Homemade cinnamon rolls are a classic comfort food treat, and they work equally well for breakfast or dessert.

Picture this: you bite into a warm, freshly-baked roll, your senses are met with the sweet aroma of cinnamon, and you revel in the luscious swirls of brown sugar and buttery, pillowy dough. It’s a flavor and texture symphony that can seem complex, but once broken down into its parts, is within reach of every home baker.

Let’s face it. There’s something undeniably comforting about the warm, fragrant embrace of freshly-baked cinnamon rolls. The soft, fluffy pastry, sweet brown sugar, and the comforting spice of cinnamon create a trio that is the epitome of delicious. 

You might think crafting these delectable delights is beyond your skill set, but with this guide, you’ll be on your way to becoming a cinnamon roll connoisseur in no time!

Ingredients for Cinnamon Rolls

The ingredients for making cinnamon rolls are quite simple.  To make nine servings, you’ll need the following:

For Dough: 

• ¾ cup warm milk (whole milk is ideal)
• 2 ½  tsp instant yeast
• ¼ cup granulated white sugar
• 2 eggs, brought to room temperature
• ¼ cup melted butter (unsalted)
• 3 cups flour (a few tsp extra for dusting)
• 1 tsp salt

For Filling:

• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon 
• ¼ cup softened butter

For Frosting:

• 4 oz softened cream cheese (half block)
• 4 tbsp softened butter (1/4 cup)
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

The frosting is optional, but adds a really luscious touch to these homemade cinnamon rolls. 

How to Make Cinnamon Rolls

Before you preheat the oven or dust a surface with flour, you need to get your ingredients ready to go. 

To do this, start by making sure that all dairy ingredients are at room temperature – this means milk, eggs, and butter. This will allow them to better integrate into your dough.

Whenever possible, opt for quick-rise yeast (as recommended in the ingredients list) for a faster cinnamon roll-making experience. But remember, patience is key. Allow the dough to rise undisturbed in a warm, draft-free place.

Once you have assembled your ingredients, warm your milk further to around 110°F. Use a kitchen thermometer to make sure this is accurate. 

Next, dissolve sugar and yeast in the warm milk and allow them to activate. This typically takes five to ten minutes – you’re looking for a frothy surface here.

With all the yeast strands accounted for, it’s time to combine. Pour the milk mixture into a bowl with your sugar, egg, egg yolk, and melted butter.

Introduce the flour and salt slowly, as a cohesive dough begins to form.

Knead with an electric mixer for eight minutes or by hand for ten. Make sure the dough is slightly sticky, but not too sticky. Add a bit of flour if necessary. 

Put the dough in a well-oiled bowl until it doubles in size – this usually takes an hour to an hour and a half.

Now, it’s time to roll and fill. Once it has risen, transfer the dough to a floured surface and roll it into a 14×9 inch rectangle.

Spread a layer of softened butter on the dough, leaving just a thin margin of the dough bare.

Mix up that brown sugar and cinnamon and then sprinkle it over the butter, rubbing it in to create a cinnamon sugar paste.

Roll it all up, starting from the 9-inch side. Make sure you seal all the edges. 

Cut your roll into 1-inch sections – a serrated knife is preferred, but dental floss can work like magic, too.

Place your rolls in a greased pan, making sure that each has enough room to rise. Let the dough rise for another half an hour, then bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, until golden but still soft.

Last but not least, you need to prepare your frosting. In the mixer, blend the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until they’re velvety. When the rolls are out of the oven, go ahead and frost them. 

Serving Cinnamon Rolls

If by a miracle there are any leftovers, store them at room temperature for 1-2 days, then transfer to the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, simply pop them in the microwave.

Cinnamon rolls are, of course, delicious on their own. But if you’re looking for other creative ideas, here are some tips:

• Cinnamon Roll Waffles: Flatten a cinnamon roll and cook it in a waffle maker for a tasty twist.
• Cinnamon Roll Kabobs: Skewer small pieces of cinnamon rolls with fruits like strawberries and bananas for a yummy snack.
• Cinnamon Roll Ice Cream Sandwiches: Place a scoop of ice cream between two cinnamon roll halves for a delightful dessert.
• Cinnamon Roll French Toast: Dip sliced cinnamon rolls in egg mixture and fry them up for a delicious breakfast treat.

Yield: Makes 8 to 9 Cinnamon Rolls

Classic Cinnamon Rolls

Print

Homemade cinnamon rolls are a classic comfort food treat, and they work equally well for breakfast or dessert.

Prep Time 2 hours

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

For Dough: 

• ¾ cup warm milk (whole milk is ideal)
• 2 ½  tsp instant yeast
• ¼ cup granulated white sugar
• 2 eggs, brought to room temperature
• ¼ cup melted butter (unsalted)
• 3 cups flour (a few tsp extra for dusting)
• 1 tsp salt

For Filling:

• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon 
• ¼ cup softened butter

For Frosting:

• 4 oz softened cream cheese (half an 8 oz block)
• 4 tbsp softened butter (1/4 cup, or half stick)
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Make sure all the dairy ingredients are at room temperature.
2. Warm milk to around 110°F and dissolve sugar and yeast in it.
3. Allow the yeast and sugar mixture to activate until frothy, approximately 5-10 minutes.
4. In a bowl, combine milk mixture with sugar, eggs, egg yolk, and melted butter.
5. Slowly add flour and salt to form a dough.
6. Knead the dough for 8 minutes with an electric mixer or 10 minutes by hand until slightly sticky.
7. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and let it double in size for 1-1.5 hours.
8. Roll out the dough into a 14x9 inch rectangle on a floured surface.
9. Spread softened butter, sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon, then roll up the dough.
10. Slice the roll into 1-inch sections and place them in a greased pan.
11. Let the rolls rise for half an hour before baking at 350°F for 20-25 minutes.
12. In a mixer, blend cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
13. Frost the cinnamon rolls once they're out of the oven. 
14. Enjoy!

Notes

When I'm making these in a cast iron pan, I tend to cut them into 8 cinnamon rolls. If you're using a square 8x8 pan, opt for 9 so you can do a 3x3 grid.

Home Baked Goodies

Looking for more home-baked goodies?

• Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Maple Banana Bread