Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Yield: 12 cinnamon rolls

Treat your family to a delicious treat with Homemade Cinnamon Rolls. Their soft, fluffy texture combined with a gooey cinnamon sugar swirl makes these cinnamon rolls a must-have for special occasions or even just a cozy weekend breakfast.

Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Cook Time 24 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 54 minutes

Ingredients

For the Dough

1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 packet rapid rise yeast
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour, divided
1 large egg

For the Filling

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

For the Frosting

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon table salt
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk + extra if needed

Instructions

Stir together 3 cups flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in a mixer bowl. Set aside.
Heat the milk and butter in a saucepan over low heat until melted. Stir often, so it doesn't burn or stick. Remove from heat and pour into another bowl. Let the milk cool until it is 115°. Use a food thermometer to check on the temperature. Make sure to stir the hot milk often to help it cool.
Add the warm milk and egg to flour mixture in bowl and mix with a dough hook until everything is combined. Use a spatula from time to time to scrape the sides of the bowl, so the hook can mix everything in. Slowly add 1 cup of flour and mix until a soft and slightly sticky dough ball forms.
Use the remaining flour for kneading and rolling. Dump the dough ball onto a floured surface and gently knead until smooth. I usually do about 10 times. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
While the dough is resting, mix together the filling ingredients in a small bowl until it looks like wet sand. Set aside.
Butter the bottom and sides of a 9x13 pan.
Roll the dough out evenly on a floured surface until it reaches a 18x10 inch rectangle. Spread the filling mixture evenly over the top, leaving about a 1/2" border all around.
Starting from the long side of the dough, start rolling into a large log. The end roll should be 18 inches long. Use unflavored dental floss to cut the log into 12 even slices that are 1 1/2 inches. Place the rolls in the buttered pan.
Cover with a towel or tin foil and place in a warm place to rise. This will take about 45-60 minutes, depending on how warm your room is.
Preheat oven to 350° F when the rolls have about 20 more minutes of rise time. Once the rolls have risen, remove the covering and bake for 24-26 minutes.
Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool 10 minutes before adding the frosting.
While the rolls are cooling, mix together the frosting ingredients until smooth and creamy.
Spread the frosting evenly on top of the hot rolls. Let it sit for a minute, then spread over the tops and push down the sides. This gives the frosting time to soften and melt down into the rolls.

Notes

Check the expiration date on your packet of yeast. Expired yeast will not rise properly.
Do not over heat the milk. You want it warm enough to active the yeast, but not so hot that it kills it. Use an instant read thermometer to watch for 110°-115°. If it is too hot, wait a few minutes until it cools slightly.
A cold egg can affect the rise time of the dough. Place it in a bowl of warm water to bring it to room temperature.
A stand mixer with a dough hook is an easy way to mix dough, but you can also use your hands. It will just be a lot more work.
The dough should be tacky to the touch. This means it should stick to your finger but will pull away easily without leaving any residue.
Do not add too much flour to the dough or knead too much into it. Dry dough = dry cinnamon rolls.
Knead the dough on a well floured surface to keep it from sticking.
Add mix-ins such as nuts, raisins, or other spices to the cinnamon roll filling.
Cut the dough log easily with unflavored dental floss to keep the roll from squishing.
Let the rolls rise in a warm, draft-free place like a pantry or closet. The top of the refrigerator is another great spot.
Air conditioning can affect the rise time, so I usually bump ours to around 76° when making yeast dough.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 458Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 156mgCarbohydrates: 79gFiber: 2gSugar: 42gProtein: 6g

Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.