• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipes
  • Tutorials
  • Online Shop
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Sign in

Sugar Geek Show logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Tutorials
  • Online Shop
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Sign in
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Tutorials
  • Online Shop
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Sign in
×
Home › Recipe

Updated: May 5, 2025 · Published: Jan 2, 2020 by Elizabeth Marek · This post may contain affiliate links · 42 Comments

Soft Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

This soft cinnamon rolls recipe makes super fat and fluffy cinnamon rolls that are incredibly moist and SLATHERED in a delicious cream cheese frosting. When I say this makes the best cinnamon rolls you've ever tasted I mean it!

Because we are using instant yeast, this cinnamon roll recipe is actually incredibly easy. Most of the time is spent just letting the dough mix or rise. Just place all the ingredients in the mixer and let it go!

The secret ingredient to making these super soft and moist is adding heavy cream to the cinnamon roll dough right before baking. The cream gets absorbed and results in ultra ooey gooey cinnamon rolls!

You can make these cinnamon rolls in one day or put them in the fridge and bake them the next morning. Just let the rolls rise in a warm place until they double in size and then bake!

What's In This Blog Post

  • Cinnamon Roll Ingredients
  • Cinnamon Rolls Step-By-Step
  • How To Make Cinnamon Roll Frosting
  • More Recipes You'll Love
  • FAQ & TIPS

Cinnamon Roll Ingredients

Bread Flour - The secret to a super fluffy and soft cinnamon roll is bread flour. I actually LOVE caputo bread flour. I started using it after a trip to Italy where I noticed the baked goods don't upset my stomach as much. Obviously any type of bread flour will work and if you don't have bread flour, you can use all purpose flour. Your rolls will still be yummy! 

Instant Yeast - Honestly I don't know why anyone uses active dry yeast anymore. With instant yeast you just add it to your ingredients and mix! No dissolving in warm milk necessary. If all you have is active dry yeast then just add it to your warm milk first with a Tablespoon of sugar and let it activate until it starts to foam before adding your yeast mixture to your other ingredients.

Corn Syrup - I know corn syrup gets a bad rap but hear me out. Corn syrup is an invert sugar which means it ATTRACTS moisture and keeps baked goods softer for longer. If you don't want to use corn syrup you can also use honey or maple syrup which does that same thing and adds a nice flavor.

Heavy Cream - If you want the best gooey homemade cinnamon rolls, don't skip this step!

Cinnamon Rolls Step-By-Step

  1. Add your warm milk, sugar, instant yeast, and half the flour to the bowl of your stand mixer with the dough hook attached.
  2. Mix until combined.close up of cinnamon rolls in a mixing bowl shot from above
  3. Add in the room temperature butter, eggs, salt, and the rest of the flour and mix on low until combined.cinnamon roll recipe ingredients in the bowl of a mixer
  4. Increase the speed to medium and continue mixing for 10-20 minutes or until the dough begins to clean the the sides of the bowl and forms a smooth ball. This is a very soft dough so don't be worried if it seems like it is a sticky mess at first.shot of cinnamon roll dough in a mixing bowl shot from aboveshot of cinnamon roll dough in a mixing bowl shot from above
  5. Perform the windowpane test to make sure your dough is done mixing. If it's still sticky just keep mixing.
  6. Place your dough into a lightly greased bowl. Cover it and place it into a warm spot to rise for 90 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size. If your area is cold it will take longer to double. It's more important that you pay attention to the dough and its size than listed rise time. This is called the first rise and allows the yeast to start working as well as gluten structure to develop and is a key part of getting the best homemade cinnamon rolls.sweet dough in a glass bowl
  7. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle with a rolling pin that is roughly 18" wide and 8" tall.cinnamon roll dough rolled out into a rectangle
  8. Mix together the cinnamon, sugar, and melted butter until smooth to make the cinnamon mixture.
  9. Spread the mixture onto your cinnamon roll dough in an even layer. Leave about 1" without any filling on one side.cinnamon roll dough with cinnmon sugar mixture spread on top
  10. Roll the dough up into a spiral. Seal the edge with a little water so that it doesn't pull away from the roll while baking.close up of cinnamon roll dough rolled up into a spiral
  11. The easiest way to cut your cinnamon rolls is to use some unflavored dental floss. Cut the rolls into 12 equal pieces. Slide the dental floss under the roll, crossing the floss over itself and then cutting through the dough. Using dental floss avoids your cinnamon rolls from getting squished and mishappen. *I used a ruler to measure my rolls out into equal sized slices of 1.5" each.close up of cinnamon rolls being cut with dental floss
  12. Place your rolls into your pan. Place them into a warm spot for 90 minutes or until they have doubled in size again. If you want to bake your cinnamon buns the next morning then now is the time to put them in the fridge. Just cover them with plastic wrap first so they don't dry out.close up of sliced cinnamon rolls in a pan
  13. Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
  14. After your cinnamon rolls have doubled in size, pour the heavy cream into the bottom of the pan.close up of cinnamon rolls in cream in a pan
  15. Bake your rolls for 25-30 minutes. If you want to be technical about it, the internal temperature of the rolls should be about 195º-200ºF when they are fully baked. Don't just go by looks because the dough could be lightly brown on top and raw in the center.close up of baked cinnamon rolls in a white pan
  16. One the rolls are done baking, remove them from the oven. Place them onto a cooling rack while you make the cinnamon roll frosting.

How To Make Cinnamon Roll Frosting

This cream cheese frosting is softer than a traditional cream cheese. The frosting and less sweet but you can use the regular cream cheese frosting if you like a sweeter frosting.

  1. In a medium bowl, cream your room temperature cream cheese until its smooth and lump free. Then add in your softened butter and cream until smooth.
  2. Add in the sugar, salt, and vanilla and continue mixing until smooth.close up of cream cheese frosting
  3. Spread the cream cheese frosting over the warm cinnamon rolls and enjoy!cinnamon rolls slathered in cream cheese frostingclose up of cinnamon roll on a white plate

More Recipes You'll Love

baked strawberry cinnamon rolls
Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls
Sticky Buns Recipe
sweet dough recipe
Master Sweet Dough Recipe
two loaves of homemade bread on cooling a rack on a white background

FAQ & TIPS

Can you make cinnamon rolls ahead of time?

If you don't have the time to let your homemade cinnamon rolls rise or you want to make them ahead of time, cover the rolls tightly with plastic wrap and place them in the fridge. The rolls will continue to rise in the fridge but very slowly. 
Take the rolls out of the fridge about 2 hours before you want to bake them, letting them proof until they double in size before baking. 
Finish them off with your cream cheese frosting and enjoy your delicious homemade cinnamon rolls! 

How do you store leftover cinnamon rolls?

Cover leftover frosted or unfrosted rolls tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days

Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast?

Yes you can. Just place the yeast into your warm milk with a Tablespoon of sugar and wait for it to start foaming before you add it to the rest of your cinnamon roll dough.

 

Recipe

close up of cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting

Soft Cinnamon Rolls With Cream Cheese Frosting

The softest fluffiest cinnamon roll recipe ever! Baked in heavy cream for the ultimate ooey gooey cinnamon buns slathered in a soft cream cheese frosting.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
Proofing: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 Rolls
Calories: 476kcal
Author: Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

  • One sheet pan (13"x18") or similar sized pan

Ingredients

Cinnamon Roll Dough

  • 8 ounces milk 90ºF
  • 10 grams dried instant yeast
  • 28 ounces bread flour or all purpose flour
  • 8 ounces butter softened
  • 4 ounces sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 ounce corn syrup optional
  • 8 ounces heavy cream (for soaking the rolls)

Cinnamon Filling

  • 8 ounces unsalted butter softened to almost melted
  • 8 ounces brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons cinnamon

Cream cheese frosting

  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 4 ounces unsalted butter softened
  • 4 ounces powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 Tablespoon heavy whipping cream or less if you like a thicker consistency
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Place the warm milk, yeast, and half the flour into the bowl of your stand mixer with the dough hook attached and mix until combined.
  • Add in the softened butter, sugar, salt, eggs, corn syrup, and the rest of the flour into the mixer and mix until combined.
  • Let the dough mix on medium speed or until the dough forms into a ball and cleans the bowl. This can take from 10-20 minutes of mixing. Don't worry if the mixture is very sticky at first. Just keep mixing.
  • Shape the dough into a smooth ball and then place it into a greased bowl. Cover with a tea towel and let rise for 90 minutes in a warm place
    *see note**

For the cinnamon sugar filling

  • Combine together all your ingredients with a mixer until smooth

To make the rolls

  • Line a 13"x18" sheet pan with parchment paper (or similar sized pan)
  • Once your dough has proofed, roll out the dough 18" wide and about 8" tall.
  • Roll up the dough length-wise. Make sure the first roll is very tight so you get a nice spiral, then continue pushing the dough until you reach the edge. Brush a little water or egg wash along the bare edge so it seals the loose edge of the dough.
  • Divide the dough into 1.5" pieces with some dental floss.
  • Place the cinnamon rolls into your pan lined with parchment paper equally spaced apart.
  • Cover loosely with a tea towel and place into a warm place to rise until the rolls have doubled in size. About 90 minutes.
  • Before baking, pour your cream over the cinnamon rolls. This will make them extra soft and gooey after baking!
  • Bake at 350ºF for 20-25 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 200ºF

For the cream cheese frosting

  • Cream the cream cheese with a hand mixer until smooth. Then add in the softened butter and cream until smooth.
  • Add in the powdered sugar, salt, vanilla and milk, and cream until smooth.
  • Frost your warm cinnamon rolls with the frosting

Video

Notes

For the best possible results, read through the blog post and recipe to avoid common mistakes.
  1. Use a scale to weigh your ingredients (including liquids) unless otherwise instructed (Tablespoons, teaspoons, pinch etc). Metric measurements are available in the recipe card. Scaled ingredients are much more accurate than using cups and help ensure the success of your recipe. 
  2. Metric measurements (grams) are available by clicking the small box under the ingredients in the recipe card labeled “metric”
  3. Practice Mise en Place (everything in it's place). Measure out your ingredients ahead of time and have them ready before you start mixing to reduce the chances of accidentally leaving something out.
  4. Try to use the same ingredients as the recipe calls for. If you must make a substitution, be aware that the recipe may not come out the same. I try to list substitutions where possible.
  5. *(I pre-heat my oven to 170ºF for five minutes then TURN THE OVEN OFF. It should be barely warm inside. Place a bowl of warm water in the back of the oven and your covered bowl of dough into the oven and shut the door)
  6. Do not be afraid to mix your dough enough. Do the window test to see if your dough is ready. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1roll | Calories: 476kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 114mg | Sodium: 266mg | Potassium: 81mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 971IU | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More Recipe

  • close up of tomahawk steak
    Reverse Seared Tomahawk Steak Recipe
  • close up shot of breakfast scramble
    Breakfast Scramble
  • close up of sausage gravy on biscuits
    Keto Sausage Gravy
  • close up of keto biscuits on a plate
    Fluffy Keto Biscuits

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. BUKKIE says

    January 06, 2020 at 5:55 am

    5 stars
    LOOKS SO APPETIZING. I'M GOING TO GIVE IT A TRY AND GIVE YOU A FEEDBACK . NEED MORE OF THESE YUMMY RECIPES

    Reply
    • tammy staten says

      June 24, 2025 at 4:25 am

      5 stars
      wonderful recipe!!!! comes out perfect everytime!!!!

      Reply
  2. John says

    January 26, 2020 at 9:03 pm

    The amount of vanilla is missing from the cream cheese frosting. Thanks!

    Reply
    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      January 27, 2020 at 8:39 pm

      Oops! It's 1 teaspoon

      Reply
  3. Laurie Fleisher says

    March 22, 2020 at 2:48 pm

    5 stars
    The cinnamon buns are soooo delicious. Thank you for all the little tips like water in the oven when proofing and the window trick for telling when the dough is done. Watching the quick videos are also very helpful.

    Reply
    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      March 22, 2020 at 6:17 pm

      You're very welcome Laurie

      Reply
  4. Audelis Verhoff says

    March 24, 2020 at 8:32 am

    Your recipe calls for 2 eggs and yet in the video you use 3. Which is correct?

    Reply
    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      March 24, 2020 at 10:16 am

      Follow the recipe 🙂

      Reply
  5. Nancy says

    March 26, 2020 at 9:21 am

    Hi Liz! Trying to make the cinnamon rolls and it’s been mixing but it’s still very very sticky. What am I doing wrong? I followed your recipe.

    Reply
    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      March 26, 2020 at 12:02 pm

      Maybe you didn't measure right? Make sure you are weighing your ingredients and not using cups

      Reply
  6. Shameka L says

    March 30, 2020 at 12:43 pm

    5 stars
    awesome! Not overly sweet at all. I love these. Thanks Liz

    Reply
  7. Jennifer says

    April 02, 2020 at 10:31 am

    5 stars
    Your blog notes to bake for 20, but the recipe says 35-40. Is one for refrigerated dough?

    Reply
    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      April 03, 2020 at 10:59 am

      It's 35-40 minutes 🙂

      Reply
  8. Korey says

    April 05, 2020 at 1:41 pm

    Hey Liz I only had bread machine yeast on hand... the bottle says to skip the first rise time when using in a regular recipe... is this what you would do?

    Reply
    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      April 06, 2020 at 8:55 am

      Hi Korey, I am not familiar with using bread machine yeast but if that's what it says to do, you can definitely try it out. It might be instant yeast

      Reply
  9. monica m says

    April 05, 2020 at 7:08 pm

    Can i use carnation milk as a substitute for milk?

    Reply
    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      April 06, 2020 at 8:50 am

      I am not sure, if it's condensed milk I think you would need to water it down but you can also use water instead of milk

      Reply
  10. Pam says

    April 23, 2020 at 2:32 am

    5 stars
    exceptional. Used it last week and it was a big hit.
    For some reason, this week it is in metric and when I try to
    switch to US, almost all of the recipe stays metric.
    Must be a software thing, thought you should know.

    Reply
    • The Sugar Geek Show says

      April 23, 2020 at 3:38 pm

      Ok I'll take a look 🙂

      Reply
  11. Adrian benford says

    June 01, 2020 at 12:37 am

    Hi Liz my names adrian benford your recipe looks great

    Reply
  12. Lexi says

    October 28, 2020 at 2:49 pm

    Are there any ways you’d recommend to freeze the cinnamon roll dough to make later?

    Reply
    • Sugar Geek Show says

      November 05, 2020 at 12:44 pm

      Yes you can make the dough and form the rolls and put them on a sheet pan covered with plastic wrap in the fridge overnight. Just make sure to give them enough time to proof (1 1/2-2 hours) before baking.

      Reply
  13. Debbie W says

    October 29, 2020 at 5:41 pm

    If I make the dough the night before will recipe be the same?

    Reply
    • Sugar Geek Show says

      November 03, 2020 at 11:38 am

      If you want to do it the night before, I would do all of the steps up until you proof before baking. So make the cinnamon rolls and have them on a sheet pan. Then refrigerate overnight and allow them to proof for 1.5-2 hours then bake!

      Reply
  14. Sarah says

    November 16, 2020 at 1:59 am

    5 stars
    These are so delicious. Made them today 🙂
    All the way from Australia!

    Reply
  15. Sally says

    December 30, 2020 at 9:27 am

    Hey Liz,
    should I use bleached or unbleached flour, if either is ok do you recommend bread or so flour?

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Marek says

      December 30, 2020 at 10:53 am

      You can use either, bread flour is great if you have it

      Reply
  16. Rosa says

    March 21, 2021 at 8:42 am

    What is the difference between using all purpose flour and bread flour?

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Marek says

      March 21, 2021 at 8:56 am

      Bread flour has more protein/gluten so you get a fluffier bread

      Reply
  17. Samina says

    August 28, 2024 at 12:21 pm

    5 stars
    The most amazing recipe have ever come across..thank you sugar geek...I still following your recipe of lemon cake.. amazing...

    Reply
  18. Lisa says

    August 30, 2024 at 5:30 pm

    Hi your measurements in ounces asks for 3 eggs but in grams u ask for 2 .. is this the way it’s supposed to be. I feel there’s a lot of liquid fat and eggs for the amount of flour .. 28 ounces is 3.5 cups .. just want your feedback since ur the expert.

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Marek says

      September 01, 2024 at 12:58 pm

      Yes that is the correct amount. So sorry about the grams, I will fix it. Thanks for letting me know.

      Reply
  19. Keyla Santizo-Ruiz says

    September 10, 2024 at 4:42 pm

    5 stars
    Seriously the best cinnamon Rolls ever!

    How can I make them pumpkin cinnamon rolls?

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Marek says

      May 05, 2025 at 10:59 am

      Oh that sounds yummy!! I would add some pumpkin spice to the dough and use pumpkin filling in the center instead of the brown sugar

      Reply
  20. Tiffany says

    September 25, 2024 at 7:58 am

    5 stars
    Omg! Liz these are so good. Very soft. a family hit… making them again today 2 weeks later

    Reply
  21. Robin says

    December 14, 2024 at 6:57 pm

    5 stars
    I normally am not a fan of cinnamon rolls. I have been wanting to make these since you first posted the recipe. I finally made them today and want to eat the entire pan, not share with my family. Thanks Liz!! I have loved all of your recipes that I have tried. I love these cinnamon rolls because they aren't super sweet, just sweet enough. The heavy cream baked on top is amazingly delicious!!

    Reply
  22. Ella Callun says

    December 15, 2024 at 6:41 am

    Hi Liz, I know the corn syrup is used to help browning, add moisture and inhibit sugar crystallization. (PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong.) , but is there a substitute for corn syrup I can use , I dont currently have corn syrup right now.

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Marek says

      May 05, 2025 at 10:55 am

      You could use maple syrup, or honey

      Reply
  23. Zak Ledford says

    December 22, 2024 at 4:52 am

    5 stars
    Made these cinnamon rolls multiple times now, always told that they are the best they’ve ever had.

    Reply
  24. Debbie says

    January 03, 2025 at 10:37 am

    5 stars
    I loved this recipe! However, my cinnamon sugar mix came out lighter in color. It does say granulated sugar in the recipe, but noticed the picture of ingredients shows brown sugar. Is the “granulated sugar” suppose to be brown sugar?

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Marek says

      May 05, 2025 at 10:59 am

      Yes it is brown sugar

      Reply
  25. Olivia says

    March 08, 2025 at 3:05 pm

    5 stars
    I've made this several times and it's always a huge success! Thanks!

    Reply
4.96 from 22 votes (8 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




All comments are subject to our Terms of Use

Primary Sidebar

Liz Marek with strawberry cake

Hi, I'm Liz! I'm an artist and cake decorator from Portland, Oregon. Cakes are my obession, which is why I'm dedicated to crafting tried-and-true recipes, small cake tutorials, as well as advanced online cake courses!

More about me →

Buy Flawless Fondant

Sugar Geek Flawless Fondant
It's incredibly stretchy, stays soft on the cake and can be rolled 50% thinner than other brands without tearing or becoming transparent. No elephant skin, no frustration, just flawless fondant every time. Buy Fondant

Our Cake Greatest Hits

Check our our best cake recipes

Summer Recipes

  • closeup of vanilla cake with vanilla buttercream slice on a white plate
    Moist Vanilla Cake Using Cake Flour
    Cook Time45 Minutes
  • slice of pink velvet cake with whipped cream frosting and fresh raspberries on a white plate
    Pink Velvet Cake
    Cook Time40 Minutes
  • slice of fresh strawberry cake on a white plate with strawberries behind it
    Fresh Strawberry Cake
    Cook Time1 Hours 10 Minutes
  • close up shot of double chocolate chip cookie
    Chewy Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
    Cook Time20 Minutes
  • Fast Bread Recipe
    Cook Time1 Hours
  • sourdough bread cut open to show crumb
    Beginners Sourdough Bread Recipe Step-By-Step
    Cook Time25 Hours 10 Minutes

Popular Recipes

  • ganache cake with dark, milk, and white chocolate on it
    The Best Chocolate Ganache Recipe
    Cook Time20 Minutes
  • close up of easy buttercream rosettes
    Easy Buttercream Frosting
    Cook Time10 Minutes
  • close up slice of marble cake
    Moist and Fluffy Marble Cake Recipe
    Cook Time40 Minutes
  • close up of red velvet cake slice
    Red Velvet Cake Recipe
    Cook Time1 Hours 40 Minutes

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Fondant

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact
  • About Us
  • About Liz Marek

Copyright © 2024 Sugar Geek Show, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.