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4.7 from 213 votes

Soft Cinnamon Rolls

This Soft Cinnamon Rolls recipe is an absolute no-fail easy homemade cinnamon roll recipe filled with cinnamon and covered with cream cheese frosting.

Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
Servings: 24 rolls
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • ½ cup warm water
  • 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding (and milk called for to prepare it)
  • ½ cup butter, melted
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 6 cups all-purpose flour (plus more as needed)
Filling:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Frosting:
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 4 cups confectioner’s sugar
  • 2-3 tablespoons whole milk or cream

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a small bowl combine water, yeast and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Set aside.
  2. In large bowl of a stand mixer, make pudding mix according to package directions. Add melted butter, eggs and salt to the pudding mixture and mix well.
  3. Add the yeast mixture and mix together. Gradually add flour; knead until smooth. Add additional flour until dough is soft but not super sticky (somwhere between 6-7 cups total).
  4. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled.
  5. Roll dough onto a floured surface about 34 X 21 inches in size, sprinkling with flour until it doesn't stick. To be honest, mine is usually around 30 X 16 which makes a thicker cinnamon center roll. Take 1 cup soft butter and spread over surface. In bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the top. Roll up very tightly starting with the long end. With knife put a notch every 1 1/2 inches. Cut with thread or serrated knife. 
  6. Lightly grease two 9x13 baking dishes and place rolls 1 inch apart. Cover and let rise until double again. *If making ahead of time cover and refrigerate instead of letting rise. When ready to bake remove from the fridge and allow rolls to rise.
  7. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Remove when they start to turn golden brown. Do not overbake! Frost rolls after rolls have cooled just a couple of minutes (directions below). You still want to frost them while they're warm just not super hot! Makes about 24 very large rolls.
  8. Frosting: Mix together cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons milk. Add more milk as needed.

Notes

  • Source: Allrecipes; increased the cinnamon.Freezing Instructions: To freeze rolls, place them on a baking sheet after they have been rolled and cut. Wrap in plastic wrap and foil and freeze. Thaw rolls at room temperature and allow to rise. Bake as directed.