Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

These are the BEST cinnamon rolls that you’re ever going to make. They’re soft and fluffy, full of gooey cinnamon roll filling, and topped with cream cheese frosting. Homemade cinnamon rolls are a real treat for breakfast or brunch. These are our favorite Christmas morning tradition.

In our house, we always have our big holiday dinner on Christmas Eve. That way, we can get to bed and wake up early to open presents, stuff our faces again, and then take an afternoon nap.

Christmas Eve dinner always includes a batch of my Aunt Donna’s Dinner Rolls. These homemade rolls are the softest, fluffiest, most fantastic dinner rolls ever!

Why am I even talking about dinner rolls in a cinnamon roll recipe post?

Okay, I’m getting to that. The cinnamon roll dough that is used in this recipe is the same dough I use to make dinner rolls.

My mom always made a double batch of the dough for Christmas Eve dinner. Half of the dough was used to make the Christmas dinner rolls with dinner. The other half of the dough she would use to make overnight cinnamon rolls.

In the morning, when we woke up, she would pull them out of the fridge, let them warm up for a bit, and then put them into the oven.

She was able to enjoy sipping her coffee and enjoy the morning while the house filled up with the smell of cinnamon.

What You’ll Love About This Recipe

If you like Cinnabon, then you are going to love this cinnamon rolls recipe.

The cinnamon roll dough is soft and fluffy and can be used to make various sweet rolls, and you can also use this dough to make savory rolls.

Here’s What You’ll Need

Ingredients for Cinnamon Roll Dough

• Flour. Bread flour or all-purpose flour. Bread flour will give you more tender rolls that are usually fluffier.
• Eggs. Three large eggs.
• Butter. Melted.
• Sugar. Granulated sugar.
• Water. Warm the water to about 100 to 105 degrees F
• Yeast.
• Salt.

Ingredients for Cinnamon Roll Filling

• Butter. Unsalted butter softened to room temperature.
• Brown Sugar
• Cinnamon

Ingredients for Cinnamon Roll Icing

• Butter. Unsalted butter softened to room temperature.
• Cream Cheese softened to room temperature.
• Powdered Sugar
• Vanilla
• Heavy Cream will thin the icing if you need it.

Let’s Get Started

Make the Cinnamon Roll Dough

This is an enriched dough (made with sugar, butter, and eggs), like a brioche. It needs to be beaten well, and the long beating time of the eggs and sugar allows the sugar to dissolve into the dough.

The long beating time of the flour allows the gluten proteins to make strong bonds which enables the dough to hold air as it rises. This step is essential for getting a well-risen roll.

1. Beat the eggs until they are fluffy and light yellow. (2 to 3 minutes)
2. Add the sugar and then beat the eggs again. (2 to 3 minutes)
3. Switch to a dough hook.
4. Add the water, yeast, salt, and half of the flour. Mix until the flour is incorporated.
5. Add the remainder of the flour and beat until the dough forms a smooth ball. (10 to 15 minutes) This step is essential to develop the gluten in the dough to rise properly and give you soft fluffy cinnamon rolls.
6. Put the dough into and large bowl covered with plastic wrap. Let the dough proof until it doubles in size. (1 hour or more, depending on the temperature.)

Make The Filling

While the dough is rising for the first time, make the cinnamon and sugar filling.

1. In a bowl mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon.
2. Let the butter sit out at room temperature until you are ready to use it.

Make Cream Cheese Icing

You can wait to make the icing for the cinnamon rolls until they are cooling. Make sure that your ingredients are at room temp when you’re ready to go.

1. Beat the cream cheese and the butter together until they are well combined.
2. Add the powdered sugar. Mix slowly until the sugar is incorporated, and then turn up the speed until the icing is fluffy.
3. Add the vanilla and continue to beat.
4. If the icing is too thick, add heavy cream to thin it out. You shouldn’t need more than two tablespoons.

How to Assemble The Cinnamon Rolls

1. Once the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a lightly oiled surface.
2. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a rectangle. You’ll want the rectangle to be at least 12 to 14 inches wide and approximately 10 inches deep.
3. Spread the softened butter onto the dough, leaving a 1-inch margin on the long side that is the furthest away from you.
4. Sprinkle the buttered dough with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.
5. Roll the dough along the long side. Gently seal the edge by pulling the unbuttered edge to stretch the dough and then pressing it into the roll.
6. Use a piece of waxed dental floss to slice the rolls into 12 equally sized rolls.
7. Place the rolls in a buttered 9 x 13 – inch baking pan.
8. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and proof the dough one more time.

PRO-TIP: The cinnamon rolls can be baked immediately after the second proof, OR they can be stored in the refrigerator overnight and baked the next morning.

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How to Make Overnight Cinnamon Rolls

If you want to prepare this recipe for cinnamon rolls the night before and bake them in the morning, here’s how!

1. In the morning, take the rolls out of the refrigerator. They may have risen in the fridge overnight, but I like to still let them warm for at least 30 minutes before baking them.
2. I usually place the covered baking dish onto a baking sheet and let it warm on top of the stove as the oven is preheating. The extra warmth helps them rise a little faster. Another trip my mom used was to turn the vent light on for a little more heat.
3. Follow the instructions for baking.

Keep in mind that rising time will vary depending on temperature.

Baking the Cinnamon Rolls

1. Preheat the oven to 350℉.
2. Uncover the rolls and place them on the center rack of the oven.
3. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, until they are golden brown. The internal temperature of the rolls should be 190°F/88°C.
4. Let the rolls cool for 15 minutes or longer before frosting them.

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Recipe Variations

Pecan Sticky Buns: Add about half a cup of chopped and toasted pecans to the filling.

Orange Sweet Rolls: This incredible variation takes a few substitutions. Use 1/2 cup of orange juice and 1/2 cup of water or milk for the liquid in the dough. You will want to fill these with butter, sugar, a drop of vanilla extract, and two tablespoons of orange zest for the filling. You’ll substitute this filling for the cinnamon filling.

Pineapple Rolls: I have an entire post of these Hawaiian Pineapple Sweet Rolls. Trust me; you do not want to miss out on this recipe.

Glazed Cinnamon Rolls: If you’re not into the heavy cream cheese frosting and like a lighter glazed cinnamon roll, no problem. Add milk, or even orange juice, to the powdered sugar. Add about three tablespoons to start, and then continue to add more liquid until the glaze is the consistency of thick honey. I like to add icing to them while they are still warm.

Other Baking Recipes That You’ll Love

• Apple Cider Donuts
• Apple Cake with Vanilla Pastry Cream
• Pumpkin Old Fashioned Donuts
• Pineapple Sweet Rolls