Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

4.96 from 25 votes

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

The softest fluffiest homemade cinnamon rolls recipe ever! Baked in heavy cream for the ultimate ooey gooey cinnamon buns slathered in a soft cream cheese frosting.

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Proofing2 30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: Rolls

Calories: 476kcal

Author: Liz Marek

Equipment

One sheet pan (13"x18") or similar sized pan
Piping bag for frosting
Digital Kitchen Scale
Food thermometer optional

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

For the dough

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, and the rest of the flour and mix until combined.
Add the corn syrup (if using) and mix until fully combined.
Increase the speed to medium. Continue mixing for 10 to 20 minutes or until the dough begins to clean the sides of the bowl and forms a smooth ball. This is a very soft dough, so do not be worried if it seems like a sticky mess at first. Just keep mixing.
Pull off a small piece of dough and gently stretch it between your fingers. It should stretch thin enough to be nearly translucent without tearing. If it tears or still feels sticky, 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. To create a reliably warm proofing environment, preheat your oven to 170º F for 5 minutes, then turn it off. Place a bowl of warm water in the back of the oven, put the covered dough inside, and shut the door.

For the cinnamon sugar filling

Mix together the cinnamon, sugar, and melted butter until smooth to make the cinnamon mixture.

To make the rolls

Line a 13"x18" sheet pan with parchment paper (or similar sized pan)
Once your dough has proofed, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle with a rolling pin that is roughly 18 inches wide and 8 inches tall. If the dough keeps springing back, cover it and let it rest for 5 minutes. Resting relaxes the gluten and makes rolling much easier.
Spread the cinnamon filling mixture onto your cinnamon roll dough in an even layer. Leave about 1 inch without any filling on one side. This bare edge will help the log seal when you roll it.
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 end of the dough.
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.
Place the cinnamon rolls into your pan lined with parchment paper, equally spaced apart. Cover loosely with a tea towel and place in a warm spot to rise until the rolls have doubled in size, about 90 minutes. For the overnight method, cover tightly and refrigerate instead of doing the second proof at room temperature.
Before baking, pour your cream over the cinnamon rolls. This will make them extra soft and gooey after baking!
Bake your rolls at 350ºF for 25 to 30 minutes. Once the rolls are done baking, remove them from the oven. Place them onto a cooling rack while you make the cinnamon roll frosting.

For the cream cheese frosting

In a medium bowl, cream your room-temperature cream cheese until it is smooth and lump free. Then add in your softened butter and cream until smooth.
Add in the powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, and milk, and mix until smooth and fully combined.
Spoon the finished frosting into a large piping bag fitted with a round tip, or simply snip a small opening at the corner of a zip-top bag. This makes it easy to pipe the frosting evenly between and over all the rolls without dragging through the soft tops with a spatula.
Pipe the cream cheese frosting over the warm cinnamon rolls in a back-and-forth motion, covering each roll from edge to edge. The frosting will melt slightly into the warm layers and create that irresistible gooey bakery finish.

Video

Notes

Bread flour vs. all-purpose: Bread flour gives the best rise and layer definition. All-purpose works but produces a slightly softer, more delicate roll.

Overnight method: After cutting and placing in the pan, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, rest at room temperature 30 to 45 minutes, then bake as directed.

Cutting without squishing: Use unflavored dental floss or a pizza cutter for the cleanest cuts.

Freeze unbaked rolls: Let shaped rolls proof until almost doubled, wrap tightly, freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then rest at room temperature 1 to 2 hours before baking.

Freeze baked rolls (unfrosted): Bake until pale (about 20 minutes), cool completely, wrap individually, freeze up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, reheat at 325º F for 10 to 12 minutes, then frost warm.

Reheating: Single rolls: microwave 20 to 30 seconds. Full pan: cover with foil, bake at 325º F for 10 to 15 minutes. Add a splash of heavy cream to the pan before reheating for extra moisture.

Storage: Covered at room temperature up to 2 days. Refrigerator up to 5 days. Always bring to room temperature or reheat before serving.

Nutrition