You know those mornings when you just want to wrap yourself in a blanket of sugar and cinnamon? These homemade cinnamon rolls are exactly what you need. Tender, fluffy dough swirled with buttery brown sugar-cinnamon filling, topped with dreamy cream cheese glaze that melts into every crevice.
Perfect for brunches, holiday mornings, or treating yourself on an ordinary Tuesday. If you’ve always wanted to master cinnamon rolls, don’t worry — this recipe makes it doable and delicious, even for beginners. (If you’re into sweet rolls, you might also love my Pumpkin Spice Sticky Buns or Maple Pecan Danish!)
✅ Quick Tip:
- ✔️ For ultra-fluffy rolls, make sure your milk is just warm (not hot) and let the dough rise until doubled — don’t rush it!
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 1 cup warm milk (about 110°F)
- 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (more as needed)
For the Filling:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
For the Cream Cheese Glaze:
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2–3 tbsp milk (to desired consistency)
Instructions
1️⃣ In a large bowl, whisk warm milk and yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
2️⃣ Add sugar, melted butter, eggs, and salt. Mix well. Gradually stir in flour until a soft dough forms.
3️⃣ Knead dough on a floured surface for 5–7 minutes (or use a mixer with dough hook) until smooth and elastic.
4️⃣ Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
5️⃣ Punch down dough and roll out into a 16×12 inch rectangle. Spread softened butter all over.
6️⃣ Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up tightly from the long side and cut into 12 rolls.
7️⃣ Place rolls in a greased 9×13 pan. Cover and let rise another 30–40 minutes.
8️⃣ Bake at 350°F for 25–30 minutes, until golden brown.
9️⃣ While rolls bake, beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk, and mix to a thick, pourable glaze.
🔟 Drizzle glaze over warm rolls and serve!
🍽️ Serving Tips:
- Best served warm, right out of the oven!
- Style on a big platter with extra glaze drizzled for presentation.
- Wrap individually in parchment and tie with twine for edible gifts.
🍯 Creative Variations:
- Swap cream cheese glaze for vanilla or maple icing.
- Make mini rolls in a muffin tin.
- Add orange zest to filling for a citrusy twist.
🧩 Troubleshooting:
- Dough won’t rise? Yeast may have been old or milk too hot.
- Tough dough? Add flour gradually and don’t over-knead.
- Dry rolls? Don’t overbake — they’re done when lightly golden.
🧊 Storage
- Store at room temp in airtight container for 2–3 days.
- Refrigerate for up to 1 week.
- Freeze baked (unglazed) for up to 3 months. Reheat and glaze.
Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 1 cup warm milk about 110°F
- 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour more as needed
For the Filling:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
- For the Cream Cheese Glaze:
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 –3 tbsp milk to desired consistency
Instructions
- 1️⃣ In a large bowl, whisk warm milk and yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
- 2️⃣ Add sugar, melted butter, eggs, and salt. Mix well. Gradually stir in flour until a soft dough forms.
- 3️⃣ Knead dough on a floured surface for 5–7 minutes (or use a mixer with dough hook) until smooth and elastic.
- 4️⃣ Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- 5️⃣ Punch down dough and roll out into a 16×12 inch rectangle. Spread softened butter all over.
- 6️⃣ Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up tightly from the long side and cut into 12 rolls.
- 7️⃣ Place rolls in a greased 9×13 pan. Cover and let rise another 30–40 minutes.
- 8️⃣ Bake at 350°F for 25–30 minutes, until golden brown.
- 9️⃣ While rolls bake, beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk, and mix to a thick, pourable glaze.
- 🔟 Drizzle glaze over warm rolls and serve!
Notes
- For overnight rolls: cover after step 7 and refrigerate overnight. Let come to room temp and rise before baking.
- Add chopped pecans to the filling for a nutty crunch.
- You can substitute active dry yeast — just let it bloom in warm milk longer.
If you make these cinnamon rolls, tag me on Pinterest or Instagram — I’d love to see your spin on them! Happy baking!
