Homemade cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting
Soft, fluffy homemade cinnamon rolls with a buttery brown sugar swirl, a splash of heavy cream for gooey bottoms, and tangy cream cheese frosting.
19% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 30 min
- Cooking
- 27 min
- Resting
- 1 hr 45 min
- Serves
- 12
- Calories
- 370
- Protein
- 5 g
- Per serving
- $0.48
Why this recipe works
A pan of warm cinnamon rolls is a weekend project that pays off. The dough is a soft, lightly enriched yeast dough, so it's easy to roll even for first-time bread bakers. You can also shape the rolls the night before and bake them in the morning.
- Pouring heavy cream over the risen rolls just before baking soaks into the bottoms and turns the filling into a gooey caramel.
- Softened (not melted) butter in the filling stays put; melted butter runs out the bottom and leaves the swirl dry.
- Baking to 190°F in the center gives rolls that are cooked through but still soft, instead of pale and doughy or dry from guessing.
Ingredients
For the dough
For the filling
For the frosting
You will need
- Stand mixer with dough hook (or a large bowl)
- 9x13-inch baking pan
- Rolling pin
- Unflavored dental floss or a sharp serrated knife
- Instant-read thermometer
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Make the dough
Stir the warm milk, yeast and a pinch of the sugar together and leave until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the rest of the sugar, the egg, melted butter, flour and salt and mix with the dough hook on low until a soft dough forms.
Knead and rise
Knead on medium-low for 5 to 6 minutes, until the dough is smooth and springs back when poked; it should be slightly tacky but not stick to your fingers. Cover and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, 60 to 90 minutes.
Roll and fill
On a floured counter, roll the dough into a 12x18-inch rectangle. Spread it with the soft butter right to the edges, then sprinkle evenly with the brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll it up tightly from a long side and pinch the seam closed.
Cut and rise again
Cut the log into 12 even rolls with floss or a serrated knife and set them cut side up in a greased 9x13-inch pan. Cover and let rise until puffy and touching, 35 to 45 minutes. Heat the oven to 350°F.
Add the cream and bake
Pour the warm cream evenly over and between the rolls. Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until golden brown and the center roll reads 190°F. Cover loosely with foil if they brown before they're done.
Frost
Beat the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Let the rolls cool for 10 minutes, then spread the frosting over them while they're still warm so it melts into the swirls.
Cook's notes
- Milk hotter than about 115°F can kill the yeast. It should feel warm, not hot, on your wrist.
- Overnight: after cutting, cover the pan and refrigerate up to 16 hours. In the morning let the rolls sit at room temperature for about 1 hour to finish rising, then add the cream and bake.
- Too much flour is the most common reason for tough rolls. Add only enough while kneading to stop the dough sticking to the bowl.
Nutrition per serving
370 calories
$0.48 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 5% of calories | 5 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 53% of calories | 49 g |
| Fat | 41% of calories | 17 g |
| Fiber | 1 g | |
| Sodium | 200 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
Why do you pour heavy cream on cinnamon rolls?
The cream soaks into the bottom of the rolls as they bake and mixes with the melting filling, making the rolls extra soft with a gooey, caramel-like bottom.
Can I make cinnamon rolls the night before?
Yes. Shape and cut them, cover the pan and refrigerate overnight. Let them rise at room temperature for about an hour in the morning, then bake.
How do you know when cinnamon rolls are done?
The tops are golden brown and the center roll reads 190°F on an instant-read thermometer. The middle rolls are the last to cook, so check one of those.
