As far as celebratory breakfasts go, it’s tough to beat homemade cinnamon rolls. And I say this as someone who—nine times out of ten—craves something savory in the mornings. (If that’s you, check this recipe.) But there’s just something about these decadent cinnamon buns that I simply cannot resist.
I’ve experimented with my fair share of cinnamon roll recipes over the years, and I’ve landed on this one as my very favorite version. These pillowy soft and deliciously gooey cream cheese frosted cinnamon rolls are even better than the ones you might remember from your favorite 90s cinnamon bun stand. You know the one. Hope you love them as much as Charlie and I do! They’re. So. Good.
Are homemade cinnamon rolls actually worth the effort?
One thousand percent, yes.
What makes these cinnamon rolls so dang good?
The (Not So) Secret Ingredient
Years ago, I read about an amazing tip that totally transformed my cinnamon roll game. And recently, this little trick has become all the rage on TikTok!
Right before you pop these bad boys into the oven, you’ll pour an entire cup of warm heavy whipping cream over the tops of your rolls so they can relax in a bath of moist deliciousness while they do their thing in the oven. The cream not only ensures optimal pillowy softness for the dough, it transforms the cinnamon sugar mixture inside of the rolls into a delicious, gooey triumph. It’s pure magic.
The TikTok cinnamon roll hack of dousing the buns with cream before baking them is the key to these gooey, Cinnabon-like rolls. If there’s one step not to skip, it’s this one.
The Vanilla Bean and Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
Many cinnamon roll recipes call for a mere drizzle of icing. (Gasp!) Others use frosting, but neglect to incorporate cream cheese. For me, Cinnabon got this step right. The best topping for fresh-out-of-the-oven cinnamon buns is cream cheese frosting. The tangy and creamy flavor complements the sweet and soft texture of the rolls, and adding vanilla and maple syrup to the mix adds a depth of flavor that sends it over the top.
The Double Frosting Technique
Ah, the age old question of when to frost your rolls. Straight out of the oven? The frosting will melt into the rolls (yum) but you’ll lose a lot of it in the process. Plus, doing it this way makes it tough to freeze and reheat the leftovers. Wait until they’re cool? You’ll have a beautiful looking end result, but miss out on the magic that the melted frosting brings to the buns. So, what’s a baker to do?
I recently stumbled upon Sarah Kieffer’s recipe for cinnamon rolls and in it, she recommends double frosting the rolls. I love this tip! By spreading a thin layer of frosting over the rolls while they’re still warm, and then frosting them again before you’re about to eat them, you get the best of both worlds! A hardened layer of icing to moisten and protect the tops of the rolls and a blanket of beautifully fluffy frosting on top. Win.
Top Tips for Making the Perfect Dough
Make sure your yeast is alive
There’s nothing worse than adding yeast to a recipe only to find out it’s no longer active. To ensure your yeast is alive, this recipe calls for dissolving the yeast in warm milk, adding a pinch of sugar, and waiting for 5-10 minutes until the mixture starts to foam and bubble. If the yeast is still alive, it will consume the sugar and produce carbon dioxide, which will cause the mixture to become frothy. If the mixture does not change, it’s likely that the yeast is no longer active and should be discarded.
Avoid cold ingredients
If your yeast is alive and well, it’s important to keep it that way! So, avoid using cold ingredients, which could cause the yeast to go into shock, slowing down or killing the yeast and preventing the dough from rising properly. Make sure your eggs and butter have come to room temperature before adding them to the milk. And when it comes time to pour the cream over the tops of the rolls, make sure that’s warm too.
Don’t Overdo the Flour
The perfect cinnamon roll dough will be a little sticky. And it may not form itself into a neat ball in your mixer. That’s perfectly fine. Avoid the temptation to add too much flour to the mix, or you could end up with dry and dense rolls that are not as fluffy or soft as they should be.
Let is rise
The dough for these rolls is left to rise twice over the course of this recipe. When you’re tucking it away to do its thing, make sure it’s in a greased bowl, covered with plastic wrap, and placed in a warm environment with no draft for optimal results. If you’re having trouble finding the ideal place, here are a few ideas:
- Warm sunny spot – If the weather is warm and sunny, place the bowl in a sunny location, such as a windowsill.
- Oven with the light on – Preheat your oven for 1-2 minutes and then turn it off. Place the bowl in the warm oven to let the dough rise.
- Microwave – Place the bowl in a microwave, but don’t turn the microwave on. Instead, fill a cup with hot water and place it next to the bowl of dough.
How to Make Cinnamon Rolls from Start to Finish
Alright, enough with the preamble. Let’s bake. Here’s how to make these amazing cinnamon rolls from start to finish, with photos!
How to Make Cinnamon Rolls the Night Before
- Prepare the rolls according to the recipe instructions.
- Once you’ve filled and sliced the rolls and placed them in a greased pan, cover them with plastic wrap and pop them in the fridge. (Do not exceed 24 hours.)
- Before you’re ready to bake your rolls, let them sit covered on the counter at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Once they’ve rested, pop them in the oven and bake until golden brown! (Note: If they’re still slightly cool when you put them in the oven, you may need to increase the bake time.)
How to Freeze Leftover Cinnamon Rolls
- Place each roll in an individual storage container with a pre-portioned amount of frosting on the side. They should be fine in the freezer for up to a month. Beyond that, I couldn’t tell ya. Ours never last that long.
- When you’re ready to eat one, let it come to room temperature and then microwave the unfrosted roll for about 15-20 seconds. Frost and enjoy! (They may not be quite as pillowy soft as they were fresh out of the oven, but they’ll be amazing nevertheless.)
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting (Cinnabon Copycat)
INGREDIENTS
Dough
- 1 cup whole milk warmed to 110° F
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast see notes for substitutions
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups all purpose flour see notes for how to measure
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
Filling
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter very softened
- 1 cup dark brown sugar packed (light brown works too)
- 2 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
Misc.
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream slightly warmed
Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 vanilla bean see notes for substitutions
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar sifted
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the Dough
- Add warm milk to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Sprinkle yeast and sugar over the top of the milk, stir gently with a fork, and leave it to rest for ten minutes, or until it begins to froth. (See notes on proofing yeast.)
- Add the eggs, butter, flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt to the yeast mixture and mix on low speed until the mixture comes together.
- Increase the speed to medium and continue to knead for 10 minutes, or until a sticky, smooth, and elastic dough forms and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. (It may not form a nice ball at this point, and that's ok!)
- Transfer the dough to a greased bowl (you can use a rubber spatula to help if it sticks), cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size. If it needs an extra 30 minutes or so, that's ok! Meanwhile, make the filling.
Make the Filling
- In a small bowl, mix together the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. If you're having trouble mixing it, you can stick it in the microwave for 5-7 seconds to soften the butter a bit more.
- Grease a 9×13" baking pan with butter and set aside.
Make the Rolls
- Once the dough has risen, press it back down and, on a well floured surface, roll it out into an 18×14" rectangle.
- Spread the cinnamon sugar filling evenly over the surface of the dough making sure to extend it to the edges so all of your rolls have filling. If your mixture has hardened, pop it in the microwave for 15 seconds to soften it back up and make it easier to spread, just make sure it's not hot when you put it on the dough. I find using a rubber spatula to be the easiest (and most satisfying) method.
- Starting from one of the long sides, roll the dough tightly into an even log.
- Using a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss, cut the dough into twelve equal pieces.
- Place the slices into a greased baking dish, swirl side up. They'll have some space between them at this point.
- Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap, and let the rolls rise again in a warm place for about 45 minutes, or until doubled in size. If they need an extra 15 minutes or so, that's ok! After that point, if they haven't quite doubled in size, don't worry. They'll continue to grow in the oven.
Make the Frosting
- Split your (half of a) vanilla bean straight down the center and use the back of your knife to scrape out all of the seeds.
- Add the softened cream cheese, butter, vanilla seeds, maple syrup, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add the sifted powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time and continue to beat until smooth, using a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Bake and Frost the Rolls
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and place the rack on the center shelf.
- Warm up one cup of heavy whipping cream so it's just warm (not hot!) to the touch.
- Once the oven is heated, pour the heavy whipping cream all over the risen rolls and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until golden brown. Careful not to overdo it! You want the rolls to remain pillowy soft.
- Remove the rolls from the oven and frost with a very thin coating of frosting while they're still warm. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.
- When ready to eat, frost the rolls individually and enjoy! I like to only frost the rolls I'll be eating so that any leftovers can be reheated without the frosting.
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