Gooey Cinnamon Rolls
User Reviews
4.9
Gooey Cinnamon Rolls
Description
The Gooey Cinnamon Rolls recipe begins with a dough made from warmed milk and butter mixed with sour cream, yeast, sugar, eggs, and flour. After kneading until soft and elastic, the dough is allowed to rise before rolling out and spreading with a cinnamon-sugar-butter mixture. The rolls are sliced and baked until golden and tender. The icing, made from powdered sugar, milk, and melted butter with vanilla, is drizzled on top after baking.
The dough’s resting and kneading times create a tender yet structured crumb. The filling balances brown sugar and cinnamon to deliver a warm, sweet flavor throughout the layers. The icing adds moisture and enhances sweetness.
These cinnamon rolls are served best warm, making a comforting breakfast or dessert. Variations like substituting cream cheese frosting can tailor sweetness and texture.
The notes recommend careful temperature control when mixing the yeast with liquids to ensure good rise and suggest active dry yeast as an alternative. Letting the dough rise in a warm spot supports softness.
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 unsalted butter stick, 113 grams
- 1/4 cup sour cream at room temperature, or plain yogurt
- 1 instant yeast 2 1/4 teaspoons, envelope
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar 50 grams
- 1 egg at room temperature, large
- 2 egg at room temperature, yolks
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cup all-purpose flour plus more for dusting, to 4 1/4 cups (508 to 540 grams
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt fine
For the filling:
- 1 unsalted butter completely softened to room temperature, stick, 113 grams
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt fine
For the icing:
- 2 cups powdered sugar 250 grams
- 1/4 cup whole milk 57 grams
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted, 28 grams
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the dough:
- In a small saucepan, heat the milk and butter until the butter is melted. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream until smooth. Let cool until lukewarm** (about 100 - 110°F).
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, use a spatula to combine the milk mixture with the yeast, sugar, egg, egg yolks, and vanilla until well combined. Add in half of the flour and the salt and stir until combined. Place on a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and gradually add the remaining flour until a dough begins to form. Only add as much flour as you need to form the dough. Knead at medium speed until the dough is very soft, smooth, pliable, elastic, and doesn’t stick to the sides of the bowl, about 8 to 10 minutes. If the dough is unbearably sticky, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Only add as much flour as needed to create a smooth dough.
- Lightly grease a large bowl. Shape the dough into a ball and place in the greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Make the filling:
- Once the dough has risen, add filling ingredients to a medium mixing bowl. Beat with a hand-held electric mixer on medium-high until well combined and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
To shape the dough:
- Punch down the risen dough and turn out onto a lightly floured work surface. Use a rolling pin to shape the dough into a 16x12-inch rectangle, long side facing you.
- Spread the filling mixture all over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border at the far edge. Brush the border with water to help seal. Roll the dough up, pulling with your hands to keep it tightly rolled until it’s an even log shape. Press the border to seal. Trim the edges. Lightly flour the roll.
- Grease a 13x9-inch baking dish or two 9-inch pie pans. Cut the roll into 12 equal pieces using a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss. Place the rolls cut side up in the prepared baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
- Make Ahead: Allow the shaped rolls to rise until they’ve grown in size by about a quarter. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Allow to come completely to room temperature and continue to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours, before baking as directed below.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the rolls until lightly golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes.
For the icing:
- While the rolls bake, combine the icing ingredients in a small mixing bowl until a smooth pourable icing forms.
- Spread over hot rolls immediately after they come out of the oven. Serve warm the day they’re baked.
Notes
- Use active dry yeast by proofing it with warm milk and sugar for 5-10 minutes until foamy as a substitute for instant yeast.
- Allow the milk and butter mixture to cool to 110°F or below before adding yeast to prevent killing it.
- Cream cheese frosting can replace the icing for a tangier finish.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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