Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
These are the absolute BEST homemade cinnamon rolls ever!! These rolls are perfectly soft and fluffy with just the right amount of sweetness and cinnamon flavor. It's topped off with an ooey and gooey cream cheese frosting to really drive home that classic cinnamon roll experience. And best of all, they only need ONE rise!
what makes these cinnamon rolls the best?
I feel like everyone and their grandma has a best cinnamon rolls recipe that they absolutely adore and this one is my personal favorite. There are a few features in this recipe that seriously make these the best cinnamon rolls I've ever had:
- simple ingredients: You probably have everything on hand already!
- mix of water and milk: Using all water in a cinnamon roll recipe can take away some of that classic richness and flavor that you'd expect out of a roll. Using all milk will make the rolls denser, which sacrifices the classic pillowy softness! A mix will give you the right amount of density, richness, flavor, and softness.
- quick: These rolls have a little rest period to make the dough easier to roll out and then just 1 rise. They taste just as delicious but are ready in half the time! Using instant yeast also helps these rolls come together much faster. You can definitely use active dry yeast if that's all you have on hand, but it will take slightly longer.
- pillowy soft: If it's not fluffy, it's not a cinnamon roll. These rolls are perfectly soft and pillowy!
- ooey and gooey: Again, another MUST HAVE defining feature of a cinnamon roll!
- perfectly cheesy frosting: This frosting features slightly more butter for a less in-your-face cream cheese flavor. It makes it taste virtually identical to Cinnabon!
instant / quick rise yeast vs active dry yeast
A lot of cinnamon roll recipes out there will use instant yeast (also known as quick rise yeast) because.... well, it's instant and quick lol. Instant yeast is usually the handier option because the granules are smaller than active dry yeast - which not only means it activates faster, but it also means you don't have to dissolve it in liquid beforehand - you can just toss it in directly with your dry ingredients.
Active dry yeast on the other hand has noticeably larger granules and it needs to be dissolved in water or milk before adding it to any other ingredients, ultimately resulting in a slightly longer process.
I used to use active dry yeast a lot but have since switched over to instant yeast just because it's more convenient. You can use active dry yeast if you'd like in this recipe, but you do need to dissolve it in water with a teaspoon of sugar beforehand. You should also expect a slightly longer rise time as a result.
how to make the BEST cinnamon rolls from scratch
1. Whisk together dry ingredients.
2. Whisk together wet ingredients.
3. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients. Mix together until your have a thick, sticky dough.
4. Mix in more flour. Gradually mix in more flour until the sticky dough starts to come together into a ball.
5. Knead. Once the dough starts forming a ball and it's no longer excessively sticky, start kneading by hand (adding flour as needed to prevent sticking) until smooth and elastic. You can also do this whole process with a stand mixer if you prefer.
6. Rest the dough. This isn't exactly a rise (although the dough will puff up slightly). This is just to allow the gluten to relax - if you try to roll it out right away, it'll keep pulling in on itself.
7. Fill and cut. Roll the rested dough out into a rectangle. Spread butter on top then sprinkle over the brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll the dough up into a log then slice into 12 rolls.
8. Rise and bake. Arrange the rolls in your baking pan and set aside until about doubled in size. Bake until golden brown on top.
9. Whisk together icing ingredients and spread over the rolls. And you've officially made homemade cinnamon rolls!
how to tell when dough is perfectly kneaded
Kneading is an important step in most bread recipes and is one of the factors that determines the baked bread's final texture. The right amount of kneading will both work in air and build structure, creating a bread that doesn't easily fall apart while still maintaining a soft, airy, and tender texture.
Perfectly kneaded dough should be:
- smooth: Kind of self explanatory - the surface should no longer appear lumpy and bumpy.
- springy / elastic: If you poke the dough, the center should spring back slowly. If it remains indented, it needs more kneading. The dough shouldn't feel overly firm though and the indent shouldn't spring back too quickly (that's a sign that it's been over kneaded).
- slightly tacky but NOT sticky: Again poking the ball of dough, you shouldn't have any dough sticking to your fingers. It's important to do this with a clean finger because any dough stuck on your hands from the kneading process will cause the ball of dough to stick regardless.
Do keep in mind that it is very possible to over knead dough, so watch out for that! If you're kneading the dough by hand, it's a pretty safe bet that you'll get tired way before you're anywhere close to over kneading. If you're using a mixer to knead the dough, then you do need to watch out for this.
how to cut cinnamon rolls with floss
My favorite method for cutting cinnamon rolls is using dental floss. It sounds weird, but it's so much easier than using a knife and it's less likely to squish the rolls!
To cut cinnamon rolls with floss, start off by grabbing a package of unflavored floss. It's important to use unflavored floss otherwise it may impart a minty taste onto the rolls. Cut off a large piece of floss then wiggle the string under your log of dough to position it right where you'd like to cut.
Lift the ends of the floss up and cross over the dough so the 2 ends form an X. Pull on the ends to cut through the dough. For a visual, here's what I just described but using my Biscoff cinnamon rolls as an example:
If you'd prefer to use a knife, try to pick one that's well sharpened so it doesn't press the rolls down and ruin the perfect little swirl! A serrated knife is also better than a straight edge knife for cleaner slices. When cutting, use a sawing motion (as opposed to just pressing straight down) - this further helps the rolls keep their shape.
when to frost cinnamon rolls
If you like an ooey gooey cinnamon roll, frosting the rolls while they're still hot will help make them EXTRA gooey! The icing will melt slightly and really get into all the crevices. If you prefer a more distinct layer of icing, you can wait for the rolls to cool a bit longer before spreading the icing on top. The longer you wait, the less melty it'll be.
I wouldn't recommend topping the rolls with icing right when they come out of the oven because they may get too melty. Letting them cool for about 5 to 10 minutes is best - which is the perfect amount of time to make the icing anyways.
tips for making the best cinnamon rolls
- before you start: Check to make sure your yeast isn't expired, otherwise it won't activate. If you buy yeast in the bigger jars, it's also best not to use one that's been opened for more than about 6 months - as it sits, it loses its functionality. If in doubt, you can test if your yeast is active by dissolving it in your warm water with about 1 teaspoon of the sugar. After sitting for about 5 to 10 minutes, the surface of the water should be foamy and bubbly - if it's not, odds are your yeast is no good.
- temperature: For yeast to properly work, it needs ingredients that are neither too cold (which will cause the yeast to activate VERY slowly) nor too hot (which can kill the yeast and render it unusable!) The best temperature for ingredients like eggs and butter is room temperature. When it comes to the milk and water, they need to be about 110F (or what's also known as "body temperature"). An easy way to test for body temperature without a thermometer is to dip you finger into it! You shouldn't feel a significant shift in temperature (neither hot nor cold) - the water should just feel slightly warm. That means it's about the same temperature as your body.
- flour: This used to mess up every. single. cinnamon roll recipe I had ever tried when I first started baking!! Flour is very easy to accidentally mismeasure and it can lead to dense, dry, and sad cinnamon rolls. It's best to measure flour using a food scale, but if you prefer to use cups, make sure you use the spoon and level method: lightly spoon the flour into your measuring cups and use a butter knife or flat utensil to level off the excess. Never scoop your measuring cup directly into the bag of flour otherwise this may pack in more weight worth of flour!
- kneading: Like I mentioned above, kneading is a very important step to ensuring you have perfect cinnamon rolls! So keep an eye out for perfectly kneaded bread.
- very soft butter: For the filling, it's best to use butter that's a little more softened than usual because it helps prevent tearing on the dough when you spread it on top. If it's not soft enough, you can give it a little mash with your fork to get it to a more spreadable consistency.
cinnamon roll storage
Homemade breads are always best enjoyed the day they're made, but cinnamon rolls will keep for up to 3 days. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and keep stored at room temperature for the first day if desired and transfer any leftovers to the fridge after that.
To bring day old cinnamon rolls back to life, you can reheat them in a 350F oven for 5 to 10 minutes or until gooey again. A nice trick I like to do is add 1 tablespoon of milk on top of each roll I'm reheating then cover with aluminum foil before popping it into the oven. This helps prevent drying out and makes them taste good as new!
overnight cinnamon rolls
You can use this recipe to make cinnamon rolls up to 18 hours ahead of time and bake off when you're ready for fresh gooey rolls.
To make overnight cinnamon rolls, follow all of the steps up to and including cutting the rolls and arranging them in your baking pan. BEFORE allowing the rolls to rise for 45 minutes, instead cover them with plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge. The cold air of the fridge will significantly slow the rise, allowing the rolls to sit around without baking for longer.
When it's time to bake overnight cinnamon rolls, take them out of the fridge and set them out at room temperature (still covered) for about 1 hour or until the rolls are no longer cold to the touch. Continue on with the rest of the recipe as normal.
cinnamon roll troubleshooting
My dough feels dry.
Most likely an issue with too much flour. Make sure you either measure by weight or by using the spoon and level method. Also avoid adding excess flour when kneading and rolling the dough - just add enough to keep it from sticking. If the dough feels overly firm, it could also be a sign of over kneading.
My dough didn't rise.
Typically means your yeast is expired or the water, milk, and/or butter were too hot and they killed off the yeast. If you're not sure if your yeast is good, you can test it by mixing the yeast into the water with about 1 teaspoon of sugar. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes and the surface of the water should be foamy. If it's not, the yeast is either no good or the water was too hot and you'll need to start over.
My rolls are falling apart / too soft.
This could be a sign of too little flour, under-kneading, or under-baking. Perfectly floured dough should not stick to a clean finger if you poke it. Look out for the above signs I listed for perfectly kneaded dough. Perfectly baked cinnamon rolls will be golden brown on top and if you gently poke them, they should spring back.
check out these other recipes!
• Super Moist Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
• Coffee Cake Cheesecake
• Brown Butter Brownies
• Cinnamon Monkey Bread
• Chocolate Cake
Lastly, if you made this or any of my recipes, be sure to leave a comment and review below! I love hearing your thoughts! Also tag me on Instagram @eatsdelightfulblog so I can see what you're making.
BEST Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star
5 from 5 reviews
- Author: Mimi
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 rolls
Description
These are the absolute BEST cinnamon rolls ever!! With a pillowy soft homemade dough, sweet cinnamon filling, and ooey gooey cream cheese frosting, there's no better treat!
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 4-5 cups (480g-600g) all-purpose flour,spooned and leveled
- ¼ cup(50g) granulated sugar
- 2 & ¼ teaspoons (1 package) instant yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (180mL) water*
- ½ cup (120mL) whole milk
- ¼ cup (60g) unsalted butter, cut into 4 slices
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
For the filling:
- 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, very soft
- ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar, light or dark
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
For the cream cheese icing:
- 4 ounces (115g) block cream cheese, room temperature
- 5 tablespoons (70g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 & ½ cups (195g) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoonpure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine 3 cups of flour (to start), sugar, yeast, and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- In a medium microwave safe bowl or cup, combine water, milk, and sliced butter. Microwave in 10 second bursts until the butter just melts and the mixture feels warm but not hot. You can also do this with a pot placed on a stove burner set to low heat.
- Whisk the egg into the water mixture to combine.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the flour mixture. Using a wooden spoon, mix together until you have a very thick and sticky dough.
- Add another 1 cup of flour to the dough and mix until it starts coming together into ball.
- This next step can be done by hand directly in your bowl or on a lightly floured work surface /or/ on medium speed with a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Knead the dough, adding flour as needed to keep it from sticking to your hands / the sides of the bowl, until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. If you poke the top of the dough, it should spring back - if the indent remains, the dough needs more kneading.
- Cover the dough and set aside for about 20 minutes. The dough will puff up slightly but won't double in size. This is just to relax the gluten and make the dough easier to roll without it pulling in on itself.
- Turn the rested dough onto a lightly floured work surface and roll it out into a roughly 14x10 inch rectangle. Use your hands to press and pull the edges to get as nice of a rectangular shape as you can - it doesn't have to be perfect though!
- Spread the softened butter over the dough, leaving a roughly ½ inch boarder along the edges. Sprinkle the sugar on top and use your hands to spread it out into an even layer over the butter. Finally, sprinkle the cinnamon evenly on top.
- Working from the longer side of the dough, roll it up into a log.
- Cut about ½ an inch off each end of the log (this just makes for nicer and more uniform rolls - you can bake them off separately or just skip this step if you don't mind the appearance).
- Use a sharp serrated knife or unflavored dental floss to cut the log into 12 even rolls. If using a knife, cut the rolls using a sawing motion to prevent squishing. If using floss, break off a large string of unflavored dental floss and wiggle it under your log of dough positioned where you'd like to cut. Lift the ends of the floss up and over the log and cross to form an X. Pull on the ends of the floss to cut through the dough (see above post for visual).
- Arrange the rolls cut side up in a 9x13 inch baking dish. There should be a tiny bit of space between each roll but it's fine if they're touching.
- Cover the rolls and set aside in a warm place for about 45 minutes or until about doubled in size. My favorite place to keep cinnamon rolls during this time is in the oven (it shouldn't be on or hot) just because it keeps the rolls safe from any cold drafts. They'll be pressed up against each other once they puff up - that's normal!
- Take the rolls out of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F.
- Uncover the rolls and place into the center of your preheated oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a nice golden brown on top. Set aside while you make the icing.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine icing ingredients. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a wooden spoon by hand, cream together until smooth. If using a mixer, start on low speed just to incorporate everything together and then whip on medium speed to smoothen the mixture out.
- While the cinnamon rolls are still warm, spread the icing on top. It'll melt slightly and make them extra gooey!
Notes
Overnight instructions:
To make cinnamon rolls ahead of time and bake off later, stop once you're finished step 13 (before letting the rolls rise) and cover and refrigerate the shaped rolls. Keeping the rolls in the fridge will slow down the rise, allowing you to hold off on baking them for longer. It's best to bake the rolls within about 12 hours but they can be kept in the fridge for up to 18 hours. Once you're ready to bake, set the rolls out at room temperature (still covered) for 60 minutes or until puffed up and no longer cold to the touch. Then proceed with the recipe normally.
* It's important to use water and milk that aren't too hot (or it can kill the yeast) and not too cold (or it will slow the rise down substantially). It should feel warm if you dip your finger into the liquid (a comfortable kind of warm similar to the temperature water you would wash your hands in) but it should not feel hot! If you want to measure the water with a thermometer, it should read around 110F.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Bake Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Breads
- Method: Baking
Enjoy!
