Cinnamon Roll Recipe
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This Cinnamon roll recipe is topped with homemade cream cheese frosting for the best breakfast in town. These are so delicious you’ll want to make and eat them daily.
Breakfast is my family’s favorite meal of the day, but it can get tough trying to think of new recipes all the time. If you’re the same and want more great breakfast ideas, check out my Italian Frittata recipe or my Buttermilk Pancakes.
Cinnamon Rolls
Cinnamon rolls are a sweet yeast bun stuffed and rolled with sugar, butter, and cinnamon that are then baked to golden brown. Once removed from the oven, they are slathered with frosting for a sweet breakfast or brunch dish. This dish has many variations, including adding nuts, icing, and different sugars.
Cinnamon rolls are derived from cinnamon buns, which have existed since the 17th century. However, many Nordic countries claim they invented the sweet treat. It was not popularized in America until the mid-1950s when Pillsbury packaged and sold them.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Flour – I used all-purpose flour in this recipe. You can use bread flour. Just decrease the amount of milk by 5%.
- Sugar – You will need both granulated sugar and light brown sugar. Substitute the light brown sugar for dark,
- Butter – I always use unsalted butter in my cooking and baking to control the sodium content and not a butter company.
- Milk – I used whole milk in this recipe. You can substitute with 1%, 2%, or skim milk.
- Yeast – You can use active, instant, or baker’s yeast. If using instant yeast, there is no need to activate it with the warm milk.
- Cinnamon – Ground cinnamon is used in the rolls to enhance the flavor.
- Cream Cheese – A used full-fat cream cheese for the frosting. Substitute with fat-free cream cheese.
- Vanilla – Any good vanilla extract will work.
How to Make Cinnamon Rolls
Place the sugar, warm milk, and yeast in a standing mixer bowl, whisk it, and let sit for 5 to 7 minutes or until it begins to foam. There will be a raft at the top.
Add the flour, remaining sugar, and 1/2 stick of melted butter and mix with the hook attachment until combined at medium speed.
Add 1 egg at a time until combined, then mix on low speed for 3 to 4 minutes.
Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and set it in a warm place until it has doubled in size. If you plan on making the next day, chill in the refrigerator overnight.
Roll out the dough on a clean surface lightly dusted with flour until the dough is roughly 18”x 24” inches in size.
Evenly drizzle on 1 stick of melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, covering all surface areas.
Roll the dough from back to front.
Slice them into 2-inch wide slices.
Place them in a 13” x 9” casserole dish, cut side up about 1 inch apart from each other, wrap them in plastic, and let them sit for another hour or until they’ve doubled in size.’, wrap them in plastic, and let them sit for another hour or until they’ve doubled in size.
Bake the cinnamon rolls for 25 to 30 minutes on the middle rack at 375° or until they are browned on the top and cooked in the center. Remove the cinnamon rolls and let them cool slightly.
While the cinnamon rolls are baking, whip together the butter, cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and whole milk in a standing mixer using the whisk attachment until it is light and fluffy.
Pour the icing all over the top and serve warm.
How to Make Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
To make overnight cinnamon rolls, place them covered as soon as the dough is formed in the refrigerator until the next morning or the day you are ready to make them. The rising process that will take place from the yeast happens after you roll them up, cut them, and let them sit wrapped in plastic for about an hour in a warm, dark place.
This overnight method eliminates the double rise for a traditional cinnamon roll recipe, where you rise before rolling out the dough.
You can let the dough set out at room temperature to rise overnight. However, I want to caution that the dough may start to sour up from some light fermentation that may happen overnight.
The flavor won’t be incredibly noticeable, but you may get a spark. That said, your dough will rise to at least 3 times the original size.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: For freshness, you can make these muffins up to 1 day before.
How to Store: The cinnamon rolls can be stored in the refrigerator covered in plastic for up to 5 days. They can also be frozen and covered for up to 2 months. Thaw for 1 day in the refrigerator before cooking and serving.
How to Reheat: Add your desired portion to a casserole dish or pan, cover it, and heat it in the oven at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until hot.
Chef Notes + Tips
- I like the milk to be on the hotter side, 115°, before adding it to the bowl of the stand mixer because the bowl is cold and will drop the milk temperature to the perfect degrees.
- If chilling the dough overnight, go right into rolling out the dough the next day.
- Brush the melted butter with a pastry brush to cover the dough completely.
- Unless you use a starter, there is no reason to let it sit at room temperature overnight.
- You can take the cinnamon rolls straight from the freezer and place them in the oven, covered in foil, at 350° for 40 to 45 minutes. I would advise not to ice them with frosting before freezing them because the sugar content in the icing could cause them to caramelize a bit while in the oven.
My Favorite Breakfast Recipes
Video
Cinnamon Roll Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cinnamon Rolls:
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons of warm whole milk 115°
- 1 tablespoon active yeast
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 stick melted unsalted butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
For the Icing:
- 1 stick softened unsalted butter
- 4 ounces softened cream cheese
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoons whole milk
Instructions
- Place 1 tablespoon of the sugar, warm milk, and yeast in a standing mixer bowl, whisk it, and let sit for 5 to 7 minutes or until it begins to foam. There will be a raft at the top.
- Next, add the flour, remaining sugar, and 1/2 stick of melted butter and mix with the hook attachment until combined at medium speed.
- Add 1 egg until combined, then mix on low speed for 3 to 4 minutes. Do not add the next egg until the one before is absorbed into the dough.
- Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and set it in a warm place until it has doubled in size. If you plan on making the next day, chill in the refrigerator overnight.
- Roll out the dough on a clean surface lightly dusted with flour until the dough is roughly 18”x 24” inches in size.
- Evenly drizzle on 1 stick of melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, covering all surface areas.
- Roll the dough from back to front and slice it into 2-inch wide slices.
- Place them in a 13” x 9” casserole dish, cut side up about 1 inch apart from each other, wrap them in plastic, and let them sit for another hour or until they’ve doubled in size.
- Bake the cinnamon rolls for 25 to 30 minutes at 375° or until they are browned on the top and cooked in the center.
- Remove the cinnamon rolls and let them cool slightly.
- While the cinnamon rolls are baking, whip together the butter, cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and whole milk in a standing mixer using the whisk attachment until it is light and fluffy.
- Once the cinnamon rolls are done pour the icing all over the top and serve warm
They came were outstanding!! Thank you Chef!! Merry Christmas!!
Another awesome recipe from Chef Billy Parisi. Its really easy to make, and super delicious.
Best ever! Whole family loved it! Will make again.