Description
These BEST homemade cinnamon rolls feature soft, fluffy dough swirled with buttery brown sugar and cinnamon, finished with a smooth, creamy vanilla cream cheese frosting. A delicious choice for breakfast, brunch, or a homemade sweet treat.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4–5 cups (520g-650g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 package) instant yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (180mL) water*
- 1/2 cup (120mL) whole milk
- 1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter, cut into 4 slices
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, very soft
- 3/4 cup (150g) packed brown sugar, light or dark
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 4 oz (115g) full fat block cream cheese, room temperature
- 5 tablespoons (70g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (195g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Measure all ingredients. Combine the water, whole milk, and 1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter in a small saucepan. Warm gently until the butter melts, then allow the mixture to cool until comfortably warm.
- Combine the warm liquid mixture with the granulated sugar and instant yeast. Add the salt, room-temperature egg, and flour, starting with the lower amount of flour.
- Mix until a dough forms. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour gradually as needed within the specified 4-5 cup range.
- Place the dough in a bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm, draft-free place until visibly expanded.
- Mix the brown sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a rectangle. Spread the very soft 85g butter evenly over the dough, then sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture across the surface.
- Roll the dough into a log and cut it into individual rolls. Arrange the rolls in a baking dish, cover, and let them rise again until puffy.
- Bake according to the original recipe’s specified oven temperature and baking time, until the rolls are lightly golden and the centers are set. The original recipe’s baking temperature and duration were not provided.
- Beat the room-temperature cream cheese and 70g butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, then mix until creamy.
- Allow the baked rolls to rest briefly, then spread the cream cheese frosting over the warm rolls. Serve fresh.
Notes
- Start with the lower amount of flour and add more gradually to avoid making the dough too dry.
- Use comfortably warm liquid rather than hot liquid when mixing the dough with the yeast.
- Allow the rolls to rise until visibly puffy; rising times vary with room temperature.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Recipes
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll, assuming 12 rolls
- Calories: 450 kcal (estimated per roll)
- Sugar: 30 g (estimated per roll)
- Sodium: 250 mg (estimated per roll)
- Fat: 19 g (estimated per roll)
- Saturated Fat: 11 g (estimated per roll)
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g (estimated per roll)
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g (estimated per roll)
- Carbohydrates: 63 g (estimated per roll)
- Fiber: 2 g (estimated per roll)
- Protein: 7 g (estimated per roll)
- Cholesterol: 65 mg (estimated per roll)
Keywords: BEST homemade cinnamon rolls, homemade cinnamon rolls, soft cinnamon rolls, cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting, brown sugar cinnamon rolls, breakfast rolls