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Close up view of a Homemade Cinnamon Roll on a plate.
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5 from 25 votes

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

The Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls you've been craving are right here!  This soft, fluffy cinnamon roll recipe with the perfect blend of cinnamon and sugar, is topped with the most luscious cream cheese frosting. They're so dreamy!
Prep Time2 hours
Cook Time18 minutes
cooling time10 minutes
Total Time2 hours 18 minutes
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Servings: 24 rolls
Calories: 485kcal
Author: Erica Walker

Ingredients

  • 1 cup warm water
  • 2 tablespoons yeast (quick rise)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 7 1/2 cups bread flour divided (all-purpose flour works fine also)
  • 2 tablespoons oil

Cinnamon Filling:

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, combine water, yeast, and sugar. Set aside for 10 minutes.
    Heat milk in microwave for 2 minutes. Set aside. In a large bowl or heavy mixer combine milk, softened butter, salt and sugar. Mix together until butter is melted. 
    Add eggs one at a time and 3 cups flour. Mix for 2 minutes. Add yeast mixture and 2 cups flour. Mix well. 
    Yeast and water in a mixing bowl for Homemade Cinnamon Rolls.
  • Let dough sit for 10 minutes. (If using a standing mixer...now is the time to change to a dough hook!) Continue to mix while slowly adding remaining 2 1/2 cups flour. Dough will start pulling away from the sides of the bowl, but is still quite sticky. Beat 3 more minutes. 
    Coat another large bowl with 2 tablespoons oil. Take dough out of mixing bowl and place in oiled bowl, turning over once to coat each side. Place clean towel over bowl and let raise in a warm spot for 45 minutes. 
    Cinnamon Roll dough in a bowl.
  • After 45 minutes, put dough out onto floured surface. Knead by hand, adding a little flour if needed. DO NOT USE TOO MUCH FLOUR! You want dough to remain very soft! 
    With rolling pin, roll dough into a rectangle shape about the size of a jelly roll pan (11x15 inch) and 1/4-1/2 inch thick.
    Rolling pin rolling out Cinnamon Roll dough into a rectangle.
  • Melt 1/3 cup butter in microwave for 30 seconds or until just melted. Spread over dough. 
    Butter on top of roll out dough for Homemade Cinnamon Rolls.
  • Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar and 3/4 cup brown sugar over butter. Sprinkle cinnamon on top of sugars. Top with nuts if desired. 
    Roll out dough with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon.
  • Roll up starting with the long side; pinch seam to seal. Cut into 1 inch rolls (see notes above on how to do this) and place on greased cookie sheet or in 2 9x13 glass baking pans. 
    Slices of Homemade Cinnamon Rolls.
  • Cover and let rise another 45 minutes. 
    Baking sheet of Homemade Cinnamon Rolls.
  • Bake at 325 degrees for 16-20 minutes or until lightly browned (Do NOT over-bake). Cool for 10 minutes before frosting. 
    Sheet of baked Homemade Cinnamon Rolls.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth. 
    Whisk holding Homemade Cinnamon Rolls cream cheese frosting.
  • Slowly add powdered sugar, mixing constantly, until desired consistency is reached. (you may not need ALL of the powdered sugar) 
    Mixing bowl with whipped cream cheese.
  • Spread over warm cinnamon rolls.
    Homemade Cinnamon Rolls with cream cheese frosting.

Video

Notes

Tips for cutting rolled cinnamon roll dough:

  • Once you roll up your dough into a “tube” shape you will want to slice off each individual roll (this is actually my favorite part). Don’t do this with a knife if you can help it! It will make it so your dough un-rolls and it will most-likely be uneven.
  • The easiest thing to do is to get about 2 feet of dental floss and place it under the rolled dough, 1 inch from the end.
  • Bring the floss up around the dough and cross it over the top, cutting through the dough and filling. Repeat at 1-inch intervals. WAY easier than using a knife.
Hand holding floss cutting into Homemade Cinnamon Rolls.

Nutrition

Calories: 485kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 341mg | Potassium: 111mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 530IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1mg