These are the BEST Cinnamon Rolls! Soft and fluffy, they’re packed with wonderful cinnamon flavors and topped with a gooey cream cheese frosting. The recipe comes together easily with instructions to make them overnight.
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We all need a good cinnamon rolls recipe we can rely on, easy to make and that guarantees success every single time. We love them freshly out from the oven, while still warm and gooey. Perfect to feed a crowd, they make a wonderful treat for the holidays and also work year-round for breakfast, brunch or any other celebration.
This recipe yields incredibly fluffy and soft rolls, with a rich brown sugar cinnamon and buttery filling and an irresistible cream cheese frosting. The frosting itself is way less sweetened than a regular cream cheese frosting, making the cinnamon rolls deliciously sweetened but not overly sweet. Make yourself a favor and bake them asap, and don’t forget to save this recipe so you can make it again and again!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Tall, fluffy rolls with a super soft texture
- Loaded with brown sugar and cinnamon flavors
- A gooey and not too sweet cream cheese frosting
- Comes with make-ahead overnight instructions
The recipe ingredients and how to use them
You need just a few basic ingredients to bake cinnamon rolls, among which the mains one are the following:
- All-purpose flour. Note that I do not use bread flour for this recipe. The amount of flour can change from one brand to another, so don’t add it all at once and stop when your dough becomes soft and smooth (not dry).
- Milk. Prefer whole milk for best results, although 2% milk also works.
- Yeast. The recipe calls for active-dry yeast, that needs to be proofed before using. You can replace with 1 ¾ teaspoons instant yeast (6g) or 0.6 ounces (17g) fresh yeast.
- Butter. You’ll need unsalted butter, for the dough, for the cinnamon filling and for the cream cheese frosting.
- Sugars. You’ll need white sugar for the dough, light or dark brown sugar for the filling and confectioners’ sugar for the frosting.
- Eggs. For the dough. It helps binding the ingredients together and bring moistness.
- Cinnamon. A must, to make cinnamon rolls!
- Heavy cream. To pour between the rolls before baking. It helps them become super soft (see note below).
- Cream cheese. Use plain cream cheese for the frosting.
How to shape cinnamon rolls
While the pictures will show you best, here are the key steps to keep in mind when shaping the cinnamon rolls:
- Roll out the dough into a large rectangle (ideally into a 18×12-inch or 46×30.5 cm rectangle).
- Spread the cinnamon filling all over and roll up tightly on the longer side into a long log.
- Cut into 12 equal pieces, using unflavored dental floss or a very sharp knife (so the rolls keep their shape and do not collapse when slicing).
The secret to soft and fluffy rolls
There is a simple trick that ensures super fluffy rolls every single time. Simply pour room temperature heavy liquid cream (whipping cream) in between the rolls when placed in the baking dish and just before the second rise. When baking, they will remain soft, moist and super fluffy, rather than being on the drier side. Believe me, this changes it all!
Pro tips for success
- Add the flour little by little. You won’t necessary need the exact same amount of flour, depending on the brand you use. Pour little by little, while the stand mixer is running, and stop when the dough is supple, soft, and detaches from the sides of the bowl. If too sticky, add a little bit more flour.
- Proof the yeast before using. While necessary when using active-dry yeast, it does not hurt to do it when using instant yeast or fresh yeast.
- Don’t kill the yeast. This is probably the most common mistake when making a recipe that involves yeast. Make sure the milk is not too hot when proofing the yeast or it could kill it. It should it lukewarm to the touch.
- Allow the cinnamon rolls to rise in a warm, dry environment. If your room is too cool, they won’t rise as much or will take longer to rise.
- Do not add the cream cheese frosting too soon. Wait for the rolls to cool down slightly before adding the frosting or it will melt instantly.
- Use the right size pan. If you want regular rolls in size and shape, use a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking pan or a similar round pan.
- Gently tap the cinnamon rolls with the back of a spoon when freshly out from the oven to ensure the taller ones go back in shape.
How to store cinnamon rolls
If you want my honest opinion, I always find them best eaten the day of baking as they tend to dry out with time. You can keep them at room temperature for a couple of days, then transfer in the refrigerator. To revive them, warm them up for about 30 seconds in the microwave so they become gooey again.
You can freeze baked rolls once they’re completed cool for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight and warm them up in the oven before serving. This is not my preferred version, and I would instead suggest you go for overnight cinnamon rolls (instructions follow).
For overnight cinnamon rolls
Making cinnamon rolls is a work of patience, but there’s good news here. It’s also a great make-ahead recipe. Prepare them the night before and bake them the next day so you can enjoy them warm in the morning, without waking up hours before.
After rolling the rolls up, cut them as directed, arrange them in the a pan, cover well with plastic wrap then place them in the fridge overnight. When you are ready to bake, pour the heavy cream in between the rolls, bring them to room temperature and let them rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour before baking as directed.
More sweet rolls you’ll love:
- Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- Lemon Poppy Seed Sweet Rolls
- Strawberry Rolls with Lemon Glaze
- Easy Cinnamon Cardamom Cruffins
- Swedish Kanelbullar
The Best Fluffy Cinnamon Rolls
- Prep Time: 45 mins
- Proofing Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 rolls 1x
These are the BEST Cinnamon Rolls! Soft and fluffy, they’re packed with wonderful cinnamon flavors and topped with a gooey cream cheese frosting. The recipe comes together easily and comes with make-ahead instructions.
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Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 ¼ cups (30 cl) whole milk
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast*
- 1 teaspoon sugar (to bloom the yeast)
- 2 eggs, at room temperature and whisked
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons (25g) sugar
- 4 ⅓ cups to 4 ½ cups (520-540g) all-purpose flour**
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (120g) unsalted butter, softened
For the cinnamon filling:
- ½ cup (120g) butter, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup (70g) light or dark brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream, at room temperature (for pouring in between the rolls)
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 4 ounces (115g) cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup (60g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (65g) confectioners’ sugar
- 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
For the rolls:
- Start with the dough. In a small bowl, whisk together active dry yeast, one teaspoon sugar, and warm milk, and let sit for 10 minutes, until bubbly. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, then add the eggs, vanilla, and sugar. Slowly add the flour**, salt, and mix until combined. Slowly add the softened butter and mix. Knead on medium speed for about 10 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, add a little bit more flour. The dough should be soft and pull away from the sides of the bowl. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large, greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and place in a warm place to rise, for 1 hour, or until the dough doubles in size.
- For the cinnamon filling. In a medium bowl, mix together the softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until combined.
- For the cream cheese frosting, add softened butter to a medium bowl and whisk on medium speed with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add cream cheese and mix until combined. Set the electric mixer on low and slowly add the confectioners’ sugar and then the maple syrup. Mix until combined.
For assembling and baking:
- Grease a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish, and set aside.
- Remove the dough from the bowl, punch it down, and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a 18×12-inch (46×30.5 cm) rectangle and about ¼-inch (0,5 cm) thick.
- Spread the cinnamon filling over the dough, using an offset spatula. Starting from the longer side, roll up the dough tightly into a log. Cut of a bit off the ends to make the log even. Cut 12 rolls, about 1 ½-inch (3,8 cm) wide, using unflavored floss or a very sharp knife.
- Place the rolls in the prepared baking dish, and pour room temperature heavy cream in between each roll. Cover them with plastic wrap and let proof in a warm spot for about 1 hour, or until the rolls have doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Once hot and rolls have proofed, bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a light golden color.
- Let the rolls cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then cover with the cream cheese icing. Serve, and enjoy!
Notes
* Yeast guide ratio. You can replace active dry yeast with instant yeast, or fresh yeast, adjusting the yeast ratio as followed: 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (7g) = 1 ¾ teaspoons instant yeast (6g) = 0.6 ounces (17g) fresh yeast. Remember that both active dry yeast and fresh yeast need to be “proofed” in a liquid mixture before using. Instant yeast however, can be added directly to the dry ingredients.
** Depending on the brand, you may need more or less flour. I recommend starting with 4 ⅓ cups (520g) flour, up to to 4 ½ cups (540g) if needed. You know your dough looks fine when it’s soft and detaches from the sides of the bowl, without being too sticky.
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