Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls are made from a tender buttery dough swirled with a rich cinnamon filling and baked to perfection. Topped with a decadent cream cheese frosting
Servings: 12 servings
Equipment
- small bowl
- clean dish towel
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
To make the dough
- 4 cups flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 packet Fleismann's active dry yeast
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup melted unsalted butter
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
To make the filling
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup melted unsalted butter
To make the cream cheese frosting
- 4 tablespoons softened cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 - 2 tablespoons milk (may need more or less to achieve your desired consistency)
Instructions
- First, you will need to proof your yeast. To do this you will warm the milk slightly in the microwave. You want the milk to be between 105-110 degrees F. when checking. I use this thermometer for baking and candy making. Add the yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar to the warmed milk. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
- I used a whisk and a wooden spoon for this recipe. You can use a stand mixer to mix the dough, too.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, remaining sugar, and salt. Add the ¼ cup of melted butter, egg, and yeast to the dry ingredients and stir until a soft dough forms.
- Knead the dough on a cutting board or a clean floured surface for 5-7 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
- Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover it with a clean towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 1½ hours, or until it has doubled in size.
- Once the dough has risen, roll it out on a floured surface into a large rectangle, about ¼ inch thick. Brush the entire surface of the dough with ¼ cup of melted butter.
- In a small bowl mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together, then evenly sprinkle the mixture over the buttered dough.
- Carefully roll the dough into a tight log, starting from the long side. Slice the log into 12 equal pieces using a piece of unflavored dental floss or a sharp serrated knife.
- Arrange the slices in a greased or parchment-lined baking dish, leaving a little space between each one. Cover the dish with a clean towel and let the rolls rise for another 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Once the buns have risen, bake them for 20-25 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 - 10 minutes before frosting.
- While they are cooling, prepare the cream cheese glaze. In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese and softened butter together until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, mixing until combined. If the frosting is too thick to spread, add a little of the milk, a tablespoon at a time until the deired consistency is reached.. Spread over warm rolls using an offset spatula. Serve warm.
Notes
see blog post for more tips and suggestions.