Easy Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
The softest and fluffiest EASY Homemade Cinnamon Rolls with ooey gooey cinnamon filling and cream cheese icing - ready in one hour!
Servings:12 cinnamon rolls
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 5-6 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 2 packets rapid rise yeast/instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 6 tablespoons butter, chilled, cut into tablespoons
- 1 large egg
For the Filling
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 cups brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons butter, softened
For the Icing
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 4-6 tablespoons milk, or heavy cream, as needed
- pinch of salt
Instructions
Prepare the dough
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9x13 inch baking pan. (see note)
- In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer) stir together 2 cups flour, yeast, sugar, and salt.
- In a glass/liquid measuring cup combine milk and butter and microwave on high for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each, until butter is mostly melted and milk is very warm. (see note) Add milk mixture and egg to the dry ingredients and mix well.
- Mix in remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead for 5 minutes, then transfer to a lightly greased bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise for 10 minutes.
Make the Cinnamon Rolls
- Roll dough into a large rectangle (about 15x12 inches) and rub softened butter all over the top of the dough.
- Stir together sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle over butter, leaving about 1/2 inch around the edges bare.
- Tightly (but gently) roll the dough from one long side toward the other. Pinch the seam to seal off the length of the dough.
- Use a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss to cut into 12 equal-size pieces. Place each cut-side down in your prepared baking pan.
- Cover tightly and let rise in a warm dry place for 30 minutes.
- Uncover, bake on center rack for 30-35 minutes until golden brown on the top. Allow to cool slightly before frosting.
Prepare the Icing
- In a medium sauce pan melt butter over medium-high heat. Once melted, continue to stir for 2-3 minutes longer until color changes from pale yellow to deep golden. Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl cream together the browned butter, cream cheese, and vanilla.
- Alternate mixing in 1 cup of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk until icing is smooth and fluffy. Mix in a pinch of salt for added richness, then spread over cinnamon rolls.
- Serve immediately or cover tightly and store at room temperature up to three days. Reheat individual rolls in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
Notes
Buttering the pan: Use your fingers or a small spatula to rub 1-2 tablespoons softened butter all over the inside of the pan. You can use nonstick spray instead to grease the pan, but I highly recommend the buttering technique for the richest, fluffiest cinnamon rolls!
For the milk: After microwaving, the milk should be very warm to the touch, it may sting a bit, but not be so hot that you have to pull your finger out. If it gets too hot, let it cool for a few minutes before adding to the dough.
For the icing: This makes a large batch of icing for those of us who like our cinnamon rolls piled high with rich, fluffy goodness. If you prefer less frosting you can half the icing recipe! If you prefer more of a glaze, simply half the icing recipe, then heat the icing in the microwave for 20-30 seconds, stir, and pour over cinnamon rolls.
Nutrition
Calories: 617 kcal, Carbohydrates: 138 g, Protein: 8 g, Fat: 4 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Cholesterol: 25 mg, Sodium: 261 mg, Potassium: 169 mg, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 96 g, Vitamin A: 178 IU, Calcium: 102 mg, Iron: 3 mg