Soft Cinnamon Rolls With Cream Cheese Icing
Fluffy homemade cinnamon rolls with a buttery brown sugar swirl and tangy cream cheese icing. Includes an overnight option for a warm weekend breakfast.
By Tasty Nest Recipes Editorial TeamPublished
3 hr 5 min total 12 rollsIntermediate
Photo: EvelynGiggles · CC BY 2.0. Illustrative photo; your results may look different.
About this recipe
Few things beat the smell of cinnamon rolls baking on a weekend morning. These are soft and pillowy, made with an enriched dough of milk, butter and eggs, and generously swirled with brown sugar and cinnamon.
They take time, mostly while the dough rises, but very little effort. You can also shape them the night before and let them rise slowly in the fridge, so they are ready to bake as soon as you wake up.
Equipment you'll need
- Stand mixer with dough hook (optional)
- 9 x 13-inch baking pan
- Rolling pin
Tips for success
- Milk that is too hot will kill the yeast. It should feel warm, not hot, on your wrist.
- Cutting the rolls with unflavoured dental floss gives clean edges without squashing them.
- Ice the rolls while warm, not hot, so the icing melts into the swirls without sliding off.
Substitutions and variations
- Use active dry yeast: dissolve it in the warm milk and sugar for 5 minutes until foamy before continuing.
- Add 1/2 cup chopped pecans or raisins to the filling.
- Swap the cream cheese icing for a simple glaze of powdered sugar and milk.
Storage and reheating
To store: Cover and keep at room temperature for 1 day, or refrigerate for up to 4 days. Freeze baked, un-iced rolls for up to 2 months.
To reheat: Microwave a roll for 15 to 20 seconds, or warm a batch, covered with foil, in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
Recipe
Soft Cinnamon Rolls With Cream Cheese Icing
Fluffy homemade cinnamon rolls with a buttery brown sugar swirl and tangy cream cheese icing. Includes an overnight option for a warm weekend breakfast.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Rise
- 2 hr
- Total
- 3 hr 5 min
- Yield
- 12 rolls
- Level
- Intermediate
Ingredients
Tick off ingredients as you gather them.
Dough
Filling
Cream cheese icing
Instructions
Step 1: Make the dough
Stir the warm milk, yeast and sugar together. Add the butter, eggs, flour and salt and mix until a soft dough forms. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes by machine (or 10 minutes by hand) until smooth and slightly tacky, adding a little flour only if very sticky.
Step 2: First rise
Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover and leave in a warm spot for 60 to 90 minutes, until doubled in size.
Step 3: Roll and fill
Roll the dough on a floured surface into a 12 x 18-inch (30 x 45 cm) rectangle. Spread with the soft butter, leaving a small border on one long side, then sprinkle evenly with the brown sugar and cinnamon.
Step 4: Shape
Roll up tightly from the long side, pinch the seam to seal and cut into 12 equal rolls with a sharp knife or dental floss. Arrange in the greased pan.
Step 5: Second rise
Cover and let rise for 30 to 45 minutes until puffy and touching. (Or cover and refrigerate overnight, then let stand at room temperature for 45 to 60 minutes before baking.)
Step 6: Bake
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 22 to 28 minutes, until golden and the centre rolls reach about 190°F (88°C) inside.
Step 7: Ice
Beat the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth, adding milk as needed. Spread over the warm rolls and serve.
Cuisine: American · Course: Breakfast
Estimated nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 450
- Protein
- 7 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 66 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
- Sugars
- 33 g
Approximate values estimated from typical nutrition data for the listed ingredients, excluding optional toppings and serving suggestions. Actual values vary with brands, portion sizes and substitutions. Not verified by a dietitian or laboratory analysis.
tastynestrecipes.com/recipes/cinnamon-rolls
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