Description

These Homemade Cinnamon Rolls are the best mix of easy comfort and bakery style flavor with simple steps and quick prep ideas that still taste special. The soft swirls and creamy icing make them a healthy feeling homemade treat for brunch or holiday mornings while also fitting meal prep and potluck plans. Keep this recipe for party tables or a cozy weeknight dinner style breakfast when you want reliable ideas that always satisfy.

Ingredients

Scale

4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1 cup warm whole milk
1/3 cup melted unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup softened unsalted butter
4 ounces softened cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons whole milk

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Instructions

Warm milk and sugar and yeast blend into a foamy base and then flour and eggs and melted butter and salt are worked in until the mixture turns from loose and glossy into a rough shaggy dough with dry patches disappearing and soft clumps forming together.
The rough dough rests and expands into a smoother mound that looks fuller and airier and the top rounds out while small bubbles lift the surface and give it a soft pillowy look.
The risen dough is pressed and stretched into a broad rectangle and softened butter smears across the surface while brown sugar and cinnamon cling in a sandy layer that looks darker and slightly uneven from edge to edge.
The filled dough is rolled into a thick spiral log and the loose layers overlap naturally while the ends stay slightly irregular and each slice reveals a visible swirl with some pieces a little wider than others.
The sliced spirals are set with natural spacing and slight overlap and as they rest they expand sideways and upward until the gaps narrow and the rolls look softer and more connected while the swirls stay visible.
The pale dough bakes into tall soft rolls with tops turning patchy golden brown and the cinnamon layers darken in the seams while a little filling melts out and leaves glossy sticky spots between the rolls.
Cream cheese and powdered sugar and vanilla and milk blend into a smooth pale icing and once spread over the warm rolls it softens into the creases and drapes unevenly across the browned tops so the finished pan looks glossy and homemade.

Notes

Pro Tips:

Use warm milk rather than hot milk so the yeast stays active and the dough rises evenly.
Spread the softened butter all the way to the corners so every bite gets some filling.
Do not worry if the rolls are different sizes because that homemade look bakes up beautifully.
Let the rolls cool slightly before icing so the topping melts into the swirls without disappearing completely.

Storage: Keep leftover cinnamon rolls covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Warm individual portions until soft and add a little extra icing if desired. For longer storage freeze the rolls tightly wrapped for up to 2 months.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Breakfast
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving