Description
Enjoy the ultimate comfort breakfast with these best homemade cinnamon rolls. Soft, fluffy dough swirled with a sweet cinnamon-sugar filling, topped with a rich cream cheese glaze—perfectly baked to golden perfection for a delicious start to your day.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 1 package yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (plus up to 1/2 cup more as needed)
- 6 tablespoons butter (diced and softened)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
Filling Ingredients
- 1 stick butter (softened)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Glaze Ingredients
- 3/4 cup cream cheese
- 1 cup icing sugar (or more to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: Warm the milk until it is lukewarm, then sprinkle the yeast over it and let it activate for about 5 minutes until foamy. In a large mixing bowl, combine the activated yeast mixture with granulated sugar, softened butter, salt, eggs, and the majority of the flour. Mix thoroughly and knead the dough on a floured surface, adding extra flour as needed, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly sticky. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a clean towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Make the Filling: In a small bowl, mix together the softened butter, brown sugar, white sugar, and ground cinnamon until well combined and spreadable. This mixture will be used to generously coat the rolled-out dough, infusing the cinnamon rolls with rich flavor.
- Roll and Fill the Dough: Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down to release air. Roll it out on a floured surface into a large rectangle, approximately 16 by 12 inches. Evenly spread the cinnamon sugar mixture across the dough’s surface, ensuring every bite is packed with sweetness. Starting from the longer side, roll the dough tightly into a log shape. Use a sharp knife to cut the log into 12 equal slices for perfect cinnamon rolls. Arrange the slices in a greased baking pan, leaving a bit of space between them to allow for expansion during baking.
- Bake the Cinnamon Rolls: Cover the pan with a towel and allow the rolls to rise a second time for about 30 minutes or until puffed up. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the rolls in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes until they are golden brown on top and cooked through. While baking, prepare the glaze.
- Prepare the Cream Cheese Glaze: In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, icing sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until smooth and creamy. You can adjust the sweetness by adding more icing sugar if desired.
- Glaze and Serve: Once the cinnamon rolls are out of the oven, let them cool slightly before drizzling or spreading the cream cheese glaze generously over the warm rolls. Serve warm for the best experience.
Notes
- Ensure the milk is lukewarm, not hot, to properly activate the yeast without killing it.
- You can let the dough rise overnight in the refrigerator for enhanced flavor and to prep ahead.
- Adjust the cinnamon sugar filling ratio to suit your sweetness preferences.
- Use room temperature cream cheese and butter for a smooth glaze.
- Store leftover rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or freeze for longer storage.
