Warm, gooey, soft homemade cinnamon rolls packed with a cinnamon brown sugar filling with a yummy cream cheese icing that melts deliciously into them.
Even better than Cinnabon, pull a batch of these fluffy rolls out of the oven for the ultimate in comfort baking!
Want cinnamon sugar comfort without the rolling and rising? Try Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake instead.
Step-by-step photos and instructions are below, but you can jump right to the recipe card if you wish!
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Making cinnamon rolls from scratch are my love language. They are a labor of love, requiring time and patience, but the result is a batch of warm, gooey, soft and fluffy cinnamon rolls that smell and taste amazing! They are a favorite for breakfast, brunch, or any time a comforting, sweet treat is need or wanted.
People are afraid to bake with yeast, but these are so easy to make! Using a stand mixer, bread maker, or if you knead by hand, these are going to the recipe you go to for holidays, weekends or any time you need fresh cinnamon rolls. I’m not judging you for how often that is.
I love baking cinnamon rolls. I make the dough on a Saturday morning when or the night before and my family wakes up to the smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls. That makes me the favorite parent (for that day only). These are great for Christmas morning, but I would hate to think that you’d make these only once a year, so make them this weekend! For more brunch recipes, check out my Strawberry Turnovers, or my Broccoli Quiche.
If this is your first time making cinnamon rolls, don’t worry! I have all the photos showing the process, and instructions below.
No mixer? No problem! I have included both stand mixer and bread machine directions in the recipes card.
Basic Steps for making Cinnamon Rolls at home
First, we make the dough, then after rolling it out, we’ll add some melted butter. Then, sprinkle it with a brown sugar and cinnamon mixture. We’ll roll the dough up tightly into a log, and slice into individual rolls.
They’re placed in a baking dish, and baked, then slathered with the cream cheese frosting.
Then they are devoured, almost immediately!
For more cinnamon roll recipes, try my Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls or my Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls. You’ll also love my Raspberry Sweet Rolls!
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Easy to make. Just grab your stand mixer, bread machine or call this an arm work out.
- Delicious. It should go without saying, but I’m saying it anyway!
- You can make these rolls ahead of time, like the night before – check out the notes section!
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the trick to rolling up the dough?
Flour the surface so the dough doesn’t stick. Roll into a large rectangle. Brush with melted butter before sprinkling the filling. Roll it up tightly starting from a long side.
How do I make the dough rise properly?
Make sure the liquid is warm (about 110-115°F) when mixing the dough to help activate the yeast. Let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Punch down and let rise again before rolling and filling. Make sure your yeast isn’t out of date.
Can you make these without a mixer or bread machine?
Absolutely. You can do the kneading by hand, or by machine. See the recipe card for details.
What is the best flour to use?
I use bread flour, as it has a higher gluten content
Can I make these dairy free?
Absolutely. Replace the milk with almond milk, and use a vegan butter and vegan cream cheese for the frosting.
I have included step-by-step photos and instructions, as well as tips and tricks in the post. If you’d rather skip all that, scoot right on down to the full recipe card located at the bottom of the post.
Tips for making the best Cinnamon Rolls
When heating the milk, be careful not to make it too hot. It should be lukewarm, about 114°F). Hot milk will kill the yeast.
Use a sprinkle of flour on your counter top when rolling out your dough, that will help stop it from sticking to the counter. Add more flour as needed.
Use softened butter and cream cheese in the frosting.
Store Cinnamon
How to make Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
If you want to make cinnamon rolls ahead of time, just make the dough, fill and cut then place the rolls in the baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap, then refrigerate overnight instead of letting the rolls go through the second rise.
When you are ready to eat, remove from the refrigerator, and let them complete the final rise. It should take about 45 minutes to an hour (depending on how cold the room is). Bake as directed!
Freezing instructions
This recipe can be frozen after baking, but you can also freeze the unbaked rolls
To freeze before baking
Make the dough and filling, and roll up and cut. Place in a baking dish, cover tightly and put cinnamon rolls in the freezer. When you are ready for cinnamon rolls, remove from the freezer and allow the rolls to rise and thaw at the same time. About an hour and a half to 2 hours. Bake as written.
To freeze after baking
Do not frost! Let the rolls cool completely, then cover the rolls tightly with plastic wrap. When you are ready for cinnamon rolls, remove from the freezer, defrost and reheat in the oven (350°F for 10 minutes), or in the microwave for 30 seconds. Make the icing, and frost after heating.
You can also freeze individual rolls and pull out and reheat (same way as above), then frost.
Key Recipe Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and amounts is found in the printable recipe card below.
- Milk. I use 2% but whole milk can be used. You can also use almond milk if you prefer (it will still work!)
- Eggs. I use large eggs.
- Butter. Salted butter. We’ll use it in the dough, the filling AND the frosting. You can use unsalted butter if you want, I just don’t typically keep it on hand in the refrigerator.
- Flour. I use bread flour, as it gives bread recipes like this one a soft and fluffy texture. All purpose flour can be used in a pinch.
- Salt.
- Sugar. Plain white granulated sugar serves as food for yeast, helping to activate it more quickly. Yeast consumes the sugar, producing carbon dioxide and alcohol in the process, which in turn makes the bread dough rise. Science!
- Yeast. I used active dry yeast in this recipe, but I have used both quick rise or instant yeast too. It won’t matter which you use. Active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in liquid to “proof” before using, and instant yeast does not. The rise times are only slightly different – but I just let it double, then continue, regardless of which yeast I happened to have on hand.
- Brown sugar. Part of the filling, I use dark brown sugar or light brown sugar, it won’t matter!
- Cinnamon. Duh. Can’t not have ground cinnamon in cinnamon buns!
- For the icing: Cream cheese. Part of the frosting, along with butter. Makes a creamy, dreamy, melty frosting. Pull it out of the fridge to soften before using. Powdered sugar and Vanilla extract are the other key players
Recommended Equipment/Tools
(affiliate links may be used here, which helps me earn some pennies – with no increased pricing to you)
You’ll need a stand mixer, bread machine, or really strong arms to make this recipe!
Dental floss. Hear me out!! I use floss to cut the rolls instead of a sharp knife for cutting your dough into rolls. Using unflavored floss means you aren’t pressing down on your rolls when you cut them. They come out rounder and less squished.
Rolling pin. You’ll want one of these to roll out your dough before filling.
Baking dish. I use a 9×13 baking dish and will still have a little left over dough to make a few more in another dish.
How to make Homemade Cinnamon Rolls from Scratch
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This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
Make the Cinnamon Roll dough
Combine milk and sugar in a bowl and put in microwave until the temp is reached (it’s supposed to be lukewarm, not hot).
Sprinkle yeast over the surface, and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
(Tiny bubbles should begin to appear on the surface or around the edge of the container and it should start to smell yeasty).
Add the yeast mixture to the bowl of your stand mixer with the dough hook attached.
Add the flour, salt, eggs, and butter and knead the dough for 8-10 minutes. It should form a ball and be relatively smooth.
First Rise
Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Let sit in a warm place, until doubled in size (about an hour).
Make the Cinnamon Sugar Filling
In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Melt the butter.
Add the filling
Punch down the dough, then use a rolling pin to roll dough into a 16×21-inch rectangle.
Spread dough with butter and sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon and sugar mixture, leaving a little along one short edge.
Roll up dough, cut the rolls
Roll up dough tightly along the long edge. and cut into 12 rolls. I use (plain, unflavored) dental floss to do this, a serrated knife can also be used. Lightly mark the roll before cutting, to ensure even rolls.
If you want mini cinnamon rolls, roll up along the long edge, and cut the rolls smaller.
Place a piece of dental floss 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.
Place the rolls in a lightly greased 9×13 inch baking pan.
Second Rise
Cover and let the cinnamon rolls rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes.
Bake the rolls
Bake the cinnamon rolls in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Frosting
While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, salt and milk.
Spread icing over the warm rolls before serving.
More delicious recipes:
- Homemade Bagels (just 4 ingredients) – Fresh, warm and chewy, topped with whatever you fancy – these homemade bagels are easy to make and absolutely delicious!
- Maple Oat Skillet Bread – A gorgeous loaf, with a delicious crumb! This Maple Oat Skillet Bread is hearty, delicious and perfect for toasting, sandwiches, or eating with soup. Perfect for Fall! Yum!
- Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls. Quick and easy to make, these deliciously soft Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls make the perfect amount for your family! They make a hearty side to any dinner. Yum!
- Homemade Hamburger Buns. These soft rolls are so easy to make, taste amazing and go perfectly with burgers! Make these ahead for burger night!
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Update: This recipe was originally published in 2015. It was updated and republished in February of 2024.
The Best Cinnamon Rolls Ever
Video
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 4 1/2 cups bread flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1/3 cup melted butter
Filling
- 1 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1/3 cup softened butter
Frosting
- 3 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- 1/4 cup butter (softened)
- 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon milk
Directions
Make the dough
- Combine 1 cup warm milk and 1/2 cup white sugarin a bowl, and put in microwave until the temp is reached (it’s supposed to be lukewarm – 114 degrees).
- Sprinkle 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast over the surface, and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy. (Tiny bubbles should begin to appear on the surface or around the edge of the container and it should start to smell yeasty).
- Add the yeast mixture to the bowl of your stand mixer with the dough hook attached.
- Add the 4 1/2 cups bread flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 large eggs and 1/3 cup melted butter and knead the dough for 8-10 minutes. It should form a ball and be relatively smooth.
First Rise
- Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with a kitchen towel.
- Let sit in a warm place, until doubled in size (about an hour).
- Punch down, and turn out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes while you make the filling
Make the filling
- In a small bowl, combine 1 cup dark brown sugar and 2 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon.
Assemble
- Roll dough into a 16×21-inch rectangle.
- Spread dough with 1/3 cup softened butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture.
- Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. I use (plain, unflavored) dental floss to do this.
- Place a piece of dental floss 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.
- Place rolls in a lightly greased 9×13 inch baking pan.
Second Rise
- Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. While the rolls are rising, preheat oven to 400°F.
Bake
- Bake rolls in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Frost
- While rolls are baking, beat together 3 ounces cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon milk.
- Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.
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Nutrition Facts
Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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