These homemade cinnamon rolls are pillowy-soft and perfectly sweet. Pulled warm from the oven and topped with a cream cheese frosting, these are the ultimate form of homemade comfort.
Updated August 2023
Is there anything quite as comforting as homemade cinnamon rolls in the morning? And is there anything quite as satisfying as making said cinnamon rolls from scratch? No and nope.
Here’s the thing. I’m not against making cinnamon rolls from the can when you’re in a hurry. BUT if you have the time to make homemade cinnamon rolls from scratch, you 100% should. There’s just no comparison. Homemade cinnamon rolls are not only delicious, but working with yeasted dough is deeply satisfying if you ask me. And if you’re new to working with yeasted dough, cinnamon rolls are a great place to start!
Let me tell you why you need to give these homemade cinnamon rolls a go. These rolls are classic, familiar, unadulterated comfort. Soft, pillowy, and buttery on the inside with a gooey brown sugar and cinnamon filling- they melt in your mouth. And the secret to making these rolls extra velvety-soft? Warm heavy cream. Uh huh, you heard me. Before baking, pour some warm heavy cream over the rolls and it basically gives you a pan full of centers. You know what I’m talking about. That coveted, gooey, soft center roll that every wants? Thanks to heavy cream, you get a whole pan full of those. Top your homemade cinnamon rolls with some lush cream cheese frosting, and you’ll soon find yourself in a cozy, nostalgic, cinnamon roll-induced coma.
P.s. these are perfect to bake up for holidays, special occasions, fancy brunches, or for a slow Saturday morning (my personal favorite). I’ve got some handy make ahead instructions in the recipe notes which involves making the dough the night before and keeping it in the fridge overnight, so don’t miss those if you’re into make ahead bakes like I am. And truth be told, I think the dough is even better if you let it hang out in the fridge overnight. Also, if working with yeasted dough is somewhat new to you, don’t worry! This dough is very forgiving. However, I do have some tips and tricks on working with yeasted dough towards the bottom of this post, so be sure to check that out before making your dough!
Alright, friends, treat yourself with these homemade cinnamon rolls! They’re truly the best. Happy baking!
What you’ll need to bake these homemade cinnamon rolls:
Whole milk: The fat content of whole milk creates a richer, softer roll, while the sugar in the milk helps tenderize the dough and activates the yeast.
Active dry yeast: Yeast is the key player in fermentation. The yeast feeds on the sugars in the dough and produces carbon dioxide, which gives the dough it’s rise. The yeast also helps strengthen the dough and give it flavor.
Sugar: Sugar of course adds sweetness, but also helps tenderize the dough and activates the yeast.
Butter: Using melted butter in the dough adds richness, moisture, and flavor to the sweet rolls.
Sour cream: Sour cream makes these rolls extra soft, adds moisture, and helps create a tender texture.
Egg: For structure and binding.
Flour: For structure. Gluten strands in the flour must be strengthened by kneading. To test for proper gluten development in your dough, be sure to use the windowpane test (see my recipe notes).
Kosher salt: For balance.
Heavy cream: Brushing warm heavy cream over the top of the unbaked rolls is my new favorite trick. It makes each roll incredibly soft and moist. No hard edges, just a pan full of “centers”.
Butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla for the filling.
Butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk for the frosting.
FAQs:
Why is this recipe primarily listed in grams? I develop my recipes in grams because weighing your ingredients is the best, most accurate way to bake. Baking is a science and precision is key to success! Measuring cups are not standardized, and what’s more, the way each baker uses them varies drastically, which ultimately gives you inconsistent (and sometimes negative) results. For instance, did you know that scooping flour out of a cannister can give you 50% more flour than what’s called for in the recipe? By weighing your ingredients rather than using measuring cups, you can confidently know that you are using the correct amount of each ingredient, giving you greater success & delicious results. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale, like this one when you bake. Plus, it makes clean up a lot easier!
Where is the best place to proof my dough? Yeasted dough requires a warm environment to proof, ideally around 75°F. Most often, allowing your dough to proof covered at room temperature will do the trick. However, if your kitchen is a bit chilly, turn your oven on & place the bowl containing your dough on top of the oven. The ambient temperature from the oven will provide some extra warmth to proof the dough!
Can I make these ahead of time? Yes! See my recipe notes for make ahead instructions.
A few notes before you bake:
Read this helpful information before you make your dough!
When it comes to yeasted doughs, there are a lot of variables at play that can affect how much additional flour to add, kneading time, and proofing time. Variables can include where you live, the temperature of your kitchen, humidity levels, and a host of other things. The best thing I can tell you to do is watch your dough and pay attention to the cues given in the recipe. Sometimes I add all the extra flour and sometimes I only need a tablespoon or so. Sometimes I knead my dough longer than the recipe calls for. Sometimes my proofing time is less. You get the point. Just watch for cues.
- When to add extra flour to the dough. If it’s too slack or too sticky, you need to add more flour. You want the dough to be pulling away and “cleaning” the sides of the mixing bowl.
- How to add extra flour to your dough. Be sure to add flour 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix for 30 seconds after each addition. Stop adding flour once the dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl.
- How long to knead the dough. The dough has been adequately kneaded when it is smooth, elastic, and passes the windowpane test (see my recipe notes).
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Proofing time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 3 1/2 hours
- Yield: 12 rolls 1x
- Category: Breakfast/ Brunch, Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Breakfast
Description
These homemade cinnamon rolls are pillowy-soft and perfectly sweet. Pulled warm from the oven and topped with a cream cheese frosting, these are the ultimate form of homemade comfort.
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 300 mL (1 ¼ cups) warm whole milk (108-110°F), divided
- 7 gm (2 ¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
- 67 gm (1/3 cup) + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, divided
- 84 gm (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
- 60 gm (1/4 cup) sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten and at room temperature
- 500 to 563 gm (4 to 4 ½ cups, spooned & leveled) all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 120 mL (1/2 cup) warm heavy cream, for brushing
For the filling:
- 113 gm (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 147 gm (2/3 cup, firmly packed) light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 56 gm (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 180 gm (1 1/2 cups) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon whole milk
Instructions
To make the dough:
- In a small bowl, combine 240 gm (1 cup) warm milk, yeast, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Let stand until the yeast is activated and foamy, about 10 minutes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add 67 gm (1/3 cup) sugar, melted butter, sour cream, egg, and remaining 60 mL (1/4 cup) warm milk and mix on low speed until combined.
- In a large bowl, combine 500 gm (4 cups) flour and the kosher salt. Add half of the flour/salt mixture to the sugar mixture and mix until just combined. Next, add in the foamy yeast mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Then mix in the remaining flour/salt mixture until a shaggy dough forms, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and switch to the dough hook attachment on your stand mixer. Knead on medium speed for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add up to the remaining 63 gm (1/2 cup) flour as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl (TIP: Beat for 30 seconds after adding each additional tablespoon of flour to avoid adding too much). Continue to knead on medium speed until the dough is smooth, elastic, and passes the windowpane test*.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a smooth ball. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning to grease the top of the dough. Loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 60 to 90 minutes.
- Before your dough finishes the first proof, prepare the filling and set aside (instructions below). Grease a 9×13″ baking pan with non-stick spray and set aside for now.
- Punch down the dough to remove all air and let it rest for 5 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into an 18 x12″ rectangle. Spread the filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1″ bare border along one long side.
- Starting with the long side covered with filling, roll the rectangle into a tight jelly roll, pinching the dough together to form a seal. Using a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss, trim the ends of the dough and then divide into 12 equal rolls. Place the rolls in the prepared baking pan, being sure to space them out evenly to give them some room to grow. Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm, draft-free place for another 30 to 45 minutes, until the rolls are puffy and beginning to crowd each other. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- After the second rise, gently brush the warm heavy cream over each roll. Pour any remaining cream around the edges of the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until lightly browned and an instant-read thermometer registers 190°F when inserted into the center of one of the rolls.
- Let the rolls cool for 10 minutes before topping with cream cheese frosting (instructions below). Serve warm and enjoy!
To make the filling:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla and beat on medium-high speed until combined and creamy.
To make the cream cheese frosting:
- Place the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until combined and creamy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk, and beat on medium-high speed until light and creamy, about 1 minute. Spread over warm rolls.
Notes
*Windowpane test: Use the windowpane test to check for proper gluten development. Gently pinch off a ball of dough. Slowly pull the dough out from the center. If the dough is ready, you will be able to stretch it until it is translucent like a windowpane. If the dough tears, it’s not ready; beat for another minute and check again
Storage: Store leftover rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. I recommend microwaving leftover rolls to soften them a bit!
Make ahead option: Prepare the dough as directed through step 5. Once the dough has doubled in size, punch the dough down, tightly cover, and refrigerate overnight. Continue recipe instructions, allowing extra time as needed.
