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Pastries
Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
Listen. I know cinnamon rolls seem intimidating. Yeast dough, rising, rolling, all of it sounds like a whole production. And it is a production. But it's a production that ends with you pulling a pan of golden, gooey, absurdly soft cinnamon rolls out of the oven and drowning them in cream cheese frosting while they're still warm. And in that moment, standing in your kitchen, watching the frosting melt into all the cinnamon sugar crevices, you will understand why people do this. These are the cinnamon rolls that made my friend's husband propose to her. True story. She made these on a Sunday morning and apparently the combination of warm dough, cinnamon, and cream cheese frosting was enough to push him over the edge. So just know what you're getting into here. This recipe has consequences.
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk, warmed to 110°F
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
- Filling: 1/3 cup butter (softened), 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar, 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
- Frosting: 4 oz cream cheese (softened), 2 tbsp butter (softened), 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- 1
Activate the yeast
Warm 1 cup whole milk until it's about 110°F. That's warm to the touch but not hot. If you don't have a thermometer, it should feel like warm bath water on your wrist. Pour the warm milk into a large bowl, sprinkle the 2 1/4 tsp yeast and a pinch of the sugar over the surface, and let it sit undisturbed for 5-7 minutes. The yeast should get foamy and bubbly on top, which means it's alive and active. If nothing happens after 10 minutes, your yeast is dead. Throw it out and start over with a fresh packet. Don't try to make cinnamon rolls with dead yeast. That's just making sad bread with cinnamon on it.
- 2
Make the dough
Once the yeast is foamy, add the remaining sugar (1/4 cup minus the pinch), 1/3 cup melted butter (cooled so it doesn't kill the yeast), 1 egg, and 1 tsp salt. Whisk to combine. Add the flour 1 cup at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon after each addition. After 3 cups, the dough will start pulling away from the sides of the bowl. Add the last 1/2 cup gradually. You might not need all of it. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky but not sticking aggressively to your fingers. If you poke it and it sticks like glue, add a little more flour. If it feels dry and stiff, you've added too much.
- 3
Knead the dough
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes. Push the dough away from you with the heel of your hand, fold it back over itself, rotate 90 degrees, and repeat. After 5-7 minutes, the dough should be smooth, elastic, and bounce back when you poke it with your finger. If you have a stand mixer, use the dough hook on medium-low for 5 minutes instead. Both methods work. Form the dough into a ball.
- 4
First rise
Grease a large bowl with butter or cooking spray, place the dough ball inside, and turn it so all sides are lightly coated. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Set it in a warm spot (top of the fridge, inside a turned-off oven with the light on, or near a sunny window) for 1 to 1.5 hours until it doubles in size. You'll know it's ready when you poke it with your finger and the indent stays. If it springs back, it needs more time.
- 5
Roll and fill
Punch the risen dough down gently to deflate it. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a rectangle about 14 inches wide by 10 inches tall, roughly 1/4 inch thick. Spread 1/3 cup softened butter evenly across the entire surface, leaving a 1/2 inch border along one long edge (this bare edge helps the roll seal). Mix 3/4 cup dark brown sugar and 2 tbsp cinnamon together and sprinkle it evenly over the buttered surface. Press it in gently with your hands.
- 6
Roll, slice, and second rise
Starting from the long edge closest to you (the one WITH filling, not the bare edge), roll the dough up tightly into a log. Keep it snug but don't pull or stretch the dough. Pinch the seam shut. Using a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss (seriously, floss works better than a knife), cut the log into 12 equal pieces. Place the rolls cut-side up in a greased 9x13-inch baking pan, spacing them about 1/2 inch apart. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 30-45 minutes until puffy and the rolls are touching each other. This is the point where you can also refrigerate them overnight for morning baking. Just pull them out 1 hour before baking to come to room temp.
- 7
Bake
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 22-25 minutes until the rolls are golden brown on top and cooked through in the center. They should NOT be dark brown. A light golden color means they'll be soft and gooey. Dark brown means you've overbaked them and they'll be dry.
- 8
Frost immediately
While the rolls bake, make the frosting. Beat 4 oz softened cream cheese and 2 tbsp softened butter together until smooth. Add 1 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Beat until fluffy and spreadable. The second the rolls come out of the oven, slather the frosting generously over the top while they're still hot. The heat melts the frosting into the crevices and creates this gooey cream cheese river situation that is borderline obscene. Serve immediately. Watch people lose their minds.
Baker's Notes
- The overnight method is a game changer for Sunday mornings. Do everything through the second rise, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, pull them out, let them sit for 1 hour, and bake. Fresh cinnamon rolls without waking up at 5am.
- Don't use a rolling pin to cut the rolls. It crushes the layers. Use a sharp serrated knife or dental floss (loop it under, cross the ends over the top, and pull tight). Clean slices every time.
- If your dough isn't rising, your house might be too cold. Turn your oven to 200°F for 2 minutes, then turn it OFF. Put the covered dough inside with the oven light on. The residual warmth creates a perfect proofing environment.
- More frosting is always the answer. If 1 cup of powdered sugar doesn't feel like enough, make 1.5x the frosting recipe. I always do.
Nutrition
Calories
340
Fat
13g
Carbs
50g
Protein
5g
Sugar
25g
Serving
1 roll
Notes
FAQ
Can I make these the night before?
My dough isn't rising. What's wrong?
Can I use instant yeast instead of active dry?
How do I reheat leftover cinnamon rolls?
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