Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
The dough rises overnight, then you wake up to the smell of cinnamon and sugar transforming your kitchen.
Breakfast · Prep 40 min · Cook 25 min · Serves 12 · Hard · By Tina · Published
Ingredients
- 240 ml warm milk
- 7 g active dry yeast
- 500 g all-purpose flour
- 65 g granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 75 g butter, melted, for dough
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 45 g butter, softened, for filling
- 165 g brown sugar, for filling
- 2 tbsp cinnamon, for filling
- 115 g cream cheese, for frosting
- 150 g powdered sugar, for frosting
- 30 g butter, for frosting
Worth Every Minute of Rising Time
I know homemade cinnamon rolls seem intimidating, but I promise you, they're one of the most rewarding things you'll ever bake. My kitchen smells absolutely incredible when these are in the oven, and pulling them out all puffed and golden is pure joy. I've simplified the process over the years so it's genuinely doable on a weekend morning.
The Dough
Warm milk to about 40°C/105°F -- it should feel like a warm bath. Stir in the yeast and a pinch of sugar, and let it sit for 5 minutes until foamy. Mix in melted butter, eggs, sugar, salt, and flour until a soft dough forms. Knead for about 8 minutes until smooth and elastic. It should feel like a baby's cheek. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 1-1.5 hours until doubled.
The Cinnamon Filling
While the dough rises, mix softened butter with brown sugar, cinnamon, and a tiny pinch of salt. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 40x30cm, and spread the filling all the way to the edges. Roll up tightly from the long side and cut into 12 equal pieces using dental floss (it gives the cleanest cut -- trust me).
The Second Rise
Place the rolls in a buttered 23x33cm baking dish, leaving a small gap between each one. Cover and let rise for another 30-45 minutes until they're puffy and touching each other.
Bake and Glaze
Bake at 180°C/350°F for 22-25 minutes until golden brown on top. While they bake, beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a splash of milk for the glaze. Spread it over the rolls while they're still warm so it melts into all the crevices.
Tina's Tips
- Use dental floss to cut the rolls -- a knife squishes the dough, but floss slides right through cleanly
- The milk should be warm, not hot -- too hot kills the yeast, and then nothing rises
- Spread filling all the way to the edges for cinnamon in every single bite
- Glaze while warm so the cream cheese frosting melts into all the swirly layers
More breakfast recipes
- Homemade Waffles (Easy · 20 min · serves 6)
Light, crispy on the outside, and fluffy on the inside. These homemade waffles are weekend breakfast… - Ricotta Hotcakes with Honeycomb Butter (Easy · 15 min · serves 2)
Thick, fluffy, and impossibly light — these ricotta hotcakes are what pancakes dream of becoming. - Savory Oat Bowl with Soft Egg and Greens (Easy · 15 min · serves 1)
Forget sweet oatmeal — this savory version with parmesan, wilted greens, and a runny egg is the breakfast you… - Shakshuka (Easy · 25 min · serves 4)
Poach your eggs in that bubbling tomato sauce and you have got breakfast, lunch, or dinner sorted in one pan. - Shakshuka Breakfast Pita Pockets (Easy · 15 min · serves 2)
All the flavors of shakshuka, stuffed into a warm pita with hummus and pickles. This is breakfast you can eat… - Smoky Harissa Shakshuka (Easy · 25 min · serves 2)
Spiced tomato sauce, runny eggs, and a hit of harissa — this is my go-to lazy dinner that looks like I tried.