Servings
Font
Back
0 from 699 votes

Easy Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

Big, soft, homemade Cinnamon Rolls have the best cream cheese icing and they always disappear fast! They are incredible warm from the oven with some of the glaze melting between each sweet bun.

Prep Time
35 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Additional Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 58 mins
Servings: 12 cinnamon rolls
Calories: 494 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Ingredients for Cinnamon Rolls:
  • 1  cup warm milk (110-115˚F), not hot
  • 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast (rapid rise)
  • 1 large egg room temp
  • 2  Tbsp unsalted butter melted, divided
  • 4  Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1/2  tsp salt
  • 3  cups all-purpose flour or bread flour plus 2 to 4 Tbsp (and more to dust)
For the Cinnamon Roll Filling:
  • 6  Tbsp unsalted butter softened, plus more to for grease pan
  • 1/4  cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2  Tbsp ground cinnamon
For the Cream Cheese Icing:
  • 4  Tbsp unsalted butter softened
  • 4  oz cream cheese softened
  • 1/2  Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1  cup powdered sugar

Instructions

How to Make Cinnamon Rolls:
    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large mixing bowl (or using a stand mixer), add 1 cup warm milk (110-115˚F) and sprinkle with 1 packet instant yeast. Whisk in 1 egg, 4 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp melted butter and 1/2 tsp salt.
  2. Add 3 cups flour (measured correctly*) and stir in with a firm spatula or wooden spoon. Add more flour 1 Tbsp at a time just until dough is no longer sticking to fingertips or the walls of the bowl. It should still feel slightly sticky but won’t stick to clean/dry fingertips. Knead dough by hand for 3 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm 100˚F oven for 30 minutes (or at room temp 1 hour), until doubled in size.
  3. Generously dust a clean work surface with flour and turn the dough out onto the floured surface. Sprinkle dough lightly with flour and roll into even 17″x10″ rectangle, squaring off the sides. Dot the surface of dough with 6 Tbsp softened butter and spread it out evenly all the way to the edges.
  4. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup sugar and 1 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon and sprinkle ALL OF IT evenly over buttered dough. Roll the dough up starting with one of the longer sides and work in a typewriter motion, keeping a tight roll. Once it's rolled up, push ends in slightly to make them a little more uniform then slice into 12 equal-sized rolls.
  5. Butter sides and bottom of a 9×13 metal baking pan with 1 Tbsp butter and arrange cinnamon rolls, evenly spaced with the cut-side down. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm 100˚F oven 20-30 minutes, (or room temp 50-60 min), until puffed. Do not proof too long.
  6. Brush tops with 1 Tbsp melted butter and bake at 350˚F for 20-24 mins or until tops are lightly golden. Let cool in pan 15 minutes then frost warm buns generously with the cream cheese glaze (instructions below).
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Icing:
  1. In a medium bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream together 4 Tbsp softened butter and 4 oz cream cheese. Beat in 1/2 Tbsp vanilla then add 1 cup powdered sugar and continue mixing on high speed until fluffy (3-4 min), scraping down the bowl as needed.

Notes

  • *On Measuring Flour: Fluff up flour then spoon into a dry measuring cup. Level off the top.**Liquid should not be hotter than 115˚F and oven no hotter than 100˚F or you will cook and ruin the yeast.

Nutrition Information

Calories 494kcal (25%) Carbs 78g Protein 8g (16%) Fat 17g (26%) Saturated Fat 10g (50%) Cholesterol 57mg (19%) Sodium 128mg (5%) Potassium 127mg (4%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 31g (62%) Vitamin A 543IU (11%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 71mg (7%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12cinnamon rolls

Amount Per Serving

Calories 494

% Daily Value*

Calories 494kcal 25%
Carbs 78g
Protein 8g 16%
Fat 17g 26%
Saturated Fat 10g 50%
Cholesterol 57mg 19%
Sodium 128mg 5%
Potassium 127mg 3%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 31g 62%
Vitamin A 543IU 11%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 71mg 7%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.