filling, and substitute orange juice for some of the milk in the glaze.
Try adding chopped pecans or walnuts to the filling for extra texture and flavor.
For chocolate lovers, add mini chocolate chips to the filling or drizzle with melted chocolate along with the glaze.
Temperature Tips
Use an instant-read thermometer to check milk temperature. Too hot will kill the yeast, too cool will slow activation.
Room temperature ingredients mix more easily and create better texture, so plan ahead to take eggs and dairy out of the refrigerator.
The finished rolls should reach an internal temperature of 190°F for the perfect texture and to ensure they’re fully baked through.
