Perfect Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

These easy Homemade Cinnamon Rolls are packed with brown sugar, cinnamon, butter and icing. Fluffy cinnamon rolls are always a hit for breakfast!

Table of Contents

• Perfect Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
• What You’ll Need
• How To Make the Cinnamon Rolls
• How Long Do I Knead Cinnamon Roll Dough?
• How Big Should I Roll Cinnamon Roll Dough?
• How To Roll Rolls
• How To Make Cinnamon Roll Frosting
• How To Serve
• How To Store Leftovers
• Tips For Making Perfect Cinnamon Rolls
• Get the Recipe

Perfect Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

You ready for the best cinnamon roll recipe? I think everyone has their own idea of what makes perfect cinnamon rolls. For me….I like the rolls soft with LOTS of buttery cinnamon and sugar swirled throughout. There’s nothing worse than anticipating that first bite of a cinnamon roll and it’s dry and bread-like with minimal cinnamon goodness right?

So, there you have it, I call these my perfect rolls because my dough is amazingly soft with gobs and gobs of butter/cinnamon/sugar swirled and as you can see I kinda like a touch of cream cheese frosting on top. If this sounds like the kind of cinnamon roll you like as well……you might want to make these 🙂

Try my Chocolate Hazelnut Sweet Rolls too! Follow Picky Palate on Instagram for daily recipe inspiration.

What You’ll Need

To make homemade cinnamon rolls you’ll need the following pantry staples. See the recipe card below for specific amounts.

Cinnamon Roll Dough

• Active Dry Yeast– Find the yeast in the baking section of the grocery store. Yeast helps the rolls rise.
• Granulated Sugar– Sugar brings the sweetness to the rolls.
• Warm water– Warm water will help activate the yeast.
• Unsalted melted butter– Melted butter is part of the wet ingredients for the rolls.
• Whole milk or heavy cream– Milk is added to the dough as part of the wet ingredients.
• Large egg– An egg is added to the dough.
• All-Purpose flour– Flour is the main dry ingredient for the rolls.
• Kosher salt– Kosher salt is a coarse salt commonly used in cooking and baking.

For the Cinnamon Sugar Filling:

• unsalted softened butter– You’ll use softened butter as part of the filling that is spread over the dough before rolling into a log.
• light brown sugar– Brown sugar is mixed with granulated sugar and cinnamon as part of the cinnamon roll filling.
• granulated sugar– The sugar is added to the brown sugar and cinnamon as part of the filling.
• ground cinnamon– Cinnamon gives the cinnamon rolls that signature cinnamon roll spice.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• cream cheese- Make sure your cream cheese is softened for a smooth frosting.
• unsalted butter– The butter needs to be softened as well to create that nice smooth frosting.
• powdered sugar– Also called confectioners sugar, this helps make the frosting and give it sweetness.

How To Make the Cinnamon Rolls

Combine wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, mix melted butter and warm milk. Add butter and milk mixture to yeast mixture with the dough hook attachment on low speed then add sugar and egg mixing until combined.

Mix and add dry ingredients: In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Add 2 cups of flour mixture to the mixer at a time scraping sides of bowl, continuing to add remaining flour until the dough starts to clean sides of mixing bowl.

How Long Do I Knead Cinnamon Roll Dough?

Let the dough kneed for 7 minutes. When dough is ready, transfer to a large bowl.

Transfer your dough to a floured counter top and dust with flour as well as your hands. Break out your favorite rolling pin and get rolling. Don’t forget to dust it with flour too.

Let dough rise. Place dough into a large bowl that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a barely warm oven for 45-60 minutes, until dough doubles in size. Dough should double in size, about an hour. My favorite part. After it’s doubled, give it a good punch.

With a floured rolling pin, roll dough.

How Big Should I Roll Cinnamon Roll Dough?

Dough should be approximately 19-24 inches wide and 14 inches long.

Spread softened butter over entire surface of dough. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the brown sugar, sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over buttered dough.

Sprinkle dough with cinnamon sugar mixture.

How To Roll Rolls

Starting at long end of dough, carefully roll into a log shape. Using dental floss or knife, cut rolls into 1 1/2 inch pieces.

Looks like a perfect little log shape. Place seam side down on the counter before slicing.

Keep slicing them until you reach the end. I do about 1 1/2 inch slices.

Place cut rolls in pan. Take 4 tablespoons softened butter and spread over 13×17 inch jelly roll pan lined with a silpat liner or parchment paper then sprinkle with brown sugar. Place 4 rolls per row close to each other, about 1/2 inch apart.

Second rise. Place into a barely warm oven (turn oven to warm for 5 minutes, then turn off right before placing rolls in oven to let rise) for 45-60 minutes or until rolls have doubled in size.

Preheat oven, then bake. Remove rolls from oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake rolls for 15-17 minutes or until rolls are golden brown and baked through. Set aside to cool slightly.

How To Make Cinnamon Roll Frosting

Beat cream cheese and butter. Place cream cheese and butter into your clean stand mixer bowl and beat until smooth and combined. Slowly add powdered sugar until desired consistency is achieved. I prefer 2-3 cups. Spread cream cheese frosting over warm rolls. Serve warm or let cool and enjoy room temperature. If serving the next day refrigerate then warm in the microwave individual rolls for 10-15 seconds in the microwave.

How To Serve

Serve cinnamon rolls warm or room temperature at your next occasion. Perfect for holidays and brunch.

How To Store Leftovers

Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat as needed.

Tips For Making Perfect Cinnamon Rolls

1. Check your Active Dry Yeast to make sure it’s fresh before getting started.
2. Don’t substitute any ingredients in recipe for best results
3. Serve warm
4. Store leftover rolls in an airtight container for 3 days in refrigerator. Warm up before re-serving.

4.93 from 14 votes

Perfect Cinnamon Rolls

The Perfect Cinnamon Rolls are packed with brown sugar, cinnamon, butter and icing. This delicious breakfast is always a huge hit!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time 2 hrs

Cook Time 17 mins

Total Time 2 hrs 17 mins

Servings: 18 rolls

Calories: 417kcal

Author: Jenny

Cost: $25

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Equipment

• Oven
• stand mixer
• hand mixer
• Rolling Pin
• mixing bowl
• whisk
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons Active Dry Yeast
• 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup warm water 115 degrees F.
• 8 tablespoons 1stick unsalted melted butter
• 3/4 cup warmed whole milk or heavy cream 115 degrees F.
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 4 cups All-Purpose flour plus more for dusting counters
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Cinnamon/Sugar Layer

• 8 tablespoons 1stick unsalted softened butter
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter for buttering pan
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar for sprinkling over buttered pan

Frosting

• 8 ounces softened cream cheese
• 8 tablespoons 1 stick softened unsalted butter
• 2-3 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

• Place yeast and sugar into stand mixer then add warm water and gently stir. Let sit until yeast has doubled, about 10 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix melted butter and warm milk. Add butter and milk mixture to yeast mixture with the dough hook attachment on low speed then add sugar and egg mixing until combined. In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt.
• Add 2 cups of flour mixture to the mixer at a time scraping sides of bowl, continuing to add remaining flour until the dough starts to clean sides of mixing bowl. Kneed dough on low speed for 7 minutes. Place dough onto a floured counter and kneed dough until it does not stick to your hands. Place dough into a large bowl that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a barely warm oven for 45-60 minutes, until dough doubles in size.
• Remove dough from bowl and place onto a floured counter top. With a floured rolling pin, roll dough into an approximate 14x24 inch rectangle, about 1/4 inch in thickness. Spread softened butter over entire surface of dough. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the brown sugar, sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over buttered dough. Starting at long end of dough, carefully roll into a log shape. Using dental floss or knife, cut rolls into 1 1/2 inch pieces.
• Take 4 tablespoons softened butter and spread on bottom of 9x13 inch pan then sprinkle with brown sugar. Place 4 rolls per row close to each other, about 1/2 inch apart. Place into a barely warm oven (turn oven to warm for 5 minutes, then turn off right before placing rolls in oven to let rise) for 45-60 minutes or until rolls have doubled in size. Remove rolls from oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake rolls for 15-17 minutes or until rolls are golden brown and baked through. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Place cream cheese and butter into your clean stand mixer bowl and beat until smooth and combined. Slowly add powdered sugar until desired consistency is achieved. I prefer 2-3 cups. Spread cream cheese frosting over warm rolls. Serve warm or let cool and enjoy room temperature. If serving the next day refrigerate then warm in the microwave individual rolls for 10-15 seconds in the microwave.

Video

Notes

You can also use two 8x8 inch tin pans that make great gifts during the Holidays.

Nutrition

Calories: 417kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 272mg | Potassium: 98mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 515IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 1.7mg

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